The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Otto Ristorante Sydney

The undisputed prince of the pier... Otto Ristorante.
The undisputed prince of the pier... Otto Ristorante.Edwina Pickles

Good Food hat15.5/20

Italian$$$

Sydney may have lost some of its key waterfront restaurants (Wildfire, Ocean Room) this year but we still have the Finger Wharf and its bevy of multi-denominational eateries. The undisputed prince of the pier is Otto, now in its 14th year of dishing up high-level Italian cooking to a frocked-up, celebrity-strewn crowd. Clearly, this is no humble osteria. Chef Richard Ptacnik plays with classy produce, turning out a lush, creamy ball of Woodside goat's curd drizzled with truffled honey; a scorchy, grilled 300g Tajima wagyu scotch fillet, and rigorously al dente spaghetti with sweet, fresh Tasmanian lobster that's a real bucket list dish (and priced accordingly). Finish with sensational tiramisu, gelato spiked with chocolate and coconut tuiles and marsala jelly, that's guaranteed to take your eyes off the bobbing boats and glittering city skyline, if only for the time it takes to eat it.

And … Share the lobster spaghetti between two for a special treat.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Big-city Italian harbourside dining.
Best bit Sitting on the al fresco terrace.
Worst bit Not sitting on the al fresco terrace.

Continue this series

Citibank Dining Program New South Wales restaurants
Up next
Suckling pig terrine in a chickpea focaccia.

Pilu at Freshwater

Pilu sits very happily on the cusp of old- and new-world, looking both forward and back.

Public Dining Room Thumbnail

Public Dining Room

To many, Sydney is a city defined by its harbour. And what a harbour. As you sit in this bright, ...

Previous
Osteria Balla

Osteria Balla

While it’s hardly a humble nonna’s kitchen, the menu champions traditional Italian cooking in true Stefano Manfredi style.

See all stories

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement