Budget bougie: Where to find Sydney’s best restaurant food cheap every night of the week and weekend
From $15 dumplings to specials on Champagne, top restaurants are offering budget deals to tempt cash-strapped customers. We broke down some tasty deals for every day of the week.
Confidential
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When cost of living is the number one concern for many Sydneysiders, going out for a meal or drink becomes a rarity.
However many restaurants and bars are doing everything in their power to turn the tide and entice diners into their venues.
There are currently amazing value deals popping up in Sydney’s best restaurants across every day of the week, many starting at $15, which is roughly the same price as a Large Big Mac Meal.
SUNDAYS
Former Mr Wong’s chef, Lucas Doan’s new restaurant, The D’s, in Marrickville has just launched a Champagne Bottomless Brunch on Sundays. For $79pp, on top of food purchases, patrons get bottomless Veuve Clicquot: which is less than the champagne retails for at liquor stores.
Dean said the offer was introduced so customers could still “indulge and end their weekend in style without breaking the bank.”
Meanwhile, this Sunday, September 17, celebrity chef Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant in Woollahra will hosting a farmer’s market to help combat cost of living and celebrate spring.
The farmers market on the lawn from 10am to 3pm will feature ready-to-eat goods from Moran’s restaurants like Chiswick, Chophouse, North Bondi Fish and spritzers from Opera Bar. Moran himself will be selling produce from the Moran Family Farm.
MONDAYS
The Woollahra Hotel in Sydney’s east has introduced a host of dining deals from head chef Jordan Muhamad, who worked as an apprentice at Sydney’s Rockpool Bar and Grill and has also worked at favourites Spice Temple and Chin Chin.
He’s brought this Asian influence to the pub, offering dining deals across five days a week, for lunch and dinner. Kicking off the week is the $15 mixed dozen dumplings – from pork xiao long bao to prawn Har Gow, on Monday nights.
Premium steak restaurant Meat and Wine Co has opened a fourth venue in Sydney, this time on Castlereagh Street, adding to its outlets in Barangaroo, Bella Vista and Circular Quay. They’ve introduced a curated Express Lunch from Monday to Friday, where, from $35 guests can try some of the restaurants most popular dishes alongside a glass of house wine, beer of soft drink.
Top chef Leigh McDivitt, who oversees the kitchen at The Strand Bistro in Darlinghurst has also introduced a budget conscious lunch special from Monday to Friday. For an express lunch, grab two courses for $35 or three courses for $50, with $10 extra for house wine or beer.
Former Baba’s Place chef Brendan King is now heading the kitchen at Camperdown’s live music venue The Lady Hampshire. On Monday night he offers $15 schnitzel on a bed of creamy mash and free pool.
TUESDAYS
On Tuesdays The Lady Hampshire has a curry and cans night, where $20 will get you a house curry and a can of beer.
At The Woollahra Hotel, Muhamad is offering $15 for three Bao buns.
Bart Jr in Redfern started life as a bar, but its food became so popular it has now morphed into a restaurant, which offers excellent midweek deals. On Tuesday nights, it’s family meals for $35, which includes a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine.
WEDNESDAY
On Wednesday, s Bart Jnr offers Chef’s Choice Dinner where, for $45 a head, guests are treated to six speciality dishes. While the menu rotates, the house focaccia with fermented chilli butter and olive oil is always on the menu.
The Woollahra Hotel serves up Hot Wok Wednesdays, with a rotating noodle dish costing $15.
Award-winning bar El Primo Sanchez in Paddington has moved Taco Night to Wednesdays, offering up $5 tacos from 5-11pm. There are five tacos to choose from, including the Al Pastor. made from 12-hour achiote marinated pork belly. which is cooked over coals and served with sweet pineapple, salsa verde and onion and coriander jardin.
THURSDAY
Thursdaysare for curry at The Woollahra Hoteland the dish comes with a glass of wine.
Frenchies Bistro & Brewery in The Cannery, Rosebery was founded by Head Chef Thomas Cauquil, who completed his charcuterie internship in France at the highly regarded Meilleur Ouvrier de France (M. O. F).
Cauquil has extended its menu and introduced all-day dining, and in doing so has offered some midweek specials. Steak Frites Thursdays sees servings of grain-fed beef blade steak, fries, house made bearnaise sauce and a glass of Frenchies beer, or Petit Verdot red wine cost $39 per person.
FRIDAY
AtThe Woollahra Hotelit’s $15 margaritas, all day.
The Bellevue Hotel in Paddington offers up Wings & Tins Friday from 5pm, serving up $1.50 chicken wings and $6 tins.
Barangaroo’s Nola Smokehouse and Bar wants to offer the “happy-est hours” and every day of the week, including Fridays, from 4pm to 6pm serves up $10 Southern Fried Chicken, $15 cocktails, $5 house beers and $8 house wines.
SATURDAY
On Saturdays, Nola has brought back its all-you-can-eat Saturday BBQ lunch special. For $60pp, indulge in 11 hour smoked Texan-style brisket, cajun-rubbed, smoked pork, smoked wings, sausage, fries, house-made Mac ’n cheese, coleslaw, cornbread and pickles.
At Chiswick, there’s a Spring Sharing Menu for $75pp. Curated by head chef Taylor Cullen, it is designed as a cost-effective way to group dine, and includes famed dishes like rosemary flatbread, burraduc buffalo curd, crispy zucchini flower and prawns.
SPECIALS
To mark International Dumpling Day on September 26, White + Wongs will be offering two-for-one dumpling deals.