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.