From discreet basement steakhouses to beachside cafes: Inside the favourite dining spots of Sydney’s most influential leaders
From iconic establishments to the city’s hippest new grazing spots, here’s where Sydney’s power people meet to greet, eat and do business.
From terrace bistros to hidden laneway gems, Sydney’s most influential leaders know exactly where they like to eat, meet, greet and talk business.
To mark this year’s Daily Telegraph Power 100 list, we asked the state’s most powerful figures where they dine, and what Sydney’s food scene still needs.
Their answers reveal a mix of nostalgia, discretion, indulgence and home-cooked loyalty.
Below, the power players reveal their go-to spots.
The Daily Telegraph’s Power 100
Monday: See who made the list from 100 to 76
Tuesday: The next 25 is revealed
Wednesday: The top 50 of the Power 100 is revealed
The Daily Telegraph’s 52-page Power 100 magazine out Wednesday
Chris Waller – Horse Trainer
Waller nominates Entrata in Glenhaven as his standout favourite, a warm and consistently popular Hills district institution.
Gai Waterhouse – Horse Trainer
Waterhouse keeps things classic, choosing Bistro Moncur in Woollahra for Sydney dining, while tipping Il Bacaro and Bacash as her must-visit Melbourne favourites.
Premier Chris Minns
Minns struggled to name a favourite Sydney restaurant, insisting he is “not much of a foodie” — a trait he partly blames on childhood trauma.
“My dad refused to go to Sizzler,” he said. “It still stings.”
He admits he hates “waiting and lining up for food” but eventually settled on a favourite: “There’s a restaurant in Goulburn Street in Chinatown called Mamak, which is really good.” Malaysian food, he says, is his go-to.
Patrick Delany – Foxtel Group CEO
Delany says his preferred power lunch spot is “across my desk.”
“I’m a big power luncher. If you can get a lunch with me it’s usually at my desk with a sandwich.”
Breakfast is where he escapes: “I like to go to places I won’t be seen… I can’t say where — then I can’t go there.”
Gerry Harvey – Harvey Norman Founder
Home is where Harvey eats best.
“If Katie said, ‘I’ll take you to the top restaurant in Sydney or I’ll take you home for lunch,’ I’d go home. She cooks a magnificent meal.”
Paul Whittaker – Sky News CEO
Whittaker swears by Bistecca, the CBD’s cult Italian steakhouse.
“Extra-thick T-bones, the bone marrow starter — a must,” he said. He also loves the restaurant’s policy of confiscating phones on entry: “Old-school dining habits.”
Ian Malouf – Ahoy Club Owner
For Malouf, Bambini Trust is “hard to beat.”
“The people are awesome, the food consistently perfect.” He also rates Margaret in Double Bay and much of the Merivale empire.
David Gallant – Walker Corporation CEO
Gallant gets nostalgic at Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf eateries.
“A lunch on the water, looking back at the city… there is something very special about it.”
Professor Richard Scolyer – 2024 Australian of the Year
Scolyer loves Pepito’s in Marrickville.
“Warm, welcoming, incredible food… a genuine sense of community.”
Mark Scott – University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor
Scott nominates The Pantry Manly, a beachside staple with an easygoing Modern Australian menu.
Jennifer Westacott – Western Sydney University Chancellor
Westacott’s pick is China Doll on Woolloomooloo Wharf.
George Williams – Western Sydney University Vice-Chancellor
Williams heads to Harris Park’s famed Little India, choosing Taj Indian Sweets & Restaurant on Wigram Street.
Reverend Anthony Fisher – Catholic Archbishop of Sydney
Fisher jokes that “my favourite restaurant is my own kitchen,” but when pressed, he nominates Alice Dumpling Bar on North Steyne in Manly.
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Originally published as From discreet basement steakhouses to beachside cafes: Inside the favourite dining spots of Sydney’s most influential leaders
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