Where to eat at The Star Sydney

Ever tried Sydney’s favourite buffet? For huge appetites, Harvest at The Star offers great value “all-you-can-eat” meals all day.

If you’ve got the time to grab brunch during the week, prepare for what may possibly be the most impressive (and generous) breakfast spread you’ve ever seen in your life – at a fraction of the cost.

With an egg and omelette station, mountains of pancakes and waffles, fresh fruit, basketfuls of baked goods, and at least three Wonka-esque chocolate fountains, it’s safe to say you won’t need to eat for the rest of the day.

But it’s the seafood banquets that Harvest is most famous for. On weekends, the morning’s catch is highlighted in a gorgeous rainbow of red, pink and white. Gorge on oysters, prawns, crabs, mussels and freshly prepared sushi, before heading on to the other stations if you’ve still got room.

A wonderland awaits, with handmade pizzas, soups, curries, pastas, and salads galore. Roam wherever you like, but a quick stop at the carvery for the day’s roast is a must.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Seafood buffet weekend lunch (Adult $69.90 pp; Child $39.90 pp)

Hungry for a more refined seafood dining experience? Flying Fish features some of the freshest premium local seafood from Aussie and New Zealand waters, using a zero to low waste sustainability model.

Here it’s all about high taste – both in the award-winning restaurant and oyster bar’s food and atmosphere. Take a seat in the elegant, spacious dining room and enjoy exceptional water views over a seafood experience that ticks all the boxes.

On the minimalist yet creative menu, you’ll eye all the usual suspects (oysters, prawns, fish, seafood platters). Some dishes come just as they are – freshly caught, while others are bathed in fragrant emulsions, often with subtle Asian characters.

If you’re in a pair, have a go at tackling the Eastern Rock BBQ lobster with shellfish butter and marinated tomato on a bed of spaghetti. The Goolwa pipis with chickpea miso, Warrigal greens and sunrise lime is a subtle nod to the diversity of our indigenous local ingredients.

An extensive wine list offers plenty of scope for complementing the delicate seafood flavours. If it’s a special occasion, you won’t go astray with a bottle of Australian sparkling or French Champagne.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Spanner crab cocktail with macadamia, avocado and fried potatoes ($32)

Mashi No Mashi means “eat more and more” in Japanese, and it’s exactly what you’ll want to do here. The bright and yellow-walled diner is where ramen lovers unite to slurp on some of the most bodacious bowls of broth to be found Down Under.

With outlets in Tokyo and Hong Kong, the world-famous joint is all about serving up the perfect bowl of premium beef ramen. Chef Hisato uses 100% Wagyu beef bone stock in a short but intense list of full-bodied ramen bowls to choose from.

In the “Wagyujiro”, savour your 120g cut of Wagyu and homemade noodles in a soup of 24-hour stewed Kobe beef bone broth, crispy veg and crushed garlic. The Ozaki beef is exclusively sourced from a farm in Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture, and its tenderness and strength of flavour will impress.

Elsewhere on the menu, there are spicy variations, dry noodle variations (sauce-based instead of soup-based) and cold variations. Gyoza dumplings and cha siu bao make for deliciously rich extra snacks, and there’s even a unique take on a donburi rice bowl for those who like their Wagyu red-rare – topped with a raw egg yolk, of course.

In each dish you’ll taste that unmistakable precision in taste and quality the Japanese are known for, but make no mistake – this is no stiff or snobbish affair. The vibes at Mashi No Mashi remain fun, young and playful.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Wagyujiro ($48)

Serious meat lovers can’t go wrong with the exquisite dining experience at Black. The multi-award winning restaurant is The Star’s go-to destination for dry-aged meat, melt-in-your-mouth seafood and unique bottles of wine from the cellar.

Impress a date with the harbour and city views, or bring the whole family along for a special occasion.

The menu may be pricey but the quality of the produce and ingredients on offer here measures up. Indulge in Beluga caviar, Moreton Bay bugs or Mooloolaba scallops, and David Blackmore fullblood Wagyu steaks hot off the grill.

Each hand-picked cut of beef is infused with cherry wood ash smoke, imparting a sweet and delicate flavour to the meat – further enhanced by being grilled over high heat on the Australian ironbark wood-fire.

Dessert is just as appealing, offering your choice of white chocolate creme brulee, rum baba, cheesecake, fruit sorbet and an assortment of A-grade Aussie cheeses. The most famous dessert at Black is the chocolate sphere, a painstakingly created shell of milk chocolate filled with raspberry mousse and mint ice-cream.

At the table, your waiter will then shower the ball in warm couverture chocolate ganache. Can it get any more decadent?

Dish Cult’s top pick: Wagyu tasting chef’s selection MBS9+ 600g ($245)

If you thought you couldn’t have a five-star dining experience in a food court, think again.

Tucked away in The Star’s relaxed cafe court, you’ll find Din Tai Fung – a world-recognised and award-winning dumpling chain. One of its outlets even earned a prestigious Michelin star back in 2009 and the dumplings have been described by world renowned chef Ken Hom as “the world’s best.”

The most famous dish here is the basket of xiao long bao soup-filled dumplings. Take a bite to unearth an explosive waterfall of flavourful juices, before luxuriating in the tender minced pork filling inside. You’ll discover other classic dumpling styles on the menu too, like prawn and pork shao mai, chicken and veg dumplings, and everyone’s favourite fluffy BBQ pork buns.

Although dumplings are the star of the show here, plenty of other tempting options are on the menu to round out your meal. Try the Shanghai-style cold drunken chicken, a piquant bowl of hot and sour soup with shredded pork or black pepper beef straight from the wok.

Bowlfuls of noodles and fried rice are on hand to keep your carb cravings in check, while a pot of hot jasmine tea is the perfect afternoon accompaniment.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Xiao long bao pork dumplings ($6.90)

Looking for more restaurants near The Star? Check out our guide to more fab eateries in Pyrmont.