Nigella Lawson on her favourite Sydney restaurants and what’s on her dining hitlist for 2025

“Ester, always. I think Mat Lindsay is just an extraordinary chef. I don’t know quite how he makes things, which normally would sound to me like something I’m not sure about… For example, he has these oysters. I love oysters anyway, so I always have oysters. And there’s a lovely waiter there called Ollie, and he knows me now and he said, ‘you’ve got to try the chicken fat oysters’. And I thought, ‘What? I don’t want to eat a cooked oyster!’ And he went, ‘No, really Nigella, I promise you’ll love them.’ Oh my God, he was so right. They are extraordinary. And yet I can’t explain that to other people, because it sounds improbable, and yet it works. And to have that sort of palate, he’s exceptional.”

“When I first went to Baba’s Place, I thought it was some hipster joint in a warehouse and I was frightened it was going to be too cool for school. Yeah, it is cool but it’s also so welcoming and warm and just full of food that’s cooked well.”

“I first ate Khanh’s food when he was at Aru in Melbourne. And then I chased him to King Clarence. I’d chase him anywhere really.”

“I love Cafe Paci. I find it very difficult not to order the same thing all the time. But those fermented carrots with ‘nduja, I mean, that’s all I can think about. And the minute I know I’m going back, I think, ‘good, soon I’ll eat those again’.”

“I do want to go to the new Saint Peter. Josh took me round when it was still a building site and everyone tells me how wonderful it is, so I’m looking forward to that.”

“I adore that place. Yes, those beautiful cakes, but my god, the toasted sandwiches! It’s my absolute idea of heaven. When I used to stay at hotels, if I went to people’s houses for dinner, I’d go there and get a cake to take. Nadine’s cakes are sort of the dream version of home baking.”

“While I love Ragazzi, it’s so small that tables can be hard to come by. Palazzo Salato, from the same stable, is far more capacious and just glorious. And its cooking is a dream: impeccable Italian pasta with an Australian accent!”

“Sean’s is both a complete one-off and quintessential Sydney. The food is not just good, but an uplifting primer on what cooking at its best is all about: flavour, beauty, simplicity and precision. To say I love it here is an understatement: I consider it positively essential to my well-being!”

“This place is a treasure trove and the perfect introduction to – and delicious education in – the glory of Australian cheese and cheese-producers. I know they sell cheese from all over, but I prefer to stick to the homegrown marvels while I’m here.”