Because pleasure is the highest good.
There is dining, and then there is dining. The kind that exists purely to indulge, where the experience isn’t just about sustenance—it’s about excess, craftsmanship, and the kind of unnecessary pleasure that lingers long after the last bite or sip.
Sydney is full of these moments, from caviar-topped waffles to cocktails designed purely for spectacle. This is where indulgence thrives.
Ask Y•: Sydney’s Most Indulgent Dining Pleasures
1. Franca’s Waffle & Caviar Pairing—A Golden Combination
A blini? Predictable. Franca in Potts Point has taken things up a notch by swapping the traditional base for a house-made waffle, buttery and crisp, ready to be crowned with Beluga caviar. The mix of warm, golden waffle and the oceanic pop of caviar makes for a pairing that is both playful and obscenely indulgent. A little crème fraîche, a little chive, and a flute of something sparkling? Excess at its finest.
2. The Gidley’s Cheeseburger—Luxury in a Bun
Burgers aren’t usually what you order at a steakhouse, but at The Gidley, things are different. Served in the dim glow of a dining room designed for indulgence, this cheeseburger isn’t just a side act—it’s a main event. Juicy, layered with just the right amount of melted cheese and sauce, and best enjoyed in one of their velvet booths with a stiff martini on the side.
3. Jam Record Bar’s Fillet-O-Fish Spring Roll—Fast Food, Reinvented
Hidden behind a nondescript door in Surry Hills, Jam Record Bar is a listening bar first, but it also happens to serve some of the most interesting bites in Sydney. Enter the Fillet-O-Fish Spring Roll, a crispy, golden reimagining of the nostalgic McDonald’s classic, with that signature tartar sauce cutting through. Completely unnecessary, but utterly addictive.
4. Mimi’s Caviar Bump—The Ultimate Power Move
If you’re at Mimi’s, you start with a Caviar Bump—because why wouldn’t you? A spoonful of the finest caviar, eaten straight from the back of your hand, followed by a sip of chilled champagne or a shot of vodka. There’s no logic to it beyond sheer indulgence, and that’s exactly why it belongs on this list.
5. Oncore by Clare Smyth’s Core Fried Chicken—Fit for Royalty
When Oncore by Clare Smyth opened in Sydney, it brought with it one of the most unnecessarily luxurious takes on fried chicken ever created—a dish so good it was served at a royal wedding. Golden, crispy perfection, crafted with the kind of obsessive attention to detail that makes even the simplest bite feel special.
6. Quay’s Eight-Texture Chocolate Cake—Because One Texture Isn’t Enough
Why stop at one when you can have eight textures of chocolate in a single dessert? This Quay classic has been a Sydney icon for years, layering different intensities of chocolate into a decadent, multi-dimensional experience. It’s part cake, part illusion, and the kind of thing that makes every other chocolate dessert feel redundant.
7. Maybe Sammy’s Theatrics & Cocktails—Drinks, but Make It a Performance
At Maybe Sammy, a drink is never just a drink. This award-winning cocktail bar is a lesson in theatre, where bartenders in sharp white jackets shake up perfectly executed classics with a touch of spectacle. Think over-the-top garnishes, unexpected flavors, and cocktails that arrive with smoke, bubbles, or a little magic trick. The drinks are impeccable, but it’s the pure sense of playfulness that makes it all feel so beautifully unnecessary.