Family Friendly Restaurant Central Sydney

April 2, 2009 12:50 AM

Reasonably priced, tasty family-friendly restarauant/pub in Central Sydney (Rocks/Circular Quay / Darling Harbour) early-ish Friday evening (i.e. tomorrow). Normally this would be easy, but I'm on instructions that there's to be no Asian food involved and so I'm at a loss. Help mucho appreciated...
posted by singingfish to food & drink (10 comments total)

I had to think REALLY hard about this answer, because practically everything good in the city is Asian, as I suspect you know.

How about Lowenbrau Keller in the Rocks for schnitzel?

Or you could amble sideways in an Easterly direction out of the city a block or two and eat Italian in Stanley Street.

Personally, I would say almost everything around Circular Quay is to be avoided. Good food at a reasonable price is practically unheard of there.
posted by lottie at 2:49 AM on April 2

Citysearch might be worth a shot. But really, the only way to find a good restaurant is to wander around, check the menus, check the prices, check the atmosphere, and tuck in. "No Asian food" will probably make your search a little difficult since pretty much all modern Australian cuisine (lol) is Asian-inspired. By which I mean, it's just plain Asian.
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:51 AM on April 2

Glebe Point Diner? It might be fully booked but I've had some seriously good grub there.
posted by methylsalicylate at 2:58 AM on April 2

Ooh also more central, nice but not too boozy pub atmosphere and good food/beer pairings at Red Oak.
posted by methylsalicylate at 3:01 AM on April 2

The Australian - 100 Cumberland St. Not the greatest food ever but it is definitely not Asian, being pizza, and it is family friendly and reasonably priced. Can get rather crowded though so you may want to snare a seat early.
posted by jasperella at 3:06 AM on April 2

The fish market- in Haymarket
posted by mattoxic at 3:32 AM on April 2

Glebe Point Diner IS good; I was there last night. But it's nowhere near the city, it's not cheap, and they're booked up for weeks.

Redoak and Lowenbrau are okay suggestions, though they do get crowded with Friday night office workers. The James Squire Brew Pub at Darling Harbour is less crowded and has decent food, but it's not cheap.

Check out Grab Your Fork. Best food reviews in town. She might list something. The no-Asian requirement is really a killer for the city though. You'd have a lot more selection if you can hop a cab to Newtown or Surry Hills.
posted by web-goddess at 5:38 AM on April 2

I missed the suggestion of The Australian. That might be your best option! Everybody likes pizza, and anyone feeling adventurous can get crocodile on theirs. :)
posted by web-goddess at 5:45 AM on April 2

Came to suggest the Australian too. Another option that isn't Asian is Encasa on Pitt St. The food's pretty good and I imagine it's reasonable family friendly, but it is south of town hall, which may be further than you want to go.
posted by kjs4 at 4:14 PM on April 2

What about the Spanish quarter? Some good food to be had there, I know its a little out of the way from where you will be but good tapas is worth it!
posted by Admira at 4:42 PM on April 2