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Sydney is brimming with restaurants and hotels with divine views. But there’s nothing quite like the vista you have from The Dining Room by James Viles, at the low-rise Park Hyatt Sydney hotel. From your seat, you’re face-to-face with the Sydney Opera House, which sits just across the harbour. You get to admire the House and its shimmering reflection not from above, but from water level. From here, the building feels strangely close and in motion, as if its white sails have just rounded Bennelong Point and are cruising towards you.
Since 2022, the hotel’s restaurant has been led by creative director James Viles (ex-Biota, Bowral), whose leadership has earned it a Chef Hat for four consecutive years. Alongside Viles, new head chef Dan Parkes and NSW Pastry Chef of the Year 2025 Patrick Mariano form a team that clearly know what they're doing.
The Dining Room's view is to die for, and the food is worth living for. The menu evolves with the seasons, and it celebrates the best and freshest produce Australia has to offer. Individual starter ‘bites’ prepare your taste buds for what’s to come – there are the obvious bites, like Sydney rock oysters, and the less obvious, like cured ocean trout crumpets, served with dashi creme and capers. The selection is an intriguing mix of the playful and sophisticated, which makes it almost impossible to choose.
Bites are followed by a selection of smaller share plates, ranging from light and fresh tuna crudo with smoked soy and tomato, to rich and decadent aged beef tartare with potato crisps and condiments. They do make a mean chip.
You might then move on to the premium grain-raised steaks, featuring black Angus and Wagyu cuts from NSW's New England highlands. There’s a tri tip, rib cap, scotch fillet and producer's select cut – all served with red wine jus, mustard and fries. Accompany your steak with larger share plates, like a bright green pippie pasta or a steamed John dory with barbecue sea greens.
Desserts continue the seasonal story and are also too pretty to touch. Digging in feels borderline criminal. Our standout was the rich 80 per cent chocolate mousse, finished tableside for maximum drama.