If Dad’s idea of a perfect Father’s Day involves a long lunch, a great steak, a glass of something good or simply being let loose in front of a table full of food, you’re in luck. Across NSW, restaurants are pulling out all the stops on Sunday, September 6, with everything from Italian feasts and French fine dining to seafood lunches, smokehouse spreads and relaxed days among the vines.
Whether you’re celebrating Dad, a father figure or simply looking for an excuse to get the family together, these are some of the Father’s Day offerings worth booking.
Go big on steak and Italian at Bar Lettera
For the dad who believes a proper celebration should involve a serious piece of meat, Bar Lettera in North Sydney has a particularly tempting proposition. Its Father’s Day lunch runs from 12pm to 3pm and includes 90 minutes of bottomless bistecca and fries for $69 per person. It’s the sort of offer that doesn’t need much convincing – especially if Dad is happiest when there’s steak on the table.
Make it a full Italian affair at Antica Dining
Over in North Sydney, Antica Dining is opening for both lunch and dinner on Father’s Day, offering an Italian dining experience designed for fathers, father figures and mentors. You can expect hearty dishes and an Italian approach to the occasion, with the restaurant running a specially curated a la carte menu featuring a selection of Antica’s signature dishes.
Treat Dad to French dining with a harbour view
If Dad prefers a leisurely lunch with a little more polish, L’Heritage in Mosman is celebrating with a special French Father’s Day menu on September 6. The $129-per-person experience combines French dining with views overlooking the harbour, Crafted by Chef Julien Audibert-Lebon and Chef Jossey Suryadi, the menu is a masterclass in French classics designed to be shared.
Take Dad to the beach at Garfish Manly
Fresh seafood and a beachside location, is there anything better? Garfish Manly is keeping things relaxed for Father’s Day, opening for both lunch and dinner with its full à la carte menu available throughout the day. The offering includes freshly shucked seafood alongside the restaurant’s signature snapper pie, add a bottle of wine and settle into the sweeping harbour views for a Father’s Day done the Garfish way.
Turn lunch into a Hunter Valley escape at Hunters Quarter
For something that feels more like a day trip, head to Hunters Quarter in Pokolbin. Its Father’s Day Sunday Lunch on September 6 has been designed with the more gentlemanly dad in mind, with the restaurant suggesting its Sunday Lunch Experience as the starting point. A new seasonal menu by Executive Chef Brian Duncan will see exciting dishes and seasonal flavours brought to the table. Post-lunch, sit back and settle into The Gentleman’s Hour, a relaxed afternoon set to the soundtrack of blues, jazz and classic rock. Aged cheeses, premium wines, ports, craft beers and fine whiskey will be on offer to really elevate the day.
Seafood, Champagne and Whale Beach at Jonah’s
Some Father’s Day lunches are simply hard to beat for sheer occasion. At Jonah’s in Whale Beach, Dad can settle in for three courses with an amuse bouche and a glass of Champagne Bollinger on arrival, priced at $185 per person. For the seafood loving father, the 3 tiered seafood platter with a glass of Champagne Bollinger on arrival is hard to beat. With the restaurant overlooking the Northern Beaches, this is one for families looking to make Father's Day feel genuinely special by celebrating with an icon of Sydney’s dining scene.
Head to Terrigal for a seaside family lunch
For a more relaxed coastal celebration, Meribella in Terrigal is bringing the family together with a shared lunch overlooking Terrigal Beach. It’s a simple proposition, but one that makes plenty of sense for Father’s Day: good food, a coastal setting and the whole family around the table. The 36-hour, slow-cooked Wagyu tri-tip, finished over the chargrill is a steak-loving father’s dream. Served as a set-menu with a bread starter, main and sides per person, this rich and tender menu is made for gathering around the table.
Brisket beats another pair of socks at BB’s Soul Kitchen
At BB’s Soul Kitchen in Toukley, Father’s Day is getting the Southern smokehouse treatment. The Father’s Day Southern Smokehouse Feast on September 6 is priced at $79 and lets you curate your own barbeque experience. Think options like BB’s signature silverside loaded hushpuppies to start, slow-smoked brisket for mains and a warm peach cobbler to finish, the menu lets you choose your own adventure. Plus a complimentary Southern Gentleman bourbon cocktail. If Dad would happily swap a present for a plate of barbecue, this one is difficult to argue with.
Make a day of it among the vines at Entwine
Another Hunter Valley option comes from Entwine Hunter Valley, which is opening for Father’s Day from 8am to 3pm for breakfast and lunch. The relaxed day among the vines brings together food trucks, local drinks and market-style offerings, making it a more casual alternative to the region’s long lunches and degustations. Native BBQ brings a kangaroo sausage and egg muffin or an Aussie cheesesteak and egg baguette to the breakfast menu, while Fiano dishes up venison shakshuka or a breakfast pita. Cranky Frankies puts a delectable spin on waffles with a Korean waffle with gochujang bacon or the vegetarian green waffle. Cinnamon Cloud brings a sweeter side to Father’s Day with a selection of sweet pastries. For the Dad who loves options, Entwine is the perfect setting.
Keep it local with a proper family feast
At Relish on Addison in Shellharbour Village, families can choose between a two-course set menu for $75 or three courses for $90, with a children’s menu also available. Chef Tom Laws and the team bring a seasonal approach to Modern Australian dining and the Father’s Day options are no exception with the best of local and seasonal produce on offer. Refined and approachable, head to Relish on Addison for a casual take on elevated dining.
From bottomless bistecca and French fine dining to brisket, seafood and lunches overlooking the water, NSW has plenty of ways to make Dad feel properly celebrated this Father’s Day.
