Silvester's @ The Marriot Hotel, Circular Quay

Silvester’s Restaurant brings a casual, contemporary spirit to the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Set on the lobby level of a CBD hotel, it doubles as a lively lounge from morning until late, where the mood is relaxed, the conversation easy and the focus on premium wines, cocktails and small bites. It is the kind of place that invites lingering, yet welcomes a quick bite just as happily.

The menu is tightly curated to showcase local produce and seasonal flavours, moving with ease from vegetal to reef to pasture. Farmers and makers are name-checked with pride: Grima Brothers Farm Beets brighten with preserved lemon and kiss peppers, while Vannella Burrata finds comfort alongside pumpkin and hazelnut.

From the coast, Rockliff Spanner Crab meets cool avocado and zesty grapefruit, and a Moreton Bay Bug arrives kissed with shio koji, perched on soy toast with a cloud of crème fraîche. Pasture has its say in an indulgent Darling Downs Beef “Thick” Carpaccio layered with smoked cheddar, anchovy and romaine, plus Australian cured meats with pickles and sourdough. On the side, Northern Beaches baby corn gleams in chipotle butter, and Choi’s Farm mushrooms luxuriate in parsley and garlic butter.

Swing by for shared plates and a sip of something special; make an evening of it and let the city hum while the flavours do the talking.