Updated October 26, 2026,first published November 11, 2024
15.5/20Critics' PickThe Charles Brasserie & Bar
French$$$
All the fun of the French brasserie, with added finesse.
The old maxim “Life’s too short, start with dessert” starts to make sense at The Charles when the magnificent sweets trolley trundles by. Those towering layers of Russian honey cakes and chic mocha roulades, however, render it impossible to concentrate on the rest of the menu. Only kidding. Chef Billy Hannigan’s cooking is both opulent and refined, from pâté en croute that harnesses guinea fowl, pigeon and duck, framed in a forest of chervil, to a saffron-golden pond of ocean trout bouillabaisse.
True to brasserie rules, you can aim high or low here, from a ruby-rose-pink Chauvel wagyu rump cap to a fancy burger, but you still get the joy of the plush art-deco dining room, the cellar-deep wine list, and the energy of the hustle and bustle. And everything seems to go with the moreish skin-on frites. Now, where’s that dessert trolley?
Need to know: The whole dry-aged Aylesbury duck a la presse is a signature move.
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
Last visited: April 2026
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- Sydney
- The Charles Brasserie & Bar
- French
- Accepts bookings
- Separate bar
- Good for business lunch
- Long lunch
- Date night
- Special occasion
- Licensed
- Gluten-free options
- Private dining room
- Good for groups
- Breakfast
- Great for steak
- Restaurant
- Reviews
- Good Food Guide
- Critics’ Pick
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Source: The Age
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- World
- Country
- 🇦🇺 AU
- Publisher language
- EN
- Added to Allnira