TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in Australia - Updated November 2024

Bistro Papillon

89/100 (2153 ratings)

Restaurants

Vegetarian Friendly

French

Gluten Free Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Dinner

Lunch

Steak Tartare

Steak

Beef Bourguignon

Quail

Beef tenderloin

Cassoulet

assiette de charcuterie

Flammkuchen

Bouillabaisse

Pasta

Tartare de boeuf

Soupe À l'oignon

French onion soup

Salad

Moules Poulette

Beef Bourguignon

Duck

Duck Pasta

Snails

Crème Brulée

Cassolette De Poissons Facon Bouillabaisse

Coq au Vin

Mussels

Cassoulet

Crepe Suzette

Profiteroles

Tarte Tatin

Seafood Stew

Raclette

Seafood Bouillabaisse

Cakes

Escargots de Bourgogne

Prawns

Lamb

Risotto Aux Champignons

Escargot

Pesto

Duck Confit

Confit

Baguette

Fish

Tarte Tatin

Ice Cream

Pork

Creme Brulee

Beef

Parfait

Confit de Canard

Sit down

French

Accepts Credit Cards

Accepts Mastercard

Accepts Visa

Accepts American Express

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Full Bar

Dinner

Lunch

Mid-range

"I love this restaurant, small, compact, cosy, great atmosphere, (can be a little noisy). Have been several times now and the food is always very very..."

Julie Dowding

"One of those hole in the wall places that you visit once by accident, then take ages trying to remember where it was. Finally you stumble back in..."

Simon Hage

"Amazing food, some of the best French food I have had. Service was good and prices matched the quality of the food. I would go back for..."

Vanessa Tingcombe

"A great experience from start to finish. Fantastic food, service, menu and wine. It’s such a cute cosy restaurant. We will be back for..."

Natasha Kunej

"Right from the booking we got authenticity with a beautiful french accent which was the best first impression and the food, champagne, service and..."

Rie Cords

"What I like about the French is there is no Bullshit with the way they do food...why reinvent the wheel when it works perfectly well? Cody little..."

Kerry Hewitt

"Wow! Amazing food and great service. Delectable menu and a great wine list. This is a fantastic restaurant with a cozy and warm atmosphere. Our..."

David Vella

"Great little bistro with authentic French menu and hearty delicious food.. not for the diet conscious... definitely for the foodie that loves rich..."

Charlotte Butcher

"How great is this place?? Great food, good wine, excellent service. Loved it...."

Cassandra Franklin

"Best French restaurant in Sydney!! Food is amazing as is the service! Highly recommend..."

Steven Cairney

"Everything here was super good.loved it,an absolute plate licker!i had to ask to speak to the chef and his team to let them know how good of a job..."

Gareth Smyth

"What a fantastic way to spend my birthday. Thank you for such a wonderful night... food was amazing, and the staff were exceptional !!! Found my new..."

Kimberley Groves

"Love this place for lunch it's like being in France great food, atmosphere and..."

Su Garfinkle

"Wonderful extensive menu Quality wine selection Attentive & friendly staff Definitely will return here in the near..."

Lin Hilder

"Great food - especially the beef - taste superb . As a result the restaurant can be quite noisy at..."

Charles Summers

"Traditional and cozy vibe. Food was perfect in terms of presentation and taste. Was only sad that I didn’t have anymore space in my stomach to try..."

Viviane Chen

"Reasonable portion, lovely ambience, not too salty taste which is both healthy and delicious...."

Shmeerli Foodie

"A small but good restaurant that serves tasty French food. I can't comment on authenticity but I don't expect it to be 100% authentic, what maters to..."

Peasant

"Excellent place for a date on weekends. It was always full of people these recent days, but the food is comforting and even have a blanket for..."

Karen Zou

"We had our anniversary there last nightWe both had escargots to start and for main my wife had Beouf Bourgignon and I had the Cassolette de..."

Jon Down

"This authentic little French gem is quite a find. Its a warm inviting & romantic. The staff are attentive, knowledgeable & very professional. The..."

Anil Thomas

"Traditional, simple and just yum. Love the bread that came out with the escargot and pate, warm and crusty. Ambience was comfortable, quiet..."

Ninahooo

"Good service, good simple french food. A bit of Paris in Sydney. The snails with the baguette were delicious. Just a bit disappointed about the fries..."

FrenchieFoodie

"Quaint little French restaurant in the heart of the CBD, with an impressive wine menu and a good range of food choices. The venue feels like a..."

Katie Dav

"If French food is your jam then BISTRO PAPILLON is your digs. Wonderfully bohemian mid 20th Century French in design and atmosphere with traditional..."

Spooning Australia

"This would be no brainer for me. Great services. Warm ambience. Classic and delicious French dishes. The wine they recommended was good. We will..."

Mix Yudi Lin

"The best French restaurant in town, will definitely recommend to my friends. Especially like the desert, I wish I could have been here earlier..."

Sharon Yang

"Firstly I would like to thank my friend to taking me there it look closed from outside ...but inside ....what I find ...guess...guess...a perfect..."

Ankit Malik

"The restaurant almost looked closed from outside. The ambiance was nice and warm. A tad too dark for my liking and for the quality of photos...."

Kalumi

"Great ambiance combined with sophisticated retro French tunes in the background. Amazing waitering service. The guy was super helpful and added a..."

Little Mrs Moo

"Awesome, absolutely love this place.The beef bourguignon was delicious, as was the pork medallions. Salad with goat cheese is great as..."

FoodLuva

"Our visit here was advised by a Chinese blogger who has undoubtedly ate here many many times and advertise this place as a must go if un Sydney. A..."

Reza Pahlevi

"Big things come in small packages. The tiny and cosy bistro on Clarence street was indiscreet as it blends in with the surroundings. A room with a..."

Benkyousuru

"Loved the ambience. Very French! The service and food was awesome. We enjoyed both the escargot and especially the paysanne flammkuchen; a thin..."

Susanna C

"Nice staff and enjoyable lunch here. The beef was great, just met my taste. The sauce was a bit over but still good with pasta. The chicken liver..."

Evelyn Chen

"Organised a group booking for about 15 persons, and the attention to detail in the organisation and the prompt responses to my questions and..."

Jason Meaden

"Very tasty! The restaurant is not big , so Booking is highly recommended ! It’s a good place for dating even though I went there with my bestie..."

Fengkuaikuai

"Must go for a cozy romantic dinner . Portions are huge taste is distinct .flavours are rich . They suggest the perfect wines to go with the dishes ...."

Parul Nehru

"Another Lunch visit to the Bistro and they never disappoint, the staff was friendly and the quality of the food is exceptional as usual, definitely..."

Mr Roboto

"Was craving for some french food for a mate's birthday and it turned out so much better than expected! It's a small shop, with dim lightings, so it..."

Grace

"Great hospitality with sensational french cuisine. Really enjoyed the dining experience and would come back when in Sydney again. Only downfalls to..."

Vick Eats

"Dissapointing! Came recommended but didnt delivered on my expectations, especially their mains didnt do much on flavour or portions for the top $..."

Maria Chie

"We came for the Raclette soirée. It was everything I hoped it would be. The entrees to start were great. We had the tarte flambé and the snails...."

DJ Oanne

"Escargot in garlic n parsley 3/5, plump buttery snails, perfect to tickle your appetite. Use the bread to mop up the gravy pls. Beef tartar..."

Food_Rampage_AM @INSTA

"A beautiful little French restaurant in the middle of the CBD serving quality food. Everything we ordered were very tastey. I stayed on the lighter..."

Ilovefooood

"Food was high quality but a little salty. The pate was to die for!! So creamy and flavourful - perfect with their baguettes. The venison ragu was..."

Actuary_a_baker

"hidden gem at cbd! love the atmosphere here.. my fav is escargot for entree, whereas for meal i love chicken cooked with white wine.. what i remember..."

Christianto Ongkowijoyo

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Zhiyue Zhang

"Amazing!We ordered the duck confit, snails, and the rum ice cream with apple tart. 3 dishes were reeeeally wonderful. We have been to Paris..."

Tan

"Fantastic little place with lovely food and staff. Totally recommend!!!! New menu and warm cosy setting. Very traditional food with extensive wine..."

Andrew

"This is a very nice restaurant for great French dining experience. Be prepared to splurge but the food is definitely worth it! For starters,..."

IEats

"This review is for one of their specialty dinners at Bistro Papillon; the "Soiree Raclette"! For those in the know, this is a special evening that..."

Eatdrinkbe_merry

"Absolutely love coming to this quaint little hole in the wall French restaurant. The menu is not extensive but that doesn't mean the food is not..."

Ktlaud

"This surprisingly authentic French restaurant in the Sydney CBD is easy to miss if you're not paying attention. In short, this is one of the better..."

Erin

"Had our Xmas eve dinner here.. small and initimate venue, all the waiters with the french accents.. foodwise, it is really good.. ordered the..."

Jeffrey Adam

"A cozy and nicely designed restaurant, great for date night! We enjoyed the mains although the options are a bit limited for vegetarians. My partner..."

Victoria McCafferty

"Great food and friendly service! Will definitely come back some time in the future. The atmosphere is very nice and romantic. The only thing was that..."

Linna

"Came here on a quiet night to try out some delicious French cuisine. We were not dissapointed.Pâté for entree was an absolutely delight...."

Hereandthere

"nice place. had a weekday eve dins at BPs. had the pizza bread kinda thing to start which was delish. had the quail breast for main, this was even..."

Zebedee

"Quaint and intimate, something you'd expect in a small French village rather than the heart of the cbd, the food is great but the prices mean it's a..."

John

"Second time to been here. Good place for dating. Reasonable price, suitable portions with warm service. The quail breast with mushroom sauce was..."

M.

"Took a friend here for her birthday. And the experience was just divine. The waiters were attentive. The star of the night was the rabbit dish. It's..."

Airin Triestanto

"Outstanding food, take you to another place. The dishes literally melt in your mouth. Dessert was the perfect finishing touch. Services was friendly..."

Facebook User

"A small intimate dining room, simply decorated with a few quirky pieces to make you feel like you stepped into a local restaurant in France. The..."

Winedineslumber

"So we ordered 3 entrees and 3 mains. The entrees were salmon tarte, snails and chicken liver with smoked hams, and they were all very delicious. For..."

Kiki Li

"Bistro papillon is probably one of the more classic and authentic french restaurants in town and really reminds me of bistro dining in Paris. I had..."

Kellybeans

"We loved our night at Bistro Papillon. Very cosy atmosphere and great service. The food exceeded our high expectations. Can't wait to..."

More Chilli

"Great restaurant for French cuisine. nice and cozy place, really feels like you are in Framce. booking is essential for this place. This place is..."

Cissythescorpio

"Due to the number of places to eat in Sydney, it’s fairly uncommon for me to go to a restaurant or cafe more than once. Despite this, I have a few..."

Su Lwin

"I don't understand why this place is not hatted! I love the intimate setting of the small dining room. Have been here twice now (also tried on..."

Manz

"Must try:Baked snails! champagne! Cozy tiny restaurant in a very easy find location just 5mins walk from wynyard station York st exist. Will go back..."

Emma

"French restaurants aren’t as popular in Sydney as they should be. And I admit, it’s not the first of cuisines to jump at me when I think of a..."

Andrea

"Bistro Papillon is absolutely sublime. The food was delicious and I'm sure you could order anything and not go wrong! Ordered the escargot..."

Lien Nguyen

"Very delicious food, cosy place for a casual dating night, very friendly service.The only 2 things surprised me a little bit: a main course on..."

Ashley Xu

"Solid French fare with French staff French wines and lots of French clients particularly later in the evening. ..."

Boccadellaveritas

"What works: Ambience. Service is professional, courteous, attentive. Food is lovely. Homemade chicken liver pate is highly..."

Debbie

"A lovely night in Bistro Papillon! Such an elaborately deco cozy french restaurant with about 10 tables, a bar and a semi-open kitchen. The staffs..."

Richard Huang

"Really nice cozy little French restaurant in the CBD. Went here for the Soirée Raclette Night and had an amazing time!The escargot was..."

Andy Lam

"Intimate little French restaurant with loads of character and atmosphere. Had a lovely dinner with Oscarmoo on a cold and rainy night. We could've..."

Brandofay

"Went to there for my best friend's birthday! Food was brilliant with excellent service!👍👍👍however, the area was too crowed~ we bring our..."

Christina Zhang

"Had a great dinner on Saturday at Bistro Papillon. We really liked the vibe with the dark walls and interesting posters/wall art. The service was..."

Zach Kutlow

"Beautiful food, nice people. Would go back in a heart beat .. We had the Oven Roasted Trout with Beurre Blanc sauce and the Duck Confit. Great Dishes..."

Paul

"We came last Saturday for my girlfriend birthday, and it was just an amazing experience. The restaurant is quite small and very cosy. Not noisy..."

Benjamin Serres

"Étant francais, je crois avoir enfin trouvé mon spot. L'ambiance est simple mais authentique. Les serveurs aux soins. J'ai enfin trouvé paté qui..."

Pierre-Alain Tieu

"It is one of the most outstanding French bistro I have ever tried. Reasonable price, authentic and impeccable service. It is a must come bistro for..."

J88

"Having walked past this tiny and cute French restaurant before, we made a spontaneous reservation at Bistro Papillon for a special dinner, hoping to..."

Khana

"A lovely French restaurant in the heart of Sydney. Excellent and friendly service, Amazing food and drinks and the desserts were to die for! Was..."

Nick

"Bistro Papillon is a quaint and cosy little French bistro, tucked away in the CBD. It's small but it packs a lot of personality and..."

Kathleen Ooi

"Very very nice. Would defo come back again!! The food is amazing considering the price they are charging. Very impressed. Try the snails!! Very..."

Bella Zhang

"Lovely atmosphere, with attentive and knowledgeable staff. Food is good, honest Alsace region French style, would recommend the moules and onglet..."

Snooter2Tooter

"Absolutely brilliant atmosphere matched only by the fantastic food that is served. Bistro Papillon is a little gem that distinguishes itself from..."

Ajoos

"So grab your loved one and head over for raclette on Monday nights at Bistro Papillon in the city!. I was so sad to miss out on raclette night last..."

Ellen Ehrhardt Smith

"Incredible French cuisine. Fantastic food & dessert and excellent customer service. I was very impressed and will definitely return the next time I..."

Pez Rad

"A very cosy and romantic bistro. Must order escargot and coq au vin. C'est très bon! ..."

Katherine Pham

"Bistro Papillon is a wonderfully quaint French restaurant owned by the French duo Xavier and Ludovic. Their intimate layout of the restaurant is..."

PlanMB

"Bistro Papillon is a cosy and very traditional French restaurant that has real charm and atmosphere. I started with tartare de boeuf - finely chopped..."

Sir And Mlady Dine Out

"The chucks of pork belly are unbelievably tender and tasty. The entire dish is a joy to..."

Lily Chang

"O & M were loving Bistro Papillon. The lively atmosphere of people enjoying their evenings, foreign accents and French posters on the wall had..."

Richard Elliot

"It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of new restaurant openings in Sydney , but there's reward in hunting out those that don't still smell of..."

Helen | Grab Your Fork

"A very enjoyable experience overall that tempts me to return for a lunch time visit to try more of the menu. The Escargots de Bourgogne and Classic..."

Simon Leong

"Bistro Papillon has been on my list of places to try for a loooong time.... Spotted this chic looking French bistro whilst looking for a parking spot..."

Monica

"As good as french food gets in sydney. I have eaten there many times, and have never been disappointed. I usually have the Beef Fillet. It is always..."

Drunkenrabbit

"Great cosy restaurant with friendly staff. The coq au vin is divine, especially with the fancy French red my waiter..."

Jules

"Ah-mazing!. Had escargots for entrée and my partner had the French onion soup. Had duck for mains and it was divine! We've just returned from a..."

Bryanabonyo

"Tastes just like France (good I..."

Caroline Vonner

"Delicious!. This place is amazing, genuine and extremely tasty! The beef tartar is particularly good, try..."

Kerbear N Miao

"This restaurant is amazing! I have travelled around regional france and this place holds its own. The French onion soup, so unassuming on the menu,..."

Dessert Smasher

"Délicieux!. Wow, this was a tasty dinner. The escargots in garlic-parsley-butter sauce were divine, the quail was delectable, and the mendiant aux..."

Jenn B

"Hard to fault this restaurant. Every dish was perfect in every way. Food tastes orgasmic and service was excellent. Perfect date restaurant. It's a..."

Adam Buchta

"Cosy French food. Went the full three course here for dinner. Tried a tart flambee which was OK. Confit of duck was great and ended with fantastic..."

Ronin47

"So cozy~. Small setting - probably seats ~30ppl. very nice atmosphere, friendly service. the food is great. we had the snails, the assorted entree,..."

May Mich

"Authentic and affordable French cuisine. One of my favourite French restaurants in Sydney. The atmosphere is dim-lit and cosy, with simple, elegant..."

Su Lwin

"A Special Night. We dined here for our wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful, memorable night, made even more special by the staff who lit a..."

Lisa

"Where to start! Everything about this place is right. Importantly the food is consistently amazing every time. I can't wait to go back. If you've not..."

Jules

"Luscious Sat Dinner. First time to this little French gem. Great service, and ambience, and of course delicious Bistro type food. Not rushed even..."

Travellinglyn

"Classic French in Sydney. Excellent classic french dishes beautifully cooked in a friendly small classic French bistro. What more can I say?..."

Hungry Pencil

"Wonderful little restaurant with very friendly staff abd delicious meals. Very happy to..."

Kateo

"Love this place. It's like Paris in..."

Annmaree J Bell

"Food was beautiful, service was impeccable, a friendly atmosphere. A gem of a French..."

Andrew R Buchel

"Brilliant! Had a romantic dinner here with my wife, everything about this place was superb..."

Jarvo

"Top-notch!. Was at Bistro Papillon a few weeks ago. The three of us had three courses each, every single meal we ordered was perfectly..."

Sabrina Sobri

"What a treasure. Dined here for the first time this week - what a wonderful little piece of France!Classic dishes, small menu relying on fresh..."

Dean

"One of my favourite places in Sydney. Its like stepping back in France the time of a meal. Intimate and non pretentious. Nice staff. Fine food and..."

Kou

"This was a real classic find. Such a French restaurant amongst some really quite ordinary fare. This is a great restaurant for romantic dinner or..."

Russell Bunn

"My pate was sublime. I was a little disappointed in the rabbit but only because it wasn't as good as the pate. The service was prompt without making..."

Laura

"Love !t. Went here on my birthday, had a very nice chicken liver parfait, followed by braised duck pappardelle pasta with mushrooms and apple and..."

Hunny Bunny

"Traditional French cuisine together with friendly and attentive service made for a most enjoyable evening. My tarte flambee entree was delicious and..."

Gold Member

"Great service, good food and wine. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys more traditional French cuisine at a great price. Will definitely be..."

Delicious

"The food is absolutely delicious, cooked to perfection. Atmosphere is..."

Christina

"French Fantastic!. Bistro Papillon is the quintessential French bistro. This place has an amazing ambience and the quality of the food and service is..."

Global Foodie

"Amazing rabit linguini! And tart tartin was amazing! :) Highly recommended..."

Lorraine Cheung

"Beaut. A very nice little French bistro, went here with a friend for his last night in Sydney, great food, he ordered a duck dish & I seafood... they..."

Mac

"Just lovely. What a lovely bistro ... just what you need on a cold Sydney winter's night when you are far from home at a conference at the oddly..."

FatCat

"Here again for lunch, great little bistro, good food, friendly staff. I'll be..."

Mark

"Better than France. I have been to Papillon several times, for lunch and dinner, and I have even felt comfortable enough to take along a Frenchman..."

Christopher

"Ooh La Laa. Oh my the french onion soup is to die for! Can be noisy during lunch time crowds and boy to people arrive for lunch to this magnificent..."

Retro Girl

"We've wanted to visit this charming little city bistro for yonks. If a casual Wednesday night feed could always be this delicious. The pate didn't..."

Rosalind Lill Lusby

"A step in to France. From the moment you see the sign from the street you are whisked away to a quaint bistro in the middle of France. Stepping..."

Andrew Kelly

"Came here for a special occasion for lunch today and the service was exceptional. The escargot and French onion soup is a must try! We also had the..."

Shainen Tejada

"A cozy taste of France with friendly welcoming service. A romantic restaurant serving French classics. The ambience and decor transports you to..."

Jennifer C

"Beautiful and intimate experience with delicious French cuisine in a small cosy restaurant. Staff were friendly, accommodating and very attentive...."

Jenny Nguyen

"An impromptu dinner brought us here tonight, warmly welcomed and attentive service coupled with homey country french food was wonderful! The plat du..."

andrew lee

"A gorgeous traditional French bistro (other than a French-inspired local restaurant). The food was authentic and delicious. Highly recommend..."

Caroline

"Been here many times over the years and never disappoints. Classic French food done well and with no pretentiousness. Very friendly staff, quiant and..."

JoAlwaysOnTheGo

"Loved the food here. Service was absolutely phenomenal. Nice and cosy environment, great..."

Carol Yuan

"Authentic French dining with lovely attentive staff. Took us right back to France! Food was spot-on. Classic French dishes. Love when the bread is..."