Shaffa Sydney

Shaffa sits at 80 Albion St, just a short walk from the Art Gallery of NSW. It is a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spot that specializes in seafood.

While the venue features a terrace, the room is more than a place for a view. It manages to feel purposeful and grounded, a rare feat in a city obsessed with the spectacle of the harbour. Most restaurants nearby lean heavily on their proximity to the water, prioritizing the backdrop over the plate, but the kitchen here focuses on the intensity of its Middle Eastern spices rather than the line of sight. It is a dressier affair than the casual bistros found closer to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, making it the right choice when the intention is a meal that dictates the evening rather than one that merely complements a walk through the city.