As someone who has lived in both Melbourne and Sydney I often tire of the whole Melbourne versus Sydney debate and which city is better. I love them both, but for different reasons. I have to admit though that I do enjoy discussing their similarities and differences. So it was with some intrigue that I came across recently released figures by restaurant booking service Dimmi comparing Melbourne and Sydney’s dining scene.
The first comparison was price. The average bill at a Sydney restaurant was $57 while in Melbourne it was $52. No explanation was given for this, but cost of living is accepted to be higher in Sydney. Could this explain it? Mark Best of Marque (Sydney) and Pei Modern (Melbourne) claims that ingredients are 15-20% cheaper in Melbourne and rents are less expensive. Another theory is that Sydney residents are wealthier and like to be seen spending. Simon Thomsen, former editor of both the Queensland and NSW Good Food Guide claims “Melbourne diners with money spend it more discreetly than Sydneysiders keen to be seen splashing around their cash.” Perhaps this is why Sydney has a reputation for great fine dining? Terry Durack, the The Sydney Morning Herald's chief restaurant critic says Sydney’s dining scene is all laid out on a glittering silver platter. “There is huge pizazz, there are these incredible high-end, modern restaurants.” Melbourne in contrast is not so “In your face, it's hidden down laneways.”
The first comparison was price. The average bill at a Sydney restaurant was $57 while in Melbourne it was $52. No explanation was given for this, but cost of living is accepted to be higher in Sydney. Could this explain it? Mark Best of Marque (Sydney) and Pei Modern (Melbourne) claims that ingredients are 15-20% cheaper in Melbourne and rents are less expensive. Another theory is that Sydney residents are wealthier and like to be seen spending. Simon Thomsen, former editor of both the Queensland and NSW Good Food Guide claims “Melbourne diners with money spend it more discreetly than Sydneysiders keen to be seen splashing around their cash.” Perhaps this is why Sydney has a reputation for great fine dining? Terry Durack, the The Sydney Morning Herald's chief restaurant critic says Sydney’s dining scene is all laid out on a glittering silver platter. “There is huge pizazz, there are these incredible high-end, modern restaurants.” Melbourne in contrast is not so “In your face, it's hidden down laneways.”
While there may be differences in the cost of dining, the cuisines we enjoy eating are very similar. Sydney’s top choices are: Modern Australian, Italian, Asian, Japanese and French while Melbourne’s are: Modern Australian, Italian, Asian, Chinese and Spanish. Top emerging cuisines in Sydney are Chinese, American and Mexican while in Melbourne they are Mexican, French and Greek. The similarities in our food tastes are not that surprising. What did surprise me was that Chinese was listed as Sydney’s top emerging cuisine and Greek cuisine one of Melbourne’s. Sydney has a big Chinese community. Melbourne is well known for it’s large Greek population. Wouldn’t these cuisines be well established? This observation seems to be backed up by Durack who observes, “Sydney is the home of kick-arse Asian food… Melbourne is more heavily Greek and Italian influenced.”
The insight into when we dine was also interesting. When the temperature hits 30C or more then restaurant bookings soar in Sydney. It is the opposite in Melbourne. More people head out to restaurants when it rains. The CEO of Dimi Stevan Premutic pondered, “Perhaps Melburnians are drawn to the intimate, cosy restaurants when it rains.” It was also interesting to hear that diners in Sydney eat later than their Melbourne counterparts. The reason give for this was that in Sydney you can take advantage of alfresco dining options more so than in Melbourne.
The insight into when we dine was also interesting. When the temperature hits 30C or more then restaurant bookings soar in Sydney. It is the opposite in Melbourne. More people head out to restaurants when it rains. The CEO of Dimi Stevan Premutic pondered, “Perhaps Melburnians are drawn to the intimate, cosy restaurants when it rains.” It was also interesting to hear that diners in Sydney eat later than their Melbourne counterparts. The reason give for this was that in Sydney you can take advantage of alfresco dining options more so than in Melbourne.
So when it comes to comparing the two cities and deciding which was has the better dining scene Thomsen says it best ,“Don’t ask which city has better food.” Durack agrees. ''Having to pick one over the other seems a little like 'old' thinking. It's more about collaborating these days." He argues that it’s better not to have a food capital and that the competitive rivalry between the two cities lifts the quality of the dining scene in both cities.
What are your thoughts when it comes to comparing Melbourne and Sydney’s dining scene? Does Australia have a food capital?
What are your thoughts when it comes to comparing Melbourne and Sydney’s dining scene? Does Australia have a food capital?
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