The Grounds of the City

4.4

3648 Reviews

$40 and under

Modern Australian

Make a booking

2 people

30 Mar 2025

19:00

Booked 63 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Charming
Great for brunch
Good for special occasions

The Grounds of the City, the second outpost from the team behind The Grounds of Alexandria, is bringing soul back to the CBD with old-school service and charm. Located in the heart of the CBD and bustling with activity, The Grounds of the City is tailor-made for a marvellous time; no matter the occasion. Start your day right as our baristas expertly serve up The Grounds house-roasted espresso and filter coffees, or end it in the best possible way and cosy in with our selection of cocktails and a dinner menu that features something for everyone. You’ll find our coffee sommelier at The Barista’s Bar ready to take you through a tailored coffee experience, and our tea lady roaming the room with a trolley adorned with fresh coffee, our selection of ethically sourced teas and cakes.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$40 and under
Cuisines
Modern Australian, Cafe Dining
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 07:00–21:30 Sat 08:00–21:30 Sun 08:00–17:00
Phone number
(02) 9699 2225
Website
http://thegrounds.com.au/Spaces/the-grounds-of-the-city/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Paul McGrath
Catering
From client meetings to personal celebrations, our drop-off catering menu offers a selection of sweet and savoury options that can be combined to achieve the perfect offering for your occasion. To view our offering and order online, visit our website <a href="https://thegroundscatering.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Location
500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
Area
Sydney CBD
Cross Street
Park St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
Parking details
Sydney CBD has a range of privately owned car parks located within walking distance. Two close-by options include the Citigroup Centre Car Park located at 271 Pitt St or the Queen Victoria Building Car Park at 111 York St.
Public transit
TRAIN - Exit the train at Town Hall Station. The Grounds of the City is located on the right hand side, directly across the road from The Queen Victoria Building.BUS - Arrange a bus route to drop you at Town Hall Station, or the QVB on York St, located within walking distance from The Grounds of the City.
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, High Tea, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Experiences

High Tea
A$65.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Indulge in a touch of elegance! Delight in a curated selection of sweet and savoury treats, including: - Cucumber, mint and cream cheese finger tea sandwich. - Poached chicken, sun dried tomato and watercress finger sandwich. - Mushroom, truffle and mascarpone mini tartlet. - Smoked salmon rillettes on brioche toast with dill, crème fraîche and caviar. - Mini vanilla mille feuille. - Chocolate sacher-torte. - Fresh plum and almond tartlet. - Chefs selection of macarons. - Warm scone with vanilla bean mascarpone and house-made jam. - A cup of tea, coffee or juice. All items will be plated to share. The high tea menu can only be adjusted for vegetarians. For other dietary needs, or groups of 6+ people, please contact us on (02) 9699 2225.

Popular dishes

Raisin French ToastA$22.00
Caramelised figs, vanilla yoghurt
Fresh Cut Fruit SaladA$22.00
Passionfruit, vanilla yoghurt
Toasted CrumpetsA$19.00
Butter, clotted cream, wild organic honey
Housemade GranolaA$22.00
Cinnamon yoghurt, figs, banana, almonds
Chilled Overnight OatsA$20.00
Coconut yoghurt, mango, grapefruit, raspberries
Buttermilk PancakesA$24.00
Poached spring fruit salad, vanilla mascarpone
Continental BreakfastA$21.00
The Grounds mini pastry selection with condiments, vanilla bean yoghurt & fresh fruit salad

Perfect Eggs

Toasted Seedy BagelA$24.00
Whipped ricotta & feta, heirloom tomatoes, basil, lemon oil, capers
Tarte Fine Of Sauteed LeeksA$22.00
Poached eggs, hollandaise, oyster mushrooms, hazelnuts, endive
Zucchini & Spinach FrittersA$26.00
Crème fraîche, citrus-cured salmon, poached eggs, hollandaise
Eggs On ToastA$17.00
The Grounds sourdough
Big BrekkieA$27.00
Chicken chorizo, onions, fried potatoes, poached eggs, paprika, tomatoes, green chilli
Citrus Cured Salmon BenedictA$28.00
Croissant roll, poached eggs, chive, hollandise

The Classics

Lobster OmeletteA$38.00
Shimeji mushrooms, spinach, caper burnt butter
Avocado On ToastA$24.00
Grounds sourdough, poached egg, avocado, tomatoes, radish, feta, mint, lie, salsa verde
Steak 'N' EggsA$32.00
Fried eggs, sautéed onions, spinach, mushrooms, beef glaze
Brekkie BurgerA$24.00
Brioche bun, pepper jam, spinach, gruyere, cheddar, scrambled egg, port sausage, potato gems, chipotle aioli

Healthy Bowls

Breakfast SaladA$24.00
Millet, greens, cherry tomatoes, pears, avocado, poached eggs, herbed hollandaise
Brekkie Mezze BowlA$26.00
Peppers, tomatoes, feta, zucchini, cucumber, tahini, eggplant, chickpeas, avocado, herbs, hummus, fried egg, pickles, sesame bread

Sides

Streaky BaconA$6.00
AvocadoA$4.50
MushroomsA$5.50
Poached EggA$3.50
Roasted TomatoA$5.50
Italian Pork SausageA$6.50
Sourdough ToastA$3.50
Hot Smoked SalmonA$6.00

What 3,648 people are saying

The Grounds of the City reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.4Service
4.5Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Sydney
Most Booked
Sydney City
Great for brunch
Sydney City
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Grounds of the City offers a "fantastic ambiance" and "excellent food," making it a popular choice for both breakfast and business meetings. Guests appreciate the "old world charm" and "beautifully presented" meals. While some find it noisy and service occasionally rushed, the venue remains a "special place" for many visitors.

3,648 Reviews

D
David
Canberra11 reviews
4.0
Dined today
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Have been coming here for years, although our visit for lunch today was the first in a long while. The menu has changed, but good choices of share plates, mains, sides and fantastic desserts and cakes (not to be missed). Great meals, well presented, and very good service! Will be back…
Is this helpful?
M
Maddy
Las Vegas1 review
2.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
The waitress we had was lovely. Can’t fault her. They were not dietary friendly whatsoever though. I was trying to find out if I could eat any of their breads, as I’m allergic to dairy and soy, and had asked her to find out. She asked the chefs 3 separate times and could not get a definitive answer. They said ‘it could be contaminated’ to which I said ‘may contain’ is okay, as long as the ingredient isn’t in the food it won’t react. It then transpired that they didn’t know what was in the bread despite it being baked by the grounds? They had not a single ingredient list or recipe anywhere to indicate what would have been put in the bread. My friends all had lovely meals and the coffee was good, just very disappointed that they seemed to be dietary friendly with gluten and dairy free options, but then found out they really had no clue.
Is this helpful?
M
Michael
New York City1 review
4.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The food was lovely and the set up was great. A lovely place to eat in. The service was a little slow and they wouldn’t split the bill, which is always super annoying and kind of soured the experience.
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T
Tania
Sydney7 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place for a nice lunch with excellent service. Mains are a bit limited in choice, but the food is always good.
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D
David
Sydney2 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great staff and food. Great experience overall. Recommended!
Is this helpful?
J
John
Sydney1 review
3.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
Maybe the restaurant was having an off day, but places weren't properly set and the service was very inconsistent. This was in start contrast to my previous experiences at this restaurant, and given I was entertaining overseas guests, I was very disappointed.
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N
Nick
Sydney1 review
3.0
Dined on 20 March 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Great ambience in a beautifully decorated space, but extremely expensive for what amounted to very mediocre food.
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L
Luther
Sydney1 review
4.0
Dined on 18 March 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great breakfast at Grounds of the City. Always a solid and central place to meet with friends for great food and ambiance.
Is this helpful?
C
Christine
Scot. Islands1 review
3.0
Dined on 18 March 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We were meeting cousins for a catch-up. Not the best venue if you want a quiet location to meet and talk. We enjoyed our lunch. Three had the fish burger which was quite enjoyable. I had the grilled chicken salad bowl which had a delightful combination of different ingredients and flavours. Unfortunately it was drowned in dressing. If I'd known I would have asked for the dressing on the side. The non-alcoholic drinks were really lovely. We'd happily return if it weren't so noisy. Lovely comfortable environment with great ambience.
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D
Dionysia
Sydney2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 17 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love the ambience of The Grounds, The Galleries in the city. The food is good quality. The drinks are so n8cely presented. Table service is very professional. It was enjoyable experience
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FAQs

The Grounds of the City offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (02) 9699 2225.

The Grounds of the City is rated 4.4 stars by 3648 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

30 Mar 2025

19:00

Booked 63 times today

Experiences are available.

500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000

Additional information

Cross Street
Park St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
Area
Sydney CBD
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 07:00–21:30 Sat 08:00–21:30 Sun 08:00–17:00
Price
$40 and under
Cuisines
Modern Australian, Cafe Dining
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Sydney CBD has a range of privately owned car parks located within walking distance. Two close-by options include the Citigroup Centre Car Park located at 271 Pitt St or the Queen Victoria Building Car Park at 111 York St.
Public transit
TRAIN - Exit the train at Town Hall Station. The Grounds of the City is located on the right hand side, directly across the road from The Queen Victoria Building.BUS - Arrange a bus route to drop you at Town Hall Station, or the QVB on York St, located within walking distance from The Grounds of the City.
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Paul McGrath
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, High Tea, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://thegrounds.com.au/Spaces/the-grounds-of-the-city/
Phone number
(02) 9699 2225
Catering
From client meetings to personal celebrations, our drop-off catering menu offers a selection of sweet and savoury options that can be combined to achieve the perfect offering for your occasion. To view our offering and order online, visit our website <a href="https://thegroundscatering.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Featured in

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

The Grounds of the City

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Additional information

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

High Tea

Brekkie Burger

Lobster Omelette

Buttermilk Pancakes

Rise & Shine

Raisin French ToastA$22.00

Fresh Cut Fruit SaladA$22.00

Toasted CrumpetsA$19.00

Housemade GranolaA$22.00

Chilled Overnight OatsA$20.00

Buttermilk PancakesA$24.00

Continental BreakfastA$21.00

Perfect Eggs

Toasted Seedy BagelA$24.00

Tarte Fine Of Sauteed LeeksA$22.00

Zucchini & Spinach FrittersA$26.00

Eggs On ToastA$17.00

Big BrekkieA$27.00

Citrus Cured Salmon BenedictA$28.00

The Classics

Lobster OmeletteA$38.00

Avocado On ToastA$24.00

Steak 'N' EggsA$32.00

Brekkie BurgerA$24.00

Healthy Bowls

Breakfast SaladA$24.00

Brekkie Mezze BowlA$26.00

Sides

Streaky BaconA$6.00

AvocadoA$4.50

MushroomsA$5.50

Poached EggA$3.50

Roasted TomatoA$5.50

Italian Pork SausageA$6.50

Sourdough ToastA$3.50

Hot Smoked SalmonA$6.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Grounds of the City offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Grounds of the City restaurant rated?

Is The Grounds of the City currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information

Featured in

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day