Café Sel & Poivre

Don’t let the basic décor at this restaurant fool you. This restaurant has some of the best French food in Sydney!
The beef cheeks are absolutely to die for and are a must try. They are ultra tender and are served with a rich red wine sauce. I would recommend dipping your chips or bread in it too to not waste that delicious sauce.
The chocolate fondant was also divine, it came fresh out of the oven and was cooked perfectly. The slightly crisp thin outer shell with a warm runny chocolate inside just sent me to heaven and back.
There is also a good selection of wine from famous wine regions around Australia and France.

I just happened to stumble across this darling bistro in between films at the Chauvel Cinema for the Alliance Francaise film festival (1^st Girlhood, then The New Girlfriend). The restaurant is nestled in between other ethnic food restaurants, but once you have a seat you’re transported to France!
Extensive wine menu and solid food menu with classic French starters/​mains/​entrees. I ordered the ½ dozen snails with butter and parsley, a warm baguette, the roasted goat cheese salad, and some rose.
This was one of the tastiest meals I’ve had so far in Sydney and I’ll be back before leaving this beautiful city!

Looking for french food that isn’t located in a hotel or fine dining establishment, this is the place to go for a casual bistro experience. Came as a couple for a late lunch trying items off both the breakfast and lunch menu. Breakfast menu is well priced with a nice range of items. The lunch menu features more classic french dishes such as steak tartare and steak frites. Pricing for main dishes standard for Australia though more than what one would pay in a bistro in France. Finished lunch with a classic tarte tartin. Food was excellent and staff were pleasant. Will definitely be back

Can’t believe this wasn’t listed on Unilocal yet but so glad it is now so I can Unilocal to the world that this is one of my fave little French bistro which I have been going to for years. Love the moment when you walk in and you are greeted in French. Reminds me of my meals in Paris.
Tonight I had a dozen escargot, 12 little bite size morsels swimming in a little hot bath of garlic and parsley butter. The slightly chewy texture of these little critters are so addictive, I could munch on them all night. Not one to waste, I mop up the butter sauce with the warm baguette that accompanies the entrée.
What a great way to start the night!
For the mains I went for fillet steak with béarnaise sauce with rich buttery mashed potatoes. No fries tonight because their fryer had broken down :(
The steak was cooked beautifully that I had used the sauce sparingly as I wanted to enjoy the quality taste of Australian beef, definitely paired well with the red wine.
I missed out on dessert tonight even though I wanted the Crème brûlée but I will come back with a bigger appetite next time.
Try and get a seat outside, really great vibe eating outside with the great weather we are having.

One of the first places we ate at in Sydney while we were on our hunt for a place around Darlinghurst. He actually stumbled upon it after we waited for Bills for about 10 minutes and decided we were too hungry to wait. Thanks as always to the power of Unilocal,we saw this and it fit the bill perfectly.
It’s a perfect distillation of the Parisian café. Low key, unassuming, and the waitress was French too, so it was perfect. We sat at one of the tables that fronts the place, and had a great view of everyone rolling by. There was even a guy smoking at the table next to us, which might bother some, but I thought it added a little, «je nais sais quoi»
Anyway, I had a delicious special of chorizo monsuier, and the wife a salad. Both were fresh, and filling. She had a glass of wine that was on some kind of special, but I don’t remember it being particularly cheap, but she liked it so I shut up. My baguette was perfect, warm and soft with a perfect crunchy exterior. Unhurried service, a nice view, and an amazing Gellateria just down the street? European perfection in the heart of Sydney!

Great touch of France in central Sydney. Reminded me of my days living in France with the amazing food being served in a fairly simple restaurant. I’ll go back for sure.

Je voudrais une expérience française. Un endroit où je peux pratiquer mon français et essayer quelques délicatesses riches. Heureusement pour moi, je peux trouver la France dans le coeur de Darlinghurst.
Although I’m not French, I can appreciate them, their culture and way of life. They treat food like a reason for living — which I’m completely on board to support. Sel & Poivre (salt and pepper) have tried to bring a bit of that French passion to Sydney and I am grateful for it.
I’ve never eaten during the day, so I can only speak about their dinner menu…
As a pesceterian I always struggle with French food… but luckily for me there are a few friendly options on the menu.
For entrée we started with
Effiloché de saumon au basilic et poivre rose — Freshly cooked salmon, basil and pink peppercorn dip with baguette ($ 12.50) it was really delicious and took the edge of our hunger pangs.
For mains i had Pâtes fraiches au saumon fumé, crème aux herbes
Smoked salmon, fresh spaghetti with a cream sauce ($ 22.90) which was very rich and a little bit of a last option because there were only 4 items I could choose from because of my dietary restrictions… of course we save placed for dessert sampling authentic crème brulée with fresh vanilla bean ($ 13.90) which was simple and good…
They have an excellent selections of wines and i do find this a great place to escape to if I’m craving a bit of Paris…
ps: You can also speak French to the staff if you would like… a great place to practice your language skills :)

As a poor uni student I used to work at St Vincents and this used to my morning coffee, breakfast and then lunch spot. And it hasn’t changed. I still come here for the typically French breakfast and sometimes for lunch. The owners are welcoming and perfect hosts. The man of the house loves coming out and having a chat with patrons when he’s around. Feels like I’m dining at his house sometimes!
The coffee ain’t bad and comes in French coffee bowls perfect for dipping your croissants or buttered toast. For breakfast, the Eggs Benedict, French toast and the Big Breakfast are all good options. Sometimes I just get a croissant with jam and coffee. Mmmmm.
For lunch I love love the baguettes (chicken is my fave) and this is where I had my first steak Tartare with frites and Bearnaise sauce. And you gotta try the crème brûlée, really good!
Sit on the comfy outdoor seating and watch the eccentric Darlinghurst inhabitants doing their thang and walking their huge dogs — have you ever noticed that around there? Its weird! lol
Tres Francais and I love it. A must try.

The Sel & Poivre Café is an exquisitely intimate restaurant which poses on one of the main streets in Darlinghurst. The café attracts local patrons and visitors to St. Vincent’s hospital who are in search of a good, quick bite to eat. It has cosy seats with plenty of cushions and views of the street. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Lunch at Sel & Poivre is refreshing. Despite the name of the venue (and the owner) being French, the menu displays a range of international dishes and modern Australian food. We had brunch in the form of french toast and strawberries, as well as a salad topped with lots of veggies. The dishes are surprisingly well priced and the food is sensational.
The café ambiance exudes character and transports you to a little restaurant in Paris. It’s layout and design resembles a Parisian bistro and the waitress drops a few French words here and there. Would love to visit again if I’m in the area and perhaps sample the dinner menu!