An acclaimed Sydney fine-dining restaurant known for contemporary Australian cuisine, harbour views, and chef Peter Gilmore's highly theatrical signature dishes.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Quay is a fine-dining restaurant in Sydney, Australia, located at the Overseas Passenger Terminal with views across Sydney Harbour toward the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The restaurant is owned by Leon Fink and is associated with chef Peter Gilmore, who joined Quay in 2001 and became the central creative figure behind its contemporary Australian cuisine. The restaurant's identity combines a highly scenic waterfront setting with technically ambitious food. Its cooking draws on Australian produce and contemporary presentation while incorporating Asian ingredients and methods. Examples described in published accounts include bluefin tuna sashimi served with horseradish cream, wasabi flowers and white-tea jelly; lobster prepared in multiple forms, including a mousseline dumpling; and mulloway sourced from an aquafarm in Palmers Island, New South Wales. These dishes reflect Quay's emphasis on ingredient provenance, visual composition and complex textures rather than a narrowly traditional national cuisine. Quay became particularly well known for its desserts. The Snow Egg consisted of a poached meringue shaped around an ice-cream centre, finished with a sweet tuile and served with fruit fool and granita. Its appearance in the finale of the 2010 season of MasterChef Australia helped give the dish broad public recognition and cult status. Quay later phased the Snow Egg out during the restaurant's 2018 relaunch. Another enduring signature is Peter Gilmore's Eight-Textured Chocolate Cake, which developed from an earlier five-texture version into a dessert built around eight distinct textural elements. The restaurant's reputation was established through Australian restaurant guides and international rankings. It won Restaurant of the Year in The Good Food Guide in 2003, was named best restaurant by Gourmet Traveller in 2008 and 2009, and received further recognition from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. Quay first entered The World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2009 at number 46. It reached number 27 in 2010 and number 26 in 2011, before placing 29th in 2012. During the 2010–2012 period it was also identified as the highest-ranked restaurant in Australasia on the list. Quay underwent a major overhaul and reopened in July 2018. That change marked a new phase for the restaurant's dining room and menu, including the retirement of the Snow Egg. Despite the evolution of its menu and presentation, Quay's core proposition remains a destination restaurant built around Peter Gilmore's contemporary Australian cooking, a dramatic Sydney location, and a long-established record of local and international accolades.
History
Quay is a Sydney restaurant situated in the Overseas Passenger Terminal on Sydney Harbour. Its waterfront location gives the dining room views toward two of Sydney's most recognizable landmarks, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The setting has been an important part of the restaurant's public identity, but published restaurant criticism has emphasized that Quay's reputation rests on the food as well as the scenery. Leon Fink owns the restaurant, while Peter Gilmore has been its principal culinary figure since joining in 2001. Gilmore's approach is generally described as contemporary Australian cooking, with strong attention to native and regional produce, precision, texture and visual drama. The menu also incorporates Asian ingredients and techniques. Documented examples include bluefin tuna with horseradish cream, wasabi flowers and white-tea jelly, as well as lobster presented as both a principal ingredient and a mousseline dumpling. Mulloway used by the restaurant has been sourced from an aquafarm at Palmers Island in New South Wales. Quay's dessert program has been especially influential in shaping its public image. The Snow Egg was a poached meringue enclosing ice cream, coated with a sweet tuile and served with fruit fool and granita. Its recreation during the finale of the 2010 season of MasterChef Australia introduced the dish to a much wider audience and contributed to its cult reputation. Quay eventually retired the Snow Egg as part of the changes surrounding its 2018 reopening. Gilmore's Eight-Textured Chocolate Cake represents another signature dessert; it evolved from an earlier five-texture formulation into a more elaborate eight-texture construction. The restaurant's awards history began with Restaurant of the Year in The Good Food Guide in 2003. It was subsequently named best restaurant by Gourmet Traveller in 2008 and 2009 and was also recognized as the best restaurant for a third time by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2009. Internationally, Quay first appeared in The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2009 at number 46. It rose to 27th in 2010 and 26th in 2011, then moved down to 29th in 2012. Between 2010 and 2012, it was described as the leading Australian restaurant in the ranking's Australasia grouping. A major renovation led to a reopening in July 2018. The overhaul represented a significant operational and creative transition, with menu changes that included the end of the Snow Egg's regular role. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of Quay's founding date, corporate structure beyond Fink's ownership, current menu, current awards or current management beyond Gilmore's role. Those areas require further verification before more detailed claims are added.
- 2018
Reopening after major overhaul
[1]Quay reopened in July after a major overhaul, with changes to its menu and the retirement of the Snow Egg.
- 2012
Quay ranks 29th internationally
[1]Quay placed 29th in The World's 50 Best Restaurants after declining from its 2011 position.
- 2011
Quay reaches its cited peak ranking
[1]Quay was ranked number 26 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants.
- 2010
Quay rises to number 27 internationally
[1]Quay reached number 27 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. The Snow Egg was also recreated in the MasterChef Australia finale.
- 2009
First appearance in The World's 50 Best Restaurants
[1]Quay entered the international ranking at number 46.
- 2008
Gourmet Traveller names Quay best restaurant
[1]Gourmet Traveller named Quay its best restaurant.
- 2003
Restaurant of the Year recognition
[1]Quay won Restaurant of the Year in The Good Food Guide.
- 2001
Peter Gilmore joins Quay
[1]Peter Gilmore joined Quay and became the restaurant's principal chef and culinary creative force.
Products and positioning
Luxury destination dining that combines contemporary Australian cuisine, technically elaborate presentation, distinctive desserts and an iconic Sydney Harbour setting.
Dessert
Snow Egg
A signature Quay dessert built around a poached meringue shaped like an egg and filled with ice cream. It was finished with a sweet tuile made using a blow torch and served with fruit fool and granita. The dessert gained broad recognition after being recreated in the finale of the 2010 season of MasterChef Australia. After achieving cult status, it was phased out during the restaurant's 2018 relaunch.
Dessert
Eight-Textured Chocolate Cake
A composed chocolate dessert associated with Peter Gilmore's cooking at Quay. An earlier version contained five distinct textures; it was subsequently developed into an eight-texture formulation. The dish illustrates the restaurant's emphasis on technical construction, contrast and theatrical presentation.
Main course
Bluefin Tuna Sashimi
A Quay dish combining bluefin tuna sashimi with horseradish cream, wasabi flowers and white-tea jelly. It reflects the restaurant's contemporary Australian style and its use of Asian ingredients and flavour references within a highly composed presentation.
Main course
Three-Way Lobster
A lobster dish in which the ingredient is presented in multiple forms, including the lobster flesh and a mousseline dumpling. The preparation uses Chinese culinary techniques, including velveting in the production of the accompanying lobster sauce.
Brand decisions
2018
Menu and restaurant overhaulGeneration changeBackground
Quay underwent a major overhaul before reopening in July 2018. The change followed years of recognition for its established signature dishes and international ranking performance.
Action taken
The restaurant relaunched with an updated dining experience and menu, while the Snow Egg was phased out.
Aftermath
The relaunch marked a new creative phase for Quay, although the available reference material does not quantify its commercial results or provide a complete account of subsequent menu development.
Recent events
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