The best chocolate brownies in Sydney & that is no exaggeration!
A bit pricey, but when you try them you don't care.
Recommended for chocoholics :-)

Approximate cost: $5 - $15

I love this tiny grocery shop.
The quality is outstanding, the owners are so lovely & friendly & actually enjoy a good chin-wag & laugh.
Super fresh veggies that haven't been cold stored for an eternity, a good variety & knowledge of what they sell is excellent.

Approximate cost: $Depends on what you buy!

Ikea is ok, nothing exciting but it does inspire your imagination & sets you on a trail of discovery & eventually finding, buying & building whatever it was you went there for.
I have 2 gripes though...
Gripe 1 - the returns non-service is appalling! 1.5hrs to return some baking tins/patty cases on a Fri morning is a damn joke.
Gripe 2 - the food. It is absolutely awful, mass produced, all nutrients have been microwaved to hell & it's expensive for what it is. Never thought I'd hear myself say Maccas is better... lol.
Also, I have found just about any piece of furniture breaks with little effort - especially the drawers!
Kitchen gadgets are good, as is the wooden children's toys.

Approximate cost: $1 - $4000

Love going here!
Good food, very fresh & usually made on the spot.
Fantastic coffee & the chai latte is to die for (my favourite, especially if Mr Dready is making it - don't know his name but he has dreadlocks).
One gripe - they changed the breakie roll... bring back the old one - pleeeeaaassseee :-)

Approximate cost: $6 - $19

WOW is all I can say.
We did the Chef's table for my son's birthday & it was sublime. Opted for degustation all round (even the kids loved it) with matching wines for the adults - amazing, mouth watering, a sea of art on a plate.
The highlight? Meeting Justin North, chatting to him about our joint interest in sustainable & organic food and of course, watching an artist at work.
Sadly, I have recently heard about the demise of The Becasse/Etch group. It is such a shame a man of great skill & passion has been hit by the recent spate of restaurant failures. Extremely sad to see this gone :-(

Approximate cost: $1,600 per Chef's table

Becasse bakery is very swish, the food looks fresh & of good quality but its very expensive.
Nice for a treat now & again.

Approximate cost: $5 - $14

This is a fabulous retail outlet where you can grab an amazing bargain, often with a huge discount.
The service is 2nd to none - knowledge of stock is excellent, wonderfully friendly, helpful & not pushy.
Kathy is particularly good & can assist in putting outfits together, knows all the good bargains & spends time getting to know you as well as remembering you when you return - a point that I truly liked!
I used to travel to Melbourne 2x annually to top-up my TS collection - now I don't have to!
I love this place :-)

Approximate cost: $19 - $159

Have been here twice for lunch (3 courses - $36.00!).
I do not know how they manage to serve 3 courses of beautiful food at this price! Even the wines are excellent!
Service is polite, unobtrusive & prompt but still friendly.
The decor is clean & modern but not clinical. Lovely views overlooking Darling Harbour from the ground level, I can only imagine how nice it would be upstairs.
This restaurant is utilised by many a high school for French students excursions & can be a little noisy - I suggest a quick phone call before arrival to check out the situation. Its not bad though.
I highly recommend for a girls get together lunch.

Approximate cost: $36 lunch / $59 dinner