Bigger, bolder and more beautiful than ever, the new Sydney Fish Market is destined to become one of the city’s most iconic waterfront destinations. The seafood is pretty good, too.

The new Sydney Fish Market is one of the most-talked-about openings in Sydney. Opened on 19 January 2026 at 1 Bridge Road, Glebe, next to the previous site, the $836 million building on Blackwattle Bay is an architecturally designed masterpiece. It features a striking 200-metre-wide wave-shaped solar roof that is clad in panels designed to resemble fish scales. Designed by Danish firm 3XN GXN in collaboration with Sydney practices BVN Architecture and landscape architects Aspect Studios, it has already been compared to the Sydney Opera House in terms of ambition.

The seafood auction at Sydney Fish Market, explained

The building remains, at its core, a fish market. Fifty tonnes of seafood move through the wholesale auction every weekday. Fishing vessels unload directly onto dedicated wharves. The computerised auction, modelled on the famous Dutch tulip auctions of the 1600s, runs from before sunrise on weekdays in a purpose-built auction room visible to the public. What is new at Sydney Fish Market is the scale – 26,000 square metres across three levels – and the ambition. Book a guided tour to see the Sydney Fish Market auction underway.

Sydney Fish Market restaurants

The dining offer at the new Sydney Fish Market is the biggest change from the old site and the most interesting reason to visit beyond straight seafood buying. There are more than 25 restaurants, cafes and bars across the building. The headline arrivals include Lua, Luke Nguyen’s flagship Southeast Asian restaurant serving refined Vietnamese and regional Southeast Asian cooking with harbour views.

Hamsi Taverna from chef Somer Sivrioglu and the Efendy team brings Turkish charcoal cooking and a mezze bar, and the smoky lamb and grilled fish with charred flatbread are already among the market’s best dishes. Tam Jiak fills a real gap with Malaysian surf and turf: expect proper laksa, char kway teow and nasi lemak at prices that make it one of the better-value lunches in inner Sydney right now.

Best place for brunch at Sydney Fish Market

Touch Wood is the precinct’s standout all-day dining room. Hospitality veteran Tyson Rowsell, co-founder of Glebe and Rozelle’s Dirty Red cafes and former group general manager at The Grounds of Alexandria, has created a 150-seat space that feels genuinely considered: native florals, warm timber, 100 north-facing harbour seats in a coveted sun-drenched corner spot on the promenade. Head chef Courtney Blyde, whose CV spans Baba’s Place, Cho Cho San and The Apollo, delivers fresh and balanced dishes such as crab & XO butter crumpets, fish chowder pie and seafood-forward dishes built around the market’s own catch.

Get Sashimi runs a sushi train and a Japanese concept diner, while Ichié covers the communal dining brief. La Dea Pizza handles Roman-style pizza by the slice and pasta. Luneburger bakes through the morning. For drinks, Fisherman’s Fine Wines and the Little Red Wine Bar are both operating, the latter a useful place to sit with a glass and regroup between laps of the market floor. For a more casual and straightforward Sydney Fish Market experience: buy oysters from Claudio’s, find a table on the waterfront promenade and eat them looking at the harbour. It costs almost nothing and is hard to beat.

What to expect at the new Sydney Fish Market

The largest seafood market in the southern hemisphere is now also one of Sydney’s most dynamic food destinations. The new Sydney Fish Market covers everything from fishmongers selling fresh whole fish and live crustaceans to sushi trains, Malaysian laksa, Turkish charcoal cooking, artisan pastries and specialty olive oil. There are 42 vendors under the one roof and a waterfront promenade with 6,000 square metres of public space and direct harbour views. It’s the best free seat in the city on a sunny day.

Best classes to book at Sydney Seafood School

Perched above the market floor with sweeping Blackwattle Bay views, the relocated Sydney Seafood School is a serious upgrade. Think Gaggenau appliances, a feature oyster bar and a program spanning bouillabaisse to paella and pintxos to Middle Eastern mezze. The standout for visitors is the Land and Sea class, where Australian native ingredients meet local seafood in one of the more distinctly Australian cooking experiences in the city. Most classes end with a shared meal at the window. The guest chef lineup is equally impressive, with the likes of Danielle Alvarez, Luke Bourke, Giovanni Pilu and Alessandro Pavoni gracing the program.

Getting to the new Sydney Fish Market

The new Sydney Fish Market is at 1 Bridge Road, Glebe on Blackwattle Bay, adjacent to but distinct from the old Pyrmont site that operated from 1966 until the move. Public transport is the smartest way to arrive. Catch the L1 Dulwich Hill Line light rail and get off at Wentworth Park, which is just 400 metres from the market entrance. Note: the former Sydney Fish Market stop has been renamed Bank Street and is now 700 metres away, so check before you board. Services run every six minutes on weekends between 10am and 7pm. From Central, the trip takes around 12 minutes. It’s the smartest way to arrive.

Parking at the new Sydney Fish Market

There is underground basement parking onsite at Sydney Fish Market. For those who want to stock their esky in the car boot for the journey home, the first 20 minutes are free. The first hour is $12.00, while the flat rate is $15 after 5pm. However, during peak periods on weekends and public holidays, the surrounding streets fill quickly and access via Pyrmont Bridge Road can back up. Transport for NSW has been candid about this: parking is limited and traffic will be heavy on busy days. A dedicated drop-off and pick-up zone for ride-shares next to the building on Bridge Road. A $30 million commuter ferry wharf will eventually connect Blackwattle Bay with Barangaroo.

Where to buy what at Sydney Fish Market

The six fresh seafood retailers are the commercial heart of the market and the reason chefs and serious home cooks still make the trip on weekday mornings. Nicholas Seafood, Christies Seafood and Claudio’s Seafood are just three of the best for whole fish, crustaceans and oysters. Nicholas Seafood and Peter’s Fish Market have expanded their cooked offering to include takoyaki and an aburi bar alongside cooked-to-order seafood counters. For home cooks, the advice is simple: ask the staff at any of the fishmongers what came in that morning. Sydney rock oysters, green prawns in season and whole snapper or barramundi are all reliably good.

Beyond the seafood at Sydney Fish Market

Blackwattle Deli stocks cheese and charcuterie. Olivetta is a concept store dedicated to specialty olive oil and a more interesting browse than it sounds. Cow & the Moon, the beloved Enmore gelateria, has an outpost here. Mayfarm Flowers brings fresh bouquets direct from their farm in Orange, Sergio does European-style pastries, high teas and cakes, and Stitch Coffee handles the flat whites. There’s also a Fruitezy shop which stocks seasonal fruit and vegetables and makes Sydney Fish Market a one-stop shop.