The Restaurant Pendolino

Lovely restaurant, the food was very tasty with good choices. Quiet atmosphere made it easy to converse. Staff were friendly and attentive. Will definitely go back.

Pendolino in the Strand Arcade stands as a true Sydney institution in the realm of fine dining. It consistently maintains its reputation by delivering not only the finest tasting food but also exemplary service that sets it apart. The noteworthy wine list further enhances the dining experience. Pendolino's enduring excellence makes it a must-visit for those seeking a combination of culinary mastery, attentive service, and an ambiance that captures the essence of Sydney's dining scene.

Great atmosphere both for business and romantic outings, but the wine service was a little pushy.. and the food was average at best. Pity, for AUD 150-200 per head. Extensive wine list though, with fair restaurant wine prices. Desserts were the best part, creative and tasty.

We went there to have dinner before go to a Movie during the Sydney Film Festival. And very conveniently they have a pre theatre menu. That includes a tasting plate with 4 bite-sized experiences. 2 of them I liked very much, simply delicious. The sweet corn soup was good. And one of the options was very salty for my taste.
Talking about salt, I would like to suggest to the chef to keep a little bit of salt at the table to enhance the flavours of the three types of olive oils on the table.
The experience is great, although for the first and third olive oil option the salt bring more the fruitness of the third oil and balance better the lemon olive oil.

Regarding the dish, I can say is one of the best pasta dishes I've had in Sydney. I had the blond duck bolognese and was perfect in every bite. Be aware, the dish has nothing even close to a traditional bolognese. Is a white sauce base dish. But was amazing. Well balanced and executed. My wife had the ravioli, and was perfect as well. But my favourite was the duck.

We had the merengue dessert, such well thought dish. Where we got an entree for the dessert, that was a new thing for me, and then the dessert well balanced with all elements right. Sweet, acidity, crunchy.

About the wine service, was very good with attention to detail. Nothing to complain about it.

At the end we got nice chocolate balls 😋. That was a surprise.

Probably we will go back for the 6 course menu, but the 2 course menu already made my night.

Coming from Italy went here to try some Italian food however I believe this is more like Aussie/Italian food rather than authentic Italian food.
The staff are really friendly and professional and the food was quite good. Just a bit too salty for our taste but the flavours were interesting.
The vibe was good too.
Overall a nice romantic experience.
Worth a try

Had the vegetarian six course tasting menu with matching wines as part of the tasting menu, with matching wine pairings. Experience, ambiance, service and food was fantastic, as one would expect. Great place to celebrate a special occasion and/or create lasting memories.

Pendolino is an Italian restaurant, which serves food in either 3-, 4- or 6-course menus. Upon request, they provide an extra menu for vegans. For each course, you can choose from a couple of options, so you have several options (similar to the "regular" menu).

Considering the fact that the prices here are quite high (starting at 140$ per person for the 3 course menu), you should be able to expect a proper fine dining experience.

In terms of food, however, it was just okay. I clearly preferred some dishes over other dishes. Compared to the food my non-vegan friends had, some vegan dishes seemed a bit lacking (as if they had simply removed the non-vegan component). At other times, the plating was a bit "questionable".

But staff was lovely and service was very good. There were several waiters and waitresses providing us with information about food and drinks, and even supplied us with extra treats on the house.

The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor inside a shopping mall. The atmosphere is elegant and old-fashioned: Individual tables, wooden furntiure and white table cloth. Booking a table in advance is required.

6 of us went to dinner. The service was impeccable with friendly staff and service. The food was well presented and even though it was fine dining a lot of work went into each dish. Compliments to the chef. If I needed to find something about this restaurant would be the price but overall an amazing night. Just an apology for leaving late, im sure the staff warned to go home but no one complained. And a huge thank you to the chefs who gave up complementary potatoes and salad. By the end of the night we were so full. Thank you to the chefs and staff for a memorable night.