The Grounds of the City

Name: The Grounds of the City
Address: 500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW, Australia, 2000
Telephone: (02) 9699 2225
Price range: $40 and under
Rating: 4.4

4.4

3646 Reviews

$40 and under

Modern Australian

500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000

Make a booking

2 people

18 Apr 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 68 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Charming
Great for brunch
Good for special occasions

The Grounds of the City, the second outpost from the team behind The Grounds of Alexandria, is bringing soul back to the CBD with old-school service and charm. Located in the heart of the CBD and bustling with activity, The Grounds of the City is tailor-made for a marvellous time; no matter the occasion. Start your day right as our baristas expertly serve up The Grounds house-roasted espresso and filter coffees, or end it in the best possible way and cosy in with our selection of cocktails and a dinner menu that features something for everyone. You’ll find our coffee sommelier at The Barista’s Bar ready to take you through a tailored coffee experience, and our tea lady roaming the room with a trolley adorned with fresh coffee, our selection of ethically sourced teas and cakes.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$40 and under
Cuisines
Modern Australian, Café
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 7:00 am–9:30 pm Sat 8:00 am–9:30 pm Sun 8:00 am–5:00 pm
Phone number
(02) 9699 2225
Website
http://thegrounds.com.au/Spaces/the-grounds-of-the-city/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Paul McGrath
Catering
From client meetings to personal celebrations, our drop-off catering menu offers a selection of sweet and savoury options that can be combined to achieve the perfect offering for your occasion. To view our offering and order online, visit our website <a href="https://thegroundscatering.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Location
500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
Area
Sydney CBD
Cross Street
Park St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
Parking details
Sydney CBD has a range of privately owned car parks located within walking distance. Two close-by options include the Citigroup Centre Car Park located at 271 Pitt St or the Queen Victoria Building Car Park at 111 York St.
Public transit
TRAIN - Exit the train at Town Hall Station. The Grounds of the City is located on the right hand side, directly across the road from The Queen Victoria Building.BUS - Arrange a bus route to drop you at Town Hall Station, or the QVB on York St, located within walking distance from The Grounds of the City.
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, High Tea, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Experiences

High Tea
$65.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Indulge in a touch of elegance! Delight in a curated selection of sweet and savoury treats, including: - Cucumber, mint and cream cheese finger tea sandwich. - Poached chicken, sun dried tomato and watercress finger sandwich. - Mushroom, truffle and mascarpone mini tartlet. - Smoked salmon rillettes on brioche toast with dill, crème fraîche and caviar. - Mini vanilla mille feuille. - Chocolate sacher-torte. - Fresh plum and almond tartlet. - Chefs selection of macarons. - Warm scone with vanilla bean mascarpone and house-made jam. - A cup of tea, coffee or juice. All items will be plated to share. The high tea menu can only be adjusted for vegetarians. For other dietary needs, or groups of 6+ people, please contact us on (02) 9699 2225.

Popular dishes

Raisin French Toast$22.00
Caramelised figs, vanilla yoghurt
Fresh Cut Fruit Salad$22.00
Passionfruit, vanilla yoghurt
Toasted Crumpets$19.00
Butter, clotted cream, wild organic honey
Housemade Granola$22.00
Cinnamon yoghurt, figs, banana, almonds
Chilled Overnight Oats$20.00
Coconut yoghurt, mango, grapefruit, raspberries
Buttermilk Pancakes$24.00
Poached spring fruit salad, vanilla mascarpone
Continental Breakfast$21.00
The Grounds mini pastry selection with condiments, vanilla bean yoghurt & fresh fruit salad

Perfect Eggs

Toasted Seedy Bagel$24.00
Whipped ricotta & feta, heirloom tomatoes, basil, lemon oil, capers
Tarte Fine Of Sauteed Leeks$22.00
Poached eggs, hollandaise, oyster mushrooms, hazelnuts, endive
Zucchini & Spinach Fritters$26.00
Crème fraîche, citrus-cured salmon, poached eggs, hollandaise
Eggs On Toast$17.00
The Grounds sourdough
Big Brekkie$27.00
Chicken chorizo, onions, fried potatoes, poached eggs, paprika, tomatoes, green chilli
Citrus Cured Salmon Benedict$28.00
Croissant roll, poached eggs, chive, hollandise

The Classics

Lobster Omelette$38.00
Shimeji mushrooms, spinach, caper burnt butter
Avocado On Toast$24.00
Grounds sourdough, poached egg, avocado, tomatoes, radish, feta, mint, lie, salsa verde
Steak 'N' Eggs$32.00
Fried eggs, sautéed onions, spinach, mushrooms, beef glaze
Brekkie Burger$24.00
Brioche bun, pepper jam, spinach, gruyere, cheddar, scrambled egg, port sausage, potato gems, chipotle aioli

Healthy Bowls

Breakfast Salad$24.00
Millet, greens, cherry tomatoes, pears, avocado, poached eggs, herbed hollandaise
Brekkie Mezze Bowl$26.00
Peppers, tomatoes, feta, zucchini, cucumber, tahini, eggplant, chickpeas, avocado, herbs, hummus, fried egg, pickles, sesame bread

Sides

Streaky Bacon$6.00
Avocado$4.50
Mushrooms$5.50
Poached Egg$3.50
Roasted Tomato$5.50
Italian Pork Sausage$6.50
Sourdough Toast$3.50
Hot Smoked Salmon$6.00

What 3,646 people are saying

The Grounds of the City reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.4Service
4.5Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Sydney
Great for brunch
Sydney
Most Booked
Sydney City
Great for brunch
Sydney City
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Grounds of the City offers a delightful dining experience with "sensational food, service and vibes." It's praised for its "superb coffee" and "fantastic desserts," making it ideal for special occasions. While the ambiance is "beautifully decorated," some guests find it noisy and crowded. Quick service and friendly staff enhance the experience.

3,646 Reviews

S
Susanne
Sydney1 review
4.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Summer salad a great dish sweet savoury and nutty.
Is this helpful?
J
Jenny
Sydney1 review
3.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
As a customer, I just didn’t feel welcomed like I would at a regular café. To be honest, this was my second visit in three years, and unfortunately, nothing has improved. The food is good and the environment is nice, but the service—maybe they’re just too busy to be friendly.
Is this helpful?
n
nichola
Sydney5 reviews
3.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Nice venue and was super busy on a Saturday morning but the portion sizes were very small and we left hungry.
Is this helpful?
A
Andrew
Sydney1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
it’s the best breakfast in the city highly recommend the lobster omelette, coffee is superb also as is the chai and the cakes fantastic
Is this helpful?
S
Susan
Sydney1 review
4.0
Dined on 4 April 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
A central location to meet for lunch. Though noisy, sitting at a booth made conversation easier. We had small plates which were tasty & fresh I felt we were a little rushed to order at the start. We requested extra hot coffee but unfortunately, it was lukewarm. Overall, a good experience, quality food and a very convenient location.
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r
rawan
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 1 April 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Sensational food, service and vibes. A great place to celebrate special occasion
Is this helpful?
M
Michelle
Sydney1 review
5.0
Dined on 31 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our party of four enjoyed a wonderful lunch of shared small plates for lunch. Every dish was delicious and we were comfortably full by the end. Just enough room to share some cakes and coffees afterwards. The service was prompt, efficient and friendly. I look forward to my next visit!
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D
David
Canberra11 reviews
4.0
Dined on 29 March 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Have been coming here for years, although our visit for lunch today was the first in a long while. The menu has changed, but good choices of share plates, mains, sides and fantastic desserts and cakes (not to be missed). Great meals, well presented, and very good service! Will be back…
Is this helpful?
M
Maddy
Las Vegas1 review
2.0
Dined on 28 March 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
The waitress we had was lovely. Can’t fault her. They were not dietary friendly whatsoever though. I was trying to find out if I could eat any of their breads, as I’m allergic to dairy and soy, and had asked her to find out. She asked the chefs 3 separate times and could not get a definitive answer. They said ‘it could be contaminated’ to which I said ‘may contain’ is okay, as long as the ingredient isn’t in the food it won’t react. It then transpired that they didn’t know what was in the bread despite it being baked by the grounds? They had not a single ingredient list or recipe anywhere to indicate what would have been put in the bread. My friends all had lovely meals and the coffee was good, just very disappointed that they seemed to be dietary friendly with gluten and dairy free options, but then found out they really had no clue.
Is this helpful?
M
Michael
New York City1 review
4.0
Dined on 27 March 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The food was lovely and the set up was great. A lovely place to eat in. The service was a little slow and they wouldn’t split the bill, which is always super annoying and kind of soured the experience.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Grounds of the City offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (02) 9699 2225.

The Grounds of the City is rated 4.4 stars by 3646 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

18 Apr 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 68 times today

Experiences are available.

500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000

Additional information

Cross Street
Park St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
Area
Sydney CBD
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 7:00 am–9:30 pm Sat 8:00 am–9:30 pm Sun 8:00 am–5:00 pm
Price
$40 and under
Cuisines
Modern Australian, Café
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Sydney CBD has a range of privately owned car parks located within walking distance. Two close-by options include the Citigroup Centre Car Park located at 271 Pitt St or the Queen Victoria Building Car Park at 111 York St.
Public transit
TRAIN - Exit the train at Town Hall Station. The Grounds of the City is located on the right hand side, directly across the road from The Queen Victoria Building.BUS - Arrange a bus route to drop you at Town Hall Station, or the QVB on York St, located within walking distance from The Grounds of the City.
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Paul McGrath
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, High Tea, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://thegrounds.com.au/Spaces/the-grounds-of-the-city/
Phone number
(02) 9699 2225
Catering
From client meetings to personal celebrations, our drop-off catering menu offers a selection of sweet and savoury options that can be combined to achieve the perfect offering for your occasion. To view our offering and order online, visit our website <a href="https://thegroundscatering.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Featured in

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

The Grounds of the City

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Additional information

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

High Tea

Brekkie Burger

Lobster Omelette

Buttermilk Pancakes

Rise & Shine

Raisin French Toast$22.00

Fresh Cut Fruit Salad$22.00

Toasted Crumpets$19.00

Housemade Granola$22.00

Chilled Overnight Oats$20.00

Buttermilk Pancakes$24.00

Continental Breakfast$21.00

Perfect Eggs

Toasted Seedy Bagel$24.00

Tarte Fine Of Sauteed Leeks$22.00

Zucchini & Spinach Fritters$26.00

Eggs On Toast$17.00

Big Brekkie$27.00

Citrus Cured Salmon Benedict$28.00

The Classics

Lobster Omelette$38.00

Avocado On Toast$24.00

Steak 'N' Eggs$32.00

Brekkie Burger$24.00

Healthy Bowls

Breakfast Salad$24.00

Brekkie Mezze Bowl$26.00

Sides

Streaky Bacon$6.00

Avocado$4.50

Mushrooms$5.50

Poached Egg$3.50

Roasted Tomato$5.50

Italian Pork Sausage$6.50

Sourdough Toast$3.50

Hot Smoked Salmon$6.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Grounds of the City offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Grounds of the City restaurant rated?

Is The Grounds of the City currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information

Featured in

35 Sydney Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day