We Review: Luna Lu

A Contemporary Asian Dining Gem with Iconic Sydney Harbour View

Nestled at Campbell’s Cove, just a short stroll from Circular Quay, Luna Lu offers an unforgettable dining experience. Combining exquisite Contemporary Asian cuisine with spectacular views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, this award-winning restaurant is a must-visit for food lovers and view seekers alike.

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Circular Quay is the heart of Sydney’s CBD; a vibrant hub boasting two of this country’s most recognisable landmarks — Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House — and the most beautiful harbour in the world. Just being able to glimpse any part of this scenery can add a hefty premium to the price of an apartment, hotel room, bar or restaurant. 

Yet, a mere 10-minute walk from Circular Quay to Campbell’s Cove will take you to the door of Luna Lu, a waterside restaurant with postcard views and a stunning menu that is unbelievably well-priced.  

Opening its door in 2022, Luna Lu has already racked up an impressive collection of awards including Aus Good Food Guide's Chef Hat Restaurant Award in 2024. They were winners in Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and they nabbed Time Out People’s Choice Award for the Best Restaurant in 2024. 

After experiencing this divine Sydney Harbour dining establishment for ourselves, we can understand why. 

Meet the Maestro Behind the Menu: Chef Dario Nencioni

Luna Lu’s menu has been carefully curated by Head Chef Dario Nencioni who is also in charge of sister venues, Bottega Coco & Cardea. Hailing from the region of Siena, Tuscany, Chef Nencioni brings over 15 years of culinary expertise to the Luna Lu kitchen. His impressive resumé includes serving as Executive Chef at the Commissary by Ormeggio in Mosman, a two-hatted restaurant consistently lauded in Gourmet Traveller's Top 100 Australian restaurants. Under the mentorship of Chef Alessandro Pavoni, he also lent his expertise to Pavoni's esteemed establishments, including Via Alta, Ormeggio, and Chiosco.

Now to our meal. Let’s begin with the cocktails. If theatrics are your thing, you can’t go past the XXX: it arrives at your table trailing a veil of dry-ice fog. Once this sensational-smelling smoke subsides, magical ginger and lemongrass tea, infused with Belvedere Vodka, will stimulate your tastebuds, preparing them for the meal to come.

Any seaside restaurant in Sydney worth its sea salt knows that oysters are an absolute must, especially when they can be paired with a view of ferries drifting slowly past the Opera House on glistening cobalt water. 

Luna Lu serves premium grade, fresh Merimbula Oysters with Finger Lime, natural (½ Dozen - $36) or with Oscietra Caviar (½ Dozen - $68).

For starters, we chose the Kingfish Sashimi ($33).  The Kingfish was super fresh, and the Yuzu + Ginger dressing was the perfect accompaniment. 

Of course, we couldn’t come to Luna Lu without trying some of their very popular dumplings. 

We chose the Green Leaf Dumplings which were delivered piping-hot, and a beautiful vibrant green. Both the wrapping and the filling were absolutely packed with flavour, and the use of saltbush was an excellent touch. 

Luna Lu is one of the few venues in Australia that can proudly state it does not use any artificial colours or flavours. The food is natural, authentic, fresh and surprisingly simple. Dim Sums, for instance,  are made fresh in-house daily, with the Dim-Sum wrappers featuring three ingredients; wheat starch, potato starch and water.

We had high expectations for Luna Lu’s signature Dongo Pork Belly ($42), and it did not disappoint. Served on a bed of crispy leeks, this Byron Bay Berkshire Pork is the definition of melt-in-your-mouth. It comes with a dark soy sauce infused with Chinese spices, but it is flavourful enough to enjoy by itself. We ate ours with a side of rice ($8)  and the delicious XO Asparagus ($21). The wok-tossed MB6 Wagyu Beef Egg Noodles served with a Szechuan pepper sauce and Chinese greens and topped with coriander and egg yolk did not sit for long on our plates.

If you go to Luna Lu after reading this article — and we highly recommend you do — heed this warning: do not miss the Pandan Deep Fried Ice Cream ($25)! Served with Caramelised Popcorn and Toffee Sauce (*drool*) the sweetness is perfectly balanced by the Pandan Ice Cream. The crispy exterior has to be tasted to be believed. 10/10.

Perfect for Every Occasion

For the local corporates, Luna Lu offers a range of private dining and event spaces, along with various beverage and food packages. They are also more than happy to cater to larger group bookings for events like birthdays, weddings or other celebrations. 

For all food lovers, if you have a special occasion coming up, we guarantee some of Sydney’s best Contemporary Asian Cuisine with Sydney’s best view of the best harbour in the world.

Reserve your table today at Luna Lu and indulge in Sydney’s finest Contemporary Asian cuisine with unparalleled views of the world’s most beautiful harbour.