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The Grounds of the City, Sydney, AU-NSW

The Grounds of the City

4.3
4.3
3624 Reviews
$40 and under
Modern Australian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 79 times today
  • 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.

Order delivery or takeout

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
  • 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>.
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 3,624 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseEnergetic

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 "great ambience" and "delicious food," making it a popular choice for breakfast and brunch. Highlights include a "vintage atmosphere" and attentive service. While some find it noisy, the lively vibe appeals to many. "Highly recommended" for its inviting setting and flavorful menu options.

3,624 Reviews
  1. Scott

    Sydney

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always great for taking a client to breakfast and coffee
    The Grounds of the CityResponded 1 day ago
    Dear Scott, Thank you for your kind words and ongoing support! We're thrilled to be your go-to spot for client breakfasts and coffee. Your encouragement means a lot to our team, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon. - Nagi (TGOTC)

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  2. Jason

    Sydney

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Potential to be a good restaurant however I would recommend not booking towards the end of the night. We arrived at 8.45pm and were put under a great deal of time pressure. 3 phone calls and an SMS which started before we were due to arrive. Told we had to order all 3 courses at once which is fine and we did promptly. They then served one entree and one main. 15-20 mins later they served the other main with both deserts. I felt disrespected as a customer. The food, which I had a brief opportunity to taste, seemed quite nice but certainly no chance to enjoy it with staff trying to repeatedly take away our plates before we were finished. To top it all off after finishing all our 3 courses in less than an hour they then let us wait around for 20-30 mins before bringing the bill. The manager did come up to us at the end of the night and listened to our concerns and tried to help.

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  3. Ana

    Sydney

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    We had been waiting for nearly 40 minutes for pasta and a salad for lunch. Both my friend and I needed to go back to work, so it was dragged a long time, which is unusual. Other tables got food earlier than us even though we arrived and ordered early. We asked the staff where our food went, and the staff replied without checking that our food was coming. However, we waited for another at least 15 minutes. They did not have enough staff at all. The experience was terrible and the price was overpriced.
    The Grounds of the CityResponded 1 day ago
    Dear Ana, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We sincerely apologize for the long wait time and the lack of clear communication regarding your order. We understand how frustrating this must have been, especially with time constraints during your lunch break. Your feedback about the delay and staffing is taken seriously, and we will review our processes to ensure this does not happen again. We regret that we did not meet your expectations on this occasion. kindest regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  4. Belinda

    Sydney

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very Cute space ,staff recommendations were spot on ..overall lovely experience!
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 15, 2024
    Dear Belinda, Thank you for the lovely feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed the space and that our staff’s recommendations hit the mark. It’s great to hear you had a lovely experience, and we hope to welcome you back soon! Kind regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  5. Christina

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A great location! Food fabulous, staff wonderful and coffee great! Quick and easy.. will dine again.
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 15, 2024
    Dear Christina, Thank you for the fantastic feedback! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the food, coffee, and service. We look forward to welcoming you back for another great experience! Kind regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  6. Christine

    Sydney

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was great at The Grounds. Staff, food & ambiance were perfect. A value for $$ dining experience.
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 15, 2024
    Dear Christina, Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed the staff, food, and ambiance. It’s great to hear that you found the dining experience to be good value. We can’t wait to welcome you back! Kind regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  7. Heimy

    Sydney

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    The ambience was great, but there’s not a lot of options for people with dietary requirements. Our server had a hard time understanding the menu and english - so it was difficult to order.
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 15, 2024
    Dear Heimy, Thank you for sharing your feedback. I’m truly sorry to hear about your experience, and I apologize for any difficulty you had with ordering and the service. It’s disappointing to know we fell short in providing the right support, especially around dietary requirements and menu knowledge. I’ll be addressing this with our team to ensure we improve in these areas and provide better training where needed. Your comments are invaluable in helping us get better, and I appreciate you bringing them to our attention. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and provide a much smoother experience next time. Kind regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  8. James

    Singapore

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 10, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Ordered steak sando med rare, arrived rare as heck. It was cheap cuts of beef too, so even after it was re-fired it was still rubbery and fibrous. Service was poor as our waitress was judgy and disingenuous. Waitress manager also ignored my raised hand when i wanted to send back the beef, and had to wait for our original waitress to come back. Front of house waitress was the only one who was top tier.
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 15, 2024
    Dear James, Thank you for sharing your feedback. I’m sorry to hear your experience with the steak sandwich and service didn’t meet expectations. This isn’t the level of quality or attentiveness we strive for, and I’ll be addressing your concerns with our team to ensure we do better. I appreciate your kind words about our front-of-house waitress—it’s great to know her service stood out. I hope we can welcome you back in the future and provide the experience you deserve. Kind regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  9. Tony

    Sydney

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible ambiance. A terrific feel. Lovely food.
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 15, 2024
    Dear Tony, Thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the ambiance and food. It’s wonderful to know the creative decor made an impression—we’ll be sure to share your compliments with the team. We hope to welcome you back again soon! Kind regards, Nagi (TGOTC)

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  10. Pierre

    Sydney

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great opportunity to meet colleagues for a breafkfast meeting with great food in a lively environment
    The Grounds of the CityResponded on December 9, 2024
    Dear Pierre, hank you for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that our lively atmosphere and great food made for a productive and enjoyable breakfast meeting with your colleagues. We hope to see you again soon! - Nagi (TGOTC)

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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 4.3 stars by 3624 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 79 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Grounds of the City

500 George St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Park St, Sydney, AU-NSW 2000
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • 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>.
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