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Modern Australian cuisine is generally a fusion of Asian and Eastern flavours with European technique. Experimental Australian chefs draw on the highly multicultural population and a diverse climate that ranges from tropical to cool-region conditions.

The quest for the exotic generates menus loaded with foreign terms and regional Australian names. Bangalow and Barossa refer to regions; Wagyu and Hiramasa to quality; assiette, confit and panacotta to French and Italian techniques. Menus are sometimes in a different language, and Chinese restaurants often have an English and a Chinese menu. Staff are usually happy to translate.

Pre-dinner nibbles are called hors d’oeuvres or canapés. The first course is the entrée, and the second is the main course. These are followed by dessert and coffee, or sometimes by a cheese course.

This French word means to take a small amount into the mouth and test its quality. A Sydney trend, dégustations offer 7–12 small set courses instead of orders from the menu. These courses allow chefs to take advantage of the freshest ingredients and to show off their skills.

The more expensive the restaurant, the further ahead you’ll need to make your reservation. Sydney’s top restaurant, the dégustation-only Tetsuya’s, takes bookings three months in advance. Vegetarians and those with special dietary requirements should book at least a day ahead. Some restaurants don’t take bookings but will send you to a nearby pub and call you when your table is ready.

Usual but voluntary, tipping is a way to express your enjoyment of or dissatisfaction with a meal. If the food and service are of good quality, leave about 15 percent. You may want to leave more for extraordinary service, and less or no tip if service has been shoddy.

Most expensive restaurants have helpful sommeliers who are experts at matching food and wine, so you can leave the choices up to them. You might tell them that you wish to taste a variety of Australian wines. When buying wine from a bottle shop, be aware that Australian names refer to the grape variety and not the region.

Some types of food are highly spiced and do not go well with most wines. Choosing a beer to go with Thai, Indian and Chinese food is a good option. Good Australian beers include Boag’s, Cascade, Hahn Premium, James Squire, Cooper’s and Redback.

The popular latte is a single shot of coffee with milk topped with frothed milk, and a flat white has milk but not froth. Black coffee drinkers choose a long black or the stronger espresso. Try a macchiato, an espresso shot topped with a burst of froth. Decaf, soy and light milks are common.

Some restaurants specifically cater to kids with dedicated menus. Others will suggest entrée-sized dishes that might appeal to children. The large Chinese and Italian restaurants and places by the beach are usually used to kids running around. Bring some pens with you, as restaurants often have paper clothes or napkins that kids can draw on.