Suminoya

Hidden in a Sydney CBD laneway that most office workers walk past without noticing, Suminoya has quietly served authentic Japanese yakiniku for a quarter century. The yakiniku.com.au group's Japanese ownership and management ethos — established through Rengaya's three-decade North Sydney operation — applies in full here: quality wagyu cuts, proper charcoal grills at each table, and an ordering system (now via iPad) that keeps the focus on the meat rather than the service transaction. The all-you-can-eat Saturday lunch is a long-established value institution. Charcoal grilling — as opposed to the gas common at Korean BBQ venues — gives the meat that faint smokiness that defines the Japanese style. Washoku Lovers, Australia's Japanese culinary community platform, has consistently highlighted Suminoya as the standard-bearer for authentic yakiniku in the CBD.