St James - Sydney

One of my favorite spots in the City, this restaurant is always reliable and cozy. Located right next door to the Sheraton on the Park Hotel at the entrance on Castlereagh Street, it offers typical pub food that is both affordable and satisfying. The steaks and chicken dishes are particularly good deals, especially during lunch time when they often come with a complimentary drink for under $15, sometimes even as low as $12. You can choose to dine upstairs or downstairs from the bar, with the upstairs lounge area offering a nice seating option. The entry level can feel a bit cold in winter with its tiled floor and noise level, so I recommend dining downstairs and then heading up to the quieter third floor for a peaceful drink.

The lunch portions are generous, the chicken schnitzels are delicious, and I highly recommend trying their special chicken and leek pie - it was extremely flavorful. The staff is efficient and knowledgeable about the drinks menu.

I'm a sucker for a cheap pub steak. So when I heard about St. James Hotel's lunch special, I had to try it out. You'll get 300 grams of sirloin steak cooked to your liking. You'll get to choose between chips and mashed potatoes as a side dish. There are also plenty of condiments to choose from like tomato sauce, mustard and even chilli flakes. All these for only $11! You can top your steak with your choice of sauce (go for mushroom sauce) for an extra $2.

Go, go go. This is such a great city-lunch find. It's available for dinner, too!

Awesome burger and really well priced.. Would go back again..