What Is Open On Christmas Day In Sydney 2023?

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Sometimes despite all our planning and organising for Christmas Day we realise that we’ve forgotten to buy something, whether this be a grocery item, a gift, petrol or something else. Sometimes Christmas Day medical and pet emergencies happen too unfortunately. In these circumstances it’s good to know what is open on Christmas Day in Sydney 2023.

If you are not wanting to cook Christmas lunch yourself it’s also good to know which restaurants in Sydney are open on Christmas Day.

To help you out and avoid any panic we’ve done the research for you and compiled this list of what’s open Christmas Day Sydney 2023.

If you’re a tourist in Sydney or someone that is just wanting to visit somewhere fun rather than celebrate Christmas we’ve also listed a couple of things to do on Christmas Day in Sydney.

Please be aware that at the time of writing this guide all the information in it was accurate. Circumstances can change quickly however so we do recommend checking and calling ahead to make sure the place you want to visit on Christmas Day is in fact open to avoid any potential disappointment.

Sydney’s three major supermarket chains Woolworths, Coles and Aldi are all closed on Christmas Day.

Check your local Woolworths opening hours HERE.

See your local Coles’ opening hours HERE.

Find your specific Aldi supermarket’s opening hours HERE.

Some convenience stores like 7-Eleven are open on Christmas Day so check if your local store convenience store is open.

Where I’ve bought some basic last minute grocery items for Christmas recipes on Christmas Day before is in convenience stores located inside petrol stations. They have been a true saviour for me.

The majority of petrol stations are open on Christmas Day in Sydney. As stated earlier these petrol stations can also be a handy source of last minute Christmas gifts and grocery items from their in-built convenience stores.

The Sydney Fish Market does a 36 hour straight marathon from 5am Saturday 23 December 2023 finishing at 5pm Sunday 24 December 2023 but is closed on Christmas Day.

Funny story now but not at the time: several years ago now hubby wanted the freshest prawns possible for Christmas and planned to visit the Sydney Fish Market on the morning of Christmas Day. Needless to say our Christmas feast that year was missing the prawns as the Sydney Fish Market is definitely NOT open on Christmas Day.

A lot of Sydney restaurants are open on Christmas Day offering special Christmas lunches, usually with set menus and set prices.

The majority of the big Sydney hotels’ restaurants have special Christmas Day lunches and dinners. Some suburban restaurants across Sydney are also open on Christmas Day.

It’s important to note that the majority of Sydney restaurants open on Christmas Day will have opened their Christmas Day bookings months earlier and book out quickly so it’s unlikely you will be able to get a last minute booking however. I highly recommend booking your Christmas Day lunch or dinner as early as possible if you are wanting to dine out on Christmas Day.

Some of our favourite Sydney restaurants that will be open on Christmas Day 2023 include:

• Pilu at Freshwater for a decadent 4 course Christmas lunch
• Fratelli Fresh at Manly, Darling Harbour & Entertainment Quarter are all offering a 4 course Christmas Day lunch
• Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral for Christmas breakfast or lunch
• Ripples Chowder Bay at Mosman for a 3 course Christmas lunch set menu
• Chiosco By Ormeggio at Mosman for a Christmas Day lunch
• Nick’s Seafood Restaurant at Darling Harbour for a 3 course Christmas lunch
• Cyren Bar Grill Seafood at Darling Harbour for a 3 course Christmas lunch
• Botanic House in The Royal Botanical Garden Sydney for a massive 9 course Christmas Day lunch sharing menu
• O Bar and Dining in Sydney for a 4 course Christmas lunch or Christmas dinner
• SkyFeast in Sydney Tower for a Christmas Day buffet lunch or dinner
• Altitude Restaurant in Shangri-la Sydney for a 5 course Christmas Day lunch share style menu
• Anason at Barrangaroo Sydney for a Christmas Day lunch or dinner.

Bottle shops are closed on Christmas Day in Sydney.

Yes, public transport will be running in Sydney on Christmas Day 2023 but on either a restricted or Sunday timetable depending on the type of public transport whether it be buses, trains, metro or ferries. Check the timetables to plan your trip before you leave home.

All major public hospitals in Sydney are open on Christmas Day. Ring 000 in a medical emergency.

Northside Emergency Veterinary Service is open on Christmas Day in Terrey Hills.

Small Animal Specialist Hospitals at North Ryde, Western Sydney (Prospect) and Central Coast (Tuggerah) are also open on Christmas Day.

Taronga Zoo is open every day of the year including Christmas Day.

Christmas Day is a popular day at the Zoo for those not wanting to celebrate Christmas but wanting to enjoy a special day out seeing the wildlife.

On Christmas Day the zoo operates as usual with the regular animal encounters, keeper talks and the seal and bird shows all on.

In addition to this the keepers try and spoil the animals a bit on Christmas Day with Christmas themed fruit treats and enrichment items such as Christmas tree shaped ice blocks.

Taronga Zoo is a fun place to visit on Christmas Day.

BridgeClimb Sydney is another fun Sydney activity open on Christmas Day with various bridge climbs available throughout the day. These climbs do sell out quite fast however.

Santa also has a tradition for many years now of making an appearance on the bridge on Christmas Day to surprise some climbers as they make their 1332 step journey over the iconic arches.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas 2023!

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Ingrid is a lover of all things Christmas who has been helping make Christmas time easier and less stressful for her family and friends all her life with Christmas tips, Christmas gift suggestions, Christmas recipe inspiration and Christmas event planning.

Ingrid now shares all this Christmas information here on her Christmas Time Made Easy website. She also shares information about the best Christmas events and activities happening in her home town of Sydney, Australia.