The Sydney Fish Market is a fish-eating lover’s dream and should be on the top of everyone’s list when visiting Sydney. However, it’s always good to have an idea of the Sydney Fish Market prices before you go.
With fresh seafood galore, it is the largest market of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Popular amongst locals and tourists, it has been open since 1989 and trades over 13,500 tonnes of delicious seafood annually.
We thought we would experience the Sydney Fish Market ourselves and to get a better idea of how much it costs to eat there, as well as the Sydney Fish Market prices as a whole.
In this blog, you will find everything you need to know about the Sydney Fish Market prices including how much you will pay for lobster, oysters, sashimi and many other types of fish. We also fill you in on the Sydney Fish Market parking, the Sydney Fish Market trading hours and other information on how to get there.
You can be sure the fish is of a high standard, as there is a quality index used by the Sydney Fish Markets which measures changes in chilled seafood over time, keeping up with and adhering to the excellent Australian seafood quality.
If you’re in Sydney and on a budget, check out these things you can do for free!
Sydney Fish Market opening hours
Monday – Thursday: 7 am – 4 pm
Friday – Sunday: 7 am – 5 pm
Visit the SFM Retailers page for more specific information on the Sydney Fish market retailers.
Sydney Fish Market auction
Did you know there is a wholesale auction? It commences from 05:30 every weekday. Mainly for other retailers. For more information see here
How to get to the Sydney Fish Market
Address: Corner Pyrmont Bridge Rd &, Bank St, Pyrmont NSW 2009
Travelling by car
Access to the entrance is not difficult and can be entered via Bank Street.
Sydney Fish Market prices for parking
Being such a popular place to visit, the Sydney Fish Market has done a great job at accommodating all the cars with a large car parking area straight at the entrance. The prices vary depending on the length and time of stay.
To simplify the parking image, if you stay for 15 min it is free, to stay 1 hour is $4 and after 1 hour you pay $6 for every 30 min.
Travelling by light rail
Access to the Sydney Fish Market can be done via The Sydney Light Rail. The Sydney Light Rail leaves Central Station with a stop named “Fish Market” so it would be quite hard to miss. There is a Light Rail every 10 -15 min going to and from the Fish Market. From the Fish Market stop, it is only a short 5 min walk to the entrance.
Travelling by bus
Buses stop within a 5 min walk from the Sydney Fish Market. The bus routes are buses 501 and 389. Alternatively, use the trip planner to plan your journey.
Travelling by boat
If you prefer to travel in a bit of style and want to stick to the fish market theme, it is possible to travel by boat. The Sydney Fish Market has installed a landing pontoon allowing access to the market, for only small private vessels. For more information visit the official Sydney Fish Market website.
Sydney Fish Market prices of seafood
All prices vary depending on the time of year and the retailer. We give our Sydney Fish Market prices based on the retailers we visited inside the market at the beginning of spring.
Keep in mind that some of the stalls are cash only! So, make sure you bring some spare change with you. There is an ATM at the fish markets but it charges a fee to withdraw, not to mention it may run out of cash since every one may be using it there.
Scallops
Price: $10 each
The first thing to hit our seafood taste buds were scallops stuffed with rice and covered in cheese. At first glance, we didn’t know what it was, but on taste, there were no issues, it was delightful.
We have never tasted scallops like this before. The rice, cheese and chillies went really well together. We would most certainly get this again on our next visit.
Fish and Chips
You can’t go wrong with Fish ‘n’ Chips, being English we are used to Cod or Haddock. However, the Barramundi was very good, if not better. Not sure how a flathead would taste. If you try it out let us know what you thought in the comments below!
Price: $10.50
Lobster tail
Price: $18 each from Fish Market Cafe
Lobster is one of the most expensive types of fish you can purchase at the Sydney Fish Market. We haven’t had much Lobster in our lives but the one we tasted here was rather nice. Topped with lemon and herbs, it was soft to the touch and almost melted in the mouth.
Oysters
Price: $24.99 / dozen from Peters
Oysters galore! If you love oysters, then you’re in for a treat. They have a variety of different types, but we prefer the Sydney Rock Oysters. They’re slightly more expensive than others but the additional price is worth it for the taste.
We purchased 6 Sydney Rock Oysters from one of the oyster bars there for $12.50. Served with a wedge of lemon, they were nice and succulent making us crave more.
Alternative oysters include Pacific oysters and Tasmanian pacific oysters.
Sushi
You can get Sushi anywhere these days, at bus stations, stalls and supermarkets. However, you don’t get any fresher than this sushi. A little expensive for us, as we’re used to getting a really cheap tray for $5 at the end of the day after work or something. But I doubt you could get any fresher than this in Australia.
Sashimi Yellowfin Tuna
Price: $99.99 / kg from Nicholas Seafoods
There is a whole dedicated section to sashimi fish. You can choose from sashimi octopus, king salmon, scallop and many more. After you have selected your sashimi, you get to watch the vendors slice through the fresh fish like a hot knife through butter.
*Homer Simpson Drool*
Don’t be afraid to ask for a specific amount of fish in cash, we asked for $10 worth of yellowfin tuna. When they sliced the yellowfin tuna, in weight, it was equivalent to $12.50. We gave a nod signalling it was fine and they proceeded to wrap our fish.
A ticket is given when you purchase the fish and when your ticket is called your fish is waiting for you in a plastic tray, ready to be eaten.
The yellowfin tuna got the taste buds dancing. A healthy chunk of $12.50 was more than enough for one person. You can also purchase a pre-mixed soy wasabi sauce for $1.10 to dunk your sashimi fish in too if you like.
Singapore Chilli Prawns
Price: $9.00 each from Nicholas Seafoods
We had our fair share of uncooked fish, so it was time to try more cooked fish. We decided to get the Singapore chilli prawns as they looked too good to pass on. They were served on a wooden skewer and was complimented with scallops…beautiful. In addition to the prawns, we also purchased a portion of fries at $3.50.
Other options that looked delicious were barbecued squid, barbecued eel and deep-fried crab. We haven’t tried eel before and by this point, we were pretty full, so we will have to try them next time.
Have you ever tasted eel before? Let us know in the comments below.
Live Sea Urchin
Price: $6.99 each from Nicholas Seafoods
We didn’t actually try this and never have, but it is something we will try on our next visit to the Sydney Fish Market. It’s an interesting looking creature and apparently tastes gorgeous.
Some other stalls offer fresh sea urchins, one, in particular, was $15 + $5 opening fee.
Seafood Platter
Price: 1 Person: $28.50, 2 People: $40.50, 4 People: $79.50 from Fish Market Café
Fried Platter:
Price: 2 People $47.50, 4 People: $91.50 from Fish Market Café
We get it, there are just too many options and you don’t know where to start. A handy choice is opting for a seafood platter. A mixture of seafood which contains, lobster tail, scallops, prawns and more. Fresh or fried.
Fish on the barbie – Tuna, barramundi, swordfish
Price: $5 each or 3 for $10 from outside De Costi Seafoods
There is a stall that sells fish freshly cooked on the barbecue outside De Costi Seafoods. They come on skewers and are really cheap for the amount of fish you get.
Others to note from Claudio’s
Another vendor we visited was Claudios seafood, we managed to get a few of Claudio’s seafood prices.
Huon Salmon Caviar: $6.50
Flying Fish Roe (tobiko): $4.50
Seaweed Salad: $3.00
Seating at the Sydney Fish Markets
There is plenty of indoor seating at the various seafood stalls within the market. However, most of the seats will be occupied with buttocks if you are visiting the fish markets from around 10.30 am onwards.
At these times it gets fairly busy and it can be a struggle to get a seat. Fear not, as there are more seating areas outside, located just outside Peters and the little fruit market.
The seating areas outside are much better on a sunny day. Sit back, relax, and eat your fish without a worry in the world. Except for birds. Yes, definitely birds.
Seagulls and Bin Chickens will be making eye contact with you no matter where you look, like the kid in class who has a crush on you and doesn’t know how to hide it.
Just be aware that the fish is so tasty it attracts the birds, especially the seagulls, so you will probably have company. More often than not, they are fine and won’t bother you. Don’t feed them as it will attract an entire flock.
Other things to do at the Sydney Fish Markets
Seafood Cooking Class
Have you enjoyed eating the fish at the Sydney Fish market so much you wish you could cook it yourself? Say no more. There is a hands-on cooking school located upstairs of the Sydney Fish Markets.
Prices seem to range on average between $95 – $175 per person depending on the experience you choose. Whether it’s Italian food, Spanish paella or Asian seafood dishes, there is enough choice for everyone to enjoy.
Check out the Sydney Seafood School website for more details.
Fishermans fine wines
How about some nice white wine to compliment all that fish? Head over to Fishermans Fine Wines in the Sydney Fish Market to buy a bottle.
Black wattle café
Are you a coffee or tea person? Mix things up and relax sipping on your preferred caffeine with a side of dessert at Black Wattle.
Vic’s Meat Market
Yes, there is a meat market here too. Go check it out and take some freshly prepared meat home from Vic’s Meat Market. It is located outside of the main fish market at the other end of the car park.
Waterside Fruit Connection
Enough of all these fish and all this meat. Get yourself to the Waterside Fruit Connection to keep up with your 5 a day! It is located outside near the seating areas.
Drink prices at the Sydney Fish Markets
Wash down your fish with a nice cold drink from any of the counters. You can get fresh fruit juices by the veg market or grab a beer at any of the counters and restaurants there.
Check out the massive Bass Groper
Some say if you kiss it, it turns into a prince. We’d rather not try. In case you missed it, check out this huge fish on sale at the fish market. It is located at the entrance of the indoor fish market across from Fish Market Café. Was it still there when you visited?
Look out for pelicans
If you didn’t notice on your way into the fish market, there are huge pelicans that scope the area. They tend to hang around areas where the fishmongers throw away their unwanted fish guts.
Glance at them from a distance, they are friendly in general, but they have sharp claws and a sharp beak which could cause some damage if provoked. Also, do not feed them as you will get hounded by more pelicans and it wouldn’t be wise.
TOP TIPS
- Some stalls may sell the same fish, but it doesn’t mean they are priced the same. The Sydney Fish Market prices differ greatly. Shop around for the best price
- At around 10.30 it starts getting busy and it will be harder to find a table inside to enjoy your food
- Bring cash as not all stalls accept bank cards
Where to stay in Sydney
The Sydney Fish Market is located in Pyrmont, in the city. It would be best to stay around that area if you plan to do other things within Sydney. We have a perfect way to plan for 2 days in Sydney if you are unsure about what to do.
The most cost-effective way we have found is to book through Airbnb if you are staying a short while. There are loads of options from budget to unique and luxurious stays.
Alternatively, there are some other hotel and hostel options depending on your budget:
Luxury: Radisson Hotel & Suites Sydney
Couple budget: Song Hotel Sydney
Backpackers: Ady’s Place Backpackers, Sydney
In Summary
The Sydney Fish Market was a pleasant surprise, we went there with an open mind and didn’t know what to expect with no previous research done before our trip. The food options were plentiful, and you could probably go every day for a week and not taste everything it has to offer.
It helped that each staff member on the stalls were very knowledgeable and friendly, having patience and helping us with any questions we had, even in a busy atmosphere.
The Sydney Fish Market prices were quite reasonable
The fish there is as fresh as it gets, and it is definitely a place we will be visiting again. The Sydney Fish Market prices were also decently priced and not too expensive. Being one of the main attraction for tourists, we thought the prices of the fish would be much more inflated.
All in all, the Sydney Fish Market is a very good place to spend the day filling your bellies with tasty fresh fish cuisine and we would 100% recommend anyone to visit.
Are you interested in more things to do in Sydney? Check out our Sydney Blogs on some cool ideas, such as 2 days in Sydney and annual festivals including The Sydney Tea Festival and The Cherry Blossom Festival.
