AALIA
25 Martin Place
In the heart of the city is AALIA, the newest restaurant from the team behind Nour in Surry Hills and Lilymu in Parramatta. AALIA is located within the new Martin Place precinct, introduces a new perspective on Middle Eastern cuisine. The culinary team led by Executive Chef Paul Farag have spent years exploring dishes and techniques from lesser-known regions and coastlines of the Middle East and North Africa. They discovered forgotten ingredients from millennia ago and uncovered recipes from within the pages of 10th century Arabic cookbooks.
AALIA beautifully combines ingredients from across territories and times, contrasting tradition with modern techniques to offer diners an Arabian nomadic time-travelling odyssey of dishes.
The restaurant boasts a semi private dining room seating up to 20 guests.
A’Mare
Crown Sydney, 1 Barangaroom Avenue, Barangaroo
A choice of various private dining rooms, perfect for private celebrations with a dedicated team and sommelier on hand. The Wine Room seats 10 with glimpses of the Harbour featuring wine cabinets, glass windows and suspended lighting, perfect for an intimate event.
The Library seats up to 12 overlooking the main bar and pristine water views over the Harbour featuring a bold carpet and fringed chandelier.
The Harbour View Room seats up to 55 or cocktail 75 has uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour through its dramatic windows that compliment the green and blue interiors.
The Dining Room seats 65 or 90 cocktail and decorated in an old school Italian style think Rome, Venice, Milan and Lake Garda with luxurious furnishings and an ornate ceiling.
Armorica
Shop 1 & 2/490 Crown St, Surry Hills
The result is understandably elegant: a capacious 150-seat dining room with red-leather banquettes, brass gantries, timber ceilings and solid-oak joinery with hero artwork.
Executive chef José Saulog’s sizeable menu starts with cold dishes: foie gras; octopus roulade (a mandatory order); and an opulent seafood tower piled high with oysters, a prawn cocktail, coral trout carpaccio and South Australian rock lobster. Pastas are made in-house – the spaghetti with scampi, Moreton Bay bug meat and zucchini trifolati is a standout. Finish with the signature dessert, a chocolate bar made from Valrhona chocolate mousse, salted caramel and choc-chip cookie, and sealed with Armorica branding.
Bay Nine Omakase
Bay 9, 7-27 Circular Quay West, The Rocks
Taking up a spot within the Campbell’s Cove waterfront dining precinct in The Rocks, Bay Nine features a 10-seater counter dining experience, led by one of Sydney’s youngest omakase head chefs, Tomohiro Marshall Oguro. Oguro has gathered an impressive resume of experience over the past decade, working alongside seafood specialist and restauranteur Stephen Hodges, acclaimed sushi chef Naoki Fukazawa of Yoshii, Sushi-E, Ocean Room and Executive Chef and founder of Manmaruya, Hideki Goto.
Dishes in the personalised 11-course omakase experience will be adapted to the customer as well as what’s in season. In addition to the counter dining, there are tables on the main floor, taking the total seating capacity to 26. Dining at the tables, the menu is a six-course set menu for lunch ($95) and an eight-course menu for dinner ($120). The omakase counter menu is $180 per person for 11 courses and is available for lunch and dinner.
Botswana Butchery
25 Martin Place, Sydney
Botswana Butchery brings to Sydney and the new 25 Martin Place precinct a legend of the New Zealand’s restaurant scene. The three level restaurant, features two levels of dining with plush interiors and floor to ceiling windows and an openair rooftop bar for pre dining drinks or a drink and bar menu.
Botswana’s menu presents the best of Australian and New Zealand meat, seafood and wine.
The restaurant features two private dining rooms, The George seating up to 12 guests and The Martin seating up to 8 guests.
Clam Bar
44 Bridge Street, Sydney
In a city so packed with New York-style chophouse, Clam Bar’s edgier riff on the genre is a welcome relief. Yes, you’ll find the ubiquitous Josper-grilled steak, seafood staples and classic sides plus timeless cocktails and mostly French and Australian wines, but the face-value simplicity of it all belies the flair. A satin-smooth corn and Gruyère gratin tones down its richness by way of chilli and lime and the clam spaghetti with a garlicky white wine sauce, but it’s cooked to such al dente deliciousness that it gives sister Italian restaurant Pellegrino 2000 a run for its money. As for the aesthetic, it’s a strikingly original, slightly irreverent brand of “pool-hall cool”: all veneer panelling, ’70s-style palms and even a giant marlin on the wall. A step back in time, with an eye to the future.
Bistro Nido
501 George Street, Sydney
Down the southern end of the city, Bistro Nido is a new French-Japanese fusion spot from the team behind Devon Cafe, and will be the brunch purveyor’s first venture into after-dark dining. Located in Regent Place, the 40-seat restaurant will see head chef Andrew Lee (formerly Kitchen by Mike and Aalia) focus on a seasonal French menu with Japanese ferments and condiments. It may include a buckwheat galette with confit duck leg, egg and Gruyère paired with a bright citrus shoyu; hibachi-grilled Murray cod with saffron soubise and potato mille-feuille; or bone-in steak frites.
Brasserie 1930, Capella Hotel Sydney
24 Loftus Street, Sydney
The signature restaurant at the stunning new Capella Sydney nails the five-star hotel restaurant brief. On the ground floor of the lavishly refurbished former Department of Education building, Brasserie 1930’s high-ceilinged room – all marble, leather, timber and lots of art – delivers movie-set glamour in spades. Bentley Group co-founders Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt might be better known, perhaps, for more left-of-centre atmospherics, but they’ve adapted to this new environment seamlessly, with an offering that suits the luxurious habitat. Think impeccable oysters, caviar, lobster and top-end steaks to a pork loin chop with pickled prunes and salsa verde or thrilling pasta alla chitarra tossed with sea-urchin sauce and spanner crab. Careful attention is paid to details such as the quality of the fries and salad leaves, as well. Service is excellent, the location-appropriate wine list both approachable and pricey.
The Brasserie has an intimate private dining room seating 8 – 10 guests.
Cafe Sydney
Sydney Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Sydney
From the rooftop of Customs House, Cafe Sydney captures the essence of Sydney with stunning harbour views, delicious food, an outdoor terrace, cocktail lounge and a relaxed, contemporary interior. Leading their passionate team is seasoned executive chef, Sarahjane Brown. With a commitment to sourcing the freshest and the best produce in season, Sarahjane utilises locally sourced produce across all areas of the continually evolving contemporary menu, delivering a dining experience that is unique for all dining occasions
The Private Dining Room seating up to sixteen (16) guests with terrace access features stunning views of Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge.
Chiswick Woollahra
65 Ocean Street, Woollahra
Nestled in Sydney’s picturesque Woollahra, Chiswick Restaurant with its charming interior, glass-panelled French doors with views and working kitchen garden. Menus designed by owner Matt Moran and head chef Tom Haynes, the restaurant has a semi-private dining room that can accommodate up to 40 guests for a sit-down lunch or dinner receptions.
With many ingredients grown outside the window in the garden, the menu is focused to the seasons, the selection is elegant simplicity and perfect for sharing.
Jacksons on George
176 George Street, Sydney
Jacksons on George has been revitalised by DTL Entertainment Group with hospitality visionary Maurice Terzini as Creative Director. DTL Entertainment is led by hospitality entrepreneurs Paul Ford and Steve Bannigan and publican Michael Broome. The Bistro celebrates a simple yet vibrant European influenced menu, championing local producers and suppliers, matched with a dynamic wine list.
Exclusive hire of the restaurant seats up to 120 guests or for an intimate experience in the private dining room seating up to 26 guests.
Hinchcliff House – Grana | Lana | Apollonia
Hinchcliff House is one of Circular Quay’s most historic buildings, previously a wool store dating back to the 1860s and has been meticulously restored to become the home of Grana, Lana and Apollonia.
Grana is a bustling all-day dining hub is located on the ground floor of the sandstone building and features an in-house bakery, a pasta room and pastry kitchen. Start your day at the Bakery with one of Grana’s pastries including croissants or bombolone with your coffee or sit down for a breakfast in the dining room and an a la carte menu. Drop in for lunch and enjoy a menu of seafood, pasta, meat, market and desserts.
Located on the first floor of Hinchcliff house, is the effortless dining experience Lana. The exposed beams and raw brickwork speak to the building’s 19th century heritage and a menu of seafood and seasonal dishes.
Lana has two semi private spaces, Valais seating 46 guests and Suffolks seating 20 guests.
Apollonia is home to old-world escapism through cocktails, drinks and great conversation. Housed in a Sicilian bandit’s drinking den, it’s a basement venue paying homage to Apollonia, the patroness of The Godfather novel. The bar boasts an impressive spirits list and cocktails.
Apollonia can be booked exclusively for 70 guests for a cocktail reception.
Iceberg’s Dining Room & Bar
One Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach
With an ever evolving menu focused on modern Italian cuisine and celebrating seasonal flavours, the intimate and elegant Dining Room is the beating heart of Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. Arranged to take in the famous view of Bondi, by day or night, it makes an unforgettable backdrop to a menu inspired by Maurice Terzini’s Italian heritage.
Over the years the Dining Room has been at the forefront of evolving the perception of Italian food and shaking up the way Australians eat Italian. The menu is designed to give you a seasonally changing opportunity to sample dishes that reflect the depth of Italian cuisine, created with the best produce that Australia has to offer, including sustainable seafood, artisanal produce and the occasional hint of native Australia.
Maurice Terzini’s timeless dining precinct, The Pacific Dining Room with stunning views of the iconic Bondi Beach seats up to 40 guests.
Le Foote
101 George Street, The Rocks
The Swillhouse Group has swung open the doors to Le Foote, a Mediterranean-esque wine bar and restaurant in The Rocks. The wood-panelled front now bears a glossy black paint job with gold lettering, and behind it is a veritable treasure map of drinking and dining nooks.
The intimate first section is anchored by the original Phillip’s Foote bar and surrounded by art, vintage coasters and knick-knacks straight from the Forte brothers’ personal collection. Up the narrow staircase you’ll find plenty more tables for drinks (perhaps a two-sip Negroni or a big Italian red from the 300-strong wine list) and small plates, with charcoal portraits by artist Allie Webb. There’s also a verandah and tree-dotted courtyard which leads to the restaurant, where a Roman mural-tiled semi-open room beholds pressed white tablecloths, ceramic carafes and suited waitstaff. The cobblestone laneway, which ups the total capacity to 425 guests, also offers the rare treat for Sydneysiders to be able to perch on the street with a drink in hand, channelling the great wine bars of Paris, Milan and Rome.
Margaret
Cnr Bay St and Guilfoyle Ave, Double Bay
Every restaurant seems to be “produce-driven” these days, but Neil Perry’s Double Bay flagship delivers on the promise with conviction. From the hand-picked blue swimmer crab with bright shreds of green papaya and sweet pork belly to carefully diced tuna tartare slicked in punchy gochujang. Here, it’s all about the combination of show-stopping ingredients and pan-Asian flavours. The room exudes a cool elegance that speaks to intergenerational good times, and exacting wine service hits the mark regardless of whether you’re keeping it low-key or pushing the boat right out over big-ticket Burgundy. Margaret’s magic lies in the synthesis of all these elements and in Perry’s sustained relevance.
Margaret offers exclusive venue hire and has semi-private dining for up to 18 guests in the main dining room and private events in Next Door and Baker Bleu for up to 10 guests.
Martinez – Opening October 2023
Young Street, Sydney
With an express elevator ride set to deliver diners to the elevated dining room, which promises harbour views from a sprawling outdoor terrace, Martinez will pull focus on the lighter side of French cuisine. Diners can expect bright and breezy dishes in place of heavier bistro fare. The flavours and flair of Provence, Nice and Saint Tropez will be on call, all executed using local seafood. “Australian seafood is incredible: Sydney rock oysters, marron and abalone.” These will be showcased alongside mussels, scallops and poached king prawns on an elegant plateau de fruits de mer. Share plates will include forward-thinking take on a Niçoise salad, which will take raw slices of tuna, silky confit egg yolk, and vegetables dressed with tuna mayonnaise and white soy; while scallops will be grilled and doused in an unctuous sea urchin-spiked sauce.
Oncore
Level 26, 1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo
Clare Smyth is the first and only female chef to hold three Michelin stars in the UK. Clare has opened her first international restaurant Oncore by Clare Smyth at Crown Sydney. Her London restaurant, Core, was the first to ever enter The Good Food Guide with a perfect score of 10 out of 10 in its opening year.
The menu at Oncore features a selection of Core’s classic dishes, including the unexpected yet celebrated centrepiece of Smyth’s London restaurant, ‘Potato and Roe’. This signature dish, which pays homage to Smyth’s farming childhood in Northern Ireland, gained recognition due to her desire of combining sophisticated cooking with the simplicity of style. Along with dishes with a uniquely Sydney flavour, drawing inspiration from the harbour and its surrounds.
3 course A La Carte Menu $240 per person
7 course Tasting Menu $330 per person
Oncore has a semi private dining room at the end of the restaurant seating 8 guests.
Peterman
66 Chandos Street, St Leonards
Josh and Julie Niland’s fifth and latest venture might just be their most ambitious offering to date. Australia’s finest seafood, of course, is the star, treated with unrivalled ingenuity and care. Preserved Jervis Bay mussels outshine what you’d find in the priciest of Spanish tins, steeped in a subtly smoky achiote vinaigrette; symmetrically sliced raw bonito could hold its own at any high-end omakase counter, dressed with soy sauce made from its own bones. Longtime Niland fans will rejoice in the revival of the cracking sea-urchin crumpets and brilliant lemon tart from Saint Peter’s early days, while clever large-format mains including a chateaubriand-style yellowfin tuna steak will no doubt attract new devotees. The drinks list is thoughtful, the service assured and the perfectly formed saltbush empanadas proof that the flair extends well beyond fish. You’ll leave wondering whether there’s anything this enterprising young couple can’t do.
Ploos
7/7-27 Circular Quay W, The Rocks
Sitting nestled within the heritage listed warehouses of Campbell’s Cove is newly opened Ploo’s. Showcasing Mediterranean living, Chef Peter Conistis showcases a culinary experience rich in flavour, culture and ‘Aegean feel’. Taking inspiration from surrounding Cyprus, Crete and Middle Eastern cuisines, Ploos embraces the essence of the local South Aegean islands. Rich in artisanal cheeses, cured meats, single origin Cretan olive oils and natural spices.
The ultimate private dining rooms with panoramic views of the Harbour: Level One private dining room One with views Opera House views from your table. With a capacity of 70 seated and 120 cocktails style on long styled tables.
Poetica Bar & Grill
1 Denison Street, North Sydney
Smoky embers, hot flames and dry-ageing are at the forefront of Poetica, a new 120-seat bar and grill from the team behind Loulou Bistro. Head chef Connor Hartley-Simpson brings experience from working at a three-Michelin-star restaurant in San Francisco. The mains are divided into three sections: charcoal, wood and dry-aged, to represent the array of cooking techniques. Sydney rock oysters served with njuda, guindilla and sizzling beef fat; sugar loaf cabbage is wood-fired and comes with with smoky butter and fried garlic; and whole rainbow trout is butterflied and grilled over wood, then served with with fresh dill, lemon, shallots and brown butter. A dry-ageing cabinet will house T-bones and tomahawks; and there’s also dry-aged flash-grilled swordfish; and slow-cooked pork jowl in black garlic and honey glaze. Wine-wise a hearty Australian list will focus on icons through to up-and-comers. An adjoining bar and terrace will look after North Sydney’s after-work set with craft beers and bar snacks.
The restaurant with adjourning bar and outdoor terrace can be booked exclusively for 300 guests for a standing reception or 120 guests for a private lunch or dinner. The bar can be booked for 40 guests for a seated event or 60 guests for a reception.
Quay
Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks
Quay is one of the country’s most celebrated restaurants and recognised in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Quay is the creation of the Fink Group and Executive Chef, Peter Gilmore, it is an immersive dining experience overlooking Sydney Harbour.
The Private Dining Room overlooks the Sydney Opera House featuring an elliptical spotted gum dining table, and walls adorned by overlapping fabric veils referencing the colours of Australian gum leaves on the forest floor and seating up to ten (10) guests.
Quay’s Upper Tower offers the most spectacular view of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and historic Rocks through floor to ceiling glass windows. Arguably Sydney’s most spectacular dining room, the Upper Tower seats up to seventeen (17) guests.
The Green Room is Quay’s largest private dining space seating up to fifty four (54) guests for lunch or dinner.
Raja
1A Kellett Street, Potts Point
Former Firedoor talent Ahana Dutt is heading up the kitchen at newcomer Raja in Potts Point. It comes from the team behind the neighbouring Ezra, and you can expect a colourful and convivial take on Indian cuisine, specifically Maharashtrian cuisine. Drawing upon Ahana’s time living and working in Mumbai, the menu takes Australian menu staples and adds Indian condiments, spice mixes and flair. To pair with the menu, Raja has curated a drinks menu featuring some of Australia’s rising producers and award-winning international wines. Romantic-yet-playful interiors have called upon the extravagance of Bollywood as a reference point with a great cocktail list.
Shell House – Menzies Bar & Bistro
37 Margaret Street, Sydney
The Menzies Hotel has had a glow-up and this Euro-inspired ground floor bistro by ex-Aria head chef was the first phase of the new multi-level dining destination, Shell House to open in late 2021. Paying homage to the legendary Menzies Hotel, the Menzies Bar where history, hospitality and good times are woven together to deliver this European style bar and bistro.
Culinary Director, Joel Bickford and his team have designed a bistro-style menu, inspired by the grand European bistros. Exclusively book the Menzies for up to 100 guests for a seated event or up to 200 guests for a cocktail reception.
Shell House Dining Room & Terrace
Enter via Wynard Lane, 37 Margaret Street, Sydney
The Dining Room with panoramic views of the city is classic in theory, yet modern, elegant, grand and approachable at the same time. The menu by Culinary Director Joel Bickford and Head Chef Aaron Ware, focuses on carefully sourced produce, presenting simple, refined dishes that are infused with Australian provenance and the Mediterranean way of life.
The Clocktower Bar is an immersive cocktail bar lined with timber joinery to capture the heritage and grandeur of the 1930’s Art Deco period, and its Italianate architecture. This indulgent bar is truly a unique destination within Shell House.
Enjoy the elegance of the Dining Room with the use of the semi-private space seating up to 24 guests or book the Dining Room exclusively for up to 94 guests for a seated event or up to 120 guests for standing cocktails and canapes
St Siandra
75 Lower Parriwi Rd, Mosman
Set on a private beach of Mosman’s The Spit overlooking crystal clear turquoise waters and luxury yachts, St Siandra will have you feeling like you have escaped to the Amalfi Coast. Enter via the sun-soaked wharf entrance and take a seat on the woven loveseats that were sourced from Italy, continuing the Euro-summer vibes, the menu features fresh seafood, vibrant seasonal produce and classic Mediterranean flavours with a sprinkling of Middle Eastern spices. This new Sydney favourite is serving brunch most days with dishes like stracciatella toast with caramelised onion, pistachio and chilli oil, and fried chicken and waffles with sage dukkah and date caramel syrup. Sail your way through cocktails, each with nautical themes or named after local luxury yachts or a bottle of bubbly. Dessert runs to the likes of spiced persimmon pavlova, Sicilian citrus tart with toasted meringue and strawberry; and the classic ricotta fritters with cinnamon sugar and banana caramel.
The restaurant has two distinctly different event spaces, Bluebird Room & Deck seating up to 50 guests for an a la carte dining or 70 guests for a standing reception. Reserve a section of the restaurant for a semi private dining experience for up to 100 guests or book St Siandra exclusively for up to 170 guests.
The Gantry
11 Hickson Road, Sydney
Pier One’s awarded The Gantry restaurant is framed with the backdrop of Sydney Harbour and Walsh Bay. Celebrating a quintessential Australian dining experience, the locally sourced menu is complemented by hand-picked Australian wines.
Exclusive booking of the Harbourside Dining room with access onto the Pier for an event for up to 52 guests. The Gantry private dining room with floor to ceiling glass doors and windows offering generous natural light, seating up to 12 guests for lunch or dinner with modern Australian cuisine from One Hat restaurant, The Gantry. The Terrace with incredible water views seats up to 28 guests.
The Gidley
Basement/161 King Street, Sydney
Enjoy this opulent steak house, serving classic steakhouse fare matched by an extensive wine list. The Norfolk room is an intimate private dining room tucked away at the back of Gidley seating up to 20 guests. Featuring a personalized stocked bar and generous set menu for lunch or dinner.
The Sanderson
Enter via Wynyard Lane, 285 George Street, Sydney
Step into The Sanderson with plush booth dining, rich blue walls and globe lights overheard to indulge in an unforgettable dining experience with a menu of luxe steak and seafood.
The private dining room – ‘The Table’ space is designed to seat up to 14 guests. Dining in The Atrium semi-private dining space with seating for up to 40 – 45 guests for book the venue exclusively for up to 100 guests.
Ursula’s
92 Hargrave Street, Paddington
When it comes to people with pedigree, no one can touch Phil Wood. The former Rockpool and Tetsuya’s chef left NSW to spearhead Pt. Leo Estate in Victoria, but returned home to open his first restaurant. Phil Wood’s pedigree may be high end, but Ursula’s is very much a neighbourhood terrace restaurant and dining experience. The menu is modern bistro fare with a focus on fresh, local produce.
The private dining room, The Blue Room accommodates 8 – 12 guests.
Woodcut
Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo
Woodcut features four private dining rooms with considered spaces both indoor and a waterview terrace. Silver Ash – featuring a sculptural installation, harbour views, wood and steel walls make a perfect venue for a business lunch or elegant celebration for up to 14 guests.
The Chefs table seats up to 10 guests.
Ironbark – featuring sculptural ceilings, bathed in natural light and opening up on to a garden terrace. Book for up to 8 guests with a curated menu from one of the four open kitchens.
Yellow Box – intimate space nestled between the open kitchens, a luxurious room that is the perfect location for up to 23 guests with a woven hemp art installation.
