From slick Peruvian diners in Sydney CBD to revamped pubs from a gun hospitality team to new neighbourhood pasta bars, it seems there is a new Sydney opening every week. Here, we’ve picked the most noteworthy new Sydney restaurants and bar openings to have on your radar.
Whether you’re keen to know about the hotly anticipated Sydney restaurant from a leading hospitality group or looking for an intimate omakase to experience, we have you covered with this new Sydney restaurant hit list.
The White Horse
Crown Street’s crowning pub The White Horse re-opens this week as one of the hottest openings of 2024, following a multimillion-dollar overhaul overseen by a fine collective of hospitality folk. Craig Hemmings (who’s been on the floors at Bilsons, Quay, Guillaume at Bennelong and Chin Chin) leads the charge as general manager, while Jed Gerrard (Hearth and COMO The Treasury) is over from WA as chef-partner, joined by James Audas (Bar Heather) on vino and Michael Chiem (PS40) on the bar front. While the brief is a pub that the team would like to go to, you can expect it to be delicious and elegant thanks to the gun team, as much as it is an approachable local. Upstairs, the public bar will have snacky share plates, rounded out by a handful of zhushed-up counter classics. Downstairs, a modern Australian menu will have a heavy seasonal focus and may include Jerusalem artichoke, goat’s cheese and saltbush; Abrolhos Island scallops with kohlrabi, dill and wasabi leaf; and lamb short loin with pistachio, cucumber and mint. The wine list will see half antipodean producers joined by new- and old-world wines from across the globe, with 30 bottles on the list sitting below $80.
The White Horse is slated to open Wednesday 17 April. thewhitehorse.com.au
Fabbrica Pasta Bar
Fabbrica Darlinghurst
After abruptly closing its Balmain outpost and pulling all plans to open inside Annandale’s The Federal late last year, Fabbrica Pasta Bar has finally announced its latest plans: a brand new restaurant in the inner city.
The soon-to-open Fabbrica Pasta Bar is set to take over the old A Tavola space on Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. It will boast 80 seats split across two levels, including the former venue’s long communal table on the ground floor. The bustling Darlinghurst strip recently saw the opening of The Waratah just across the road to much fanfare, and no doubt the casual Italian joint will receive a similar welcome.
Run by the Love Tilly Group — and with Scott McComas-Williams and the venue’s newly appointed head chef Damiano Balducci at the culinary helm — Fabbrica Darlinghurst will follow the brand’s fun-loving format. Think classic and innovative pasta dishes; a playful wine list; and a revamped interior awash with Fabbrica’s signature blue and white hues to boot. An Italian ode to the pub schnitzel, cotoletta alla Milanese, will also return alongside a few new and exclusive dishes, such as Nebbiolo-braised beef short ribs.
Fabbrica Pasta Bar in Darlinghurst is set to open on Monday 15 April. www.ciaofabbrica.com
Morena
Morena is opening in Martin Place within the 150-year-old GPO building. Returning to Sydney from Melbourne, executive chef Alejandro Saravia is expanding on his remit at Farmer’s Daughters to explore his Peruvian heritage while also spanning out to wider Latin America, from Brazil to Bolivia and beyond. Work your way through a devoted ceviche menu section, with goldband snapper ceviche with leche de tigre (a marinade of lime, coriander and chilli), sweet potato and chulpi (Ecuadorian toasted corn); king prawn ceviche with green plantain crisps and sofrito; or yellowfin tuna ceviche with soy dashi, daikon and wasabi leaves, each one packing a punch. Other seafood highlights include Fremantle octopus with merkén (smoked chilli) butter and onion; and Abrolhos Island scallops with parmesan cream, lime, aji amarillo butter. Carnivores can get around Kaloola suckling pig served with mojo sauce; or a rich Gundagai lamb picanha (traditionally a Brazilian beef cut from the rump) with a cachaça (a sugar cane spirit) marinade.
Morena is set to open on Monday 15 April. morenarestaurant.com.au
Good Luck Restaurant Lounge
In the CBD, Merivale is finally christening its new Bridge Street digs with the opening of Good Luck Restaurant Lounge. The subterranean restaurant is spearheaded by chef Mike Eggert (Totti’s), taking the concept he refined over three years alongside Justin Hemmes and developing it further.
“Think Totti’s but then add soy, dashi, vinegar with fresh herbs, citrus and chilli,” says Eggert. Italian Japanese techniques merge to create a menu that promises fun over formality. There are two wine rooms, private and semi-private dining rooms, a bar and three large fish tanks with live seafood, totally revitalising the space that Fratelli Fresh once occupied.
Good Luck Restaurant Lounge is slated to open on Wednesday 24 April. Bookings are now open via merivale.com/venues/good-luck
Kin Dining & Bar
Marrickville has welcomed Kin Dining & Bar, which puts Nikkei cuisine front and centre. For the uninitiated, Nikkei is the food culture that emerged from Japanese migration to Peru, brought to global attention in recent decades by high-flying restaurant chain, Nobu. Start with beef tataki replete with teriyaki glaze, mushroom broth, salsa verde and wasabi mayo; or kingfish ceviche with yuzu wasabi ponzu, jalapeño salsa and pomegranate; before moving on to Murray cod with a truffle glaze and miso-spiked beurre blanc; or or corn “ribs” with miso butter, togarashi and finely grated macadamia. The 75-seat restaurant is also strictly adults-only, a move that’s already stoked both controversy and admiration.
Postino Osteria
Italian chef Alessandro Pavoni will take over the old One Penny Red site in Summer Hill opening Postino Osteria. The hospitality legends behind Sydney’sacclaimed Ormeggio at The Spit andA’mare promise to deliver a classic Italian neighbourhood experience, led by chef Alessandro Pavoni and his team. Set to open in mid-2024 and housed in a heritage-listed post office, Postino takes it’s name from the Italian for postman and a play on the word “posto”, which translates to place, or in this case a “tiny place”. Backed by Pavoni and his business partner Bill Drakopoulos, the casual restaurant and bar will serve a menu of snacks and specials, as well as traditional Italian recipes, offering a more affordable offering than Pavoni’s other venues. Pavoni and his wife Anna are regarded as one of Australia’s leading hospitality power couples, with Anna managing back-of-house operations while Pavoni runs the kitchen. In 2021, the couple opened A’mare at Crown Sydney, earning widespread acclaim, including a nomination for Best New Restaurant at the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards. Ormeggio at The Spit has long been regarded as one of Sydney’s leading Italian fine-diners, after first opening in 2009. In 2020, it underwent a major refurbishment and moved to a seafood-only menu, including a slow-cooked seafood Bolognese ragú.
Postino Osteria is set to open in Summer Hill, Sydney in mid-2024
Bessie’s Restaurant and Bar Alma
Bar Copains’ Nathan Sasi and Morgan McGlone are picking up another spot in Surry Hills, with the duo set to debut a two-pronged new venue later this year. Taking over the suitably relevant former Chefs’ Warehouse building, the pair will transform it into a bar and restaurant, dubbed Alma’s and Bessie’s respectively. The double-hitter venue isn’t anticipated to open until the end of 2024, but Sasi and McGlone have already recruited a head chef, with globetrotting chef Remy Davis taking up the role following stints in San Sebastián and London. A wider Mediterranean brief is set to underpin menu, while no-frills, classic cocktails will be served at the bar. The men have both taken inspiration from their grandmothers for the venue’s names, joining the ranks of Margaret, Bar Louise, Mimi, Ursula’s and the nearby Jane.
Fior
From the team behind beloved Surry Hills boltholes Arthur and Jane comes a new neighbourhood spot located in a different suburb, in Gymea. It’s not only the location that sets the team’s third restaurant apart, with Fior eschewing its sibling venues’ monikers and adopting a suitably Italian title.
Fior will deliver an “Australian riff on Italian cuisine” in the Sutherland Shire, integrating Arthur and Jane’s commitment to local ingredients and suppliers across its rustic Italian menu. Chef and co-owner Tristan Rosier and head chef Will Lawson will present an ever-changing menu of fairly priced, share-style dishes that are hyper-seasonal and predominantly use Australian ingredients (except for what is “simply better from Italy” as Rosier puts it, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano and anchovies).
“The menu will be full of the things that people love eating, and we want people to have fun, feel at home, and be on a first-name basis with our staff,” said Rosier in a statement.
When Fior opens in late April, it will have all the markings of a successful neighbourhood Italian joint: antipasti plates and freshly made pasta; a large open kitchen showcasing oyster shucking and charcuterie slicing; and “The Shire’s best aperitivo hour”. For the TikTok crowd, there’ll be a roaming gelato trolley peddling house-made gelato and sorbetto served tableside.
Fior is set to open at the end of April at Shop 2, 752-756 Kingsway, Gymea NSW. fiorrestaurant.com.au
Sydney Common
Hotel dining within the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park has gotten a glow up, with chef Martin Benn conceptually overseeing Sydney Common, working with chef Jamie Robertson. Wood-fired grills get a workout, and given Robertson’s experience in the kitchen at Ester, delicate yet bold charred flavours will be a focus. Seafood fans will strike a chord with the likes of grilled Yamba king prawns; whole roasted flounder; or John Dory with pil-pil (a Basque-style salted cod sauce) inspired butter. Carnivores can get around wagyu scotch steaks; or 800-gram dry-aged grass-fed rib-eye, served with a smoked fat vinaigrette and anchovy butter. Then a calling card of excellent local producers – Baker Bleu bread, LP’s Quality Meats charcuterie, CopperTree Farm butter and Aquna Murray cod – further bolsters the menu; while a 260-bin wine list and bone-chillingly cold Martinis lure in guests to peruse the shorter bar menu.
Avoja
The maestros behind Italian-Japanese fine-diner LuMi and Surry Hills’ Lode Pies have added another style of baking to their résumé, opening
a wood-fired pizzeria in Manly. Avoja is slinging Neapolitan-style pizze, with northern beaches local Federico Zanellato leading the charge, joined by Matteo Ernandes, who was previously head pizza chef at Bondi’s Da Orazio and Matteo Double Bay. Expect blistered-crust pizze topped with Emilio’s Butcher sausages, sliced potato, smoked provolone and rosemary; or puréed broccoli with umami anchovies, chilli and burrata. There are also snacks of fritto misto (fried calamari, school prawns, whitebait and zucchini); Fremantle octopus with chickpeas; and old-school meatballs; plus a devoted children’s menu; and a wine list
that trots around Italy.
Bella Brutta Takeaway
In more pizza news, Newtown’s Bella Bruta has opened a dedicated takeaway outpost around the corner from its main location. Delivering the staples that have firmed up the King Street pizzeria as one of the best in the country, you can expect smoked mortadella with slices of firm green olives; cavolo nero with parmesan, fior di latte, chilli and garlic; and of course classic Margheritas. You can also grab a selection of LP’s Quality Meats including saucisson, pepperoni and salami to assemble a DIY charcuterie platter.
Matkim
Sydney’s omakase adoration continues with the newly opened Matkim, an eight-seat Korean omakase in Circular Quay’s Sydney Place precinct. The restaurant’s name comes from the Korean “mat-kim” meaning entrust, and “cha-rim” meaning chef’s table; inviting guests to hand their expectations to executive chef Jacob Lee’s vision. Lee’s menu pulls inspiration from his roots in South Korea’s Jeolla region, as well as his grandmother’s teachings. The open kitchen allows guests a front-row seat as the chefs meticulously cook and serve dishes such as WA marron with crab doenjang (soybean) foam.
Casa Esquina
Balmain is lighting up with a new fire cooking-focused restaurant, Casa Esquina, that has taken over the former Efendy site. Argentine flavours are the focus, with smoke and char imbuing much of the menu. The kitchen is powered by an open-flame parrilla grill where there likes of tira de Asado (slow-cooked shortribs), 1kg black Angus t-bones, 60-day aged rib-eye, Gundagai lamb tomahawks, blackened mahi mahi and whole roasted baby pumpkin. Outdoors you’ll find a barbecue spit that you’ll smell well before you see it, serving up Argentine street food for Balmain locals to takeaway in the week. Then on Sundays, slow cooks of whole beasts including lamb and suckling pig are the carnivourous centrepiece. Alfresco dining is also a drawcard, with a courtyard punctuated by two 80-year-old camphor laurel trees and newly planted cacti, while interiors are inspired by the tones of the Andes in Patagonia and a touch of the Australian outback with earthy shades of rust, sage and white. Casa Esquina is the third venue from the team behind Paddington’s Tequila Mockingbird and the CBD laneway-dwelling Esteban.
The Dry Dock
Balmain is proud to welcome back The Dry Dock, following a full-scale renovation, making a solid argument for the waterside suburb to reclaim its Sydney pub capital title. Formally known as The Dry Dock Public House & Dining Room, the 330-capacity venue hits a variety of moods. These start with the classic (dog-friendly) public bar and extending to the lounge bar with wood-burning fireplace and, of course, the dining room. Here, Euro fare and a devoted oyster bar reimagine pub schtick for the 2024 diner. From a Josper charcoal grill and wood-fired oven, order a Barnsley lamb chop with salsa verde; or rare-breed crumbed pork cutlet with charred lemon and beurre noisette. Classic pub standards also get a run with a cheeseburger and steak frites on the menu; while more gussied-up starters – including duck liver parfait, salted cod croquettes, and steak tartare – will have afternoon beer garden snacks covered. Local and craft breweries dominate the beer taps while sommelier Christiane Poulos (formerly of Rockpool and Bennelong) devised the wine list to go further afield, showcasing international and local drops alike.
Chez Blue
Nearby in Rozelle, Chez Blue brings French finesse and an ex-Bistro Moncur chef to the table. The 90-seat bistro and cocktail bar comes from Solotel (Aria, Chiswick and North Bondi Fish) with head chef Mark Williamson taking cues from Parisian brasseries. Expect a mash-up of tuna tartare and tuna Niçoise, served with a potato galette, egg and green beans; croque monsieur with a rich Comté sauce; a chicken roulade made with tender thigh meat and a mushroom duxelle; and a hefty rib-eye served with béarnaise sauce. Chic desserts are served from a tableside trolley including a Paris-Brest and opera cake; while a French-led wine list is joined by a cocktail list that includes a croissant-washed gin Martini.
Soul Dining
In Wynyard, Soul Dining has relocated from Surry Hills. The modern Korean diner may have a new location but its signature bites remain, including tuna carpaccio with a gochujang-tomato sauce, caperberries, crisp Jerusalem artichoke chips and dots of wasabi aïoli; moreish squares of rice wine-fermented rice bread; and kingfish in a white kimchi water.
A new restaurant from Apollo Group
A new restaurant is set to open on a bustling strip of Potts Point later in 2024. It comes from the team behind neighbouring restaurants The Apollo and Cho Cho San, with The Apollo Group also behind restaurants Yoko and Greca in Brisbane and The Apollo in Tokyo, Japan. After the group’s expansion interstate and overseas, it is coming back to its original stomping ground with the new, yet unnamed, venue which is set to take over the former Bourke Street Bakery site, directly opposite the group’s namesake and first-ever venture, The Apollo, on Macleay Street.
Details are minimal at this stage, but we do know that the new restaurant is set to feature an all-day European menu. In a move away from the group’s largely Japanese and Greek offerings, the no-name venue will serve pizza alongside other Euro plates. Paddington-based interior architect George Livissianis is looking after the design, continuing his long-standing affiliation with The Apollo Group.
More to come.
Morrison’s
In the CBD, Morrison’s has undergone a glow up. While the signature oysters will remain, the venue hopes to become even better known for its hand-selected in-house aged beef. Group culinary director David Clarkeoversees the ageing program where premium cuts are aged for six to 12 weeks. Slick new interiors include plush green leather seating, textured ecru walls and elegant wooden finishes. A signature oyster cabinet brings an added theatrical flourish as chefs shuck Moonlight Flat, East 33, Appellation, and Coffin Bay Pacific Oysters to order.
Folly’s
And on the north shore, Cammeray has welcomed Folly’s, taking over the former Epoque Belgian Beer Cafe site on Miller Street to transform it into a neighbourhood bar and bistro. Antonio “Ace” Espiritu (ex-Icebergs Dining Room and Bar) will focus on interweaving Australian spirits into the menu, with Gospel Whiskey in the skirt steak’s rich peppercorn sauce; Four Pillars’ fresh yuzu gin atop oysters; and raw Southern Highlands vodka in rigatoni alla vodka. This will be joined by an extensive chilled red wine list, solid Australian spirit offering and cocktails.
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