Best new restaurants in Sydney
Morena
Inspired by the flavours of Latin America, Morena has set up shop in Martin Place within the 150-year-old GPO building, which also houses the five-star Fullerton Hotel. Returning to Sydney from Melbourne, executive chef Alejandro Saravia expands his Farmer’s Daughters remit to explore his Peruvian heritage while covering more ground, from Brazil to Bolivia and beyond.
Work your way through a devoted ceviche menu, featuring goldband snapper with leche de tigre (a marinade of lime, coriander and chilli), sweet potato and chulpi (Ecuadorian toasted corn); king prawn with green plantain crisps and sofrito; or yellowfin tuna 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.
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’s acclaimed Ormeggio at The Spit and A’mare promise to deliver a classic Italian neighbourhood experience, led by Pavoni and his team. Set to open in mid-2024 and housed in a heritage-listed post office, Postino takes its name from the Italian for postman and a play on the word “posto”, which translates to “place”, or in this case a “little 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.
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.
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
A new Argentinian-Australian restaurant is lighting up Balmain with its fire-cooking focus. In the footprints of the former Efendy site, the kitchen at Casa Esquina is powered by an open-flame parrilla where tira de Asado (slow-cooked shortribs), black Angus T-bones, 60-day aged rib-eye, Gundagai lamb tomahawks, mahi mahi and other delights are grilled. 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 take away in the week. Then on Sundays, slow cooks of whole beasts including lamb and suckling pig are the carnivorous centrepiece. Alfresco dining is also a drawcard, with a courtyard punctuated by 80-year-old camphor laurel trees and cacti, while interiors are inspired by the tones of The Patagonian Andes 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.
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.
White Horse
Crown Street’s crowning pub The White Horse has reopened 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 has snacky share plates, rounded out by a handful of zhushed-up counter classics. Downstairs, a modern Australian menu has 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 sees half antipodean producers joined by new- and old-world wines from across the globe, with 30 bottles on the list sitting below $80.
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.
Best new restaurants in Melbourne
Baker Bleu
Much-loved Melbourne bakery Baker Bleu will open another outpost at Dover Street, Cremorne. The new store is set to be the largest Baker Bleu yet, serving up signature baked loaves and baguettes, alongside sandwiches (including a smashing curried egg sandwich and an excellent chicken sambo) and sourdough pizze. The new development is slated to open later this year, but those hankering for some Baker Bleu can get around our Masterclass with Mike Russell on page 62, or visit one of his Melbourne and Sydney bakeries in the meantime.
Hopper Joint
New to Prahran, Hopper Joint has launched as an 80-seat ode to Sri Lanka’s bowl-shaped staple and the array of condiments and curries served with it. Coming from the team behind Entrecôte – Jason M Jones and interior designer Brahman Perera – the pair recruited Ronith Victor Arlikatti as head chef, following stints at Lake House, Marion, and Sunda. Feast on unlimited plain hoppers, served alongside curries from a list that spans dry black pork curry; a changing market fish curry; a creamy cashew and string bean curry; and more. There’s also snacks including raw tuna with kiri malu dressing and fresh turmeric; kadala (tempered chickpeas) with dried chilli, curry leaves and coconut; and pan rolls with curried beef brisket; while the wider, detailed menu interweaves personal memories, family stories and clever illustrations. The room is also beautifully appointed with Perera creating a space infused with tropical modernist influences flowing across custom-made rattan chairs, embroidered marigold linen and antique Indian crystal chandeliers.
The Walrus
Seaside ‘burb St Kilda has welcomed The Walrus, a sunny-hued, local-leaning wine and oyster bar. A 20-strong wine-by-the-glass list rotates regularly, and the wider list includes everything from bubbles to a dedicated page of wines that specifically pair well with bivalves. You’ll find different oysters served atop hand-carved ice, from Wapengo Lakes in NSW, Albany in WA and Duck Bay in Tasmania; and you can order an oyster “mezze” with oysters joined by cold cuts, pickles, dip, bread and salad. You’ll also find an assortment of seafood snacks including mussel beignets, prawn sandwiches and gildas.
Castlerose
Following year-long delays, South Melbourne has finally welcomed Castlerose, a moody supper club conceptualised by Glen Bagnara (Hemingway’s Wine Room and Bar Bianco). Twentieth-century opulence is channelled through the interiors with timber floors, slick marble and Italian terrazzo. Head chef David Yuan explores Euro wine bar snack standards – think duck rillettes with fig jam, cornichons, and toast; ratatouille tarte Tatin; and covertly plated confit duck, served from the table in a cigar box.
Pirate Life Melbourne
In South Melbourne, Adelaide brewery Pirate Life has opened its first Victorian outpost. Located in a former mechanic’s garage, close to South Melbourne Markets, the brewery’s kitchen has a simple and fresh approach to food, with a menu designed to sit well with a beer or two. Dual head chefs Maria Delengas and Nicolas Lopez (who have both come over from Adelaide, after cooking at Loc Bottle Bar and Arkhé respectively) oversee the menu. Lopez is doing a take on Cajun seafood rice and Mallorcan arroz brut, resulting in a dish that looks a little bit like paella, replete with bugs, clams, fish stock and bomba rice. You can also order up flank steak skewers marinated in achiote and pale ale; or a slow-cooked pork roll, which sees pork neck cooked over fire and thinly sliced, served with a spicy sauce and fresh onion salad. South Australian architecture firm Studio Gram brings a slice of Adelaide and industrial chic to the space with exposed bricks, polished concrete and large-scale murals. And of course, Pirate Life’s core range of beers – which span from coastal-inspired pale ales to acai-spiked sour beers – will be on tap alongside one-off brews.
Brico
This new Carlton North wine bar with a gun team is a confident nod to European wine bars. The team here aren’t reinventing the wheel — and that is Brico’s charm. Acknowledging its roots and citing inspiration is core to the Brico team. It’s even in the name with Brico a play on the French word ‘bricolage’, a creation made from a diverse range of available things. And Brico is certainly a sum of its parts: a collation of ideas from the team’s favourite European wine bars; a tribute to the iconic Melbourne venues before it; and the team and their respective skills, with impressive resumes spanning London’s Brawn; Sydney’s Poly and 121 BC; and Melbourne’s Embla, Bar Liberty and MoVida Aqui.
Cue Sydney rock oysters with a bright white pepper mignonette; crudités with taramasalata; and fresh, crunchy baguettes from Iris Bakery served with cultured butter. Further down the menu, you’ll find Dream Goat Dairy goat’s curd with marinated zucchini and lovage; and grilled McIvor Farm pork neck with apricot and fig.
Doju
In the CBD, Korean food is setting the city abuzz, with Doju opening on Collins Street. Mika Chae (whose surname you may recognise as the cousin of eponymous restaurant owner Jung Eun Chae) heads up the operation, slinging South Korean-meets-modern Australian snacks with an emphasis on using top-notch produce. This may mean charred leeks come with crisp chicken skin, cashew cream and brown butter; or West Australian marron is served with garlic butter, stinging nettle noodles and green sauce. There’s also odes to some of Korea’s most loved dishes including galbi (Korean beef short rib) with horseradish, shiitake mushroom and chive kimchi; and market fish hwe (a sliced raw fish dish) with sunrise lime, doenjang (fermented soy bean paste), cucumber and Yarra Valley roe.
Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel
Melbourne chef Mischa Tropp has taken over the former Mono XO space, opening Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel. The compact but flavourful eatery hones in on crisp South Indian dosas and flaky porota. A roster of specials – perhaps a spicy fish nadan (a Keralan tamarind fish curry) with Spanish mackerel; or pork pepper roast (a curry underpinned by black pepper and punchy green chilli) – bolster the menu, while golden ghee dosas are made daily. Alongside the kicking curries, there are wines and brews from local South Asian-Australian producers and an Indian disco soundtrack to keep things up-tempo. “This Toddy Shop is a replication of everything I love about the south of India, incredible food made by locals for locals at a great price,” says Tropp. “This is a venue to make my community proud, something for people to cross town for because they miss the food of the motherland.”
Best new restaurants in Brisbane
Bosco
Newstead welcomes two new venues to its culinary ranks, starting with industrial wine bar and grill Bosco. Sommelier Simon Hill (who is also behind New Farm’s Bar Alto) has opened the 80-seater in a converted warehouse, complete with lofty sheer curtains, brick walls and salvaged timber benchtops. Referencing the olive oil regions of Europe, the menu shines a spotlight on coastal dishes such as pig’s trotter flambadou oysters (an eye-catching technique which involves dousing the bivalves in melted down fat from a red-hot cast iron cone); coral trout with pil-pil sauce (a Spanish salted cod and garlic emulsion); and pipis with txakoli (a dry Basque wine), all served alongside Hill’s tome-like wine list. Also one of Australia’s most loved adopted Spanish snacks – the gilda – will kick off the menu, showcasing Cantabrian anchovies, olives and peppers, served alongside oven-cooked flatbreads.
Single O
Next door, Sydney’s excellent specialty roaster Single O brings its signature self-serve coffee taps and flagship reservoir blend to an edgy, light-filled café. Taking cues from its southern counterpart, the concise menu brings much-loved staples to Brisbane (try the banana bread with espresso butter) side by side with locally sourced produce including Agnes Bakery’s flaky pastries and smoked potato bread.
Establishment 203
To round things out, Establishment 203 is executive chef Ben O’Donoghue’s flash new steakhouse in Fortitude Valley. Styled by interiors expert Tamsin Johnson, expect elevated booth seating in an open dining area, joined by a 30-seat bar for casual eats. The restaurant’s owners – cattle-farming family and beef producers Stanbroke – are working closely with O’Donoghue to showcase the best of Queensland’s grass-fed beef. Order up a tomahawk, bistecca alla Fiorentina and rib-eye Angus beef; bone-in eye fillet or sirlon wagyu, joined by a classic béarnaise, chimichurri, or borolo-spiked hollandaise. The rest of the Italian-leaning, carnivore-ready menu is stacked with wood-fired starters (such as bone marrow caponata with potato flatbread; and peppers alla Piemontese) and handmade pasta (including a wagyu Bolognese); plus sorbets and gelato-stuffed brioche to finish.
Best new restaurants in Adelaide
Aces
Chinatown restaurant Aces has entered a new era with the two-storey 140-seat restaurant reopening after a head-to-toe makeover. Following its iteration as Aces Bar and Bistro, which opened next to the Central Market more than 30 years ago, the venue has returned as an Italian joint with influences from the surrounding Chinatown. Culinary director Tom Tilbury has created a menu that starts with small plates of mortadella buns with crackling and pickles; salt and pepper pork ribs; before moving on to mains of rump steak with marrow butter sauce; and bone-in veal cotoletta. There’s also an ode to Sydney’s Golden Century via vongole; a rock lobster ravioli with crisp chilli; and a rich duck and fig ragù with ricotta salata.
La Louisiane
Having charmed Adelaide, French brasserie pop-up La Louisiane will become a permanent fixture, putting down roots in the same location. Head chef Alexis Besseau (former head chef at Restaurant Hubert and Bathers’ Pavilion) will continue to serve up French standards including beef tartare, a rich pâté en croûte with cornichon, snails with garlic butter and Gruyère cheese soufflé. A roaming caviar cart is a new addition, while live jazz music, a French-leaning, cellar-raiding wine list and six signature cocktails, each named after cult French films, will all continue.
Sora
A grand new rooftop bar and restaurant has opened nine levels above Pirie Street. Sora is a 400-person-capacity rooftop oasis, with executive chef Adam Liston (Shōbōsho) at the helm. Liston has executed a menu that starts with seaweed crackers topped with tomatoes and whipped tofu; and twice-cooked potato skins with a yuzu-spiked sour cream, egg white, chives, caviar and roe. The charcoal- and wood-fired grilled section of the menu includes dry-aged beef from rib-eye to rump cap, joined by Asian-inflected condiments such as Karashi mustard, ssamjang (a spicy Korean sauce), shiitake-infused soy, smoked soy, and yuzu kosho. There’s also a burger that takes cues from Korean bulgogi beef, which sees a wood-fired wagyu beef patty seasoned with gochujang, ginger, sesame oil, honey and garlic; served with kimchi, pickled cucumbers, and slaw. These can all be joined by sides of fries with a spiced, smoked salt; wok-fried Asian greens; or a spin on a Caesar salad, complete with char siu-style bacon and a soy-poached egg.
Odé
North Adelaide has a buzzy new bistro, Odé. Spearheaded by Simon Ming (ex-Orana and Arkhé) and sommelier Bhatia Dheeraj who brings his experience working across Dubai, Cape Town, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and now Australia. Riffing on modern Australian cuisine’s evolution, the menu has native ingredients alongside globe-trotting references. The menu includes torched kingfish with celtuce, celery, tomato consommé and apple granita; crab udon with cherry tomatoes, basil, cured yolks and crisp chilli oil; beurre blanc infused with eucalyptus served with fish en papillote; and beef tartare with pearl onion and potato chips.
Niña
Niña is a vibrant new late-night Basque-inspired spot in the centre of Adelaide. Owner and executive chef Leonardo Loureiro (ex-Aria and Orana), who named the restaurant after his daughter, is serving up pintxos with punch. Expect gildas; pan con tomate with folds of jamón and Olasagasti anchovy soldiers; cured Espelette-spiced tuna; charred octopus with romesco and fennel; and wagyu brisket with chimichurri and mustard.
Longplay Bistro
The team behind Brighter Later gin distillery and bars, Pink Moon Saloon and Clever Little Tailor, have opened Longplay Bistro. The name is a nod to its vinyl soundtrack, played through a Funktion One sound system and optimised by custom-built soundproofing to enhance the listening experience. This is joined by European-leaning plates by co-head chefs Jude Hughes and Calum Horn (ex-Three Blue Ducks, You Beauty and Summertown Aristologist). Snack on gildas and Goldstreet Dairy grilled jersey cheese before ordering house-made pastas (like the bootleg bucatini with vodka sauce or vongole with chilli, lemon and pangrattato) or rib-eye on the bone with béarnaise and shoestring fries. Drawing on the team’s collection of wine and spirits thanks to their bar-owner origins, you can also find an extensive drinks list, featuring international and local gems.
Good Burger
Wilson Shawyer of Good Gilbert has opened his second venue, Good Burger in Daw Park. Chef Ashley Peek has taken cues from old-school American diners while still elevating the handheld offering. The headlining burger, for instance, is crafted from A-class ingredients such as a potato bun, relish, wagyu smash patty, raclette cheese, cornichons and diced onion. Much like its sibling venue Good Gilbert, it will be joined by a carefully curated wine list, which will be smaller in size and will focus on a constant rotation of bespoke producers.
Good Burger is slated to open soon. Keep an eye on its Instagram to stay updated.
Best new restaurants in Canberra
Beltana Farm dining room in Canberra
Beltana Farm
Farm to table continues to be the mood of the moment in Canberra – although Beltana Farm is truly showing its yield instead of just spiel. Set on a fully operational farm, the new restaurant will showcase produce grown on-site across a mod Oz menu. Truffle hunting experiences through orchards will also be offered, while boutique accommodation will round out the immersive offering. Add in a double-sided fireplace to warm up chilly Canberra days, and floor-to-ceiling windows to showcase the surrounding grounds and grand vaulted ceilings and local stone.
Best new restaurants in regional Australia
Temperance Restaurant
Temperance Restaurant
Renmark, SA
Set in the beating heart of the Riverland region, Temperance Restaurant pays homage to the alcohol prohibition movement of the late 19th century in Renmark. Led by executive chef Hugh Hazelwood, Temperance showcases a “farm to table” food philosophy of the beautiful Riverland and South Australian produce. Partnering with carefully selected suppliers, it is their privilege to serve a house-made European-influenced dégustation, with a focus on the changing seasons that South Australia is renowned for. One for the radar.
hotelrenmark.com.au/temperance
LVN Restaurant
Adelaide Hills, SA
Woodside’s Bird in Hand winery has transformed its dining room with executive chef Jacob Davey taking the lead. Davey joins the fold at LVN Restaurant off the back of his head chef position at Restaurant Botanic, whose dedication to provenance carries over here. The farm-to-table menu includes sheoak and kangaroo from the surrounding Adelaide Hills, mutton bird and wallaby from northern Tasmania and pipis and coastal fruits from the southern end of Adelaide, joined by ingredients plucked from the kitchen garden. Bird in Hand’s rare museum wines will also take a starring role, while a gallery of local and international artworks don the walls.
Kōst
Gold Coast, Qld
A new coastal-inspired bar and grill restaurant has opened in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. With light and bright interiors, this easygoing venue promises food cooked over flames, an impressive wine list and cocktails to boot. Food-wise, expect dry-aged T-bone steaks, char-grilled bugs with harissa bisque, Mooloolaba king prawns with fermented chilli and wood-fired chicken served with punchy garlic yoghurt. Whole wood-fired lobsters are also available on request, plus the venue boasts a few theatrics such as seafood towers, and caviar and Champagne trolleys.
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