A bit of Santa Monica at one of Sydney’s best hotels, a brand new luxury buffet, a vintage Paris-inspired wine bar and an immersive dessert wonderland. These are just a few of things locals and visitors can expect in Sydney over the next few weeks, popping up as the weather (hopefully) warms up for spring.
Channel Santa Monica at Pier One Sydney Harbour
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism are bringing a slice of their sun-soaked L.A neighbourhood down to Sydney for a little springtime pop-up. What’s more is that they’ve chosen the waterfront Pier One Sydney Harbour as the location, bringing the beach city to life with a curated menu of Southern Cali food, drink and a range of live cooking demos from award-winning Santa Monica chefs. There’s also free yoga and pilates sessions, an organic mini-farmers market and live sunset sessions.
You might just score a free trip to Santa Monica, seeing as the tourism body is giving one away each week of the pop-up from when it launches on Monday 22nd September right up until when it wraps up on Thursday 31st October.
Dates: Sunday 22nd September to Thursday 31st October
Address: 11 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point
More information: santamonicaatpierone.com
Drink Your Way Through Southern Italy in Surry Hills
Surry Hills gem Bartolo are hosting a one-night-only ‘Wine of Southern Italy’ dinner on Thursday 5th September. Really getting into the nitty gritty of Italy’s distinctive regionality, the restaurant and bar will be connecting with their roots in Sicily, allowing guests to sharpen focus on small wine producer Vivera from Mt Etna with wines paired with Sicilian dishes like crumbed sardines, basil tagliolini, and Sicilian cannoli. Tickets to the dinner are inclusive of inclusive of a small aperitif cocktail to start, two glasses of wine with dinner and finish with dessert wine or Amaro over shared dessert.
Dates: Thursday 5th September
Price: $95pp
Address: 359 Crown St, Surry Hills
More information: eventbrite.com
Roam The Grounds’ Garden of Sweets
The Grounds of Alexandria has transformed its enormous venue into an immersive dessert-themed wonderland called “Garden of Sweets”. From now up until 22nd September, every day at The Grounds’ will see their Garden of Sweets open from 7am for a live laneway installation dedicated to the colourful art of consuming sugar. It’s here that there will also be regular Dessert Markets, with $10 entry bringing guests into a world of food carts and live entertainment, alongside some specially created dessert cocktails.
Dates: Until Sunday 22nd September
Address: 7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria
More information: thegrounds.com.au
Stuff Yourself Silly at Kitchens on Kent
Kitchens on Kent is the newest luxury buffet to open in Sydney, fit into the extravagant The Langham in Millers Point and set on redefining the very idea of the traditional buffet. It only opened last month, following a five-month refurbishment that has transformed The Langham’s dining space into a 180-seat, multi-station interactive restaurant led by accomplished Executive Chef Dave Whitting.
Eight open-kitchen stations make up the dining space, highlighting an enormous range of traditional and innovative cuisines alongside a luxurious a la carte menu. That’s everything from fresh seafood including tiger prawns and lobster and raw bar favourites, to whole cooked proteins like rotisserie suckling pig and robata smoked game meats. There’s even a fresh pasta kitchen, and a charcuterie table filled with local and international cheeses and meats. Given The Langham’s sterling reputation, we’re expecting some big things.
If you’ve got kids under 12 then note that they eat free until the end of September, so take advantage of it while you can.
Address: 89-113 Kent St, Millers Point
More information: kitchensonkent.com
Take a Sip of Merivale’s New Parisian Cocktail Bar
The long touted transformation of ivy’s thriving dining precinct continues with the recent opening at Little Felix, Merivale’s new French-style cocktail bar snugly fit into the narrow Ash Street. Given the juggernaut hospitality group’s impeccable track record, this 1920’s inspired Parisian bar comes with considerable talent, and an impressive drinks list.
The dark, moody bar is fuelled by the classic cocktails of the great Parisian bars and hotels of the early 20th century, with an equally tightly curated list of wines and an appropriately French food list to match. Think charcuterie, cheese and tartines, all neatly listed on a produce-forward menu.
Address: 2A Ash Street, Sydney
More information: merivale.com/littlefelix
Explore Sydney’s Newest Precinct
You’ve eaten your way through Tramsheds, kept a close watch over any new openings at Barangaroo, and strolled Kensington Street more than once. Now it’s time to explore Sydney’s newest precinct, with Darling Square all up and running with plentiful restaurants, bars, retailers and boutiques to discover. Japanese pasta concept Pasta Wafu and Devon’s new Japanese bowl-focused DOPA are located here, as is a new outlet for burger champs 8Bit, the requisite Belles Hot Chicken, and a Filipino eatery titled Rey Jr.
There’s so much at this impressively designed space that you’ll need more than a few visits to fully get across it. We’ve put together a list of 8 restaurants you need to make your way through, so use it as your guide. You can read it HERE.
More Information: darlingsq.com
Feature image: Little Felix by Nikki To.
