Neil Perry to close Double Bay restaurant Song Bird. Find out what his plans are next

The celebrity chef and his wife Samantha have announced that after spending the past few months contemplating the future of the troubled restaurant, the best decision was to change direction.

After months of speculation and rumours, legendary chef Neil Perry is set to close his Double Bay Cantonese restaurant Song Bird after less than a year of operation.

Perry and his wife Samantha have announced that after spending the past few months contemplating the future of the troubled restaurant, the best decision was to change the direction of the venue.

“With Song Bird, we missed the mark by creating a three-level Chinese restaurant in Double Bay,” he said.

However, rather than give up the space Perry is set to now open an Italian venue, Gran Torino.

“The change to Gran Torino will be a better fit with Margaret, and the more approachable menu and laid back setting will have people wanting to return time and time again for drinks, casual bites, and celebrations,’ he said in a statement.

Neil Perry at his Restaurant Song Bird in Double Bay, which he will close in August. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Perry has revealed the ground floor will be built around a classic Italian bar where drinks are enjoyed with a selection of shared plates and snacks.

While upstairs will be a 100-seat restaurant serving fresh pasta, grilled seafoods and meats and classic Italian desserts.

The news comes a month after Perry, 67, closed Bobbie’s, the speakeasy style bar beneath Song Bird.

Neil Perrys celebrated culinary cluster in Sydneys Eastern Suburbs expands with Chinese restaurant Song Bird. Neil Perry (centre) with wife Samantha (rear) and (from left) industrial designer David Caon and architectural and interior design team Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of ACME. Photo: Hugh Stewart

At the time there were reports Perry was looking for a buyer for the bar, which despite operating on the same street as Perry’s award-winning Margaret had struggled to make money.

In April, The Sunday Telegraph revealed Perry has brought in friend and designer Collette

Neil Perry with wife Samantha at Song Bird. Photo: Hugh Stewart

Dinnigan to help make his Double Bay restaurant Song Bird really sing after what he described as an “overwhelming start.”

Perry said because the cost of the restaurant and Bobbies had blown out to $12m, he was forced to open the restaurant too quickly. Staff weren’t trained properly in the restaurant and equipment like the dumbwaiter, which is used to transport food between levels, wasn’t working properly.

A promotional picture from the venue’s website. Picture: Supplied

“The first three months were the worst of my life … I should have cancelled a months worth of bookings, so we could open properly,” Perry said.

“Even after this many years in business, you can still make monumental mistakes.”

Song Bird will host its last service on August 3, with Gran Torino set to open on August 9th.

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