Best new Sydney restaurants opening in 2021
For a city as obsessed with new restaurants as Sydney, 2020 was a tough year, but COVID hasn’t fully halted the opening action. SEE WHAT’S NEW IN 2021.
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For a city as obsessed with new restaurants as Sydney, 2020 was a tough year.
But while the pandemic slowed the rollout of new venues, it hasn’t put a stop on Sydney’s opening action. Many new restaurants are in the pipeline, including:
Soul Deli, Surry Hills
Husband and wife duo Illa Kim and Daero Lee are welcoming a new addition to their Surry Hills restaurant Soul Dining, with a second venue to be added only a few streets away.
Having taken their childhood memories of traditional Korean food and created a modern, fusion menu of inspired dishes, the new store will offer both dining in and takeaway.
The idea behind the new restaurant came about from the lockdowns during the pandemic.
Mrs Kim said they find “pride and joy” in introducing “unknown aspects of Korean culture” and bringing it together with the Australian way of living.
“We always thought that we would like to expand our business to show what else Korean cuisine and culture can offer in the Australian market,” she said.
“While we try to show how much depth and quality Korean food can have with SOUL Dining, we realised how much fun we can have within our team and bring more diversity to our customers by offering a more casual menu.”
“We also believe that selling food means selling a cultural experience.”
White Rabbit, Drummoyne
Noticing a gap in the cafe market, Daniel Antouny recently opened White Rabbit.
It offers Drummoyne residents exclusive dishes and a fine dining twist to their breakfast and lunch menu.
“COVID has affected our opening in a way … We have had to micro manage staff in a sense where we have had some with illnesses such as asthma and cannot wear masks,” he said.
“However, this does come as part of the process of opening as we were aware.”
White Rabbit now has four locations across Sydney.
Another two cafes are currently being planned.
Chargrill Charlie’s, Bondi and Beecroft
Everyone’s favourite chicken store is heading to two of Sydney’s most popular spots.
Chargrill Charlie‘s will open the doors to its new Bondi Beach store in early February, before another opening in Beecroft in mid-February.
“Delays in building due to COVID have pushed back the opening dates slightly from late 2020 to early 2021, along with a reduced number of seated customers allowed to dine in,” Chargrill Charlie’s co-owner Ryan Sher said.
“It has always been a dream of ours to open along the iconic Bondi Beach and a natural expansion into our Eastern Suburbs stores including Rose Bay, Woollahra, Randwick and Coogee.
“Beecroft fits right into our local North Shore community; families and school kids, which we love watching grow up and interacting with on a day-to-day basis.”
Both new stores will offer all Chargrill Charlie’s signature dishes including their hero chargrilled chicken, chicken schnitzels, seasonal salads, DIY dinner plates and classic desserts including homemade apple pie.
Chargrill Charlie’s already has 17 stores, including one in Melbourne.
The Social Cup, Monterey
Mother-and-son duo Klara Meszaros and Laz Pege are on a mission to introduce Hungarian street food to Sydney’s southwest for good.
The Prestons family launched their mobile food business Hungary Bites five years ago and have since gained a large following with their specialty — the Hungarian kurtos (doughnut cone).
Kurtos, or chimney cakes, are traditional sweet treats which are made in the shape of a cylinder or cone and filled with soft serve ice cream and assorted toppings.
But following the impact of COVID on the hospitality and events industry, the pair decided to find a more permanent home.
“With lockdowns and restrictions (impacting the events industry) we decided that a more stable shop front would be best to establish so we can continue offering our popular Hungarian sweet and savoury speciality dishes,” Mr Pege said.
“Since opening the doors, we have had a positive response from the local community.
“However, we are yet to reach a broader customer base as beachfront venues have been quiet following the restrictions and poor weather making people avoid travelling to Monterey.”
Loyal customers can buy Hungarian specialities from the Hungary Bites mobile food store, which can be found at certain events this year, until a shop front is established.
OTHER OPENINGS
■ A new cocktail bar from the owners of Maybe Sammy is set to open in the first half of 2021. Deans on 22 — a working title — will be housed inside a new hotel on the corner of Hunter and George Sts in the CBD.
■ The owners of Bondi’s China Diner are heading to the inner west on Friday, where they will open their third restaurant at the Tramsheds development at Forest Lodge. The 150-seat venue will also have an outdoor space.
■ International restaurateur Scott Brown will open an Italian-leaning mega venue with room for 450 people at Quay Quarter Lanes. While Brown hasn’t settled on a name, he has picked a moniker for its Sicilian basement bar that will please fans of The Godfather films: Apollonia.
■ Work is almost complete at a giant Mexican restaurant-bar in Bay St, Double Bay backed by restaurateur Ussi Moniz da Silva, who last year opened Meu Jardim, the city restaurant with a waterfall, firepit, French food and a 3am licence. Sinaloa is the name of both cartel and a state in Mexico, from where its menu will draw inspiration when it opens later this month.
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