Milky Lane, Penrith Panthers: Big plans for new restaurant dining precinct
One of Sydney’s most popular restaurant chains famous for its big burgers - and even bigger cocktails - has bold plans to expand to Penrith.
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One of Sydney’s most popular restaurant chains has big plans to expand to Penrith – and a venue could be ready to open as early as February next year.
Milky Lane, famous for its burgers and its extravagant cocktails, has entered an expression of interest for the former site of the Silver Spur Steakranch in the Panthers Precinct, nestled between McDonald’s and KFC.
The news comes two years after a potential move to the East Bank precinct near the Nepean River fell through.
Milky Lane owner Christian Avant said he was in Penrith “the next day” after he found out the Panthers site would be available.
“We went out there and did a walk-through with an agent about a month ago,” he said.
“We fell in love with the bones of the building. The size, shape, and location are everything we’ve been looking for in Penrith.
“Being in the vicinity of McDonald’s, KFC, and Krispy Kreme, those are powerhouse brands, and we want to be near other successful places.”
Mr Avant told the Penrith Press other people had expressed interest in the site, which would become Milky Lane’s biggest restaurant if the bid is successful.
“Our biggest restaurant at the moment is 400 sqm, we’re pushing 700 or 800 here,” he said.
“We did toy with potentially cutting it up into a smaller venue, but at the moment our offer is to take the whole thing and make it a mega site with a build cost of up to $1.5 million.
“We’re going all in on this to create something that glows and hums from the street, and that is a place to be in Penrith.”
Mr Avant said he would expect a turnaround of “four months” if the restaurant got the site, which would fulfil a company goal to expand to Penrith.
“We regularly poll people online (for where they want a new Milky Lane), and Penrith has always polled in the top two or three places across Australia,” he said.
“I have been chomping at the bit to get a Penrith restaurant open, and this is a dream location.
“We’re looking at 300 to 350 seats, and I’d look at a private function room as well.
“We will stop at nothing to build something that not only looks phenomenal, but is everything the people of Penrith were hoping for.”