Crown Sydney Tower restaurants open for business

The food options at James Packer’s new casino will be opened today despite authorities yet to give the go-ahead for its gambling operations.

Crown Sydney’s new $2.2bn tower is finally opening for business with a six-star hotel and string of lavish new restaurants firing up their kitchens from Monday.

The restaurant openings remove some of the uncertainty for the James Packer-backed casino group after the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority delayed the opening of its gambling operations.

Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres welcomed the launch of the restaurants.

Ava Frawley (L) and Jasmine Subrata enjoy a drink at Crown Towers. Picture: James Morgan/Getty Images

Crown Sydney’s new $2.2 billion tower is finally opening for business with a 5-star hotel and a string of lavish new restaurants. Picture: James Morgan/Getty Images

“Crown Sydney is so much more than a casino,’’ Mr Ayres said. “It’s Sydney’s latest restaurant district, has a raft of new bars and a new hotel that not only raises the bar for Australia but sets a new global standard.”

Liquor licences have been granted for all nine new restaurants, including the Robert De Niro-owned Japanese chain Nobu.

Mr Ayres said the opening of the iconic 275m tower had come at just the right time.

“With its hundreds of new jobs and a building packing some serious pull factor, it’s the boost the Sydney visitor economy needs as we recover from COVID,” he said.

“Government has led the way in fighting the pandemic and mega investments like this should give other businesses the confidence to keep investing, keep improving their service and keep employing people.’’

One of the places to eat at Crown Towers.

Dining overlooking the water.

Together with Nobu, the new complex also has a Chinese restaurant called Silks, lounge bar Teahouse, hotel lobby bar TWR and a Shanghai-style noodle bar called 88 Noodle. There are nine live open kitchens in a restaurant called Epicurean and an intimate Japanese restaurant called Yoshii’s Omakase.

There is also Woodcut, which has three open kitchens cooking on wood, charcoal and steam, and finally a’Mare, a classic Italian fine-dining restaurant.

Crown Sydney chief executive Peter Crinis said: “Sydney is one of the world’s great cities, and it deserves a great hotel. Crown Towers will deliver that and so much more. We have amazing bars and restaurants that will make this an incredible destination. We’re excited to open the doors and let Sydney experience it.’’

The inquiry into the casino’s gambling suitability will take place next year.

Originally published as Crown Sydney Tower restaurants open for business