Porcine
Swine and dine at this chic Paddinton French bistro.
Overview
The name does much of the heavy lifting for this French bistro, situated on Oxford Street, Paddington. Porcine is a restaurant tailor-made for the carnivorous, inclined to pig out on excellent food and wine till they're tickled pink, courtesy of owners Nik Hill (former Head Chef at The Old Fitz) and Matt Fitzgerald.
Since opening in 2021, Porcine has quietly climbed the rungs of Sydney's impressive dining scene, earning a reputation as one of its most acclaimed venues. The dining room manages to strike the fine balance between upholding rigorous technique while emanating a relaxed atmosphere. It has French flair without the pomp.
The menu goes the whole hog, focusing on nose-to-tail cooking and utilising often-overlooked ingredients. Signature dishes include a pâté en croûte with tarragon mustard, and a floating island with rosemary angalsie and mandarin sorbet. Other seasonal highlights might include a pork chop with crushed artichokes and mustard, guinea fowl with foie gras rillettes, and confit pigeon with grilled onions and cep oil.
Testament to its place as one of Australia's most exciting up-and-coming restaurants, Porcine has debuted on the 50 Best Discovery List for 2026. The list, which serves as an extension of the renowned 50 Best Global Rankings of restaurants, bars, and hotels, is a carefully curated collection of city guides that showcase lesser-known venues and cities through travel guides and digital content.
Porcine's inclusion on the 50 Best Discovery platform adds to a string of impressive wins for the venue over the past 12 months, including Nik Hill being named Gourmet Traveller Chef of the Year.
"We never set out to reinvent the wheel. We just cook and serve food the way we feel it should be done. Having that recognised internationally on top of the year we've already had is beyond exciting," says Hill.
Images: Parker Blain.
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