Tayim Is Sydney's New Middle Eastern Restaurant Tucked Away in a Sandstone Building in The Rocks

Take a wander through The Rocks this weekend and you're likely to stumble across a doorway into the Middle East. Tucked away inside a 19th century sandstone building, new restaurant Tayim serves flavoursome dishes inspired by Middle Eastern traditions — but with some modern touches.

Tayim has moved into the premises that previously belonged to Scarlett Restaurant, on the ground floor of the Harbour Rocks Hotel. But Sydney architects Welsh + Major (The Mercantile Hotel, Fenwick Stone Building) have given the space a sleek revamp. Among the painstakingly restored sandstone, you'll notice splashes and wood, set off by striking wall coverings. Choose between two dining rooms — one comes with a friendly communal table, an outdoor terrace and a swish bar.

Head Chef Ran Kimelfeld (ex-Nour) is behind the all-day menu. His not-so-secret weapon is an open grill (which you can watch in action in the communal dining room), where he cooks with old-school techniques, but adds ideas of his own. If you're with mates, tuck into share plates, loaded with grilled sardine shakshuka, summer mushroom borekas and grilled chicken masaha. Come dessert, options include roasted figs with radicchio, goat's cheese and chardonnay dressing, and semolina rose pudding with pistachio meringue and summer berries.

Responsible for the drinks list is GM Reuvin Lim, who's also worked on beverages at Sake, Cho Cho San and Tequila Mockingbird. His picks for Tayim feature wines that match bold, spicy flavours, with drops from Australia, Turkey, France, Italy and beyond. The seasonal cocktail menu offers creative twists on classics.

If you don't have time for a sit-down feast, swing by the Tayim Deli, which you'll find next door. Here, you can grab Middle Eastern street food to take away, including falafel, chicken shish and lamb kofta wraps, plus salads and sides, from Israeli couscous to roasted cauliflower.

Find Tayim at 34 Harrington Street, The Rocks from Friday, December 14. The restaurant will be open from 6.30am–1pm Monday to Friday and 7am–11pm on weekends, and the deli will be open 7am–3pm Monday to Friday and 9am–4.30pmon weekends. 

Images: Guy Davies.