Overview
At this point, Saint Peter almost needs no introduction. The renowned seafood-focused restaurant from Josh Niland and his wife, Julie, has entirely reimagined how Australians consume and consider fish and seafood. After several iterations, Saint Peter now lives at The Grand National Hotel, where Mr Niland continues to embody his nose-to-tail (scale-to-tail?) philosophy, experimenting with every possible piece and part of the produce to create truly innovative and mind-blowing dishes.
Mr Niland's fascination with fish began many years ago while working in the fish section across many restaurants, where he was struck by the sheer volume of waste. Encouraged by his mentors to pursue this curiosity, Josh began to create alternative ways to use fish, not just the prized fillets, but every part, from the scales to the bones to the liver to the eyes. From this evolved a deep and profound philosophy of striving to reduce waste, which has transformed the way Australians cook, transport, age and store fish.
In 2016, at just 27 years old, Josh and Julie dug deep into their pockets to open Saint Peter, the small fish eatery that introduced whole-fish cookery to Sydney. While a risky venture, the couple ended up creating a vibrant, entirely unique neighbourhood favourite that went on to achieve many awards and attract significant global interest within its early years.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the couple took things up a notch, opening The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter. The 14-room boutique hotel rehoused their restaurant, which also boasts a chef's table, private dining room and an independent bar and lounge. And that's not all. In the same year, Josh and Julie launched Catseye Pool Club at The Sundays, a new luxury hotel on Hamilton Island.
Josh's seasonal menus are based on what's available and are often changing, but should you secure a coveted reservation, one of his tasting menus will transform the way you consume fish and seafood forever. One of Josh's signature tricks has been to utilise fish in ways that replace meat. For example, his beloved tuna burger, which has made many question why they would ever go back to a beef patty, or his famed fish charcuterie, which has completely reinvented the concept of dried and cured meats as a way to utilise seafood.
On the menu, you might be lucky enough to try the likes of salt and vinegar Blue Mackerel with sourdough and cultured butter, calamari with tuna 'nduja, or coral trout with roast garlic and shishito peppers. The Sweets of the Sea is the perfect way to wrap up the mind-blowing experience that is dining at Saint Peter, with the likes of caviar canelés, tuna bone marrow fudge, and blackberry jellyfish altering your brain chemistry and leaving you longing for your next visit.
Images: Supplied.
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