Goodbye Raja: Potts Point's Vibrant Indian Fine-Diner Is Shutting Its Doors for Good in May

Another beloved Sydney eatery is closing. After just under a year of providing authentic and underrepresented Indian cuisine to Sydneysiders, Raja has announced its farewell.

With ex-Firedoor chef Ahana Dutt at the helm, the celebrated restaurant has been serving up contemporary Indian fare to guests at its Potts Point locale since mid-2023. Now, the crew behind the joint — Nick and Kirk Mathews-Bowden (Ezra) — have come to the difficult decision to shut its doors for good.

The Kellett Street restaurant's team took to Raja's Instagram to announce its closure, sharing bittersweet sentiments while confirming that the venue will be dishing up its regional Indian creations until early May.

"To our wonderful regulars and guests, we can't thank you enough for your unwavering support and for sharing our passion for contemporary Indian cuisine," said the Raja team via Instagram.

Raja's initial aim was to highlight dishes that otherwise would not be celebrated on such a large scale — and with Dutt onboard, its diverse offerings centred on menu items that you've probably never heard of, let alone tried before.

 

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"I'm Indian and I feel a lot of pride in being about to showcase that food," Dutt told Concrete Playground in 2023. "I think there is a lot of food that goes underrepresented — not just here but even in India because it is such a big country it's just not actually possible to know everything."

Raja will host its final service on Saturday, May 4. If you're keen to head along for a final meal at the celebrated restaurant before its official farewell, you've only got a few weeks.

For more information about Raja's closure, head to its Instagram. Hit up the restaurant's website to book in your final Raja meal at 1 Kellett Street, Potts Point, before its final service on Saturday, May 4. 

Images: Nikki To.