Nour Brunch

Overview

Sydney is no stranger to boozy brunches. They've popped up in the west with fried chicken waffles, on rooftops with endless Champagne and by the beach with tacos and margaritas. But, none do it quite like Surry Hills' Nour.

The Crown Street palace of pastels and plants — and boundary-pushing Middle Eastern fare — has just brought on a new team of A-class chefs and launched a brunch offering with cocktails in teapots, breakfast pizza and possibly one of the best (and smokiest) bloody marys in the city.

Executive Chef Ben Williamson (from Brisbane's Gerard's) together with Head Chef Mike Dierlenger (The Bridge Room) have overhauled the restaurant's general menu and unveiled its first-ever breakfast lineup, which is only available one day a week.

On Sundays from 10am–2pm, you can find a spot on the sunny banquette (surrounded by pillows) or out the back (here, surrounded by plants) and order an appropriately boozy breakfast teapot. Made to share between two, the pots cost $36 and come filled with either bourbon, apple juice and earl grey or gin, lemon myrtle and peppermint. You could, instead, go for the bloody mary (made with gin, harissa and extra-smoky tomato juice) or a Blossom Pipe ($20), with cardamom, pineapple and vodka served in an elaborate glass pipe.

Nour is known for using traditional Middle Eastern flavours in new and interesting ways — and its brunch is no different. Designed to share, the breakfast dishes include a falafel crumpet (with crisp edges and a soft interior) topped with tahini and a pickled quail egg; burnt butter hummus topped with whole golden chickpeas; and a lineup of manoushe: a popular Lebanese pizza typically eaten for breakfast. Cooked to order in a woodfired oven and topped with the likes of sujuk (spicy sausage) and stretched cheese curds, it'll dissuade you from ever eating cold, leftover slices of Domino's in the morning ever again.

Another daytime highlight is the Baalbek eggs: a thin flatbread topped with soft-yolked fried eggs, tahini yoghurt and lamb awarma (which is spiced, cooked and preserved). You could, in theory, eat this with a knife and fork, but it's suggested you use your hands; tear off a piece of bread and use it to scoop up a salty, yolky mouthful.

For the decision-averse, Nour's brunch menu also includes two banquet options for $45 or $69, with optional bottomless booze add-ons. For an extra $30 a head you can choose from 90 minutes of endless bellinis or rosé.