Overview
In Sydney, luxury hotels and superb hospitality venues go hand in glove. There's Mitch Orr's pyro-powered Kiln on the top floor of the Ace Hotel in Surry Hills, the monochrome elegance of Bentley Group's Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney and a whole host of fine diners at Crown Towers, including world-famous sushi joint Nobu and renowned chef Clare Smyth's Oncore, to name only a few notable examples. So, it should come as no surprise that top-of-class bars and restaurants are a major focus of the mammoth $60-million renovation of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, currently underway in the CBD.
House Made Hospitality will oversee a four-venue hospitality precinct within the newly upgraded hotel, with Elliott Pinn — who has previously overseen House Made's other major multi-venue Sydney site, Hinchcliff House — named as the Sofitel Precinct's Executive Chef. Christian Blair, formerly of Rockpool Bar & Grill and Eau De Vie, has been appointed as the precinct's Beverage Manager while House Made Hospitality's Director, Jason Williams, will deliver the cocktail concepts for all four venues in the hotel.
Tilda
On the ground floor, Tilda will be a luxury 110-seat diner heroing Australian-sourced seafood, including fresh and dry-aged fish and shellfish, roasted over charcoal. Head Chef Nathanael Marchant (ex-Bently) has created a menu that features native ingredients like myrtle and saltbush, incorporated into dishes that nod to Australia's multicultural culinary heritage, such as Fraser Island spanner crab ravioli in a roast potato dashi with saltbush and daikon and butterflied West Australian king prawns with curry leaf, black lime and sorrel butter. Sommelier Paul Sadler (ex-Chophouse) will also favour locally produced drops, with major vineyards sharing the cellar with small-batch, contemporary and progressive makers.
Bar Tilda
Also on the ground floor, Bar Tilda will be a glamorous cocktail lounge summoning the vibes of the lively jazz bars that were common in Sydney when the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth opened as the city's very first five-star hotel in 1966. The cocktail menu of the 90-person bar will also have a mid-century spirit inspired by historic events. The Dollars and Cents — a bright and refreshing mingle of London dry gin, pineapple jam, pepper, macadamia and lime oil — memorialises Australia's departure from the pound, while the Lost At Sea — a blend of vodka, tea tree, citrus and green apple — recalls the infamous sea-bound disappearance of Prime Minister Harold Holt. Australian-made whisky will also be a drawcard, with a 100-strong whisky library housed in a striking armoire, available for personalised whisky tastings and curated flights.
Delta Rue
Perched on the fifth floor of the hotel, Delta Rue will be a Vietnamese-French fusion diner that also draws inspiration from yesteryear, evoking the opulence and excess of Hanoi's Old Quarter in the 1920s. The 150-seat dining room opens out to a 60-seat terrace which will feature lush planting, while at the restaurant's entrance, a small champagne bar will offer guests the option for a flute of bubbles to start their evening as they mean to go on. While the food menu will be largely focused on the flavours of Vietnam — expect plenty of chilli, fresh herbs and nuoc cham — the wine list will lean French.
Wentworth Bar
Also on the fifth level, guests can escape to an expansive rooftop oasis at Wentworth Bar, a 250-capacity al fresco terrace that will showcase Sydney's first 'cocktail explosions' — showstopping concoctions, made famous at New York's NoMad Hotel, designed to serve up to 10 people. Expect pumping DJ sets, extravagant beverages and bar snacks, supplied by Delta Rue, featuring Vietnamese street-eat favourites.
The nostalgia-driven charm and heritage decor that will be a feature in all four venues — each conceived by Karen Morris from Fender Katsalidis — chimes with the vision for the hotel's broader renovation, which hopes to revive the same air of class and charisma that attracted royalty, diplomats and celebrities when it first opened almost 60 years ago, but tempered with the modern finishes and luxury touches that 21st-century guests demand.
All four venues in the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Precinct are set to open in September 2024, when the hotel welcomes its first guests. An exact date for the opening is yet to be announced.