Overview
Over the past few months, Sydney has scored quite a few new sky-facing spaces, including the foliage-heavy Manly Greenhouse, Erskineville's pink frilly umbrella-dotted Slims Rooftop and Erskineville's art deco Imperial Up.
Now, Westfield Sydney is getting in on the game, with the announcement that it will open not one, but two new venues on its level seven rooftop. From April, inner-city workers and shoppers will be able to slip upstairs to feast on Middle Eastern and Cantonese fare, while soaking up panoramic views.
The first of the two is Babylon, a Middle Eastern-inspired venue with a whopping 800 capacity. Among its spaces are a 216-seat restaurant, two expansive bars, an outdoor terrace and private dining areas. The kitchen will be fuelled by fire, with many dishes cooked over wood and charcoal, on the rotisserie and in a huge Turkish grill will pump out charry Adana-style kebabs, cabbage kebabs, and a 72-hour slow-cooked wagyu trip-tip with smoked eggplant puree and mushroom. The bar will also stock over 200 whiskies and 300 bottles of wine.
The dim sum at Duck & Rice. Shot by Steven Woodburn.
Then, at the end of April, a 400-seat contemporary Cantonese restaurant will open on the rooftop. Duck & Rice will specialise in dishes from regional China — think lots of dim sum, spicy noodles and Cantonese roast duck pancakes. You'll be able to dine — and drink G&Ts on tap — in the 1930s-inspired space or outside in the outdoor lantern room.
The Mantle Group Hospitality (MGH), has leased the rooftop and owns both Babylon and Duck & Rice. Having been busy in Brisbane for nearly 40 years, it moved into Sydney in May 2018 with the opening of The Squire's Landing at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks.
Babylon will open mid-April and Duck & Rice will open late April at level seven of Westfield Sydney, corner Pitt Street Mall and Market Street, Sydney.