The Palomar Sydney

Overview

When London's The Palomar opened in Soho in 2014, it was an instant hit. Spotlighting the flavours of Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant with energy and warmth, it quickly cemented itself as one of the city's must-visit dining rooms, having held a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since. Now, more than a decade on, Studio Paskin — the London hospo group behind The Palomar and Michelin-starred Evelyn's Table — has chosen Sydney as the site of the brand's first international outpost. And local diners have every reason to be excited.

Set within the former Grand Pacific Blue Room — the 90s it-nightclub now reborn as part of the 25hours Hotel The Olympia — the Sydney iteration of The Palomar carries the DNA of its London predecessor while feeling distinctly its own. Culinary direction is led by Mitch Orr, whose playful yet refined approach has shaped some of Sydney's most influential dining rooms, including Kiln and Acme. Alongside Head Chef Luke Davenport — who began his career at The Palomar London before stints at Noma, The Ledbury and, most recently, helming the kitchen at Potts Point's Franca Brasserie — Orr has crafted a considered, produce-driven menu that riffs on the London original while putting Australian growers and ingredients front and centre.

That means dishes like grilled Abrolhos Island scallop with zhoug butter, butterflied line-caught blue mackerel with chermoula and Westholme wagyu tartare with amba and celeriac. A woodfired grill drives much of the menu, giving plates an earthy, smoky edge while also laying the groundwork for a cleverly restrained approach — grilled southern calamari is lifted with preserved lemon, whole flounder is finished with ras el hanout butter and flame-licked CopperTree Farm ribeye arrives with a punchy burnt chilli salsa. For dessert, the pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich, a favourite on the London menu, has all the makings of a future Sydney classic.

The wine program echoes the restaurant's global reach and local focus. Georgian, Turkish and Lebanese bottlings share the stage with standout Australian producers, while a tight edit of sparkling and skin-contact drops highlights Mediterranean and New World varietals.

Design-wise, the 110-seat space mirrors The Palomar London's intimate, timeless charm. Heritage bricks from the original site are offset with rich navy leathers, timber flooring and marble mosaic tile inlays, themselves nods to the London venue. The pink quartzite-topped kitchen bar, a signature of The Palomar experience, is a focal point here, too, inviting diners to watch the kitchen in full flight while soaking up the energy of one of Sydney's most anticipated openings of the year.