Welcome to The Latch Tastemakers, where we sit down with people who know a city’s scene like the back of their hand to ask their must-try restaurants, cafes and bars. Dive into our Tastemakers series and curate your ultimate hit-list, whether you’re exploring your own city or venturing somewhere new.
Sydney’s restaurant scene does a lot well, but Nelly Robinson says one of its standout features is how it embraces outdoor dining. The British chef spent nearly a decade working in Sydney’s dining scene, opening Nel Restaurant in 2015 and most recently, in charge of the food at Nag’s Head and, gastropub within it, Winston’s. He’s one of the best people to ask about Sydney restaurants.
“We get nine months of the year of nice weather,” he says. “People want to be by the water — unfortunately for my restaurants. So it’s all about being outside. Group dining is also very, very good in Sydney.”
Newtown’s King Street, where Robinson used to live, is one of his favourite areas to eat in the city. He describes it as “quality restaurant after quality restaurant” with small bars serving “cool little bites with amazing organic wines.
Other favourite areas of his to eat are along Sydney Harbour, looking out at the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, and around where he now lives: Cronulla. Favourites in Cronulla include Bobby’s, Fior and Pino’s.
“I think people have found Cronulla,” he says. “People are really investing in the landscape of Cronulla and around it. So Gymea, Miranda and also Cronulla are doing very well. All these pop-ups of good, amazing cafes, amazing restaurants. The scene is booming so it’s great to live down there.”
So what are some of Robinson’s favourite Sydney restaurants?
Lumi Dining
Robinson says the Sydney restaurant with the best menu is Lumi Dining by chef Federico Zanellato in Darling Harbour. Robinson is such a fan of the degustation-only restaurant that every time an international guest chef visits Sydney for Nel’s Chef’s Table, he takes them to Lumi.
“Their lunch or dinner is probably one of the best in Sydney for me,” he says. “It just hits you with flavour after flavour after flavour. And there’s a little story behind his Japanese-Italian-style menu.”
Café Paci
The Sydney restaurant with the best atmosphere? Robinson considers it to be Café Paci in Newtown. Fellow Tastemaker Danielle Alvarez also vouched for the restaurant, saying she’d yet to taste something from the ever-changing menu that she didn’t like. Robinson says he’s been friends with the restaurant’s Finnish-born chef and owner Pasi Petanen for years and that the restaurant always hits the mark.
“Pasi’s Scandinavian flavours that he brings to the plate with his uniqueness are absolutely delicious,” he says. “His potato treacle loaf is outrageous. But the dish for me is his yoghurt and carrot dish with his black garlic bread. It’s just unbelievable.”
Nel
Robinson of course mentions his own restaurant Nel as one of his favourites. The CBD restaurant is degustation-only and known for its creative flavours and plating. He says he excels in supporting native farmers, taking ingredients directly from the sources and putting them on every menu.
“If it’s a native Australian menu, there is a story behind each ingredient and where it comes from,” he says. “Or if it’s a British menu, we still use native ingredients in there.”
Din Tai Fung
The restaurant Robinson’s been to too many times to count is Din Tai Fung, which has locations in Sydney’s World Square, Emporium Melbourne and internationally.
“I think every chef goes there,” he says. “Pork dumplings, pork fried rice for me are just exceptional. And anywhere I travel in the world, there’s always a Ding Tai Fung and it’s always the same, consistently.”
Nag’s Head and Winston’s
Robinson also has to mention another venue he’s associated with as a favourite: Nag’s Head. The pub opened a gastropub within it, Winstons, in September this year. Robinson describes the venue as now having two different dimensions.
“We’ve got the traditional pub in the front, which is giving you fish pies, beef cheek pies and an amazing Sunday roast — you’ve got lamb shoulder or porchetta,” he says. “And then you’ve got Winston’s, a five-course tasting menu that’s traditional British food turned a little bit more fine style.”
At Nag’s Head, Robinson recommends you order the ginger parkin, which he says melts in your mouth. The dessert is a spicy ginger cake with molasses and oatmeal to bulk up the mixture. It’s said to be the Northern English form of gingerbread.
Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare
Finally, Robinson says Pino’s in Cronulla is one of Sydney’s best new restaurants — though technically, the first location, in Alexandria, opened in 2017. Pino’s second spot, located in a former Methodist church and library, opened in August this year.
“I like to get a spanner crab pasta and my wife orders up the gnocchi or the fish,” he says. “Unbelievable Italian food, really delicious and a beautiful dining scene. My daughter loves it so if she loves it, I love it.”
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