Henrietta

From the same team that brought Nour to Surry Hills, Henrietta is a Middle Eastern-style charcoal chicken concept with lashings of pink neon and all the polish, flavour and style we love its older sibling for.

Henrietta is just a few metres down the road from Nour on Crown Street, in the spot that housed Pizza E Birra for years. “I really wanted to elevate the beloved charcoal chicken that brings such a nostalgic comfort,” co-owner Ibby Moubadder said. “I grew up in Lebanon and family feasting was such a large part of my culture. We’d have the hero chicken, cooked over hot charcoal and accompanied with all the share plates—breads, dips, pickles and salads.”

And it is this style of feast you can expect at Henrietta—albeit with a modern feel that’s driven home by some slick interior design by DS17 (who are also responsible for the dreamy look of Nour).

Dine-in or take away (via a cute takeout window), you can tuck into juicy whole or half charcoal chickens with traditional sides like tabouleh, fattoush salads, and creamy housemade hummus, smoked labneh and some of the tastiest burnt babaganoush in the city.

You'll almost need a second visit (or a second stomach) to sample Henrietta's many must-try mezze highlights—like chicken tawouk spring rolls with toum, piping hot haloumi served swith sweet honey, zataar and grapes and beef brisket shawarma tacos. 

The wine list is neat and approachable—but the Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails are a major highlight at Henrietta.

We love the spicy passionfruit margarita, made with Maguey Mezcal, passionfruit, chilli-infused tequila, orange blossom honey, and a sumac-chilli-salt spiced rim. The house Negroni features a subtle hint of rose and hibiscus, and there’s also a pornstar slushie martini with passionfruit, vanilla and pineapple, or a bubble-tea style lychee cosmo if the mood swings you that way.  

Image credit: Henrietta