The Paddington Inn

The verdict

This iconic Sydney Hotel has been quenching the thirst of many an Eastern Suburbs local for more than 150 years. The Paddington Inn has just undergone a complete refurbishment by George Livissianis (The Dolphin Hotel, Apollo, Cho Cho San), adding to the buzz around new venues popping up in Paddington and giving residents something to really get excited about. 

The hotel, situated in the heart of Paddington on the corner Oxford and William St, will again become one of Sydney’s much loved dining venues, with Head Chef Justin Schott (previously Rockpool and Kitchen by Mike) heading up the kitchen, seamlessly fusing unique combinations with a focus on great, seasonal produce that is cooked well.

The Hotel’s refurbishment sees the venue now present two distinct spaces flowing into one another; a dining room towards the back, while a bar will remain as first point of entry.

Schott is excited about the new direction for The Paddington Inn’s dining. “I like simple and distinctive flavours and have created a menu that is driven by seasonality and a desire to be uncomplicated and flavoursome. We’re making as much in-house as possible – we are dry-ageing the duck and we’ll make our own cotechino as well as focaccia and gingerbread daily”.

His new kitchen is just as intriguing as the menu, with an open-plan layout allowing diners to watch how their dishes are being prepared. The contemporary menu offering is designed to share, but equally works when ordering solo. The Dining room menu will include starters such as chargrilled octopus, and mains of duck with fermented red cabbage, or the Black Onyx flank steak, along with sides of Brussels sprouts and potato bake fries with burnt onion mayo.

The new bar will offer a simple, yet classic all-day food menu including fish and chips, jaffles and burgers. Rest assured though, even the basics will be giving a nod to modern-day styles, with cod pikelets and chips with malt vinegar, raising the bar on standard pub-fare. 

The drinks list is equally as exciting with award winning Solotel Group Sommelier, Matt Dunne, pulling together a wine list that celebrates the latest trends with an eclectic mix of varieties from across the globe.  The mixed drinks also play a starring role, with a dedicated aperitif cocktail list on offer and a unique menu of vermouth based cocktails to add to the classics. Created by Solotel Group Bar Manager Jeremy Shipley, the menu will be updated frequently to ensure the ingredients remain seasonal, while maintaining a focus on sourcing local, Australian-made produce.

The refresh boasts a brand new interior by George Livissianis with the help of Solotel Creative Director Anna Solomon, to bring back the original character of the building while touching on the venue’s history and will present a much brighter and open dining space. The transformation will see the familiar pub become a welcoming, energetic hub for Sydney locals who are stopping by for quality drinks or plan on settling in for a mouthwatering feed. 

With doors opening to the public on the 9th of September 2016, Paddington residents will be glad to have ‘The Paddo’ back in business.

Image credit: The Paddington Inn