Raja

After a flavour-packed, nine-month stint, innovative Potts Point's Indian restaurant Raja will close for good on Saturday 4 May.

While neighbouring sister venue Ezra is an ode to Tel Aviv, Raja pays homage to another culinary destination: Mumbai. Keen travellers and co-owners  Nick and Kirk Mathews-Bowden wanted to bring some of the vibrant city to Sydney, seen through the lens of their signature stylish interior design, vibrant hospitality, and buzzy atmosphere. 

In the kitchen is Indian-born head chef Ahana Dutt, a former Firedoor chef whose resume also includes Taj Lands End and The Westin in Mumbai. Dutt's menu is nostalgic—dishes her mother used to make, prepared using techniques she learned at Firedoor and top local produce from the likes of Moonacre Farm and Newcastle Greens. 

Start with snacks like Khatta Meetha oysters, served with chili, coriander, lime water, and plum spiced sweet chutney, or stracciatella served with sunrise lime pickles and gunpowder (an explosive South Indian spice). Small and large plates include a must-try butter, garlic, and pepper crab, Masala clams, and  Punjab spatchcock. 

Michael Chiem from PS40 bar has designed a cocktail list filled with Indian flavour references, while wines champion mostly Australian drops, and, like Ezra, there's a focus on notable natural wines. 

The maximalist interiors are the work of NY-based hospitality designer Rosie Rainbow, with ornate details everywhere—hand-painted murals, tiled archways, leopard print, cherry red fringed lamp shades, and a cinematic mahogany and glass entryway. 

Image credit: Nikki To