The Fenwick

The Verdict

Propped up against the Sydney Harbour foreshore in Balmain East, The Fenwick is one hell of a multipurpose venue bearing epic views from Barangaroo to Luna Park.

Brought to you by Sydney Restaurant Group, the same hospitality clan that pulled together hatted restaurants Ormeggio and LuMI Dining, this heritage boat store-turned-prime dining venue preaches all things classic and modern Australian on the food side of things.

Breakfast antics kick off early every day of the week,with coffee by The Little Marionette, tea by Tippity and cold-pressed juice by Nectar. The menu throws around staple feeds like homemade granola, big breakfasts (loaded with all the usual trimmings) and pancakes topped with berry compote, banana, coconut and pistachio crumble. Plus, should you be trying to conquer any late-night shenanigans, these guys also whip up a stellar Bloody Mary pumped with classic vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire, tabasco, pepper and fresh horseradish.

Throughout the rest of the day, you can hit up The Fenwick for bites like the moreish herb bread and butter, oysters, burrata with prosciutto, fried Brussel sprouts and pickled sardines served with Spanish onion and sultanas. For a solid feast, you’ll want to go for the hefty lamb rump cordon blue or potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms and truffle.

As for the cocktail line-up, brace yourself. Expect boozy concoctions like the dark chocolate Negroni and a lavender Martini made up of gin, amaro nonnino, lavender syrup and lime juice. The Fenwick also offers up various aperitifs, digestifs, liqueurs beers and wines (including orange) plus mammoth cocktail jugs.

On the second level of this historic sandstone building, you’ll find a public gallery, which is locked to feature a slew of works from Indigenous, local and international artists to help you get your culture on.

Image credit: The Fenwick.