The Palomar

The Palomar, the London-born brainchild of hospitality siblings Zoë and Layo Paskin, has set up shop on Oxford Street in Paddington, taking over the former Grand Pacific Blue Room and turning it into a 110-seat playground for flavour and design.

The menu reads like a map of the Mediterranean, with stops in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant but filtered through Australia’s produce. At the heart of it all is a wood-fire grill. Think smoky, bright, and layered flavours that hit you the way only a properly cooked piece of fish or a perfectly charred veg can. The team works with local legends—Sydney Rock oysters, line-caught fish, organic veg, heritage pork, artisan bread—so what lands on your plate is always seasonally perfect and proudly local.

Highlights? Cucumbers with green tahini and crispy chilli oil, buttery blue mackerel with chermoula, grilled calamari with preserved lemon, and a pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich that is undeniably a non-negotiable. Every dish has a nod to the original London menu, but it’s unmistakably Sydney.

Inside, it’s a mix of grit and polish. Heritage bricks meet a pink quartzite bar, navy leather seating, timber floors, and mosaic tile details which means you'll be clinking glasses for more than your usual one-and-done.

Find it in the 25Hours Hotel Sydney, The Olympia.

Keep reading for more of Sydney's best new restaurants.

Image credit: Supplied