Five hot new restaurants to try in Sydney this April

There’s a lot of buzz around ELE by Federico & Karl, and rightly so. Filling the old space at Star left by Momofuku Seiobo, this fine diner promises an all-encompassing multi-sensory experience.

Diners will enjoy an eight-course degustation inspired by the elements (that’s what the ELE stands for) as they move through the restaurant space to experience different sound and art installations. With two powerhouse head chefs in charge, Federico Zanellato (LuMi, Lode) and Karl Firla (ex- Oscillate Wildly), who between them have a swag of awards not to mention already run Italian restaurant Leo together, this is sure to be a theatrical, delicious and literally moving experience.

If you like both types of music – country AND western – then Jolene’s Sydney is the place for you. This basement bar in Sydney’s CBD has been inspired by the scene in Nashville and promises top shelf whiskeys from America and beyond, fun cocktails with names referencing Dolly Parton songs and a menu of American diner classics, starting with artisan hot dogs.

Live music will be a major focus and as the bar comes from hospitality heavyweights Simon Rose-Hopkins (ex-bar manager at Nola Smokehouse and Bar, amongst others) and Peter Fischer (Nola Smokehouse and Bar, The Swinging Cat) we know we’ll have a good time. Jolene’s will provide much needed respite from the 9 to 5 grind. Dolly would approve!

From the team behind Surry Hill’s Dolphin Hotel and the CBD’s Shell House, comes a new Greek taverna experience for Bondi Beach. Topikós has opened its doors at the old Bondi Public Bar site on Campbell Parade and offers a menu based on traditional Greek classics made with high quality Aussie produce.

With house-made pita bread and excellent olive oil underpinning the menu, expect all-day meze including saganaki grilled split king prawns with lemon, and feta and sweet pepper filo pie. Drinks aren’t ignored either with a Greek island-inspired Aegian spritz, iced coffee and the quite frankly delicious-sounding baklava old fashioned all ready to go in the bar.

Still in Bondi Beach, Da Orazio, a restaurant originally opened by Orazio D’Elia and Maurice Terzini back in 2014, before D’Elia left and it became CicciaBella for a time, is back in its original location, this time with just D’Elia in charge.

Still with me? Good, because the new, improved Da Orazio is well worth a visit. You’ll find a large selection of wood-fired pizza, made with the “biga” method which produces a lighter and fluffier dough, as well as plenty of other Italian classics with a distinct Orazio spin such as Roman-style porchetta, osso buco and the crowd-pleasing Sardinian fregola with seafood. It’s good to have you back Da Orazio!

A new addition to Potts Point’s Macleay Street, this Catalan-inspired restaurant and bar invites you to talk, to drink and to dine. We don’t need telling twice especially when Parlar comes to us from the same team that runs the nearby Franca Brasserie.

If you’ve been to Barcelona, you’ll feel right at home here. Head chef Jose Saulog has put together a small but precise menu featuring tapas including morcilla sandwich with aioli and anchovy churro. We can’t wait to try the Catalan seafood platter featuring spanner crab, lobster and a toothfish escabeche amongst other fish-based delights. We’re sure it will give us plenty to talk about!