New home for Vivid Sydney's culinary showpiece

 The Vivid Sydney festival is about more than art and colour.

Food lovers are also catered for at Vivid Fire Kitchen, now in a new waterfront home in Barangaroo Reserve.

The culinary showpiece is being positioned as one of the centrepieces of Vivid Sydney 2026 with over 60 culinary voices and two new focal points, The Vivid Fire Pit and the Food for Thought stage.

Running every night of Vivid Sydney from May 22 to June 13 from 6-11pm, the free entry Vivid Fire Kitchen is being promoted as "a vibrant, casual dining hub inspired by the great Aussie backyard".

Highlights will include open-fire cooking demonstrations, talks, tastings and live music.

Vivid Sydney festival director Brett Sheehy promises: “Vivid Fire Kitchen has been reimagined for 2026 as a place you can return to again and again and have a different experience each night.

"Moving to Barangaroo Reserve and expanding the program has allowed us to bring together more voices, more ideas and more ways for audiences to engage with food - from open‑fire cooking and talks to tastings, music and light.

"With rotating chefs, themed nights and new stages, no two evenings are the same, and that sense of discovery is at the heart of what Vivid Sydney is about.”

The Vivid Fire Pit line-up features culinary heavyweights and rising stars including Mark Best, David Moyle, and Mark La Brooy.

Mark Best, executive chef of Infinity by Mark Best and featured Vivid Fire Pit chef on Saturday, May 30, says: “The Fire Pit is an opportunity to explore why cooking over flame is so special - it's elemental, expressive and deeply connected to place. Fire strips cooking back to its essentials and opens space for instinct, memory and collaboration."

The Food for Thought stage will focus on culture, creativity, sustainability and the future of food, brining together chefs, authors, restaurateurs, celebrity cooks and digital storytellers.

Featured Food for Thought panel hosts and guest chefs include Luke Mangan, Mike Bennie, Gary Walsh, Julie Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo and Emelia Jackson.

See https://www.vividsydney.com/vivid-fire-kitchen

Watermans brings tastes of the Levant to Barangaroo

The burgeoning Barangaroo gourmet precinct in Sydney has been boosted by the arrival of newcomer Watermans, an eastern Mediterranean restaurant from The Bentley Restaurant Group.

Operated by leading Australian hospitality operators Nick Hildebrandt and Brent Savage, Watermans has chef Darryl Martin (formerly of Barzaari) at the helm.

Watermans is located within the recently completed One Sydney Harbour Lendlease development in Barangaroo, just metres from Sydney Harbour.

“2025 has been a huge year for The Bentley Group," said sommelier and co-owner Hildebrandt. "We started the year with the launch of Eleven Barrack and we’re ending the year back in Barangaroo with Watermans, right in time for summer.”

The 120-seat venue houses two pergolas wrapped in mature greenery, with a "modern-luxe interior featuring timber veneer finishes, bespoke lighting and an open kitchen with a custom-made wood-fired grill and oven".

Co-owner and chef Savage said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Darryl into The Bentley Group family. The menu for Watermans is inspired by the cuisine of the Levant and highlights the best of Australian produce.

"It has a strong emphasis on vegetable-forward dishes, and it’s been fun to collaborate with Darryl, whose cooking I’ve long admired, especially his work at Barzaari.”

Highlight dishes from the opening menu include: hummus with green zhoug and mint; labneh with salted cucumber, pomegranate and lemon jam; raw tuna with watermelon, yoghurt and fig leaf oil; wood-fired scallop with pomegranate, brown butter and sesame praline; and whole wood-fired flounder with broad beans and smoked tomato savoro.

For meat lovers, there is roasted chicken with with preserved lemon, parsley and green olive; and lamb shoulder with harissa, black lime, cinnamon and toum.

Desserts include halva ice cream, date granita, must vinegar, and brik bougatsa, cherry jam and aniseed sorbet.

Watermans is open daily from noon for lunch and dinner at R1/88 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo, Sydney. See https://www.bentleyrestaurantgroup.com.au/watermanssydney

Barangaroo to get all spritzy during November

Sydney's trendy Barangaroo precinct will be just a little spritzy during November.

Golden Hours Barangaroo - presented by Aperol Spritz - will celebrate the arrival of summer in the city with an month of aperitivo-inspired fun.

All day, every day at participating venues across The Streets of Barangaroo, guests can enjoy a two for $30 Aperol Spritz deal, food offerings, and a program of free entertainment across the precinct. 

There will be 23 participating venues inviting locals and visitors to enjoy the waterfront ambience with venues this year including new Italian restaurant GINA, recently reopened ZUSHI, Born by Tapavino, Barangaroo House and Crown Sydney’s Woodcut, a’Mare and Icebergs Harbour Bar.

Golden Hours Barangaroo is part of Aperol Spritz’s commitment to support Sydney’s 24-hour economy with the event celebrating the Italian aperitivo ritual.

"Aperol is thrilled to partner with Bars of Barangaroo District to bring Golden Hours Barangaroo to life," says Jacopo Borsa, managing director of Campari Australia.

"It's the perfect setting to enjoy an Italian aperitivo experience with a refreshing Aperol Spritz and the company of good friends and family. Salut!"

Entertainment on offer will include DJs, roving performers, and live music.

Every Thursday to Sunday from 5-8pm, Sydney DJs will bring Italian disco vibes to Wulugul Walk, curated by Return to Rio.

Guests will also have the chance to win a trip to Italy as part of the precinct-wide celebration.

Anita Mitchell, chief executive of Placemaking NSW, says: "Barangaroo is one of Sydney’s famed harbourside precincts and vibrant initiatives like Golden Hours Barangaroo allows more people to enjoy this special place."

For more info and a full schedule of events, see goldenhoursbarangaroo.com.au or follow @aperolspritz on socials for updates.

Seafood on the waterfront in Sydney without busting your budget

Nothing says "Sydney" and "summer" like kicking back and eating fresh seafood while sipping cold wine on the waterfront. 

There is no shortage of seafood eateries in Sydney, but one that combines a great location with good food is love.fish, a 175-seater that is part of the Streets of Barangaroo precinct and located directly opposite the Barangaroo ferry wharf. 

If you love people watching this is your spot: from rollerbladers to joggers, cyclists to posers, the chronically under-dressed to commuters. All the world's a stage. 

And given the huge rents the love.fish team must pay for their prime spot, their prices are extremely reasonable. Think locally-sourced oysters, raw fish, whole fish, platters, and crustaceans.

We tried the $69 per person "Feed Me" menu for lunch - and it offered an impressive range of seafood dishes that can be matched matched to wines for another $29 per person. You still get out for under $100 a head, which seems very fair to me. There is a two-person minimum for this offering. 

The menu starts with tuna crudo (on betel leaf with chilli and lime, above) and a salt and pepper squid from Tasmania. Both hit the spot but the artisan focaccia was sadly soggy and tasteless. These dishes were matched with a bright 2024 Nick O'Leary Riesling from the Canberra region. 

Next up: a grilled Daintree barramundi fillet with asparagus, peach and salsa verde (above) and a very well-composed blue swimmer crab risotto with fennel and zucchini blossoms (below). This duo was accompanied by a well-matched Briar Ridge chardonnay from the Hunter Valley. 

To finish: toasted coconut and mango crumble with a coconut sorbet. Impressively summery and paired with a chilled Pfeiffer NV Topaque fortified.

Love.fish just gets it right - but they've got some experience. The business was founded 15 years ago with a policy of delivering sustainable and all-Australian casual seafood experiences.

The a la carte menu ranges from sashimi and scallops to a classic old-school king prawn cocktail, with mains like battered fish and chips. to a seafood platter for two for $195.

For those needing some greens there is a range of vegetable and salad sides. 

From small beginnings in Rozelle, this remains a family business; operated by Michael Milkovic and Michelle Grand-Milkovic, with an offering of affordable, sustainable seafood and casual but attentive hospitality.  

 See https://www.lovefish.com.au/    

# The writer was hosted by love.fish 

A fusion of flavours is a Sydney feast for the senses

Nikkei cuisine is a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese flavours.

It is served in an elevated form at Callao, one of the standout restaurants in the Streets of Barangaroo gourmet precinct on the Sydney waterfront.

Opened just over a year ago, the flavours on offer at the 104-seat eatery have clearly hit the target.

There is a hip young crowd on hand: both the customers and the very efficient servers.

And the quality of the food, with the two distinctive cuisines delivering intriguing combinations, is matched by a drinks list peppered with cocktails, Japanese whiskies, and some astutely chosen wines (think names like O’Leary Walker, Bream Creek, Giant Steps and Moss Wood by the glass).

Japanese Peruvian cuisine is a global trend right now and Nikkei is the word used to describe immigrants of Japanese origin - of which there are many in Peru.

Nikkei food is characterized by its use of the wide variety of ingredients available to Peru, including aji amarillo, an emulsion of the South American chilli pepper.

The Callao menu blends traditional techniques with vibrant ingredients - every dish on the Chef's Selections tasting menu ($119 per person) offered myriad flavours, but with a real sense of cohesive style.

You are taken out of your comfort zone - but remain very comfortable.

Mainstays include fresh seafood like tiradito, marinated in zesty Peruvian sauces, and Baby octopus with tomato, green olives, saffron potatoes, chickpeas and chili oil.

 

After some warm edamame beans with smoked salt, our starters were a stunning scampi tartare with crispy rice, truffle mayo, avocado puree, pickled jalapeno and Siberian caviar - a very upmarket fish finger (above) - and a delightfully tangy salmon ceviche with aji amarllo, leche de tigre (a zesty Peruvian marinade made with lime juice, fish, and spices), toasted corn and sweet potato puree (below).

Then came Skull Island tiger prawns with aji panca (red pepper) bisque, sea urchin mayo and tabiko (flying fish roe) mayo (below); and Wagyu tri-tip with smoked date teriyaki, aji amarillo mayo and togarishi spices. Both extremely moreish. 

Main course is a chuck tail flap steak with with yuzu koshu butter, shitake jus and house mustard, served with with hasselback potato, quezo fresca, aji amarillo and dried sisho (below).

The final touch is "cheesecake" with toasted corn, finger lime, milk skin and avocado ice cream,

Tradition with a few twists and turns. Delightful flavours; great service, sensible portions. Highly recommended.  

For those wondering, Callao is a Peruvian seaside city and region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area.

 

Callao is open for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday and is at 100 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo, Sydney. callao.com.au.

Images: Anna Kucera, Winsor Dobbin

# The writer was hosted by Callao

Astro aims to add pan-Asian panache to Barangaroo

I remember when the Barangaroo precinct was going to be a green space on the fringe of the Sydney CBD.

A recent visit revealed that is has instead become a high-rise playground centred around a casino where there is more shade than light. Such a missed opportunity, but very Sydney. 

That said, Barangaroo is home to several much-admired restaurants with the latest arrival to The Streets of Barangaroo is Astro, billed as a "modern Asian BBQ restaurant inspired by the izakayas of Tokyo and the barbeque eateries of Seoul".

Pan Asian restaurants have a spotty history so we shall see.

Astro sits on the former SOOT site (it was a Korean barbecue joint), and is open for lunch and dinner offering "casual, izakaya-style dining accompanied by fun Japanese 80s ‘City Pop’ tunes".

So clearly a lover of Bruce Springsteen and the Allman Brothers is not the demographic.

Astro is the latest venue from David Bae and Kolture Group with the name Astro coming from Astro Boy, the first popular anime created based on manga that brought Bae joy in his youth.

“As a child, I was happily glued to the TV watching Astro Boy with friends and family," he said. "Fast forward to today and I feel we are all so glued to the hustle of the rat race that we’ve forgotten how to balance work with fun.

"I wanted to create a venue where you can unwind at lunch or after work eating incredible izakaya-style dishes, combining the communal atmosphere that Yakiniku or Korean BBQ brings, while knocking down some refreshing highballs and just having a damn good time.”

Following on from his recent success with Matkim, executive chef Jacob Lee shifts gear from fine dining to semi-casual with a lunch menu that focuses on donburi bowls.

The dinner menu offers a selection of izakaya-inspired small dishes, yakiniku (barbecued meats) and rice and noodle dishes.

Astro’s drinks list features a selection of fun cocktails: Shiso Sexy is a mix of vodka, coconut, pistachio and shiso; and Full Moon, a combination of gin, lychee, shichimi and green tea.

The Streets of Barangaroo is a Sydney waterfront precinct and home to over 90 food and beverage, lifestyle, fashion, wellness, curiosity and convenience outlets.

Astro is open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch from 12pm-3pm and dinner from 5pm-10:30pm. See astrosyd.com.au

A serious taste of Italy at Barangaroo

Sydney's waterfront Barangaroo precinct has a new Italian-accented restaurant in Corso Brio.

The new eatery showcases a modern Italian menu and what it claims is "a world-class wine list".

The 120-seat restaurant features a la carte offrings and set menu, as well as a selection of antipasti to share.

The menu features dishes such as: beef carpaccio with wild rocket, shaved parmesan, toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate; wild-caught New Zealand scampi with coral lettuce, baby cucumbers and extra virgin olive oil; slow-cooked Margra lamb shoulder with smoked sweet potato puree and fig vincotto jus; and citrus crush with buffalo ricotta, candied citrus, Italian meringue and limoncello sponge.

There is also a selection of specialty risottos and hand-made pastas including: spaghetti with Fraser Island crab (below), cherry tomatoes, chilli and charcoal breadcrumb; homemade egg tagliatelle with slow cooked venison ragu, Sardinian pecorino, porcini and coffee dust; and risotto with carnaroli rice, stracciatella, basil oil and olive crumb.

Corso Brio is headed by Italian-born executive chef Massimo De Michele and head chef Alessandro Morabito. 

“Alessandro and I are passionate about our Italian heritage and what we grew up eating around the table," says Di Michele. "The menu is a journey through regional Italian cuisine and we look forward to showcasing the dishes alongside one of the best wine lists in Sydney.” 

 

Jon Osbeiston, one of Australia’s most respected wine experts, has crafted the 400-bin wine list, which showcases a serious selection of wines from around the world.

“We have a strong focus on the Italian wine regions with an emphasis on aromatic whites and savoury reds," he says. "While acknowledging the great wine regions like Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti, we also have many other regions listed where rare indigenous varieties shine.

”

“There is also a strong focus on Australian wines. The Hunter Valley features strongly with a large selection of aged semillons. We try to have aged wines on the list so guests can enjoy them at their peak development which adds to the gastronomic experience.”

 

For details see www.belandbrio.com.au