Seafood restaurateurs and butchers Josh and Julie Niland are going into the pub business.
Their all-new Saint Peter Restaurant will open in July at The Grand National Hotel, Paddington, Sydney.
Saint Peter's new home is just down the road from its original location and the restaurant's opening in July will be the first phase for the refurbished 14-bedroom boutique hotel, with the rooms opening later this year.
Saint Peter at The Grand National will have a menu that reflects the ongoing journey of the owners.
From opening as a small fish eatery in 2016 on Oxford St, Paddington, the Nilands’ Saint Peter restaurant has provoked conversation around whole fish cooking, butchery, storing, and processing fish.
Saint Peter's new home will more than double the size of the original restaurant.
The new Saint Peter restaurant, bar, and private dining room are all located on the ground floor of the hotel.
The main dining room is flooded with natural light from an expansive skylight that frames the open kitchen and offers booth and banquette seating, along with a custom-made chef's table for six guests with front-row seats at the kitchen pass.
In addition to the capacity for 40 guests in the dining room and 30 in the bar, Saint Peter will have a private dining room offering bespoke dining for up to 15 guests.
This room will feature a restored heritage fireplace and have its own private entrance on Elizabeth St.
The Grand National Hotel has a rich history as one of Paddington’s favourite pubs.
The bar’s location at the front of the venue has been preserved to ensure that locals still have a welcoming place to meet.
The backbone of the bar menu will be Australian Rock Oysters with a list curated by Josh and the Fish Butchery team.
Lunch will be
à la carte and change day-to-day, offering in-room guests, along with the local Paddington community, the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant more frequently.
“I don't want to lose what makes Saint Peter a special place, not only to eat and enjoy as a guest but also for me and our team to work,” says Josh Niland.
“We are excited about the challenge ahead of not just moving into a beautiful home for Saint Peter but also expanding our expression of hospitality to a wonderful bar and boutique hotel."
Julie Niland says: "We are working with some incredibly talented people to develop a world-class wine and cocktail offering. The luxury accommodation has been so beautifully designed that you will think you are in Paris - until you see the quintessentially Paddington rooftops and beautiful gum trees out your window.
"At the heart of Saint Peter remains a commitment to whole fish cooking, where the entirety of the fish is celebrated with Josh’s trademark respect and technique.
"With both a charcoal grill and rotisserie, fish will continue to be viewed and cooked in the same way as meat."
The Fish Butchery at nearby Waterloo will continue to be the processing kitchen for all fish for Saint Peter, while the beverage programme will be crafted by sommelier Houston Barakat.
Reservations for Saint Peter at the Grand National Hotel are now open for August and September. Reservations for July will be released closer to opening once dates are confirmed.
Opening times: Lunch Thursday-Sunday, dinner Tuesday-Saturday.
