By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
Sydney is about to feel a little more like Soho. Earlier this month, London’s celebrated restaurant The Palomar opened its first Australian outpost on Oxford Street, Paddington - bringing with it a touch of trademark London chaos and charm, where the music is a little loud, the plates come fast and the energy hums like a double-decker bus on a rainy day.
Founded by London hospitality siblings Zoe and Layo Paskin of Studio Paskin, The Palomar menu is Mediterranean-centric - with flavours drawn from Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant, its signature.
Its recent arrival Down Under marks not just an expansion, but a conversation between cities. Just like a doe-eyed 18-year-old on his first Contiki tour or a glamorous Aussie fashionista hailing a black cab at London Fashion Week, it is a cultural bridge connecting Soho’s bustle with Sydney’s sunlit ease.
"The Palomar is about more than bringing a restaurant to a new city,” says Culinary Director Mitch Orr (formerly Kiln). "It’s about creating a space that feels true to its surroundings while carrying the identity that makes the original so beloved.
"Working with Layo and Zoe means we’re building something layered: a menu that’s delicious as hell and a style of hospitality that feels alive in the moment but grounded in detail.”
Mitch, whose bold cooking has defined Sydney’s dining scene, brings a distinctly local rhythm to The Palomar’s London soul. His food is bright, expressive and unafraid of personality - as comfortable in Paddington as it once was in Potts Point.
He’s joined by Head Chef Luke Davenport, who began his journey at The Palomar London in 2016 before sharpening his craft at Noma, The Ledbury and Alo. Returning home, Luke led the team at Franca Brasserie before reuniting with Studio Paskin.
"My time in London was incredibly formative,” he says. "Returning to The Palomar in Sydney is a full-circle moment - bringing that same vibrancy here, in a way that feels distinctly Australian.”
The restaurant hums with the spirit of both cities - a meeting of Paddington’s polished ease and London’s late-night electricity. A pink quartzite bar glows beneath low lighting, an open kitchen fires with energy and every detail feels considered but unpretentious. The design, much like the food, is confident, textured and unafraid of a little attitude.
On the menu: wood-grilled southern calamari with preserved lemon, cucumbers with green tahini, Berkshire pork chop with roasted grapes and sherry, and the signature pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich.
Produce sings with Australian provenance - oysters from Wheeler’s, vegetables from Newcastle Greens, pork from Copper Tree Farms - but the heart beats to a London tempo.
Sous Chef Chloe Sharp and Head Sommelier Eleonore Wulf round out the team, each bringing finesse and intuition to their craft. Chloe leads with warmth and precision while Eleonore curates a list of 100 bins that spotlights female winemakers and natural producers, designed for lingering rather than rushing.
Together, The Palomar, neighbouring wine bar The Mulwray and cafe Jacob the Angel form the culinary anchor of the new 25hours Hotel The Olympia. It’s a slice of Soho transplanted to Sydney - a place where conversations stretch long after dessert, where hospitality is equal parts polish and play.
As Mitch puts it: "The Palomar has always been about the kind of hospitality that London does best - vibrant, a bit cheeky, but deeply genuine. Sydney’s got that same heartbeat. This just felt right.”
