South End

16/20Critics' Pick

Updated October 26, 2026,first published 7:00pm

16/20Critics' Pick

South End

Contemporary$$$

This venue is included in Good Food’s 100 Essential Restaurants list.

The St Peters end of King Street has long been a destination for pubs and takeaway, but surely there’s also a market for hyper-seasonal European dishes executed with beautiful technique? Yes, says the team at South End. Hussein Sarhan and Alex Tong lead the kitchen, while hospitality gun Paul Guiney works the floor, taking guests through his small-producer-led wine list.

Tablecloths are ironed and flatware is gold rimmed, but good-humoured staff keep the vibe easy-going, and there’s usually a few stools free for walk-in guests. Salads are a highlight, such as tomatoes from Living Earth Farm in Young, purple basil, and white peaches of exact ripeness, and fish and meat courses are cooked with precision (cross your fingers for an appearance of the pasture-raised lamb rump, marinated in rosemary and thyme, and roasted to deep, consistent pink).

The chefs know how to layer a crepe cake, too, but if you only order one dessert, make it the ethereal sabayonfolded chocolate tart “a la Bernard Pacaud”, a tribute to the haute cuisine master behind Paris restaurant L’Ambroisie.

Must-order: The seasonal soup, perhaps a Sommerlad chicken consomme, perhaps a chilled almond, melon and cucumber ajo blanco, smooth as sea glass.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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Last visited: January 2026

More:

• Newtown
• South End
• Sydney
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• Licensed
• Date night
• Special occasion
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• Restaurant
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• Good Food Guide
• 100 Essential Restaurants
• Chef of the Year
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