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Saint Peter

Sydney

• Accolades
• The Best Restaurant in Oceania 2026

Where the scale-to-tail revolution began

On the Pass

Josh Niland

Turning the tide: Saint Peter may have moved into splashy new digs in Paddington's Grand National Hotel in 2024, but its founding ethos remains the same. A shrine to all things seafood, this Sydney icon has been leading the scale-to-tail revolution since 2016, when chef-owner Josh Niland first posed the question: 'why should whole-animal cookery only apply to meat?' It's a notion that once seemed radical – that is, until diners discovered just how much they'd been missing.

Waste not, want not: Heads, skin, roe, blood... almost every part of the day's catch is put to use in Niland's seasonal menu. But nothing is done for shock value, or as a gimmick; each element that graces the plate earns its place for its texture, flavour and character. Of course, this means that Saint Peter is a restaurant that's as sustainable as they come – and it sources responsibly too, working with Australian fishers and producers to ensure every fish, from the familiar to the lesser-known, is treated with the respect it deserves.

Creative currents: Spanning such delicacies as John Dory liver pâté and Murray cod chorizo, seafood charcuterie is perhaps Saint Peter's most famous creation. However, the restaurant's aged fish – including its salt and vinegar line-caught blue mackerel – ingenious preservation techniques, such as yellowfin tuna 'nduja, and fish-bone noodles served in delicate seafood broths are equally curious and compelling. Even the desserts have marine influences: past sweet-and-saline confections have included seaweed ice cream, kelp caramel and sea lettuce meringue.

Echoes of the deep: Unlike many of Sydney's celebrated restaurants, Saint Peter's atmospherically lit, handsomely appointed dining area isn't concerned with the views outside. Stowed away on the Grand National Hotel's ground level, below two floors of boutique rooms, the introspective space is almost like the interior of a vast, city-slicking submarine, complete with an open kitchen at its centre – throwing the craftsmanship of the chefs into sharp focus.

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