Just months after the announcement of the
relocation of Josh Niland’s acclaimed restaurant Saint Peter to a Paddington pub, Josh and wife Julie Niland have revealed grand plans to open a new venue on Sydney’s North Shore. The Niland train just won’t stop.
Niland has fast become a household name in Australia’s culinary scene, with the Sydney-based chef pioneering a “scale-to-tail” approach of cooking with almost every part of the fish. The soon-to-move Saint Peter is one of Australia’s finest restaurants, and it’s become an important participant in the global seafood and fishery sustainability conversation. That’s not to mention the rapid expansion of Niland’s casual sibling businesses
Fish Butchery and
Charcoal Fish.
Now, Niland and his wife Julie have taken over the lease of a 60-seat restaurant and bar in the North Shore suburb of St Leonards. Called
Petermen, the new venue is to open in early February next year, named after the 1400s vernacular, where fishers were known as Petermen in the tradition of their patron, Saint Peter.
The ethos behind the husband-and-wife duo’s fifth venture is to champion local growers and producers, with a menu that highlights the best of Australian seafood and vegetables. While more details are to come, we do know reservations are slated to open at the beginning of 2023.
The news comes alongside the announcement that the Nilands’ takeover of Paddington’s Grand National Hotel, in which the new iteration of Saint Peter will be housed, won’t open till winter next year. Originally, the huge project was expected to open this summer.
While it might be delayed, the Paddington establishment will be worth the wait. The former pub has been renovated into a 14-room boutique hotel, plus Saint Peter is upping the capacity to 45 seats and will have a separate bar with its own distinct – and more casual – menu. Private dining for up to 15 will be available, too.
