Darling Harbour is getting a much-awaited dining upgrade, with three world-famous restaurants set to open at the redeveloped Harbourside precinct in 2027, bringing award-winning Chinese, European and Mediterranean cuisine to Sydney’s waterfront.
Announced by Mirvac and joint venture partner Mitsubishi Estate Asia, the three restaurants are expected to open in spring 2027.
Meet the three global restaurants coming to Harbourside
Leading the line-up is Mott 32, the award-winning Chinese restaurant brand born in Hong Kong. Known for its contemporary take on traditional Chinese cuisine, its menu spans Cantonese dim sum, Sichuan and Beijing-inspired dishes.
Moreover, its signature dishes include apple wood-roasted Peking duck, which takes 42 days to prepare, and barbecue Iberico pork char siu glazed with Yellow Mountain honey.
Joining it is Brasserie Astoria, the international brasserie concept from celebrated Swedish chef Björn Frantzén. He’s currently the only chef in the world to simultaneously lead three restaurants, each awarded three Michelin stars: Frantzén in Stockholm, Zén in Singapore and FZN in Dubai.
Inspired by Stockholm’s glamorous social scene of the 1920s and 1930s, Brasserie Astoria promises an elegant à la carte menu, tableside preparations, an ambitious cocktail programme and a lively bar.
Finally, completing the trio is Avio Mare, a Southern Mediterranean restaurant from Steelhead Group. Drawing inspiration from the Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Adriatic and Aegean seas, its menu will focus on whole fish, island cooking and open-fire techniques. Harbourside will also be among the first Avio Mare restaurants outside Hong Kong.
Local Sydney favourites are getting in on the action
There will be plenty of local flavour, too. Platinum Group, behind waterfront restaurant Luna Lu, is bringing three new venues to Harbourside: Darling Eatery, Koa and Sir Seafood.
The completed precinct will feature 25 retailers, bringing together international dining brands, established local operators and casual eateries.
Together, Mott 32, Brasserie Astoria and Avio Mare will occupy more than 1,650m² of premium waterfront restaurant space.
One Hospitality Group will operate the three restaurants in partnership with their founders. The group also expects to create more than 1,350 jobs across its Harbourside venues and during construction.
What’s changing at Darling Harbour?
The announcement comes as construction on Harbourside reaches its highest point, 48 storeys above Sydney Harbour.
The wider redevelopment will transform the former shopping centre into a dining, retail, commercial and residential destination, delivering more than 10,000m² of public open space.
Plans include a new waterfront promenade, a 3,500m² waterfront park, pedestrian connections to Pyrmont and more than 100,000 new plants across the precinct.
Originally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988 as part of Australia’s Bicentenary celebrations, Harbourside has been a familiar Sydney meeting place for almost four decades.
The Harbourside precinct’s redevelopment will bring a new chapter to the waterfront, reconnecting Pyrmont with Darling Harbour and creating a new destination for locals and visitors.
