Allonda

Allonda is the sibling to Nota, a popular Euro-inspired diner on Paddington’s Given Terrace. But where Nota is dark, rustic and romantic, Allonda’s laneway premises are bright and airy, defined by its eye-catching wraparound mezzanine. It feels modern and fast-paced, pitched just so for the 20- and 30-something crowd who occupy the surrounding apartment buildings.

The two restaurants share a similar approach in the kitchen, with a couple of crossover dishes on the menu here. As chefs, owners Sebastiaan de Kort and Kevin Docherty like to cook straight-ahead food that gets out of the way of the produce, and together with head chef Sam Todd, they’ve put together a broad, Euro-inspired menu and a house-made pasta selection that includes the restaurant’s namesake dish: an all’onda risotto, finished Venetian-style with plenty of broth.

De Kort and Docherty have also leaned further into the snack side of things, with a burrata and raw bar menu that might include fried black pudding with brown-butter mayo; and Casa Motta burrata with olive tapenade, a seasonal salad and charred sourdough. It all matches well with co-owner Yanika Sittisuntorn’s wine list, which carries plenty of approachable, drink-now drops.