Closures: 30 Sydney Venues That Shut Up Shop in 2024

Reporting on venue closures was a frequent task in 2024. News of rent hikes joined reports of fewer diners (with smaller budgets), and large developments kicked into gear – meaning venues had to move out. And all of it contributed to venue owners and operators experiencing burnout.

But there are a few that closed to simply make space in their lives for other projects.

Here are 30 Sydney venues that closed this year (or have announced their final service).

Petermen, St Leonards

The Nilands’ announced the closure of their St Leonards 60-seater with just a handful of services left. In a statement, Josh acknowledged the “extremely challenging” year that independently owned businesses have had. Petermen (where the fin-to-scale MO was the same as Saint Peter’s, with an à la carte edge) had its final service on Friday December 15 – shortly after it welcomed the flashiest surf’n’turf in Sydney to the menu. But the couple stayed busy by announcing a new project on a tropical island, and moving their celebrated Saint Peter into the massive Grand National, a heritage pub with 14 hotel rooms.

The Unicorn, Paddington

The classic pub was loved by a bunch of different Sydneysiders: locals coming in for a quiet mid-weeker. Groups playing pool or shooting darts. Beer garden smokers and big birthday bashers. The young crowd on the makeshift dance floor. But in August it announced it was changing hands. The Mary’s team packed up shop, calling final drinks on September 1. The team from JDA Hotels, behind the General Gordon and Padstow Park Hotel, has acquired the Paddo darling. It’s closed until further notice for a refit – and we’ve been assured it won’t be that whitewashed Cali-style ’fit we’ve seen play out. More news soon.

Cafe Freda’s, Darlinghurst

Breaking summer hearts all over Sydney, it’s closing time for the brightest, buzziest corner bar there is. Cafe Freda’s is perpetually heaving. If you snare a table outside – for natty wines and a flurry of small plates – you hang on to it. But its home is being developed, so the crew’s moving out. While Freda’s in its current state is a “love letter” to Oxford Street, owner Dave Abram tells Broadsheet we won’t be Freda-less for long – another era is coming.

Long Chim, CBD

Celebrated chef and “encyclopedic expert in Thai cuisine” David Thompson’s Sydney restaurant is closing after nearly a decade – with the business entering voluntary administration and calling out its landlord. “To Abacus, our landlords at Martin Place: After eight years, you’ve turned your back on us – and on the 50 people who work here – just days before Christmas,” a statement on the venue’s Instagram reads. It also lists issues arising in the wake of Covid, including blocked entrances, limited accessibility for people living with disability, rent disputes and, reportedly, the landlord’s unwillingness to work together. Long Chim Sydney’s final service is Friday December 20.

Comedor, Newtown

This bright blue Mexican restaurant burst onto the scene in July, with Alejandro Huerta overseeing a menu that impressed from the get-go. But on December 7, via a post on its since-deleted Instagram account, the restaurant announced it was closed until further notice. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the issue lies with the venue’s owner, Walter Shellshear, with staff unwilling to continue working for him. There are reports Shellshear treated Comedor as his personal bar, alleging he became drunk and aggressive during service. The first-time restaurateur told the Herald he has been “completely wronged”. Broadsheet reached out to Shellshear for comment, but has not heard back. At the time of publication, the Comedor website reads: “For now we must close, but do watch this space.”

Dead Ringer, Surry Hills

This deadset favourite closed in June after nearly a decade in its sweet Bourke Street terrace. Excellent cocktails, food primed to share and a very friendly team – the Broadsheet team was sad to see it go. The team chose not to re-sign its lease, telling us it was due to increasing prices and fewer diners.

Bistrot 916, Potts Point

The pink-tableclothed hotspot – with its steak frites and coveted happy-hour-only burg – closed its doors in November, with a wrecking ball scheduled to hit the building in the new year. “It’s six months until the demolition, and that’s it,” chef Dan Pepperell told Broadsheet when it was announced. “Good night, lights out for Bistrot.” There were originally plans to relocate the French diner to the CBD, but plans changed. Instead, the team poured all their energy into opening Neptune’s Grotto, one of the year’s best new restaurants.

Tetsuya’s, CBD

Tetsuya Wakuda’s culinary landmark had its final service on July 31. Like Madonna and Adele, the world is on a first-name basis with Tetsuya, and the chef’s eponymous restaurant is one of our most decorated. The dining room is world-renowned for its signature: confit ocean trout with kombu, celery salad and roe. The closure comes after plans to relocate fell through.

“We have spent the last 18 months planning the move and the new restaurant, so this was not an easy decision,” Wakuda says in a statement. “But sometimes things just don’t go to plan.”

The Sunshine Inn, Redfern

The team behind the cheery Redfern Street bar called it quits, with last drinks poured on Saturday June 29. For the last four years, it’s been a favoured hangout for snacky plates and Aussie wines – and $10 bowls of pasta on Tuesdays. But we enjoyed cold ones with the team members soon after as they opened The Bat & Ball, the massive Cleveland Street pub they overhauled.

Re, Eveleigh

In February, Matt Whiley’s pioneering bar, Re, quietly called last drinks. But in the same breath, we heard it would be moving into the old La Salut space on Cleveland Street. It was slated to open on May 14 – with Public Hospitality, the group behind the new digs – but it was delayed (and then canned). Public Hospitality had a wild 2024, with the Redfern boozer recently joining the Solotel family.

Lucky Kwong, South Eveleigh

At the end of June, Kylie Kwong stepped away from the kitchen – meaning her weekday- and lunch-only joint is no more. Lucky Kwong is the first project Kwong and her wife Nel worked on together, and is named for the baby the couple lost to stillbirth in 2012.

“For all the many challenges that come with being in the hospitality industry, I consider myself fortunate for I have had far more positive experiences than negative,” Kwong wrote on Instagram. “These last 24 years have really tested the mettle of one’s character, drawing out strengths I never knew existed, and have instilled deep values which continue to guide my path.”

What’s next for the respected chef? She joined the Powerhouse Museum as an associate in its new food program. She’s already making moves, launching a dinner series celebrating western Sydney’s Indian communities. Just like the days of her saucy, spicy fried eggs at Lucky Kwong, her new gig’s tasty and impactful.

Cornersmith, Annandale

When the beloved cafe announced it was closing, the inner west community was quick to announce its devastation. The parkside vegetarian joint had a loyal following: lines of pre-9am locals, parents and kids fuelling up for play, leisurely catch-ups over snacky Scandi brekkie plates. But it wasn’t to be.

“The Covid years took the wind out of our sails and now the reality is that the hospitality industry, like our food system, is a bit broken,” the team said in a website update. “It seems impossible to do the right thing environmentally, keep customers happy and stay independent and afloat financially.

“It took on a life of its own and like lots of small businesses it has often felt like it was in control of us rather than the other way around … We tried bloody hard and while our passion and purpose hasn’t changed, our bodies, brains and bank balances are a bit exhausted.”

Raja, Potts Point

The Ezra team’s “unapologetically Indian” restaurant closed in May. Ultimately, it was the numbers that made the decision for the husband-and-husband team, Nick and Kirk Mathews-Bowden. “This is the most challenging market I’ve ever traded in, and I’ve been working in the industry for 20 years now,” Nick told Broadsheet in April. “In the last two or three months … you could feel everyone’s ability to dine out getting more and more reduced. I totally understand where people are coming from. Anyone who buys groceries, anyone who pays a mortgage or pays rent – it’s just becoming tighter and tighter and tighter.”

The pair reopened the space as Teddy, a cosy diner with retro plates and disco tunes.

Kawa, Surry Hills

This unassuming Crown Street cafe closed quietly in May, taking its affordable avocado toast ($6.50!) and generous serves of soups, salads and revved-up brunch fare with it. The charm of the spot was in its unassuming, mismatched fit-out: vintage iron folding chairs with blankets, a modest facade, and a blackboard of specials. (The Broadsheet office misses it dearly.) The space is making way for an outpost of Paripe, the Chippendale tapas bar. Soon it’ll be the place for conservas, tortillas and a range of Spanish drops.

Charcoal Fish, Rose Bay

On Good Friday, Josh and Julie Niland made the shock announcement they were closing two of their restaurants that weekend. The finer takeaway joint Charcoal Fish – where you could get butterflied mackerel, yellowfin tuna cheeseburgers and salt-and-vinegar potato scallops – had its last day of trade on Sunday March 31. The Niland team noted the “variable seasonality” of the harbourside location was a contributing factor to the decision. And with Saint Peter’s impending move into The Grand National Hotel, which has space for a whole-fish butchery, Paddington’s Fish Butchery (that serviced the smaller OG Saint Peter) was no longer needed.

Tempura Kuon, CBD

The deep-fried-and-golden omakase experience closed its doors at the end of April. It was the spot for crunchy tempura – all fried in sesame oil imported from Japan for around $400 a can – with sake alongside. There were rice-vinegar-pickled tress tomatoes, plus the classics: prawn, squid and sand whiting. The dining room came from restaurateur Kenny Lee and head chef Hideaki Fukuda, who also own and run Kuon Omakase and Irori Kuon.

Lima Bar, Bondi

First the Warike team closed Lima Bar, its Walsh Bay Nikkei eatery, six months after opening – before reopening by the beach in February, pivoting to flavourful ceviche, tiraditos and causas. The move was spurred on by a realisation that the harbourside location wasn’t right, but the team had higher hopes for Bondi.

Just shy of four months in operation, the team announced it would be closing: “To our loyal and cherished regulars and everyone that gave our small family business a try in the last few months, we want to express our most sincere gratitude for your consistent support and for embracing our passion for Peruvian cuisine.”

Redbird, Redfern

The neighbourhood Chinese restaurant came from a powerhouse hospitality couple, who were locals to the area. Rebecca Lines and Hamish Ingham (Tequila Daisy, Bar H, Banksii) opened Redbird in December 2022, with word spreading quickly about the finer modern Chinese menu (and the golden prawn toast. But, referencing the current financial climate, the pair closed Redbird in mid-May. “The current trading conditions are the toughest we have seen in our time of operating venues,” the pair said in a statement. “With another quieter year approaching, we have decided it is best to call time on our venues.”

Tequila Daisy, the couple’s Mexican-leaning Barangaroo bar and eatery, closed simultaneously.

Bar Grazie, Potts Point

Barry McDonald is a Sydney hospitality veteran. In 2004, he opened the OG Fratelli Fresh (back when it was a provedore). September 2022 saw the opening of his 19th restaurant, Bar Grazie, a charming “casually luxe” Italian joint in Potts Point. But Bar Grazie closed in April – with the Sydney Morning Herald publishing an exposé on the “rise and fall” of McDonald.

The article references mounting debt – including owing the head chef, suppliers and investors – and a hidden bankruptcy, McDonald’s flashy extracurricular spending, failure to pay staff super, disappearing tips and an eftpos machine hooked up to McDonald’s personal account.

Bartolo, Surry Hills

The Crown Street wine bar and restaurant closed in February after five years on the busy block. No comment was made, but the Bartolo Instagram was set to private and, at the time of closure, the website read: “Bartolo Wine Room is now closed. Thank you for all your support over the past five-plus years. Come see us at Big Poppa’s for all your pasta and wine needs.” Big Poppa’s is currently closed too, due to Darlinghurst’s construction works.

Cirrus, Barangaroo

The bright seafood-forward bistro – from the Bentley Group (Monopole, King Clarence, Yellow) – took over the old Noma site in 2016. But eight years later, despite its accolades, it called final service for Sunday September 1. In a statement, the group said it was “unable to strike a deal” with the new landlord. A few of Sydney’s favourite chefs chimed in when the news hit Instagram. “One of the best seafood restaurants in the world,” wrote Morgy McGlone of Bar Copains, while Merivale exec chef Dan Hong opted for emojis: “😢❤️🙌”.

The site recently became a 165-seat Yo-Chi.

Lola’s Italian, Bondi

Lola’s was the beachy, level-one restaurant with a foosball table and a winning menu. Opened in 2021, the dining room was awash with blue, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking over the beach. Spaghetti with clams? A whopping cotoletta alla Milanese? A $49 set menu? All of it excellent. But with the current climate in hospitality (increased cost of produce and smaller customer spends) and slow winter trade, co-owners Marco Ambrosino and Manny Spinola decided to close.

Beau, Surry Hills

In late July, Nomad’s laneway wine bar sibling called a hurried final service – it was to close following service the next day. Opening in 2023, just 200 metres from Nomad, Beau was the more casual offering – but with a 600-bottle wine list. It’s not the end for the space though, with the group noting it’s “currently exploring other opportunities”.

King Dynasty, Chatswood

The massive Cantonese restaurant favoured for its yum cha service, inside Chatswood’s Westfield, is another casualty in the wave of closures being forced by rent hikes. It closed in May after “unavoidable challenges in lease renewal”.

“Our journey has been one of dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to serving our beloved community,” read a statement on the restaurant’s Instagram. “This decision was not made lightly, and we are profoundly grateful for the support and love shown to us by our patrons, friends, and partners over the years. While this marks the end of one chapter, it is also the dawn of a new beginning. We are not saying goodbye but rather see you soon, in a new form, with fresh ideas, and renewed energy.”

Calita, Bondi

This teeny Baja-leaning eatery pushed fish’n’chip tacos, excellent Margs and fresh ceviche with views over the waves. The food was great and the vibes were breezy, but the venue – by Milpa Collective (Sonora, Carbon) – is no more. The space is now Pocket, a stop for “plates, sips and coffee” by the Makaveli team.

Hey Chu, CBD

Cuong Nguyen opened Hey Chu in early 2023. The city venue was inspired by the vibrant late-night drinking culture of Vietnam. There were neon lights and handmade paper lanterns covering the ceilings, plus playful takes on the cuisine (think koshihikari rice pot pies). But as of June, Hey Chu is no more. In a statement, the team cited the rising financial pressures of operating in the industry. The closure will also give Nguyen time to focus his attention on his other venues: Hello Auntie and Penelope’s.

Sammy’s, Careel Bay

Sammy Bizarro opened his eponymous cafe at Careel Bay Marina last year – and it was an immediate hit with locals. With spectacular water views, it was a pared-back pit stop for coffee and a bolognaise jaffle, whether you were a local or taking a northern beaches daytrip. But the family-run cafe shut up shop this winter.

Botswana Butchery, CBD

The 300-seat Martin Place restaurant, along with its restaurants in Canberra and Melbourne, entered voluntary administration. Opening in early 2022, the New Zealand steakhouse pushed meat aplenty, along with seafood and a caviar service. In May, the Sydney Morning Herald reported the group owed creditors $4.5 million, with money owed to staff exceeding $500,000. The sprawling site has since welcomed The International, a multi-storey venue from the Shell House team.

Additional reporting by Michael Harry, Lucy Bell Bird and Ariela Bard.