Coming Soon: Curtis Stone’s First Australian Restaurant, 24 Storeys Up at Circular Quay

It’s been 130 years and we’re still putting lettuce, celery, apple, walnuts, grapes and a drizzle of mayo in a bowl and calling it Waldorf salad, after the New York hotel that did it first. Which other hotel group has that kind of culinary heritage? (The original also invented eggs Benedict – maybe.)

“I’m lucky enough to have stayed in a couple of Waldorf Astorias around the world, and they do hospitality at a level that’s very, very impressive. They take their culinary stuff super seriously.”

That’s celeb chef Curtis Stone, who’s signed on to open a 100-seat restaurant on level 24 of Australia’s first Waldorf Astoria, coming to Circular Quay in early 2027. He’s spent the past decade dazzling Hollywood with his restaurants Maude (since closed) and Gwen, but feels the unicorn partner and the timing are right for his first Australian project.

“I want it to be a restaurant that Sydneysiders love and tourists really want to get into,” he says. “That’s the aim and the mission.”

The sparkling view over the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House is a good starting point. He plans to keep diners there with meat, veg and especially seafood cooked over flames and ordered à la carte. Long, relaxed lunches will very much be the vibe. You can bookend your meal with drinks in the bar upstairs, on level 25. The names for both are yet to be released.

“It’s going to be a real celebration of Australia,” Stone says. “We’ve really developed a specific style of hospitality that’s unique compared to the rest of the world. I’m super proud of that, even though I haven’t been a part of it necessarily. I’m really welcoming the chance to come back and make a contribution the culinary landscape back here.”

The Waldorf Astoria will open at 1 Alfred Street, Circular Quay in early 2027.