Where Chefs Eat: Whenever He’s in Town, Rick Stein’s First and Last Stop Is This Sydney Pub

The British chef known for his classic approach to seafood – and two Aussie holiday diners at Bannisters in Port Stephens and Mollymook – will make his Sydney debut next month, nice and close to the beach.

Rick and his wife and business partner Sarah Stein’s next dining room is an oceanfront 224-seater on Coogee Beach. And bookings are already going quick.

The menu will follow Rick’s long-held personal mantra: “Nothing is more exhilarating than fresh fish simply cooked”. That means Nelson Bay mahi mahi, Port Stephens pippies and Ulladulla mackerel. Singapore chilli crab will use blue swimmers from Nelson Bay. Of course, there’ll be fish and chips with mushy peas.

Before we can get in there to celebrate summer with something cold and crisp, we’ll be stopping at the chef’s top Sydney picks.

Quick takeaway dinner: I love Tobikiri, a tiny husband-and-wife Japanese restaurant in Neutral Bay with about 10 tables. It’s amazing what a husband and wife and one waiter can do.

Lunch on the go: Avenue Road in Mosman – not lunch actually, but brunch. My wife Sas loves the acai bowls there.

Snack: prawn dumplings from Fang Dumpling House in Cremorne.

Ideal date: Bathers’ Pavilion. It’s a beautiful view, right on Balmoral Beach and very romantic.

Special occasion: I’m booking Margaret in Double Bay. A must-order is the coral trout, which they cook over wood with olive oil and a bit of lemon.

Burger: Paul’s Famous Hamburgers in Sylvania on the way to Mollymook, where our restaurant, Bannisters Mollymook, is – as well as our holiday house. I love to stop there for a burger on the way.

Coffee: Lot 19 Cafe in Rushcutters Bay. It’s hard not to get great flat whites in Sydney, but this is exceptional.

Big group: The Oaks in Neutral Bay. It’s a firm favourite of ours and normally the first and last place that we have dinner when we arrive and depart Australia. There was a persistent rumour that I had bought it for $175 million – if only!

Long lunch: You’ll find us in our new Coogee restaurant! Ordering pippies with XO sauce.

Bucket list restaurant: The River Cafe in London. Impeccable fidelity to seasonal produce.

Something sweet: Yo-Chi, a delicious frozen yoghurt with a variety of toppings such as lollies and fruits. I like to go with my stepdaughter Olivia. They have an outpost in Coogee, near our new restaurant.

Hidden gem: Murray Rose Pool, or Redleaf Pool, in Double Bay. Sas and I love to go there for a morning swim followed by breakfast at the kiosk.

Top late-night snack after cooking: Grape-Nuts, a cereal from the UK that my wife Sas always packs for me.

Kitchen hack: put unpeeled garlic cloves in a jar or cup, shake vigorously – and the skins will come right off.

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach will open within the Intercontinental Sydney Coogee Beach, 224 Arden Street, on December 1, 2025.

@chefrickstein
@ricksteinatcoogeebeach