Beer garden, martini bar and $280 steaks: The dining hub taking over Quay’s old digs

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The harbourfront restaurant that once housed one of Australia’s most iconic fine-dining institutions reopened today as four-level hospitality hub The Oriana, with an upmarket restaurant to follow on Friday, May 22.

For nearly 40 years, diners travelled to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Sydney Harbour to experience the pinnacle of Australian dining at Quay. It closed in February, having held three Good Food Guide hats for 23 consecutive years under chef Peter Gilmore, and transferred the lease to hospitality group Australian Venue Co.

The group, which is jointly owned by Hong Kong and US-based private equity firms, operates more than 200 hospitality venues across the country. Its portfolio spans community pubs (Public House Petersham, The Erko in Erskineville), cocktail bars (Death & Co in Melbourne, Lefty’s Music Hall in Brisbane) and restaurants (Kingsleys Woolloomooloo, The Winery in Surry Hills).

The Oriana is among its most ambitious projects. The venue was completely remodelled to replace Quay and the James Squire taphouse, The Squire’s Landing.

A family-friendly beer garden screening live sporting matches on the big screen and a late-night pub serving a curated martini menu until 1am on Friday and Saturday, opened on Tuesday. The elevated a la carte restaurant will follow on Friday, with a focus on seafood and a dedicated events space with unmatched views of the Sydney Opera House.

At the restaurant, bold blue carpets and leather-upholstered seating have been replaced with soft, burnt orange furnishings, but the chrome ceiling remains in the upper tower. The downstairs pub is contemporary and warm, with hanging plants, olive green tones and wood finishes.

“We all feel really privileged to be part of such an iconic restaurant site, but it’s going to be a very different offering than Quay,” said executive chef Jason Roberson.

Roberson formerly worked as an executive chef at Applejack Hospitality (operators of RAFI in North Sydney and Bopp & Tone in the CBD) and The Grounds.

“For many people, their first experience of Sydney is at Sydney Harbour, so we wanted to create somewhere that anyone could go … no matter what kind of dining experience they’re interested in,” said operations manager Anita O’Connell.

“It’s designed so you can move your way through all the different levels in one day – maybe you pop in for a drink with a friend in the beer garden, then head upstairs when it’s time for dinner.”

The level two restaurant aims to showcase Australian produce across a wide range of seasonal menu items, said Roberson.

There will be $38 prawn cocktails, $59 chilled Balmain bugs, and $199 seafood platters with oysters, bluefin tuna crudo, king crab legs and Southern rock lobsters. A selection of premium steaks will include a dry-aged Riverine T-bone for $280, and other mains include Berkshire pork with black lentils, radicchio and salt bush butter. The signature dish is a $99 lobster tagliatelle.

Downstairs at the pub, there are staples including a panko-crumbed chicken parmi ($34) and pasture-raised NSW rib-eye ($60), alongside burgers, seafood and salads.

“Every time I walk into the restaurant, it’s a pinch-me moment,” Roberson said. “We’re proud to have created a contemporary Australian offering that really is welcoming to everyone, in such an iconic venue.”