The frenzy hasn’t even come close to dying down over at Darling Square in Haymarket, but Sydney now has another new dining and retail precinct to get excited about. Randwick’s Newmarket Dining is the latest addition to the Harbour City’s collection of lifestyle hubs, located on Barker Street – just down the road from Prince of Wales Hospital and the new Randwick light rail stop.
Phase one of the precinct’s rollout is complete, and five new venues are now open for business. Ramen fanatics will be delighted to hear that Redfern’s endlessly popular RaRa now has a second branch – and while the queues will probably be just as long, you can expect the same buzzy, neon-drenched atmospherics, top-flight tonkotsu broth, and housemade, springy noodles.
It’s good news, too, for those who mourned the loss of Surry Hills cult favourite Baccomatto Osteria when it shut up shop back in September of 2019. The no-nonsense casual Italian eatery is back in new digs with a similar look and feel: an open kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows and a timeless menu of classics that run the gamut from antipasti to housemade pastas, chargrilled meats and simple sides.
On the café front, another Cali Press outpost will be pumping out fresh juices and upping the ante on its food offering with an expanded range of salad bowls and toasties. Café Mckenzie, meanwhile, is a new concept with a Middle Eastern menu and a focus on specialty coffee.
Amidst all the eating and drinking, you’ll also find Barber Signature in the mix, a unisex barbershop looking to flip the script. As for the rest of the precinct, there’s plenty of outdoor dining space between lush greenery and festoon lights, with a playground and communal barbecue areas expected to open soon. The complete launch will be announced this coming March.
Newmarket Dining, 154 Barker St, Randwick 2031. newmarketdining.com.au