Elegant, ambitious, and perfect for a special occasion, Aalia is as exciting as it is tasty. Located at 25 Martin Place, this fine dining restaurant is a sibling to the beloved and celebrated Nour. While its Surry Hills sister focuses on Lebanese cuisine (diverse and eclectic as it is), what sets the stunningly plush Aalia apart is its expansive journey across the Middle East, including a delightful excursion along the North African coast.

Executive chef Paul Farag takes diners on a full-throttle tour of the Red Sea coastline at new Middle Eastern restaurant Aalia in the Sydney CBD. Impeccably trained waitstaff are armed with an insightful knowledge of the menu that journeys from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Yemen to Iraq and beyond. One of the most exciting and innovative dishes is the waraq simsim, creamy golden sea urchin resting atop cumin-spiced rice and a glossy sesame leaf. The soft, inviting space has the same warm welcome and sculptural wow of Farag’s menu, reminding you that this is something worth leaving home for.

Set within a CBD (Central Business District) high-rise office complex, this stylish restaurant offers a one-stop overview of food from across the MENA region, favouring lesser-known dishes over the obvious, and giving them a modern makeover. The space epitomises quiet luxury with its neutral wood tones and sculptural Bauhaus-inspired design in which the indoor melds effortlessly with the outdoor. The menu features an extensive mezze selection – highlights include a smoked buffalo labneh with beetroot molasses, and skewered quail with barberry glaze and moulakhia sauce.

In the multi-million-dollar revamped Martin Place precinct, AALIA offers contemporary and light Middle Eastern fare and, like its sister venue Nour, the interiors are a part of the experience. Stunning timber columns take their inspiration from the Harry Seidler "spaceship" outside, giving the dining room a bit of theatre, while timber accents and taupe leather booths create warmth. Across mezze, mains and even a Persian caviar service, the offering is cohesive and up-scale—perfect for a CBD celebration.

The latest baby of Ibby Moubadder and Jorge Farah's ambitious Esca group (Nour, Lilymu, Henrietta), Aalia sits at the heart of 25 Martin Place, the brave new face of Sydney CBD dining. It's a dynamic space of circular booths and soaring wooden columns, with tables spilling out onto the terrace. Chef Paul Farag goes beyond the obvious, serving flatbreads with caviar from the Caspian Sea, reimagining stuffed vine leaves as perilla with sea urchin, and slow-roasted lamb neck as shawarma.

Embark on an odyssey into the Middle East, right in the heart of Sydney. Inspired by architect Harry Siedler’s curves of Martin Place’s MLC building, AALIA’s plush interiors push the boundaries just as much as chef Paul Farag’s (Nour, Fish Butchery, Monopole) inspired menu. Diving deeper into the region, try masgouf, an Iraqi char-grilled fish with a delicately sweet and sour sauce, or Egyptian-style foie gras with pickled grapes.

Immerse yourself in the diverse and vibrant flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine at AALIA. The dishes are crafted by Executive Chef Paul Farag, who has spent years exploring the culinary secrets of lesser-known regions and coastlines of the Middle East and North Africa. The dining experience transcends the ordinary, beautifully combining ingredients from different territories and times, contrasting tradition with modern techniques.

Aalia’s signature waraq simsim could well be Sydney’s most photographed dish. Yet, no picture can convey the joy that comes with rolling the finger of uni-topped rice in a whole perilla leaf and popping it in your mouth. It’s approachable yet unfamiliar, as delicious as it is refined; a bellwether of Paul Farag’s novel and exciting cooking, which channels his Egyptian heritage and broader Levantine traditions.

AALIA is Martin Place precinct’s latest restaurant to impress the theatre crowd and corporate clientele that frequent the area. Quickly making a name for itself amongst Sydney’s foodies, the space offers an intimate setting for dates and special occasions. AALIA’s kitchen is led by executive Chef Paul Farag, exploring dishes and techniques from the shores of the Middle East and North Africa.

Take a tour through the history of Middle Eastern cuisine at this 150-seat venue in the former MLC Centre. A unique dining experience arrived at Martin Place in 2022 from the team behind some of Sydney’s most renowned restaurants ( Nour, Lilymu, Henrietta and Cuckoo Callay). The group’s latest and most extravagant offering, Aalia, is in the dining precinct in the former MLC Centre space.

One of the only fine dining Middle Eastern restaurants in the city, the two-hatted AALIA pushes the boundaries of flavour. Executive chef Paul Farag has revived 10th century Arabic recipes and forgotten ingredients to create a menu unlike any other. At AALIA, guests are treated to traditional Middle Eastern hospitality in an inviting space inside Harry Seidler’s iconic MLC building.

CUISINE: Arabian ADDRESS: ground level of 25 Martin Place, previously known as the MLC centre. OPENING HOURS: LUNCH Tuesday – Saturday 12.00pm – 2.30pm | DINNER Monday – Friday 5.30pm – 9.00pm Saturday 5.00pm – 9.30pmINSTAGRAM:@aaliarestaurant. AALIA seamlessly merges modern design with Harry Seidler’s MLC architecture, creating a unique space.

An absolutely stunning spot in the CBD area, AALIA reimagines Middle Eastern cuisine in gorgeous surrounds - think curved wooden columns with touches of gold and cosy booth seating, with an open kitchen and pretty outdoor terrace to boot. Expect a bright and airy eatery during the day, followed by low lighting at night that screams date night.

Aalia introduces a new perspective on Middle Eastern cuisine. The culinary team spent years exploring dishes and techniques from lesser-known regions and coastlines of the Middle East and North Africa. They discovered forgotten ingredients from millennia ago and uncovered recipes from within the pages of 10th century Arabic cookbooks.

This hatted restaurant, headed up by executive chef Paul Farag, is perfect if you’re looking for something central in the CBD. Whilst it’s not exclusively Lebanese, Aalia draws inspiration from the Middle East and North Africa and highlights the best of each region. Start with elevated snacks and mezze before exploring the mains.

Location: MLC Centre, Shop 7.07-7.08/25 Martin Pl, Sydney, NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 9182 5880. Dishes from the Middle East and North Africa – and, of course – Lebanon are re-imagined in sophisticated fine dining restaurant AALIA. Everything about this eatery is sublime.

The Middle East’s lesser-known cuisines brought to light on a menu informed by ancient recipes and modern techniques. You can also try wines from Syria, Jordan, Morocco and more, in a stunning contemporary space in the former MLC Centre.

The Greek food at this restaurant is divine – you have to try the pork belly baklava – but the décor is equally stunning!. One wall has a giant Greek flag brick feature, and there are two horses that stand over the front doors.