Saint Peter at The Grand National Hotel
A pioneering seafood restaurant celebrating Australian catches through innovative, nose-to-tail cooking in an elegant setting.
Highlights
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Saint Peter at The Grand National Hotel
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A pioneering seafood restaurant celebrating Australian catches through innovative, nose-to-tail cooking in an elegant setting.
"This acclaimed restaurant sets a new benchmark for seafood, offering a truly extraordinary dining experience."
Book Far in Advance
Reservations are essential and fill up quickly; book well ahead to secure a table.
Consider the Tasting Menu
Opt for the tasting menu to fully experience the range of inventive seafood creations.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Seafood
Price
$$$
Phone
+61 2 9167 3703
Address
161 Underwood St, Paddington NSW 2021, Australia
Website
saintpeter.com.au/Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Nose-to-Tail Seafood Innovation
Chef Josh Niland redefines seafood by using every part of the fish, from liver parfait to caramel from cod fat.
Impeccable Service & Atmosphere
Guests rave about the warm, attentive service and the refined yet vibrant dining room.
Creative and Acclaimed Cuisine
Experience innovative dishes like tuna cheeseburgers and fish charcuterie, lauded by critics.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Far in Advance
Reservations are essential and fill up quickly; book well ahead to secure a table.
Consider the Tasting Menu
Opt for the tasting menu to fully experience the range of inventive seafood creations.
Weekday Dining
Visit during weekdays or off-peak hours for a more intimate and potentially quieter experience.
Beverage Pairings
Enhance your meal by considering the expertly curated beverage pairings.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Far in Advance
Reservations are essential and fill up quickly; book well ahead to secure a table.
Consider the Tasting Menu
Opt for the tasting menu to fully experience the range of inventive seafood creations.
Weekday Dining
Visit during weekdays or off-peak hours for a more intimate and potentially quieter experience.
Beverage Pairings
Enhance your meal by considering the expertly curated beverage pairings.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Saint Peter garners significant praise for its innovative, high-quality seafood and impeccable service, with many calling it an extraordinary dining experience. While most diners are delighted by the creative dishes and the unique 'fin to scale' philosophy, a few found some dishes lacked distinct flavor or that the lively atmosphere could be too loud for conversation.
"Lunch at Saint Peter was nothing short of extraordinary. This acclaimed 3-hatted restaurant sets a new benchmark for seafood in Sydney. From the moment we stepped in, we were greeted with warmth and professionalism that made us feel genuinely welcome. The open kitchen brought a dynamic, lively atmosphere—it was captivating to watch the chefs bring each dish to life.
We began with their signature Fish Charcuterie, a brilliant and unexpected twist that showcased the ocean’s bounty in the most imaginative way. Who would’ve thought seafood cold cuts could be this impressive?
Every dish that followed was thoughtfully crafted, full of bold yet refined flavors, and presented with precision. It was clear we weren’t just having lunch—we were part of a carefully curated dining experience.
Without a doubt, this was the best meal I’ve had in Sydney. An afternoon to remember, and one I’d gladly return for."
Siti Sulistyani
"I recently celebrated my birthday at Sint Peter, and I wanted to share a more detailed reflection on the experience:
Atmosphere & Acoustics
The ambience was warm and welcoming, but the noise level lifted the energy to a point where conversation became a challenge. While a lively dining room can feel vibrant, it did get a bit too boisterous for my preference.
Cuisine & Flavours
Overall, the food was solid—well-executed and satisfying—but none of the dishes stood out spectacularly. One dish, in particular, the cod, suffered from a serious lack of flavour and felt surprisingly muted.
Yet, what truly elevated the meal was the tuna steak. Expertly cooked and rich in flavour, it was easily the highlight of the meal and something I’d eagerly order again.
Service & Staff
Despite mixed feelings about the food and the bustling noise, the staff’s hospitality was flawless. They were warm, attentive, and made me feel genuinely celebrated on my special day.
In Summary
• The restaurant has a bright, energetic vibe—but it may be too loud for intimate conversation.
• The food overall was good, though not particularly memorable—except for the standout tuna steak.
• The cod dish missed the mark in taste, and I wish it had more depth.
• Service was loving, gracious, and exactly what you hope for on a birthday: truly excellent."
Rathasart “Vin” Cherkong
"This meal was at the bar, we didn’t book and just walked in late on a weeknight. Service was lovely and gave us choice of where to sit. Great atmosphere for a weeknight, warm quiet and intimate at the booth.
Bar menu perfect for when our appetites are light and snacks and drinks were enough. Fresh, delicate, ingenious, nuanced. Would recommend the fish of the day + olives (it was mackerel for us) together with complimentary A P Bread and cultured butter. And you wouldn’t know the burger was tuna - it was akin to beef! We ate fish eyes, fish scales, oyster shells and it was all delicious. A good teaser for what the fuller restaurant menu may be like and I’d love to return for it."
A2B in an EV
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, reservations are highly sought after and fill up quickly. It is recommended to book well in advance.
It's a sustainable approach to seafood where chefs utilize every part of the fish, including offal like livers, eyes, and scales.
Yes, they offer a tasting menu which is recommended to fully appreciate the range of inventive dishes.
The atmosphere is described as refined and welcoming, with an open kitchen adding a vibrant, dynamic element.
While it's possible to walk in, especially late on a weeknight, reservations are strongly recommended due to high demand.
No specific dress code is mentioned, but the ambiance is refined. Smart casual is generally appropriate.
Popular dishes include the Yellowfin Tuna Pâté En Croûte, Salt & Vinegar Blue Mackerel, and creative items like the tuna cheeseburger.
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If you want to see and taste seafood magic, make a booking at Josh and Julie Niland’s pioneering restaurant, Saint Peter, now located in Paddington’s Grand National Hotel. Here, Niland transforms coral trout bones into an umami-packed consommé with noodles (also made from bones), takes lesser-used cuts of fish and turns them into wine-bar-worthy fish charcuterie, and even uses Murray cod fat to create caramel. There’s nothing fishy about dining at Saint Peter – this is seriously delicious stuff, backed up by impeccable service, a warm and polished dining room and an excellent drinks list.
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Named after the apostle who caught a fish with a coin in its mouth, Saint Peter is one of Australia’s finest seafood restaurants. The menu changes daily depending on the quality of fish available that morning, a custom-built cool room showcases crispy-skinned dry-aged fish, and the eatery’s sustainable approach to local Aussie seafood is exemplified by the offal (organ meats) on offer, utilising leftover livers, swim bladder, roe, milt, eyes and scales.
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His nose-to-tail ethos around sustainable seafood has seen him named in the world’s top 100 best chefs, win the James Beard Book of the Year Award and be listed among the world’s 50 best next-generation hospitality leaders. Josh and his partner-in-crime Julie Niland’s sardine tin-sized venue Saint Peter is where it all began and should still be top of the list for any seafood lovers. Whether you get in to experience its original Paddington digs, or end up experiencing the restaurant after it relocates to The Grand National Hotel, you’re in for an experience like no other.
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A lot of people took notice of the 27-year-old chef Josh Niland in 2016 when he opened his first solo restaurant with the intention of reimagining fish. Josh Niland, co-owner and head chef at Saint Peter, adds, "Our whole menu is filled with questions." True, he is not completely wrong. It's not just a question of "what do you want to eat?" when you sit down at the gorgeous marble-topped counter that stretches the length of the revamped Paddington cafe; it's "what can you not afford to miss?" at the restaurant that has revolutionised seafood eating in Sydney.
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Located on Oxford Street, Saint Peter features one of Sydney’s most consistently delicious seafood menus. Thanks to Josh Niland’s elegant approach and reliable network, the Paddington restaurant regularly rotates through some of the best Australian seafood available, working into an inventive menu that’s constantly changing by the season. Beat the crowd and you’ll likely get your hands on a few playful options, like the $38 yellowfin tuna cheeseburger that’s simply built with a zuni pickle and swordfish belly bacon, and then served with some fries on the side.
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Reservations fill quickly for Josh Niland's tasting menu of Australia's best seafood, and with news that he and wife Julie are moving their flagship to Paddington's Grand National Hotel in early 2023, months are ticking to enjoy the intimate original site at its height. After six years of gill-to-fin cooking and spruiking the delicious complexity of dry-aged fish, Niland's current seven-course dinner might lead with Murray-cod-liver parfait before King George whiting marinated in champagne vinegar. Also note the a la carte lunch menu with oysters galore.
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Celebrity chefs aren’t his only fans; his Saint Peter restaurant in Paddington has been embraced by Sydney for its sustainable approach to seafood. No fin or scale is wasted: fish eyeballs become crackers and fish fat is turned into a butter-like substitute for the chocolate slice. His most recent venue, Charcoal Fish, an upscale barbecue fish shop in Rose Bay where you can takeaway charcoal rotisserie Murray Cod rolls and whole barbecued fish, while his Fish Butchery shop in Paddington sells a selection of seafood sourced from high-quality suppliers.
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Josh Niland’s highly acclaimed seafood-only restaurant Saint Peter only serves seafood. The restaurant features an innovative menu that focuses on fresh, sustainable seafood with nose-to-scale cookery, nothing is wasted here. The menu has many seafood favourites like oysters and many more, but it also includes Saint Peter’s famous fish charcuterie which includes Moonfish guanciale, kingfish liver pâté and albacore tuna ‘nduja on toast among other cured delights.
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If you’re wanting fine dining and seafood, Saint Peter enables this concept to go hand-in-hand without all the picking and choosing. A go-to, Saint Peter in Paddington serve up a daily changing seven-course set menu at $175, featuring all the best options of the day as chosen by the chef. From swordfish to pink snapper, you’ll be pleasantly surprised every time you come to dine, which is sure to include a dessert or two.
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Saint Peter’s Chef and owner Josh Niland has become a seafood chef with an almost rock star status bigger than his restaurant itself. Championing head-to-tail seafood and claiming “anything you can do to an animal, you can do to a fish” Niland is single-handedly leading the way for a seafood revolution. If you’ve never heard of or seen a fish charcuterie board, then you will have after a visit to Saint Peter.
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One of Sydney’s buzziest restaurants, Saint Peter brings an inventive approach to seafood with a thoughtful menu that changes as the catch does – it’s only natural. With a head-to-tail approach, you can expect to be chowing down on an array of intriguing (and delicious) dishes including fish butchery charcuterie. Sitchu Tip: If you’re struggling to get a table, swing by the bar to get a taste of the goods.
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If there's anything chef Josh Niland has drilled into our brains, it's that there's so much more to fish than its' fillet. While you may be familiar with the concept of nose-to-tail cookery, you may not of heard of its slippery sibling, fin-to-scale. Embraced by Newcastle-born chef Josh Niland, he applies the same techniques used in preserving meat to that of the seafood variety.
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When you want a seafood degustation without all the picking and choosing, Saint Peter in Paddington is your go-to. They serve a daily changing seven-course set menu at $175, featuring all the best options of the day as chosen by the chef. From swordfish to pink snapper, you’ll be pleasantly surprised every time you come to dine, which is sure to include a dessert or two.
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Saint Peter is a revered fine dining restaurants celebrated for its innovative seafood-centric cuisine. Specializing in sustainably sourced seafood, they offers a menu that showcases the freshest catch of the day. With its cozy yet chic atmosphere and commitment to quality ingredients, Saint Peter provides diners with an unforgettable culinary experience.
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Saint Peter, the world-famous restaurant owned by chef and author Matt Jennings, specializes in seafood. Nothing is wasted here at the restaurant, which has an innovative cuisine that focuses on fresh, sustainable fish with nose-to-scale cooking. The food choices are varied, with dishes like oysters and a variety of other seafood favorites.
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Price range: Per person- average price is AU$ 50.Timings: Wednesday to Thursday: 5:30 pm; Friday- noon to 2 pm; Saturday to Sunday: 10 am- 3 pm, 5:30 pm.Address: 362 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021, Australia. Saint Peter will interact with you in a more dramatic way to interact with you. Your overall experience will be greatly enhanced.
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For one of Sydney’s best seafood experiences, head to Saint Peter. This Australian fish eatery showcases some of the country’s best sustainable seafood, setting the benchmark for seafood dining in the city. With a stack of accolades under the venue’s belt, you’ll be in for a memorable seafood dining experience with every visit.
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With a unique approach to seafood, Saint Peter offers an exceptional dining experience. The dishes are known to highlight the quality of the ingredients, with each bite revealing a new layer of flavor. The informal yet intimate counter dining setting adds a unique dimension to the overall experience, making it memorable.
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A contemporary Australian fish eatery, menu at Saint Peter varies because they serve sustainably sourced seafood freshly caught everyday. More than the usual fish and chips, they beautifully present modern Australian seafood in a very relaxed and informal atmosphere. Have a drink or two while they cook for you.
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Named after the patron saint of fisherman, Saint Peter is an Australian fish eatery serving sustainably sourced seafood all day, every day. The dream restaurant, right?. The menu changes daily depending on what’s fresh off the boats, but expect juicy oysters, fish rillettes and raw wild Kingfish.
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Saint Peter in Sydney’s Paddington area is a seafood-only restaurant that offers a seven-course dinner menu. Josh Niland’s “fin to tail” approach ensures nothing goes to waste. The inventive menu constantly changes to offer the best Australian seafood available throughout the changing seasons.
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What it is: In the heart of Sydney, on Oxford Street, there's a place called Saint Peter. It's like a stylish, modern fish market where you can sit down and enjoy a meal. The place is simple and welcoming, perfect for a quiet dinner or a fun time with friends.
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‘This is the best fish I have eaten in my life,’ says a fellow diner sitting next to me. If you like fish and absolutely love discovering talented chefs honing in on their talents to rival even the best restaurants in NYC, visit Saint Peter in Paddington.
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Saint Peter has been a major player on the Sydney seafood scene for many years now. Situated on Oxford Street, this Paddington restaurant is run by the highly talented Josh Niland. It exclusively serves seafood, and it does so in a very innovative way.
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This pescatarian fine diner made it into the World’s 50 Best longlist for 2024. (Image: Christopher Pearce). Josh and Julie Niland have turned up the dial at their innovative sustainable seafood restaurant Saint Peter at Sydney’s Grand National Hotel.
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The latest incarnation of Sydney’s pre-eminent seafood shrine is a full-throated triumph. GT tip: Really push the boat out and stay the night in the building’s newly opened boutique hotel. 161 Underwood St, Paddington
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Location: 362 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW Ph: (02) 8937 2530 (unattended Sunday & Monday). First up on our list of quality seafood restaurants in Sydney comes Saint Peter. Chances are, you’ve heard of Saint Peter.
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Each day Josh Niland's team at Fish Butchery will prepare a different meal for takeaway. Each meal serves two people and comes with everything you need, including cooking instructions.
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