From Oslo to Perth, these new dining destinations offer elevated interiors and menus to match.
Lily’s Restaurant & Club
Brussels, Belgium
This sophisticated new eatery in the Belgian capital features an opulent design and a nightclub, open ’til late. With an aesthetic conceptualised by the London-based SZ Design, the restaurant recalls the elevated establishments of the 1970s with its marble-clad walls, mirrored ceilings, and bespoke furnishings. Three seating areas include the main restaurant, a spacious indoor terrace, and a bar and nightclub (open Thursday through Saturday nights). Menus are Mediterranean inspired, with dishes like spicy linguine with prawns, and tuna tartare. Wines hail from France, Italy, and Spain, while signature cocktails have been created by head mixologist, Sam Bellan. Don’t miss the large Hollywood ring mirrors in the Burlesque-inspired nightclub.
Brasserie 1930
Sydney, Australia
The Bentley Restaurant Group’s latest venture at the newly opened Capella hotel offers Sydneysiders and visitors alike an elevated, Australian take on brasserie fare. The food menu has been designed by chef Brent Savage to include a variety of cooking techniques such as curing, smoking, fermenting, pickling, and preserving, while a charcoal grill is the centrepiece of the open kitchen. Starters include glazed quail with whipped feta and green olive salsa and Flinders Island scallop with brown butter and finger lime. Larger plates, such as the Wagyu rump cap, are cooked on the grill; a duck dish is whole-roasted and served as breast and neck sausages with roasted plum, fennel, spinach, and glazed eschalot. Sommelier Nick Hildebrandt has curated the wine list to showcase up-and-coming producers as well as more established names from Australia and Europe.
TAK Oslo at Sommerro
Oslo, Norway
Stockholm’s Nordic-Japanese dining concept has arrived in Oslo with the opening of TAK on the rooftop of the new Sommerro hotel. Headed by chef Frida Ronge, TAK showcases the best of Norway with its seasonal menus highlighting produce from local, sustainable operators. Sample dishes such as chirashi sushi with gravlax, cured with soy sauce and mirin; or fresh Nordic sashimi created using local Arctic char and served with housemade, locally sourced pickled swede. Diners can also pop next door to Ekspedisjonshallen, an all-day brasserie with live music performances and a cocktail bar; or To Søstre, an afternoon tea venue with classical music by a self-playing Steinway Grand Piano.
Tottie’s Lorne
Victoria, Australia
Merivale has opened its fifth Totti’s restaurant within the Lorne Hotel on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. Kelvin Ho from Akin Creative has designed the sprawling space as a contemporary nod to the ’70s, with design features such as chequered cork flooring, sorbet terrazzo and terracotta, soft arches, and aged copper fireplaces. Executive chef Matt Germanchis heads up the kitchen of the Lorne establishment, with menus that feature beloved signatures like antipasti and woodfired bread, handmade pasta like pappardelle lamb ragu, and local seafood and produce such as Apollo Bay octopus.
Cecconi’s at Bicester Village
Oxfordshire, UK
Soho House’s wildly popular Italian dining destination, Cecconi’s, has opened its first UK restaurant outside of London at the luxury shopping destination, Bicester Village, in Oxfordshire. The restaurant features an elegant design with high ceilings, striped tile flooring, velvet banquette seating, vibrant artwork, and dark wooden tables topped with marble. Menus are inspired by the cuisine of northern Italy, with a selection of handmade pasta, oven-baked pizzas, fresh seafood, and seasonal mains. Cecconi’s at Bicester Village joins the restaurant’s locations in Mayfair, West Hollywood, Miami, Istanbul, Berlin, Barcelona, New York, and Mumbai. It complements the Soho Home boutique at Bicester Village, one of more than 150 designer shopping boutiques, a 46-minute train from London.
Promenade Bondi Beach
Sydney, Australia
Bondi Pavilion’s newest dining and drinking destination has opened its doors, revealing a 900sqm beachfront space offering a restaurant, terrace, and bar, and a kiosk for takeaway coffee and snacks. The venue combines elegant décor with a relaxed feel, in an effort to equally appeal to those celebrating a special occasion as much as those stopping by during a day at the beach. Soft hues are complemented by finishes such as ochre quartzite and sand-coloured travertine floor tiles. Food menus have been created by House Made Hospitality Culinary Director, Stephen Seckold, and Executive Chef, Chris Benedet (Cirrus Dining, Monopole, Rockpool) — choose from plates like squid ink calamarata with pippies and jamon XO; coral trout crudo with apple, pickled nori, and trout roe; or a heftier Wagyu ribeye with sambal butter and lemon.
Miss Mi
Perth, Australia
Melbourne’s popular eatery Miss Mi has opened in the heart of Perth, bringing the flavours of Southeast Asia to the Western Australia capital courtesy of Filipino-born chef, Alex De Leon (Apple Daily, Low Key Chow House, Dainty Dowager). De Leon’s cuisine is centred on WA ingredients, which are artfully cooked on a grill — sample smaller plates such as grilled octopus with cucumber, mint, and lassi, or larger meals like Szechuan-glazed lamb ribs with pickled red cabbage. The space has been designed by The Scanlan Architects and Singapore-based Kreat Studio, with design features including dark natural wood, bespoke furnishings, and floor-to-ceiling cabinetry displaying an array of ornaments.