EAT | Kensington Street Social | Chippendale
Photos by Natalie Hayllar, Eat Read Love
Jason Atherton’s Kensington Street Social Opens at The Old
Clare Hotel
I have
discovered a Sydney gem. It is called Kensington Street Social
and it is fast becoming one of Sydney's hottest restaurants. After successful
openings in New York and Dubai in 2015, British Michelin-starred chef Jason
Atherton has opened his highly-anticipated first Australian venue, Kensington
Street Social, at The Old Clare
Hotel in Chippendale. Atherton opened Kensington Street Social in
January in partnership with Loh Lik Peng, director of global boutique hotel and
restaurant group Unlisted Collection.
With a
relaxed all-day menu focused on British-Mediterranean share plates, the
restaurant is designed to be flexible in its approach, from a cocktail and a
snack, to a multi-course meal with paired wines. Chef Jason Atherton works
closely with Australian producers to ensure Kensington Street Social is a true
reflection of the country, showcasing some great local wines and a few
international specialties as well.
Atherton
said, “I’m so excited to be opening my first restaurant in Sydney. I’m all
about sourcing the best produce, and here the ingredients are just incredible –
Australian black truffles, the seafood – so I’m looking forward to using them
to reinterpret a few of the signature dishes from my London restaurants. I’ve
had many Australian chefs in my brigade over the years, including my executive
chef Rob and pastry chef Adrian Crabb, so it seemed like a natural step to come
to Sydney and get the team back together.“
After a
beautiful ‘staycation’ at The Old Clare
Hotel I was fortunate enough to to experience some of the
highlights from Atherton's all day menu over breakfast and lunch. Menu highlights
include; vine tomato and Vannella
burrata; the signature 'Social dog’ pork and fennel sausage, green apple, black pudding, cheddar, mustard
combo; Tataki Hiramasa kingfish, with dill, kohlrabi
togarashi; Slow cooked organic hen’s egg, sweetcorn, seaweed,
parmesan, sage, with chicken scratchings; and the flatbread with Queensland Blue Pumpkin, oyster and Portobello
mushroom, with blue cheese walnuts. It’s the perfect menu to share with
friends.
From the outside laneway you could easily be wandering the leafy streets of Soho in NYC. Inside, the polished concrete, timber paneling, and sophisticated contemporary design draws on the industrial heritage of the former brewery in which it is housed. It works perfectly, and despite this being a huge industrial space, it feels warm and inviting, with mirrored panels, copper lighting, bottle green leather upholstery, native flowers, and open views to the pristine kitchen. Kensington Street Social is split across two levels, with concrete finishes echoing Chippendale’s vibrant urban landscape.
The
largest venue within The Old Clare
Hotel, Kensington Street Social is open for breakfast, lunch and
dinner seven days a week, and also offers a Sunday brunch menu. Kensington
Street Social is the third venue to open within The Old Clare Hotel, joining
Automata and Silvereye in what is fast becoming Sydney’s most-exciting
restaurant precinct. Read about our visits to nearby Spice Alley
and The Old Clare
Hotel here.
Call
+61 2 8277 8533
* I was a guest of Kensington Street Social