Popina Kitchen, one of the most anticipated openings of the recently launched hospitality dining precinct Gateway Sydney in Circular Quay, opens Monday 5 December.

The Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant is a collaboration between the owners of renowned North Bondi eatery Shuk and Italian provedore and restaurant group Salt Meats Cheese, pulling on their respective experience across design, food, beverage and operations to create a genuine destination on the second level of this buzzy hospitality complex.

A 'popina' was an ancient Roman bar; a collective meeting place for artists, renegades and outcasts, serving simple food with a large selection of wines. Popina Kitchen embodies this same spirit - perch at the bar and you'll take in the leafy vista through the floor-to-ceiling windows; take a seat at the kitchen and see Head Chef German Sanchez and his team in action or settle into the light-filled dining space to give yourself a bigger table and ample room to order one of everything.

The 280sqm space, designed by Shuk and Popina Kitchen co-owner Erez Beker, includes a rotating pizza oven on entry, a 180 bottle wine wall and seating for 120. A challenging space to bring to life, Beker's use of concrete tones makes its mark throughout, complementing the beautiful imported Italian marble that covers the kitchen and bar tops. Brass is subtly weaved into many elements including some of the custom designed furniture, lighting fixtures and trimmings, creating a dining environment that is well worth the journey to the second level of this busy CBD food destination.

Sanchez, Head Chef of Shuk and Executive Chef/Director of Popina Kitchen, has created a menu with notable culinary influences from his time at Shuk, his Italo-Argentini ancestry and more than 7 years working throughout Italy. With the menu split into mezze, mains and pizzas, the restaurant is focused on 'fun dining' and fine dining, drawing on Italian, Turkish, Lebanese, Israeli and Argentinian influences - cuisines and cultures well known for celebrating shared dining.

Your introduction to the menu should definitely include a peruse of the mezze section with the Argentinian beef empanadas (oven baked with spicy tomato sauce - $6 each), coconut yoghurt labne with beetroot, balsamic vinegar and crackers ($16) and yellowfin tuna with kibbeh nayyeh, watermelon, black lime and mint ($24) on your hit list. Move into the mains with choices such as ravioli di ricotta with lamb back-strap, pistachio crust, mint and jus ($34) or the snapper with bortolli beans, ceviche salsa and heirloom tomatoes ($36).

The pizza menu includes classic Italian favourites such as Diavola (hot salami, sujuk, mozzarella on a tomato base - $22) and Buffalo (Buffalo mozzarella, basil on a tomato base - $20) as well as some more Mediterranean inspired creations like the Green Tahini (dried Kalamata olives, parsley, lemon olive oil on a tahini base - $18), Lamb Kofta (with mozzarella, eggplant and parsley on a tomato base - $24) and Prawn (with zucchini, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, zhoug, sumac on a white base - $22).

The wine list has been designed by consultant Andrew Jamieson and features a number of old and new world wines by the bottle with a focus on Italian, Argentinian and Australian. Crisp, fresh and coastal, the wines list is approachable and easily matched to the sharing style of menu.

Bar Manager Hamish Dowie (Palmer & Co., Ananas) has created a cocktail list peppered with ingredients and influences from the food menu and venue itself. From the Mediterranean Garden (olive-infused Beefeater gin, rosemary, thyme, bitters - $18) through to The Italian Nod (Absolut Elyx vodka, Amaro, pineapple, raspberry - $18) and The Highlands of Aegea (Chivas 12, apricot brandy, lemon, orgeat - $18), the cocktails are as expressive as the food and equally as more-ish. Dowie has also hand-picked a collection of vermouths, aperitifs and digestifs with the Oscar 697 vermouths a stand-out.

Popina Kitchen is the first of the two spaces to launch with Popina Rooftop scheduled for 2017. Originally projected to be a rooftop bar, licensing restrictions has meant a redevelopment of Popina Rooftop with the new incarnation due to be unveiled in the coming months.

Popina Kitchen
Level 3, Gateway Sydney
1 Macquarie Place, Sydney
T: 02 9247 6446
Email: hello@popinasydney.com.au
Bookings: Taken for 1 – 20 people, as of Monday 12 December

Opening hours
Monday-Friday 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm / Saturday 12pm – 10pm / Sunday 12pm – 5pm

Christmas opening hours
Christmas Eve – open for lunch, closed for dinner Closed 25 December – 27 December
NYE & NYD - TBC

Facebook: @PopinaSydney | Instagram: @popina_sydney For further information, images or interviews, please contact Savannah PR:

Brooke Burns
T: 0499 228 180
E: brooke@savannahpr.com.au