Rick Stein Opens New Restaurant at InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach
Travel Weekly visited Rick Stein's latest restaurant at the new InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, which boasts a bleached Mediterranean beach atmosphere. The 198-key hotel has introduced a dining venue that blends relaxed coastal charm with sophisticated design.
Restaurant Layout and Ambience
The restaurant seats 224 guests across three distinct areas:
- An open courtyard near the reconfigured main entrance
- A balcony overlooking Arden Street
- The main dining room with floor-to-ceiling doors opening onto a deck
Indoor dining is intimate, featuring a 10-seat chef’s table as well as two 12-seat banquette sections. On the walls above are two prominent artworks: an arrow squid and a school of fish, enhancing the venue's maritime theme.
Sass’s Bar and Opening Details
Sass’s Bar, named after Stein’s Australian PR wife Sarah, occupies what was formerly a karaoke bar in the previous Crowne Plaza hotel. After a soft opening serving about 80 guests, Stein is expected to arrive on December 20.
The demand was high, with over 3,500 visitors to the booking site as soon as reservations opened. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with dinner service only from Monday to Thursday.
“Sydney’s Coogee Beach is the perfect location for our flagship Australian restaurant,” Stein said. “It’s relaxed yet sophisticated, with that incredible connection to the ocean that has always inspired my cooking. For us, this feels like coming home.”
Author’s summary: Rick Stein’s new restaurant at InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach beautifully captures coastal elegance, offering a variety of inviting dining spaces and a strong seaside inspiration.