Aalia Restaurant Sydney

Aalia is a two-hatted Middle Eastern restaurant in the heart of Sydney CBD, built around the breadth of Middle Eastern and North African cooking. Its kitchen team spent years researching lesser-known regions and coastlines, as well as historic ingredients and recipes found in 10th-century Arabic cookbooks. The result is a menu designed to explore the region’s food traditions rather than reduce them to a single style. Aalia was awarded two hats soon after opening and was named Gourmet Traveller’s NSW Restaurant of the Year in 2023.

The menu is structured as a progression, beginning with raw dishes and mezze before moving to mains and sides. Each dish is intended to reflect a particular region or period of Arabian culture, with the restaurant combining traditional references and modern techniques. The website describes menus that explain the origin and inspiration behind each dish, giving the meal a sense of context as well as flavour. Options include à la carte dining, desserts, cocktails, banquets and wine selections, with sample menus subject to change.

The setting is closely tied to its location in Martin Place. Aalia’s interior works with Harry Seidler’s MLC architecture, bringing together older and contemporary influences through its materials, furnishings and architectural details. The atmosphere is described as intimate and relaxed, with a sense of Middle Eastern hospitality and tables intended to be shared through small plates. It is a considered choice for diners looking for a destination-style meal in the Sydney CBD, whether marking an occasion, meeting friends or exploring a regional cuisine in depth.

Next to the restaurant, Aalia Wine Room offers a separate, intimate wine bar with a tactile setting and a list that brings together heritage bottles and newer discoveries. It also provides wine tastings, corporate functions and event options, adding flexibility for groups and work gatherings. For the restaurant itself, the strongest fit is for curious diners who enjoy a structured, story-led meal and want to spend time with the cooking, setting and wine rather than make a quick stop.