Civilian Bar & Kitchen

Civilian offers a democratic dining experience, with unusual fusions of international cuisines and ingredients (locally sourced wherever possible). When the weekend rolls around, with the leisurely inclusion of Friday, too, Civilian opens its Palmer Street restaurant early to serve a long-haul breakfast until 3pm. The menu works its way up from fresh baked goods to intriguing interpretations of the usual eggy offering; Eggs To Remember, for instance, pulls together poached eggs, crushed Japanese edamame (a Far Eastern take on mushy peas), sesame, coriander, and sourdough bread. Combine with either a fresh Detox Retox juice or Civilian’s special Bloody Mary, tagged as The One That Will Save You. Indeed, if you’ve been at Civilian the night before to sample the cocktail list that has been artfully divided into sections namechecking Sydney districts – Civilians own Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, CBD and Bondi – you can’t go wrong with a guilty return and pick-me-up come morning.

The main event at Civilian is undoubtedly dinner, with their Darlinghurst kitchen kicking into action from 5pm until late Wednesdays through Sunday. With an international selection divided into smalls, mid-sized, bigger, and sides, the menu is designed to match appetites. All kinds of peoples’ palates will be satisfied too, with dishes such as natural oysters with a celery, apple and lime granita, the popular Cape Grim beef tri-tip with mushroom ragout, crispy potatoes, and baby spinach, or the hefty confit pork belly with apple, wasabi (Japan again), celery and lemon balm. Alternatively, you might want to book a spot here down Palmer Street for one of Sydney’s best (but most affordable) six course set menus, letting Civilian’s multitalented chefs whip up a seasonal selection of their favourites for your table.