One of Sydney’s leading food and beverage groups, Applejack Hospitality, has announced that its popular North Sydney restaurant, RAFI, is getting a sister venue at the city’s first and only surf park, URBNSURF.
Opening to the public on July 25, RAFI URBNSURF will mirror the North Sydney original with a menu centered around responsibly sourced seafood, vegetables and grass-fed meats showcasing small producers from across the country.
This highly focused approach has made RAFI a reliable option on the swankier side of the bridge since the 300-seat dining space opened in September 2022. Last year, the kitchen was crowned with a chef’s hat by the Australian Good Food Guide and it’s hoped that much of the same quality will spill over onto this new venture.
Appljack’s Director of Culinary, Patrick Friesen, has worked with Executive Chef Matias Cilloniz on a menu steered by seasonality, complementing panoramic views over the rolling lagoon with options like a signature seafood platter for two, crispy eggplant with spices, honey and herbs, steamed barramundi with chickpea miso and yuzu kosho unctuous sauce, grilled lobster with aji amarillo, and braised lamb shoulder with pistachios, dried apricots and anchovy salsa.
For drinks, bar manager Cameron Freno has worked up a list of signature cocktails showcasing closed-loop sustainability alongside a wide-reaching wine list favouring global producers and famous Champagne houses.
Luchetti Krelle has worked in a riot of natural timbers, earthy tones, oak floorboards and circular motifs to help RAFI URBNSURF look like a seamless extension of the surf park. A rooftop terrace with retractable windows overlooks the manufactured waves with an indoor-outdoor space big enough to seat 165 diners at a time.
First Nations artist Colleen Ngwarraye also provides one of the space’s biggest drawcards, an expansive wool carpet constructed with abstract symbols of Bush medicine herbs and pewter blue highlights to reference the surf park’s lagoon.
RAFI URBNSURF will be the second F&B outlet for the surf park, following a more casual option with Sandy’s.
“With our casual eatery Sandy’s downstairs, we can offer guests at URBNSURF Sydney every dining experience they require, be it a quick snack between surf breaks, a long luxurious lunch, evening cocktails, corporate event, or a special dinner,” offered Applejack co-owner and director Ben Carroll, who has worked with the team extensively on ensuring RAFI blends “sophistication with a coastal feel.”
RAFI URBNSURF
Address: 15 Hill Road, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
Contact: (02) 9000 1548
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (11:30am – late); Sunday (11:30am – 10pm)
