
Ester Restaurant
A trendy, modern Australian restaurant in Chippendale, known for its bold flavors, wood-fired oven, and curated natural wine list.

Highlights
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Ester Restaurant

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A trendy, modern Australian restaurant in Chippendale, known for its bold flavors, wood-fired oven, and curated natural wine list.
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekends, to secure your preferred dining time.
Embrace the Taster Menu
Consider the taster menu for a comprehensive experience, but come hungry as portions are generous.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Modern Australian
Price
$$$
Phone
+61 2 8068 8279
Address
46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
Website
ester-restaurant.com.au/Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Fermented Potato Bread
A universally praised starter, this warm, pillowy bread with kefir and salmon roe is a must-try.

Wood-Fired Culinary Delights
Ester's wood-fired oven is the heart of its operation, creating bold flavors and unique textures.

Unique Australian Natural Wines
Experience a thoughtfully curated wine list, with a special focus on Australian natural wines.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekends, to secure your preferred dining time.
Embrace the Taster Menu
Consider the taster menu for a comprehensive experience, but come hungry as portions are generous.
Don't Miss the Bread
The wood-fired potato bread with kefir is a standout starter that consistently receives rave reviews.
Sweet Undertones
Be aware that some savory dishes may have subtle sweet notes, which can be a surprise to some palates.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekends, to secure your preferred dining time.
Embrace the Taster Menu
Consider the taster menu for a comprehensive experience, but come hungry as portions are generous.
Don't Miss the Bread
The wood-fired potato bread with kefir is a standout starter that consistently receives rave reviews.
Sweet Undertones
Be aware that some savory dishes may have subtle sweet notes, which can be a surprise to some palates.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Ester is celebrated for its outstanding, innovative dishes, particularly its wood-fired creations and signature potato bread. Reviewers praise the attentive service and modern, inviting atmosphere. While many dishes are lauded, some find certain savory items lean too sweet, and a few felt the overall experience didn't quite match the hype or price point.
"Honestly, some of the best food I’ve ever tried. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was spot on—especially sitting at the bar, which added to the experience. The entrees were a fantastic start, especially their signature bread—so simple but so good.
Now, the dumplings… out of this world. Packed with flavour, perfectly cooked, and the filling was rich and satisfying. The lamb with lamb brain was a standout—cooked perfectly medium rare, super tender, and served in a generous portion. We also tried the eggplant with mushroom and were pleasantly surprised by how big the serve was. The textures were spot on—crispy, rich, and a perfect pairing with the lamb.
Overall, the vibes were great, the service was solid, and for the quality and portions, the price was absolutely worth it. Will definitely be coming back."
Jayden lim
"Ester is a solid choice for a meal. The standout was definitely the potato bread with kefir—warm, pillowy, and packed with flavor. The radicchio salad was delicious, and the prawn was tasty as well. Service was attentive, making for a pleasant dining experience. However, many of the dishes leaned on the sweet side, even the savory ones. The casual ambiance is unpretentious, allowing you to enjoy a good meal without dressing up."
Remee D.
"Ester in Chippendale delivers an outstanding dining experience, with service that’s warm, polished, and attentive from the moment you walk in.
The food was impressive overall, offering a thoughtful mix of flavors and textures. The highlight for me was definitely the Yamba King Prawn—beautifully cooked, tender, and full of flavor.
If I had one critique, it would be the Pork Belly. While some may enjoy it, I found it a bit too sweet and thin, which overshadowed the natural taste of the meat. It was the dish we enjoyed the least."
Siti Sulistyani
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Ester is most famous for its wood-fired cooking, signature fermented potato bread with kefir, and its unique Australian natural wine list.
Yes, it is highly recommended to make a reservation in advance as Ester can get busy.
The restaurant has a cool, modern yet warm atmosphere, suitable for various dining occasions and described as romantic and dimly lit.
Yes, Ester offers a set menu which is substantial, and some reviewers noted the taster menu portions were generous.
The restaurant states they make efforts to accommodate dietary needs, but cannot guarantee that all food will be allergen-free.
Standout dishes often mentioned include the fermented potato bread, king prawns with fermented shrimp butter, lamb dumplings, and eggplant dishes.
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Located in an industrial-style space that was previously a parking lot, Ester is one of the best spots in Chippendale—a neighborhood with tons of exciting spots to eat and drink. The food mainly comes out of the wood-fired oven (your family-style dishes will sometimes arrive with a dusting of charcoal), including things like abalone and chicken skin with mandarin kosho, and pork belly. But no matter what else you order, start your meal with the roasted oysters and a blood sausage sanga (which is just an Australian term for sandwich).
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A Sydney institution, tucked in the backstreets of Chippendale by chef Mat Lindsay, where fire-charged produce, bold flavours, lo-fi wines and warm service remain at the heart. Why we love it: At Ester, Lindsay roasts cauliflower heads until they’re blackened, serves blood sangas on pillowy bread, and pairs warm potato bread with kefir and pops of salmon roe. Wines are natural, organic or biodynamic.
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Mat Lindsay’s innovative modern Australian cooking is the reason you’re here. The short, ever-evolving menu features original combinations like raw scallops with sea lettuce and finger lime, or king prawns with fermented shrimp butter and capers. Vegetable plates, like cauliflower with almond sauce and mint aren't just boring side dishes here, either.
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Chef-owner Mat Lindsay was ahead of the game when he opened wood-fired restaurant Ester in 2013. It's since become internationally acclaimed in the flame-cooked food space, with mainstays on the menu like a fermented potato bread and grilled prawns with crustacean butter (of which Dua Lipa was a fan). "I was so excited to be finally eating there [in 2014] after many failed attempts of getting a booking," says Executive Chef of CBD restaurants Lana and Martinez, Alex Wong.
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Nor did he invent pickling, fermenting or wood-oven cooking. What he’s done, however, is meld these techniques and ideas into a cuisine that’s unequivocally his own, keeping Ester at the forefront of Sydney dining for more than a decade. Career-defining snacks, such as the blood sausage sanga and blistered potato bread with kefir cream, remain unimpeachable staples, but it’s the kitchen’s constant quest for depth of flavour that compels more than anything.
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Over in the trendy neighbourhood of Chippendale, Ester is a sophisticated restaurant best known for its innovative culinary creations. It is owned and run by chef Mat Lindsay, who is passionate about wood-fired cooking. Since opening more than a decade ago, the venue has become a trendsetter in Sydney's dining scene because its outstanding menus feature dishes perfectly prepared using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
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Located in the lively neighborhood of Chippendale, Ester Restaurant is a culinary gem celebrated for its innovative approach to modern cuisine. Specializing in wood-fired cooking, the restaurant offers a menu that showcases the depth of flavors achieved through this traditional method. With its warm and inviting ambiance and communal dining room, Ester invites guests to enjoy delicious dishes that are both rustic and refined.
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From the team that brought you much loved wine bars Vini, Berta and 121BC comes Ester, a quirky, chic restaurant tucked away in Chippendale. The cavernous space is dimly lit by low hanging globe-shaped lights, with arched openings affording diners a view to the bustling kitchen. A wood fired oven spurs much of the menu, with everything from crab to cauliflower feeling the blaze at some point during cooking.
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A firm favourite among Sydneysiders, Chippendale’s Ester makes dining alone a dinner to remember – its dining room is beautifully designed and cosy, and dishes are some of Sydney’s most famous. Upon arrival, solo diners will be sat at the bar or countertop and anything on the menu, either the set or a la carte, is available to them. Smaller portions are also possible depending on the dish and availability.
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The sister venue to Mat Lindsay’s Ester, Poly, houses in the Paramount House Hotel, is a relaxed venue with a seriously sexy menu. If you can grab a group of six, you’ll start with snacks of the highest order, fermented potato bread, smoked beetroot and fried potato with salted egg yolk. Enjoy mains of black angus steak and roasted hispi cabbage before you move onto desserts!.
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Nestled between the streets of Chippendale is Ester, a hidden gem that you can walk past and easily miss from the outside. However, the inside provides an elegant fine dining experience that would easily give Gordon Ramsay a run for his money. Ester becomes a playground for the incredibly talented chef Mat Lindsay to showcase his ingenious creativity.
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A Chippendale mainstay, Ester pairs the best of Sydney’s dining scene with the laidback energy of its Chippo surrounds. The space is simple and sparse — done in concrete tones and darkish wood. It’s a (designer) vessel free of corny trends and all the tiring paraphernalia that comes with them, placing the food at the centre of your experience.
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Ester stands out as a culinary gem in Sydney’s vibrant dining scene. The restaurant is celebrated for its modern Australian cuisine, where innovation meets traditional flavors, all elevated by the magic of wood-fired cooking. The atmosphere at Ester is stylish and contemporary, providing a welcoming backdrop for a diverse range of patrons.
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With a focus on ingredient-driven cuisine, Ester Restaurant offers a unique dining experience featuring wood-fired dishes. The menu highlights include the salt-baked crab and the potato bread, which are both popular among visitors. The restaurant also has a curated selection of natural wines to complement their modern Australian food.
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The run-down: A thriving, bustling homage to the wonders of wood-fired cooking, Ester has gained acclaim over the years for its eclectic, ever-evolving menu that celebrates the more unorthodox preparations of meat, dairy and vegetation. Think cult-classic blood sausage sandwiches, potato bread with kefir cream, and wood-fired oysters.
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Ester is the gold standard for consistency in Sydney, constantly referred to one as one of the city’s best restaurants each year. And that reputation is so beautifully earned through changing seasonal menus and constant collaborations. You can’t build a culinary institution of this calibre without a good steak on the menu.
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Ester, a hidden gem located between Chippendale’s streets, is a lovely fine dining experience that would readily compete with Gordon Ramsay. Ester has an award list that would take up too much space to list here. Ester’s fine dining cuisine is inspired by Eastern and Western traditions, and their award list is long.
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At the heart of this Chippendale restaurant is a mallee root-fuelled wood-fired oven which was co-designed by chef Mat Lindsay. The overall feel of the dining room is stripped back – we’re talking concrete interiors and paper napkins on bare tables. But, when it comes to the food, Ester doesn’t hold back.
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Ester, one of the top locations in Chippendale, is housed in a converted parking garage with an industrial vibe. A cosy 45-seat restaurant where the chef recommends eating. Since 2013, Ester has been a mainstay of the city's upscale dining scene, earning rave reviews for its mind-blowing, farm-fresh fare.
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If you want the space and time to really kick back and talk shop, Ester’s minimalist dining room is a great option. Ester’s top-notch menu options are all about quality and substance over frills, and your taste buds will definitely notice. Ester, 46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
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Prepare to be torn between Ester’s two great offerings – the house baked sourdough ($3) and the fermented potato bread ($21). Whatever you choose you can’t lose. Cooked over ironbark embers each morning, the malted rye and honey sourdough is prized for its spongy crumb and thick, noisy shell.
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Ester Restaurant (46/52 Meagher St., Chippendale) has been voted Sydney’s Restaurant of the Year for 2017 and for a good reason. Chef Mat Lindsay is one of a kind; all of his dishes breathe luxury and the taste is no less spectacular. That being said, you cannot go wrong with any order.
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The food at Ester restaurant is exquisite and the service is impeccable. The restaurant has a very romantic atmosphere, which is perfect for a date night or an intimate dinner with friends. The wine list is extensive and the waitstaff are knowledgeable about every dish on the menu.
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Everyone needs a local haunt, and Ester in Chippendale is mine – the kind of place where they treat every guest like family. Its set menu is one of the best value in town, with really innovative and consistently tasty food. Ask for an Aperol Sour and tell them Sam sent you.
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No visit to Sydney would be complete for us without a meal at Ester. We have been visiting this restaurant ever since it opened under the watchful eye of Mat Lindsay. The food is always excellent and the selection of natural wines perfect for our taste.
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: This is a trendy restaurant in Sydney’s Inner West with an honest menu and relaxed vibes. The menu features lots of unique fermented items. Venue and ambience: Some of the best restaurants in Sydney are the ones that keep things simple, like Ester.
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The pitch for one of Sydney’s most influential restaurants is a simple one: a neighbourhood place using local and sustainable ingredients, serving organic and biodynamic wine, all of it ever-changing, all of it centred around a woodfired oven.
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Address: 46-52 Meagher Street, ChippendaleNestled in Chippendale, Ester is a trendy restaurant known for its wood-fired dishes and minimalist decor. The menu focuses on locally sourced ingredients, and the creative dishes are sure to impress.
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Ester is a simple looking establishment with a seemingly simple menu. Voted no. 12 in The Sunday Telegraphs Delicious 100, Ester is a two-hatted masterpiece. For $92pp, Ester’s set menu takes you on a modern Australian tasting safari.
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If creative and innovative Australian cooking if your thing, head to Ester. You’ll find that here it’s all about quality over quantity. The rotating menu is quaint but not lacking at all in terms of deliciousness.
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Don't be fooled by the science-y name, Ester is not one to dish up alien and soulless fare. Quite the opposite in fact. At this Chippendale haunt you'll find the food revolves around its wood-fired oven.
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The sourdough from Ester's wood-fired oven rightly has a fanbase, but don't overlook the restaurant's well-blistered, salt-flecked serves of potato bread, made from mash fermented for up to four days.
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from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit