LuMi Dining

Reviews of LuMi often allude to a quote – “You are confined only by the walls you create” – that’s etched onto the sliding glass doors that surround the handsomely appointed dining room. On a warm summer night you’ll find those doors flung open, and the irony isn’t lost. It's a fitting metaphor for a technically faultless dining experience with no constraints, one of the city’s very best, where the only rule seems to be that there aren’t any.

The scene: Owned by the previous head chef from Ormeggio at the Spit, LuMi Bar & Dining offers guests the feeling of dining on the water without getting so much as a little toe wet. The exclusive setting and tall sliding glass doors really do give you the sensation of floating on the harbour, surrounded by the gentle undulating waves of the water that provide the perfect soundtrack to your meal. The interior of the restaurant is decorated with mid-century Italian purple and green textiles which contrast starkly against with the concrete and timber furnishings, reflecting the style of cuisine which is also an eclectic fusion of ideas most often referred to as Italian-Japanese.

Readers of this blog know that LuMi Dining is one of my perennial favourites, so it’s no surprise that most of its dishes contend for a spot on this list. While even its bread is worthy of dish-of-the-year status, the crown for 2019 would have to go to its pork & fermented shiitake-filled pithivier, which plays perfectly to the restaurant’s Italian-with-a-touch-of-Japanese sensibilities. It’s as gorgeous as it looks: the pastrytastes like it’s 50% butter and probably is, the filling a luscious, palate-filling mouthful of umami-esque, porcine savouriness.

You are confined only by the walls you create" reads the text printed on the glass walls hemming in LuMi. It's a little hammy, sure, but the mood is right on: in bringing a Japanese mood to bear on Italian cuisine, Federico Zanellato treads territory few chefs dare to. But his scope is far wider: a single scallop, sliced and put back together with interleaved slivers of rhubarb and jalapeño, for example, is listed on the menu as ceviche, but plays like sashimi, and spins in a new wave crudo direction with a base of buffalo curd and rhubarb vinegar.

You are confined only by the walls you create” reads the text printed on the glass walls hemming in LuMi. It’s a little hammy, sure, but the mood is right on: in bringing a Japanese mood to bear on Italian cuisine, Federico Zanellato treads territory few chefs dare to. But his scope is far wider: a single scallop, sliced and put back together with interleaved slivers of rhubarb and jalapeño, for example, is listed on the menu as ceviche, but plays like sashimi, and spins in a new wave crudo direction with a base of buffalo curd and rhubarb vinegar.

We finish this list with LuMi Bar and Dining, a fine dining restaurant that has honed its craft when it comes to creating modern Italian cuisine that has a uniquely Japanese twist. Offering beautiful views of King Street Wharf, this Michelin star-worthy restaurant is known for its impeccable presentation and culinary expertise. With rows of tiny pendant lights hanging overhead as the Sydney CBD sparkles in the background, LuMi Bar and Dining creates an elegant and romantic atmosphere, perfect for treating your partner.

Drawing inspiration from Italian food and interweaving masterful Japanese influences, LuMi Bar and Dining takes fine dining to a whole new level by bringing together two incredibly different cuisines for one cohesive experience. The menu is ever-changing due to seasonal availability, but the seven-course degustation always impresses. If you consider yourself an oenophile, we recommend also taking advantage of the wine flight designed to match seamlessly with each of the dishes paired by expert sommelier, Michela.

LuMi Bar and Dining is a fine dining restaurant that has perfected its craft in creating fresh, modern Italian food with a Japanese twist. This Michelin star restaurants Sydney, which has sweeping views of King Street Wharf, is renowned for its flawless presentation and culinary arts finesse. With rows of delicate hanging pendant lights shining overhead as the Sydney CBD glows in the background, LuMi Bar and Dining creates a beautiful and romantic ambience for wooing your sweetheart.

The menu at LuMi is as jaw-dropping as it’s waterfront views. The modern Italian menu comes with a Japanese twist, dreamed up by Italian chef Federico Zanellato, who has spent time in the kitchens of Noma, Attica and Ormeggio at The Spit. As well as his two-hatted restaurant, Zanellato’s highly anticipated bakery, Lode, opened in Surry Hills in late 2021, serving decadent pastries and flaky pies with the same artful plating and premium produce of LuMi.

LuMi Dining is one of Australia’s leading fine dining establishments, an innovative restaurant from the talented couple Federico and Michela Zanellato, the respective head chef and sommelier. Since opening in 2014, this waterfront eatery in Pyrmont has been awarded Two Hats for inventive Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist. A small bar menu is available, but for a true culinary experience make a booking for their seasonal degustation tasting menu.

Pitched more towards fine dining, with the portions to match, the highly acclaimed LuMi Dining is led by Chef Federico Zanellato who has fused Italian and Japanese techniques for a seemingly endless spring of innovation. There’s a good reason why LuMi is probably the first recommendation you’d get when inquiring about a good fine-dining Italian restaurant in Sydney. However, it’s not as consistent as some claim.

Swaying masts, superyachts and LuMi – it’s all about luxe in this pocket of Pyrmont. There are two menus at this moody fine diner but only one choice to make: whether you opt for the original tasting menu – with no fewer than 13 individual dishes – or the omakase, a tasting menu on steroids, bedazzled with truffle and caviar. Despite the impressive quantity, it’s somehow impossible not to clear each plate.

LuMi Dining offers a unique blend of Japanese and Italian cuisines, delivered through a tasting menu that showcases the creativity and flawless execution of Chef Federico Zannelatto. The restaurant is known for its stunning presentation and prioritizes flavor above all else. Open from Thursday to Sunday, it also offers special hours during the last week of November until the end of December.

Located at Wharf 10 in Pyrmont, LuMi Dining shines under a ceiling of hanging pendant lights. The stunning interior design decision makes all the more sense when you’re told that LuMi translates to ‘small lights’. Here, you’re in for a truly unique and luxurious dining experience—the view of the harbour is incredible, the service is flawless, and the calibre of the food is truly next level.

Lumi offers a unique and best fine dining restaurants with its innovative blend of Japanese and Italian cuisine. The restaurant's sleek and modern decor, paired with stunning waterfront views, creates a perfect backdrop for a memorable meal. lumi dining carefully crafted and creative dishes showcase fresh, high-quality ingredients, providing an exquisite taste adventure.

LuMi Dining specialises in the fusion of Italian and Japanese cuisine (bet you never thought of that fusion before). The raw fish used heavily in Japanese meals mixes well with the Italian pasta bases, resulting in a match made in food heaven. They only serve from their seven-course tasting menu, however, so we hope you brought your appetite and your wallet.

Pyrmont is home to LuMi, an inspired Japanese/Italian fine diner with glass walls for views of bobbing yachts and twinkling harbour lights, sitting opposite The Star atop Wharf 10. Led by chef Federico Zanellato and his wife, as well as head sommelier Michela Boncagni, come for a casual fine-dining experience of four courses for lunch or eight for dinner.

Set atop Wharf 10, LuMi is an impressive venue, with an even better waterfront view. Most would say it’s fine dining but with a Japanese twist. The menu is set out as a tasting menu, beginning with small bites, followed by a traditional Japanese chawanmushi (a savoury egg custard), and a pasta dish, and another meat dish.

Fine dining comes to life wit h the guidance of chef Federico Zanelleto. The ambience of the restaurant in unparalleled with a multitude of pendant lights to create an intimate atmosphere. Beyond the confines of cuisine, Lumi Bar and dining will invite you to explore the ingredients, textures, and flavours.

Why it made the list: “Lumi” is Italian for “small lights” and is an apt name for a restaurant with a gorgeous view of Darling Harbour. And as you feast your eyes on the waterfront, you’ll be treated to a strange but comforting marriage of “modern Italian food with a Japanese twist”.

In the hands of Federico Zanellato, the fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisines makes so much sense, it’s a wonder why more people aren’t doing it. Settle in for an ambitious degustation with matched wines, and the serene views of Pyrmont Bay will keep you occupied between courses.

This restaurant is managed by the award-winning chef Federico Zanellato, from the world-famous kitchens at Noma and Attica. Federico’s brainchild has culminated in a mouthwatering culinary adventure with a gorgeous backdrop of the Sydney Harbour.

Head to LuMi for a casual, fine dining Italian culinary experience. This award-winning spot is set right on the water, making it the perfect spot for a celebration. As for the menu, enjoy modern Italian dishes with a Japanese twist.

LuMi Bar & Dining – Awarded as Best Italian Restaurant in the World in 2019, this waterfront, fine dining, experience will impress you and your date. Make a reservation and enjoy the luminated, intimate atmosphere and fine cuisine.

Price range: AU$ 125 - AU$185Timings: Wednesday to Saturday: 6 pm- late; Friday to Sunday: noon- 3 pm. Address: 56 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009, Australia. As fancy as it sounds, LuMi will serve you some mouth-watering rich dishes.

Who the hell would pipe a glossy black sesame emulsion on top of salt-baked beetroot?. And make it look like a party-time continental cake?. And make it taste earthy, explosive, incendiary?

Simply one of the most stimulating, creative and original gastronomic experiences present in our guide, so much to have earned the Restaurant of the Year...