Walking into Ursula’s Paddington feels like stepping into an elegant terrace home, adorned with warm caramel tones, vibrant blues, and statement lampshades that probably cost more than a month’s rent. The two-storey restaurant is by formidable chef Phil Wood and his wife, Lis Davies, and over the past three years, it has quietly and confidently cemented itself as one of Sydney’s finest diners. When a special dinner is on the cards with a special someone, the mood is just right at Ursula’s Paddington.

That’s because Cafe Cressida – a casual café and restaurant by chef Phil Wood and wife Lis Davies, the team behind the award-winning Ursula’s Paddington – is now open inside the Musk Stick-pink Queens Court building. Named after the couple’s three-year-old daughter (and found in her favourite building), Cafe Cressida is open for brekkie and lunch seven days a week, as well as dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. No bookings, walk on in.

On a residential corner block in the charming backstreets of Paddington, it’s hard not to fall in love (or at least, lust) with Ursula’s. A few other celebrated Sydney restaurants were in the same space over the years, but this latest iteration has a very distinct, bistro-influenced feel. Ursula’s spills over two elegant floors and is filled with sunlight, making it perfect for a long, romantic lunch, although dinner here is fantastic too.

A meal at Ursula’s should start with chef and co-owner Phil Wood’s signature White Negroni. He perfected it during Victoria’s interminable lockdown before moving to Sydney to open his first solo restaurant. Wood is one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs, and, at Ursula’s, he turns his classic European cooking techniques to uniquely Australian flavours.

If you have something special to celebrate – a birthday, an anniversary, a new job or finally quitting your old one – then Ursula's is your place. The two-storey corner terrace in Paddington has been gorgeously renovated by Melbourne-based interior designer Brahman Perera into a rich and romantic dining room, complete with sculptural lamps by Clementine Maconachie, caramel-toned walls and Perera's own oversized handmade plaster pendants. While they tout themselves as modern Australian, the space does have a distinctly Parisian feel to it – and since its opening back in late 2021, diners have flocked to get their hands on some of the Ursula's signatures: Moreton Bay bug pasta, Ursula's negronis (though we here at RUSSH think they do an excellent Tommy's margarita too), brioche buns and of course, who could go past a strawberries-and-champagne-cream dessert?

For intimate and small-sized weddings where fine wine and food are high on the agenda, it would be remiss not to consider The Blue Room at Ursula's—one of the best restaurants in Sydney right now. The warm, chic, and refined private dining room can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests, with the option to custom design a menu specifically for your guests, alongside the expert guidance of former Rockpool and Eleven Bridge chef Phil Wood and Master sommelier Sebastian Crowther. Located on the second floor of the restaurant's charming Paddington terrace, the space offers both privacy, natural light and views over to the city, ensuring an event to remember.

Inspired by the neighbourhood bistros of Europe, Ursula’s in Paddington is the first independent restaurant from ex-Rockpool Dining Group chef Phil Wood. Expect a refined menu with a nod to Modern Australian comfort food (think mussel schnitzel; lobster salad with mango and XO sauce; LP's smoked mortadella with crispy potato). The elegant new eatery made the 2022 Good Food Guide, with the two-story, corner-block space previously a longstanding home for food institutions Guillaume and Darcy’s.

Award-winning chef-owners Phil Wood and Lis Davies’ Paddington restaurant is beautiful in its simplicity, making it one of the most romantic restaurants in Sydney. Décor consists of boldly painted walls and sculptural lights, while the menu is filled with recognisable dishes – a Moreton Bay bug pasta, a roast bird, or a chocolate cake – that are done masterfully. Everything, service included, is elegant and lacking in pretention, set up for you and your date to sit back and luxuriate.

Ursula’s Paddington is the neighbourhood restaurant you wish was on the corner of your street. Experience the refined, produce-forward cooking of chef-owner Phil Wood this month, with a three-course lunch menu of signature dishes – including the menu favourite Moreton Bay bug pasta – with a glass of wine or non-alcoholic spritz for just $79 when you visit between Tuesday to Friday. Check out the deal here.

Price range: Moderately priced (mains AU$ 20- AU$ 40)Timings: Tuesday to Saturday: 12-4:30 pm; 6-11:30 pm; Sunday to Monday: Closed.Address: 92 Hargrave St, Paddington NSW 2021, Australia. Ursula’s Paddington’s Brioche rolls make an excellent case for you to make you visit it. You will find high-wire French skills combined with premium Australian food infused with Asian flavours with perfect elegance.

Bursting with character and charm is the fusion of old and new world dining at Ursula's in Sydney's leafy inner suburb of Paddington. The two-story terrace house is home to downstairs and upstairs dining sections, where the interior is minimalist yet welcoming. Led by head chef Phil Wood, the menu is inventive and fresh, with influences from all corners of the globe.

Ursulas Paddington is a cozy and inviting restaurant located in a charming old building. The menu is full of creative and delicious dishes, each accompanied by a special and flavorful sauce. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, with music set at a low volume, allowing for a pleasant dining experience.

At his first solo restaurant, acclaimed chef Phil Wood explores and expands Australian cuisine with a produce-driven menu combining classic European cooking with local ingredients. There are nods to Aboriginal history, too, plus a fresh take on the classic peach Melba dessert.

The corner-terrace bistro serves up time-honoured classics dolled up for the now, from dreamy egg mayo sandwiches on brown-butter biscuits topped with salmon roe to a deconstructed lemon meringue pie. This private Paddington gem is for lovers looking to dial up the romance.

A joint-venture Hungarian restaurant involving three-hatted Stanmore fine-diner Sixpenny, and a Woollahra cafe spin-off from the two-hatted Ursula’s in Paddington, are among some of left-field projects planned at the pointy end of Sydney dining.