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If you needed another reason to make a beeline for the shiny new Sydney Fish Market, this might well be this it. On a sun-soaked corner of the precinct with views across Blackwattle Bay, Touch Wood is the market’s day-to-night venue that’s bringing its A game to everything from crab XO crumpets to oyster shell Martinis.
This 300-square-metre, all-day diner comes from hospo heavyweight Tyson Rowsell (the man behind cult Inner West cafés Dirty Red), and although the space itself is pretty polished, you can feel the sense of Inner West soul in the playful menu.
In the kitchen, Head Chef Courtney Blyde is bringing a fresh perspective to Australian brunch, one that leans heavily (but not exclusively) on seafood. With a CV spanning Baba’s Place, The Apollo and Cho Cho San, Blyde is pretty darn qualified to be heading up a harbourside spot, and his passion for good produce shines through.
RELATED READ: These are the best seafood restaurants in Sydney.
On the brekkie menu, you’ll find a solid range of sweet and savoury dishes – the curry-spiced kedgeree ($28), braised beef hash ($28) and lemon myrtle buttermilk hotcakes ($30) are our top picks. At lunchtime, you’ve got more hefty options, including a warming fish cassoulet ($28) and fried chicken on “Texas toast” ($30).
“It’s brunch with personality,” Blyde says – and that tracks. This isn’t about gimmicks or overworked plates; it’s about letting excellent local seafood do its thing, with just enough cheffy finesse to keep things interesting. Prices sit comfortably in the mid-range, with most dishes landing between $20 and $45 depending on the time of day.
Coffee, as you’d hope, isn’t an afterthought. Industry veteran Paul Cabezas-Heathwood (ex-The Grounds of the City and Veneziano Coffee Roasters) is behind the beans, curating a rotating lineup from Sydney’s best boutique roasters. Expect experimental brews and thoughtful sourcing, plus a tight line-up of juices and smoothies if coffee’s not your thing.
Though Touch Wood is mainly known for its daytime offering, we visited in the evening and can wholeheartedly vouch for it as a dinner spot. The cocktails were on-point, the wine was perfectly paired, the oysters ($30 for half a dozen) were divinely creamy and the chargrilled spatchcock ($50 – served with flatbread, labneh and zingy pickled turnips) was honestly the best chicken I’ve had in recent memory (that coming from someone who just this week tucked into Sydney’s best charcoal chook, as voted by the public). Our meal started with a series of perfectly moreish snacks, including smokey Salmon Chicharones (aka fried salmon skin – $22), freshly shucked oysters and golden potato scallops crowned in a halo of sour cream and salmon roe ($24 for three). Another highlight from the dinner menu was the “Grand Market Platter” ($220 – serves three to four people) that heroes whatever top-tier produce is coming through the market that morning.
Beyond the plate, Touch Wood leans into Rowsell’s community-first approach. There are plans for wine tastings, coffee workshops and supplier takeovers, plus a genuinely family-friendly setup with kids’ menus and school holiday activities. It’s also fully accessible, with easy access from the car park and plenty of room to move.
Set on a north-facing corner of the market, the dining room is flooded with light through floor-to-ceiling windows, with warm timber finishes, native florals and a statement waratah mural on the back wall by Kong Design. The real drawcard, though, is the 100-seater deck that looks out across the harbour – prime real estate for long, lazy brunches that accidentally turn into sunset drinks and a round of fresh oysters.
You can find out more and book over here.
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