Located in a striking new harbourside building on Blackwattle Bay, the $800m+ development has moved next door to its popular previous location.
While you can take home a live lobster or a bag of briny bivalves, you don’t need to be shopping for fresh ocean bounty. Instead, simply take home a full belly, as the market offers a vibrant mix of retail and dining with over 40 vendors, including a number of new eateries.
There are more than 25 restaurants, cafes and bars including much-loved favourites and fresh, new names including top chef and restaurateur Luke Nguyen’s flagship Southeast Asian restaurant.
In fact, you don’t even have to be a seafood fan to enjoy a visit, thanks to spots like Stitch Coffee, Lüneburger German Bakery, Cow & the Moon gelateria and Olivetta, an Australian-first olive oil concept store.
For a sit-down meal, you can get fish and chips and other beautiful dishes at the iconic The Boatshed, enjoy celebrity chef Somer Sivrioglu’s Turkish-inspired seafood restaurant Hamsi Taverna and enjoy sushi-train dining at Get Sushi.
It’s not open just yet, but Lua by Luke Nguyen will add a huge drawcard. The 300-seater will offer Vietnamese-influenced, ‘fire-kissed’ seafood in a vibey spot overlooking Blackwattle Bay.
Across the board, the highlight is of course the fresh fish of the day and other seafood delights, as the facility is an authentic working fish market, designed to cater to the seafood trade.
You can’t get more fresh than this as dedicated wharves mean commercial fishing vessels can berth and unload their catch directly into the market.
Wholesale and auction facilities continue the daily trade, moving 50 tonnes and 100 different species through the commercial market, extending those fresh finds to restaurants and retailers across Sydney and beyond.
It’s a huge undertaking and you can even opt for an even more immersive experience thanks to behind-the-scenes market tours, masterclasses at Sydney Seafood School, and cultural storytelling that celebrates First Nations fishing traditions.
The building itself is worth a look, with its 200m gently undulating roof designed to allow sunlight to naturally illuminate the upper levels while offering shading from direct rays. It will collect rainwater, with the recycled water being used for irrigation and amenities.
There’s also a water play art feature, creative installations and a waterfront promenade.
The old Sydney Fish Market site will be redeveloped, making way for about 1400 homes.
