Steps away from the city, Chinatown and Barangaroo, W Sydney is set to become a vibrant new dining destination with the opening of BTWN, the hotel’s unique new restaurant.

Situated ‘between’ the city’s sweeping expressways and overlooking Darling Harbour, and located on level three of the 585-room hotel, which opens in October, BTWN evolves and transforms as the day unfolds, and guests move ‘between’ spaces and experiences against a backdrop of ever changing views of harbour and highway.

Following the buzz of breakfast, from midday, the cocktail bar showcases signature cocktails, a curated wine list and craft beers, and in the main dining space, the a la carte menu is designed with a hyper-focus on local produce and dishes to share ‘between’ friends. By night, the energy lifts again at BTWN and its cocktail bar, and one of its major drawcards, 2AM: dessertbar by Janice Wong, comes alive.

Dramatic Design

BTWN’s dramatic interiors, designed by Bowler James Brindley, draw on the kinetic energy of their urban surrounds, boldly embracing its location alongside the flyover. Inspired by airstream food trucks, a series of curvilinear, stainless-steel pods lead into the main dining space, and its interiors connect seamlessly with the urban landscape.

Columns emblazoned with aerosol art by Sydney-based artist Sophi Odling echo the surrounding pylons and graphic metallic screens reference Darling Harbour’s distinctive architecture. At nightfall, illuminated ribbon lighting traces the ceiling, evoking the city’s nightlights as if in a slow-exposure photograph.

Culinary Connection

With Head Chef Chris Dodd at the helm, the menus at BTWN are, like its graphic interiors, deeply connected to their environment, emphasising locally sourced ingredients and collaborations with the region’s producers and providores. An alumnus of Aria Restaurant, Bistrot Plume in Geelong and Surry Hills’ The Blue Door, Chris has built a reputation with industry insiders for both culinary skills and quiet humility. His cuisine is built literally from the ground up, with menus that reflect the season, the region, and the provenance of their ingredients.

Menus range from small bites to substantial dishes, all driven by a sustainable ethos, and BTWN allows diners to tailor their own experience. Chris’s dishes are ingredient-first in their inspiration, with a strong focus on produce from ‘between the borders’ in New South Wales, some sourced just two hours away. Diners can look forward to poached Aquna Murray cod, with pickled Eden mussels and sauteed cavolo nero from Moonacres Farm; a hearty slow cooked yoghurt rubbed Gundagai lamb shoulder; and spicy Musset Holdings mushroom ragout. The extensive wine list is similarly regional in flavour with a showcase of New South Wales and Australian wines, peppered with both new and old-world icons.

2AM: Dessertbar BY JANICE WONG

In the evening, one of BTWN’s star attractions will be its late-night dessert bar, the only one of its kind in Australia. 2AM: dessertbar is a collaboration between W Sydney and acclaimed Singaporean dessert guru Janice Wong. Open from dinner until late, 2AM: dessertbar will bring a new, redefined dessert experience to Sydney; one that pushes the boundaries between sweet and savoury with exceptionally crafted desserts, paired with local wines or custom cocktails. The menu will feature 2AM: dessertbar hero dishes such as Cacao Forest, made with dulcey chocolate mousse, passionfruit chocolate and mango, lime and lychee consommé, and Cassis Plum, a cassis bombe served with elderflower yoghurt foam and choya granita with yuzu pearls.

Born and raised in Singapore, Janice fell into the world of culinary art following a life-changing farm trip to Melbourne as a young woman. Since then, she’s been driven by the pursuit of ‘the perfection in imperfection’ as she tests the boundaries of traditional dessert, chocolate, and pastry-making. Janice learned her craft from some of the world’s best chefs such as Thomas Keller and Grant Achatz, as well as virtuoso Spanish chocolatier Oriol Balaguer and prodigious French pastry chef Pierre Hermé. Twice named Asia’s best pastry chef on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Janice’s international empire now spans restaurants, dessert bars and retail ventures in Singapore, London, Korea, and Tokyo and edible art installations created for brands such as Bally, Prada, Ferrari, and Hermès

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