LOCATIONTucked away behind Alexander Street. In the centre of Crows Nest on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAVegequarians and seafood buffs unite, meat lovers stand down your steak knives, Garfish is here to service all of your cravings with a market-fresh menu of fish. Having resided in Crows Nest’s quiet Holtermann Street for six years now, Garfish is a familiar and well-liked local of this Lower North Shore suburb and one known for delivering on its promise of simply-flavoured, fresh produce. Like its mantra, the layout and decor of this restaurant is simple, yet effective. Light colours lend a breezy air that easily transitions from the inside to the alfresco tables that grace the footpath.
The menu, which carries guests from breakfast through lunch to dinner, also shares this easygoing, artless quality. In the morning patrons can breeze in for one of the heartier egg or waffle choices, healthier options like muesli or the essential coffee hit. For lunch and dinner Garfish shows off what it can do with seafood by offering a succinct a la carte menu that is strengthened by a daily selection of blackboard specials. These offer diners an option of fish, the choice of how they’d like it cooked and which side they’d like it served with. The options are dictated by the market, making the restaurant a haven for regular visitors and fish lovers. If you’re an absolute meat lover, however, there is also a very limited selection of non-seafood options. Complete your meal with a glass (or bottle) of wine or sneak in a dessert at the end of your dinner and join Garfish’s constantly expanding return client fanbase.
Agnes Gajewska
DETAILSGarfish provides the ultimate al-fresco dining experience. Further enhanced by the freshest seafood and the friendly and attentive staff, Garfish has become a Sydney institution.
FOOD & BEVERAGEThe mix-and-match blackboard specials allow diners both autonomy in their meal selection and a guarantee of Sydney’s freshest seafood.Both Garfish restaurants offer breakfast, lunch and dinner in addition to a take-away menu with all the favourites, including fish and chips and salt and chilli squid. Their breakfast menu offers traditional fare and some seafood inspired dishes. Lunch and dinner features a wide variety of dishes from the menu or the option to pick from the blackboard specials.The mix and match blackboard selection allows you access to Sydney’s freshest fish from leading suppliers and markets. You decide how the fish is cooked (panfried, grilled, spiced to mention just a few) and choose the garnish. These range from a simple garnish of lemon and tartare to extravagant sautéed potatoes with peas, pancetta and cod roe butter. The commitment to the freshest fish often leads to lesser known fish being featured such as skate (which you can have panfried or spiced) or a roasted golden trevally. This unique opportunity to have your choice of fresh and unusual seafood prepared by the experts makes Garfish a standout among Sydney’s seafood restaurants. Executive chef Stewart Wallace has a long and distinguished history in the industry running restaurants from Cape Town to London. He joined Garfish in 2004 and brings a dedication to the freshest produce and long established relationships with Sydney’s best seafood providores.
GAR GAR BARThe Crows Nest venue has the Gar Gar Bar offering diners access to a fantastic bar menu from 3pm to 9pm with a drink and dine licence. Crows Nest also offers an extensive wine list. The Kirribilli restaurant offers a smaller selection of wines, however both restaurants are BYO.