Wood-fired pizzas and tableside lasagne: it’s time to discover Soluna in North Sydney.
Tucked away in North Sydney’s new Walker Street precinct, Soluna is bringing Italian vibes to a suburb once better known for its office buildings.
Craving a taste of Italian summer? You can have it in the heart of North Sydney at Soluna, a new all-day diner inspired by flavours of the Mediterranean and the vibes of Los Angeles.
Inspired by flavours of the Mediterranean and the vibes of Los Angeles, this all-day diner is designed to bring the sunny shores of Italy to Sydney’s lower North Shore.
Get ready for Italy’s finest.
Decor
With a mix of raw concrete walls, wide open spaces (for a restaurant, anyway) and sleek, trendy furnishings with a colour palette that complements the menu’s place of origin: soft blush terracottas, olive greens and brushed golds. Soluna is almost reminiscent of a reimagined warehouse space. A nod to the converted warehouse trend that first began in the Meatpacking District of New York City in the late 1990s.
The 110-seat restaurant and bar space features an open kitchen, a new chef’s table for up to 12 guests (perfect for private events), a lively lounge bar and a sunlit outdoor terrace.
Dinner and a show: you can watch as chefs prepare your meal.
Service
Friendly, attentive staff make ordering as a large group a breeze.
Menu
There’s a lot to love on the Soluna menu. Designed for sharing, the menu encourages groups to come and try a little of everything. Think hand-stretched wood-fired pizzas, house-made pasta, a salumi station and a signature tableside lasagne trolley.
Craving a taste of Italian summer? You can have it in the heart of North Sydney at Soluna, a new all-day diner inspired by flavours of the Mediterranean and the vibes of Los Angeles.
Start with signature wood-fired bread (can you ever go wrong with a classic margherita?), antipasti, and a selection of salumi and formaggi. Then treat yourself to main courses like bistecca, chicken cotoletta and a family secret recipe of suckling porchetta.
For something truly unique, try the bolognese lasagna. It’s served straight from a trolley brought to your table, with freshly hand-rolled options including lumache al pomodoro with stracciatella and chilli oil; cappellacci with pumpkin, ricotta, burnt butter sage and hazelnut; spaghetti with spanner crab, cherry tomato and lemon crumb—each bursting with coastal Italian flair.
And let’s not forget about dessert: taste table-side tiramisu, freshly piped cannolis, affogato and fior di latte gelato.
Wood-fired pizzas are a menu highlight.
Details
Address: Shop 3/168 Walker St, North Sydney Website:soluna.sydney Cost: $$
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
Whales breaching, fires crackling and slow-cooked feasts that make the cold so cosy, one might wish it lasted longer. Winter is no time to stay at home in NSW.
When the mercury drops, winter in NSW comes into its own. Beaches are quieter, the air is crisper and hearty food tastes even better when there’s ice on the windows.
Winter here isn’t for hiding away. It’s for long walks, deep baths, deeper reds and the kind of fireside lounging that feels simultaneously indulgent and entirely deserved after a day of exploring. From whale-watching up north to moodily lit bushwalks and pastry pilgrimages, we’ve mapped out your new favourite season.
From coastal walks to tasty delights, winter in NSW is a time to get out and about.
The Tweed
In winter, the NSW north coast has a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest migrations. From May to November, humpbacks cruise past the Tweed coast between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. Spot them from the Cabarita Beach headland or get up closer with a boat cruise.
Later, grab a table at Bistro Livi , where the modern Spanish menu features whipped salt cod on toast and spanner crab with curry butter and spelt flatbread. Stick around to poke through the artist studios and indie boutiques of M|Arts Precinct .
Browse the art. (Image: Destination NSW)
The next day, jump aboard the Indigenous Lunch Cruise with Tweed Escapes. You’ll cruise upriver listening to yarns from local Indigenous guides, stop at the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Museum and tuck into lemon myrtle-crusted snapper.
Next, drive out to Farm & Co to pull apart some juicy smoked lamb shoulder with green olive tapenade while gazing out over the macadamia fields and avocado groves of this working farm.
End the day at Mantra on Salt Beach where you’ll enjoy beach access, a heated rock spa and a lagoon pool.
Taste modern Spanish at Bistro Livi.
Blue Mountains
The cold season is hands down the best time to visit the Blue Mountains. Temperatures are perfect – sunny enough for hikes, and crisp enough at night for snuggling up.
For a trip that equally soothes and stirs, start with a meditative meander through the national park’s eucalypts and Australian wildflowers. Brave the steepest passenger railway in the world, Scenic Railway , then hop the Skyway aerial cable car for unrivalled Three Sisters views.
Thaw out at the Japanese Bath House in South Bowenfels. Soak in steamy outdoor onsens filled with natural mineral water and mountain views, wander the rose and zen gardens, or sip hot drinks in the tea house.
Rug up for Blue Mountains Stargazing. (Image: Destination NSW)
Afterwards, head to Ates in Blackheath, where everything revolves around a 150-year-old ironbark-fuelled oven – like the wood-roasted duck with nectarines and Szechuan spice. Or visit Tempus Katoomba , which leans experimental and sustainable, serving up dishes like braised fennel with cumin, spiced yogurt and Aleppo pepper.
Rug up and head into the night with Blue Mountains Stargazing . Sessions are guided by astrophysicists, helping you understand what you’re looking at as you look into deep space.
Wrap it all up at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains – MGallery Collection . There’s a whiskey bar in the basement (and crackling fires that make a dram taste even better), indoor and outdoor pools and a day spa. Kids will love the mirror maze and ice rink, too.
End the day with delicious meals at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)
Southern Highlands
Good food and wine by the fire, experienced between sifting through second-hand treasures, is a winter vibe in Bowral.
Start with a lap around Dirty Janes , an antique and vintage market. Recover from your shopping frenzy at Bendooley Book Barn , where floor-to-ceiling shelves and a roaring fire set the tone for an afternoon of red wine or hot coffee.
When it’s time to eat, head to Hickory’s Restaurant & Bar , Peppers Craigieburn Bowral’s onsite restaurant. Try the crispy pork belly with Granny Smith crisps and apple gel, or ocean trout with wakame, lemon gel and pickled radish.
Wander the antiques at Dirty Janes. (Image: Destination NSW)
Another option, Onesta Cucina , does Italian with flair. For something more casual (with cocktails), Flour Bar swings between brunch and dinner, with an onsite bakery, over 400 wines and a hidden deli in the old bank vault.
Later, clamber Mt Gibraltar , where trails wind through eucalypt forest to views over Bowral and Mittagong.
Stay at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral , a century-old estate with open fires, elegant lounges and a nine-hole golf course.
Stay cosy at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral.
Penrith
Shake off winter inertia with an adrenaline boost out in Penrith. Kick things off with a kayak paddle on the Nepean River with Horizon Line, or head to Cables Wake Park , where cold-weather wetsuits take the edge off a wipeout.
For something a bit more cruisy, opt for the Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler for slow-floating views and a hot cuppa.
Head out on the Nepean River. (Image: Destination NSW)
Refuel at Marcel Bar & Bistro , where reimagined European comfort food – like seafood risotto in bisque with little neck clams and Moreton Bay bugs – is king. Then check in at the Pullman Sydney Penrith , the area’s first international five-star hotel, to enjoy your well-earned rest.
