It takes a brave dining destination that dares to challenge the dessert du jour – that molten, shiny and very viral Dubai chocolate thing clogging your feed and arteries alike. But, tucked into a sunny Balmain corner in Sydney’s Inner West, Elliott’s is here to stage an intervention. Forget gimmicky fluro green ice creams or cakes stuffed with katafi. The real sweet salvation here is a humble hazelnut tart quietly doing the heavy lifting at the end of a meal so good, you’ll start planning your next visit before you’ve even finished dessert.
The latest project from Atticus Hospitality – the crew behind Esteban and tqm. – Elliott’s has found a home on the street of the same name. With a newly built retractable courtyard roof (imported from Italy), the space feels like the kind of place that could double as both your Friday night dance floor and your weekend brunch spot. The vibe is Palm Springs mid-century meets Med cool – with a touch of hipster quirky – all burgundy booths, bold artwork, and enough soft lighting to make anyone look good.
Atmosphere aside, Elliott’s isn’t here to coast on its looks. Head Chef John Frid, backed by Atticus’s new Group COO Tom Haynes (of ARIA and Barangaroo House pedigree), has crafted a menu that balances polish with approachability. It’s modern Australian with French and Italian flair – the kind of cooking that feels elegant without being uptight, and familiar without being predictable.
Start with the prawn bun – soft, buttery, and bursting at the seams. It’s a nostalgia trip dressed in chic packaging, stuffed with sweet prawn meat and Marie Rose sauce that hits all the right retro notes. Then there’s the cauliflower fritter, a golden, crunchy little overachiever sitting atop a bead of chickpea tarator. Gluten-free, vegan, and yet absolutely bursting with flavour – it’s the kind of dish that’ll make you forget it’s ticking every dietary box.
The raw tuna is next-level fresh, given a clever kick with fermented chilli – a balancing act of acid, heat, and silky texture that proves simple doesn’t have to mean safe.
Then come the mains, and this is where Elliott’s really flexes. The pink snapper arrives perfectly blushing, the skin crisp and the flesh delicate, nestled adopt rounds of of charred zucchini and bright pops of preserved lemon. It’s coastal elegance, plated with the kind of confidence that whispers rather than shouts.
But the scene-stealer for many might just be the cheeseburger croissant bun. It’s decadent, absurd, and absolutely irresistible. The croissant layers shatter as you bite, revealing juicy beef, chimichurri pickles, and a side of fries that mean serious business. It’s one of those dishes that makes you both laugh and swoon, which is, arguably, the highest compliment in dining.
But, as per the bold heading atop this page, the reason to visit Elliott’s is for the chocolate hazelnut tart. Which might not break the internet (something for the algorithm to consider!), but it will absolutely break your resolve to have just one spoon.. The base is buttery perfection and the filling a glossy, dark pool of hazelnut-laced chocolate that’s smoother than the jazzy tunes playing in the background. On top, a silky dollop of completes this dessert in the simplest most sensual way – leaving you you side-eyeing anyone who suggests sharing. Forget viral Dubai desserts – this is the real main character energy.
While you’re working through your existential dessert crisis (ie would it be socially acceptable to order a tart to go?), the bar team is busy shaking things up with cocktails that straddle fun and finesse. Try the Elliott’s Cobbler, a bright, minty mix of sherry, blackberry, and Bacardi that feels like summer in a glass. Or the Smokey and the Bandito, a mezcal-laced white Negroni that smells faintly of bonfires and bad decisions – in the best way possible.
From there, the night can go anywhere. A vinyl DJ spinning soul classics in the courtyard. A local funk band playing just loud enough to drown out the week. Or maybe just another round and another forkful of that tart, because honestly, what else could compete? (Certainly nothing with Dubai in the title!)
Image credits: Leigh Griffiths
