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Restaurant

Cafe Paci

131 King St, Newtown NSW 2042, Australia

Recommended by 79 people

Updated

Find Cafe Paci

131 King St, Newtown NSW 2042, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 402 392 189
HoursMonday: 5:30 – 11:00 PM Tuesday: 5:30 – 11:00 PM Wednesday: 5:30 – 11:00 PM Thursday: 5:30 – 11:00 PM Friday: 5:30 – 11:00 PM Saturday: 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:30 – 11:00 PM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Cafe Paci

Two-hatted cooking without the white-tablecloth stiffness—Cafe Paci turns King Street into Sydney’s smartest casual table. Chef Pasi Petänen lets daily mirror-scrawled specials guide the room, backed by a menu that sidesteps regional boundaries. Start with warm potato and molasses bread with churned butter before moving to fermented carrots spiked with nduja. Regulars treat the ox-tongue rye taco as an automatic order, followed by potato dumplings pooled in trout XO. The finish stays just as unconventional: carrot-and-yoghurt sorbet dusted in liquorice.

  • Unorthodox Snacks & Small Plates: The kitchen sets the tone early with potato-molasses bread, fermented carrot with nduja, and melt-in-the-mouth ox-tongue rye tacos.
  • Inventive Mains & Daily Specials: Mirror-scrawled blackboard dishes complement menu staples like potato dumplings with XO trout and crisp-skinned roast chicken.
  • The Carrot & Liquorice Finish: A longstanding cult dessert, the carrot-and-yoghurt sorbet dusted with liquorice delivers a light, surprisingly balanced finish.
  • Lively King Street Atmosphere: Serious culinary execution paired with bench seating, an expansive wine list, and warm, unpretentious floor service.
RestaurantModern AustralianRestaurant

What's On at Cafe Paci

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Reserve a Table at Cafe Paci

World-class technique meets King Street soul—reserve your table and settle in for Sydney’s most inventive feast.

  • Two-Hatted Precision Without White-Tablecloth Formality

    Cafe Paci delivers two-hat culinary precision and generous portions without the exorbitant markup or stuffy dress codes of conventional luxury establishments.

    best value and food for 2 hatted restaurant in sydney. Delicious food, surprisingly good portions

    Kay Hwang

  • Flexible Formats for Solo Diners and Dietary Needs

    Rather than enforcing rigid set-menu rules, the kitchen and floor staff happily tailor plates, offering half-portions for solo diners and thorough menu guidance for specific dietary needs.

    The menu is mainly designed to share, but was still great for a solo diner with various dishes being made half serves.

    Justin

  • Boundary-Pushing Dishes Grounded in Technique

    Adventurous combinations like ox tongue rye tacos and carrot sorbet with liquorice succeed because the kitchen grounds every daring pairing in rigorous balance and flawless execution.

    One of those places where you feel confident trying dishes out of your comfort zone because you know they will be well executed and balanced.

    Suzy

  • Playful Freedom from Single-Cuisine Constraints

    Unshackled from regional culinary dogma, the ever-evolving menu reinterprets seasonal Australian produce through unexpected cross-cultural influences.

    They're not tied to any one cuisine, which sets them apart, and they play with local seasonal ingredients in the most unexpected ways.

    Jojo

  • Versatile Setting for Celebrations and Date Nights

    With comfortable banquettes and an energetic room, the dining room seamlessly hosts intimate date nights, casual Saturday lunches, and landmark celebrations.

    Great for dates, catch up with friends, casual Saturday lunches and special occasions.

    Niki Vasiliadis

  • Intuitive Floor Service That Keeps Dinners Flowing

    Attentive waitstaff read the table with precision, synchronising course changes and wine pours seamlessly so conversations never stall.

    seamless changing courses and allowing our conversation to flow.

    Simone Wendt

Playful, technique-driven dishes that showcase Cafe Paci's unexpected flavor combinations.

  • Ox Tongue Rye Taco

    The ox tongue taco was honestly to die for

    Jenny

  • Carrot Sorbet with Liquorice

    do not pass on the yogurt carrot sorbet with liquorice, hands down one of the best desserts ever.

    Niki Vasiliadis

  • Potato and Molasses Bread

    The bread to start was also the best bread I’ve had in my life.

    Mia R-W

  • Tuna with Capsicum and Horseradish

    The standout for me was the tuna, where the pairing of capsicum with the fish was exceptional.

    Didier Balez

Other favorites

Thoughtful drink pairings, adaptive service, and refreshing desserts that round out the dining experience.

  • Apple Granita with Frozen Custard

    Dessert was a delicious and refreshing apple granita, and I particularly liked the frozen custard that it came with.

    Kelly

  • Half Serves for Solo Diners

    The menu is mainly designed to share, but was still great for a solo diner with various dishes being made half serves.

    Justin

  • Coeliac Allergen Guidance

    He sat down with us and patiently went through the menu and all the allergens (I’m celiac), while making me feel so at ease.

    Bianca Ilg

  • Syrah Wine Pairing

    Red wine pairing with their Angus steak was stellar, I chose the syrah.

    Nathan Lane

Beyond the menu

Attentive floor details and adaptable kitchen care elevate relaxed King Street dining—book ahead to secure your table.

  • Patient Allergen & Coeliac Guidance

    Floor staff take time to sit down with diners and patiently cross-check the full menu against dietary requirements, putting celiac and allergy-conscious guests entirely at ease.

  • Custom Half-Portions for Solo Guests

    Though the menu leans toward generous shared dining, the kitchen readily scales select plates into half-portions so individual diners can explore multiple courses solo.

  • Personal Mirror-Specials Walkthroughs

    Staff provide thorough, enthusiastic walkthroughs of the rotating mirror specials and beverage pairings, demystifying unconventional cuts and bold ingredient combinations.

  • Deliberate Single-Dish Course Pacing

    Dishes are deliberately paced to arrive one at a time rather than all at once, creating an unhurried rhythm that lets table conversations flow naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of dishes are Cafe Paci known for?

The menu features unconventional, inventive flavor pairings across shareable savory and sweet plates. Standout visitor favorites include the potato and molasses bread, rye taco with ox tongue, and unexpected desserts such as the carrot sorbet with yogurt and liquorice. Daily specials are also displayed on the mirror.

Can you dine solo or choose where to sit?

Yes. The dining room offers both table and bar seating, as well as window seating. The menu is structured around sharing plates, but solo diners can easily visit and request half-servings for various dishes.

How does Cafe Paci handle dietary requirements and gluten allergies?

Staff are notably attentive with dietary requirements, offering thorough menu walkthroughs for coeliac and gluten-free diners, and accommodating vegetarian guests across the menu. Vegetarian food is also served.

When is Cafe Paci open, and can you book ahead?

Dinner is served Monday through Saturday starting at 5:30 PM, alongside lunch on Saturdays from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM. The venue is closed on Sundays. Reservations can be booked ahead of time.

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