Belles Hot Chicken came into Barangaroo hot in 2015. The Sydney outpost brought with it the Nashville-style chicken and no-nonsense hospitality that made Belles a cult Fitzroy favourite. Now, the team are gearing up to open the first bona fide Belles restaurant in Sydney. Right in the heart of Circular Quay, these new digs are Belles like you’ve never seen it before.
Opening its doors on Friday 3 March, Belles Circular Quay will be the spiritual Sydney home and a flagship restaurant for the brand. It’s a dining experience that blurs the lines between a dedicated chicken joint, restaurant and rowdy local diner. Seating 130 people, Belles’ newest venture is comfort food refined and dialled-up to ten. You can expect all your Belles favourites with stunning views of Sydney Harbour.
The new venue is quintessential Belles: warm tones, cork detailing, neon galore and vintage tiles and a merch vending machine. To round this out the space has loads of natural light, bespoke interior signage courtesy of a collab with Nick Cox (Lucas Restaurants & Trader House Restaurants), permanent DJ decks and an entirely chrome ceiling. The design represents a dream collab between Belles Design Director Vicki Punch and Ewert Leaf (Lune interiors).
Okay, down to business. The menu is stacked. Wings, drumsticks, tenders and buffalo cauli are each available in Belles’ signature flavours – chicken salt, original, traveller, hot and really f**kin hot. Then there’s Nashville-style chicken sandwiches, sides and heaving share plates for anyone coming along with pals.
To keep everyone hydrated, there’s Belles Original Draught. For those taking it to the next level, the Pappy Van Winkle 15yo shot is where it’s at (going for a casual $85 a pop). For the more discerning punter, there’s also Louis Roederer Cristal Brut, because nothing goes better with chicken than champagne. There’s also a special canned cocktail, a Rakija and Tonic, created by the inner-west legends at Baba’s Place. The entire drinks menu is chock-full of Sydney hospitality icons and it’s staying that way.
“If you think you know chicken in Sydney, it’s time for a reset,” says Managing Director of Belles Hot Chicken, Joss-Jenner Leuthart. “Belles Circular Quay feels like a real coming of age for our 8-year-old brand. Off are the training wheels, it’s full noise from here. We think of Belles as a social lubricant and fried chicken as a social equaliser – a place to kick back, dig in, chill out or party-up. We’re for all of it and everyone. We couldn’t be more humbled to welcome Sydney to their new home of golden good.”
Belles Circular Quay
50 Bridge St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
T: +61 2 7253 1909 | E: circularquay@belleshotchicken.com
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