First Look: Simara New Restaurant at Powerhouse Parramatta

A major new dining destination is coming to Western Sydney, with Simara set to open as the signature restaurant at the new Powerhouse Parramatta.

Bookings are now open for Simara ahead of the museum's public opening on Saturday, 7 November 2026, when it will be joined by all-day café Folded and the tucked-away Green Bar.

Led by Sydney restaurateur and chef Simon Sandall, founder of Boronia Kitchen, the three venues have been designed as distinct experiences connected by a shared focus on welcoming visitors throughout their time at the museum.

Simara Brings Contemporary Australian Dining to Parramatta

Overlooking the Parramatta River, Simara will serve contemporary Australian food showcasing seasonal produce sourced from suppliers throughout New South Wales.

Adding a particularly local element, herbs, botanicals and plants grown in Powerhouse Parramatta's rooftop garden will also make their way into the kitchen.

The menu draws inspiration from the diverse food cultures of Australia and Western Sydney. Early dishes revealed by the restaurant include Hervey Bay scallops, Josie's smoked taramasalata, halloumi with Himalayan-spiced spinach, curry leaves and puffed rice, and woodfired Fremantle octopus served with potato scallop, labneh and leek ash.

There's also a rather nostalgic Australian classic on the menu: chicken Kiev with garlic butter and green beans.

A Restaurant Designed for its Powerhouse Setting

Simara will be substantial, spanning almost 600 square metres of indoor and outdoor dining space and accommodating more than 290 guests.

The restaurant's interiors have been designed by George Livissianis, with furniture by Australian designers Adam Goodrum and Grant Featherston.

Aluminium, leather and cork feature throughout the space, connecting the restaurant aesthetically with the architecture of the new museum. Natural light will pour down through the full height of the building, while the restaurant's position overlooking the river should make it a destination in its own right rather than simply somewhere to eat during a museum visit.

Folded and Green Bar

Visitors looking for something more casual will have Folded, an all-day café inspired by nostalgia and the role bread plays across cultures around the world.

Its menu includes stone-baked puff bread, jaffles and folded focaccia. Designed to transition from morning through to evening, Folded will cater for everything from coffee before exploring the museum to lunch in the garden or a glass of wine later in the day.

Then there's Green Bar, a more hidden drinking spot within Powerhouse Parramatta.

Cocktails, mocktails and spritzes will incorporate botanicals grown in the museum's rooftop garden, making it an appealing option for a drink between exhibitions or before seeing a film at the museum's cinema.

Food Will Be Part of the Powerhouse Parramatta Experience

Food will play a wider role in the museum's opening celebrations too.

The recently announced Powerhouse Parramatta opening festival will include talks, demonstrations and special food experiences featuring chefs, food writers and cultural practitioners.

Highlights include a conversation with respected Gamillaroi Elder Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo OAM and Ngemba Weilwan woman Sharon Winsor, Maggie Beer AO in conversation with Julie Gibbs, and a Thali Feast with internationally acclaimed chef Asma Khan.

For Simon Sandall, the aim is to give each of the three hospitality venues its own identity while creating a common sense of welcome.

From coffee and a quick bite at Folded to a long lunch at Simara or cocktails at Green Bar, the new venues are being positioned as an integral part of a day — or evening — at Powerhouse Parramatta.

With its riverside location, rooftop-grown ingredients and ambitious contemporary Australian menu, Simara looks set to become one of the most interesting new additions to Parramatta's dining scene when Powerhouse Parramatta opens this November.

Simara at Powerhouse Parramatta

Opening: 7 November 2026Location: Powerhouse Parramatta.

Bookings: Now open