Sydney’s culture has taken a serious hit lately. The nightlife is poo, public transport is questionable and the music scene is honestly hanging by a thread — especially with all the big NSW musical festivals canning their 2024 dates. And now, a bunch of Sydney’s most iconic eateries are biting the dust.
In the last couple of weeks, a bunch of heavy hitters in Sydney’s restaurant scene have announced that they were closing for good.
Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong took to her Instagram earlier this week to announce that she’ll be hanging up her “restaurateur hat” in June following the closure of her two beloved Sydney-based eateries.
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong) 
(Image source: Instagram / @kylie_kwong)
“For the last 24 years of running Billy Kwong and Lucky Kwong, I have directed the narrative because it has been story,” Kwong began in her statement.
“It has certainly been a colourful and life-changing few decades. For all the many challenges that come with being in the hospitality industry, I consider myself fortunate for I have had far more positive experiences than negative.”
The beloved chef went on to explain that she’s choosing to shut up shop to pursue her passion for platforming other voices. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Kwong also expressed that “inflation pressures” also added to the decision — proving that cozzie livs is truly coming for everyone and their mother.
“Everyone is feeling it. I have never seen the restaurant industry in such tough times as it is right now,” she told the publication.
Kwong’s devastating news came just days after one of Sydney’s fine-dining hot spots, Tetsuya’s Restaurant, announced it will be closing down permanently at the end of July after operating for 35 years.
“Our plans to relocate Tetsuya’s to a new site after it closes at the end of July have unfortunately not worked out and I have made the very difficult decision to permanently close the restaurant,” chef and owner Tetsuya Wakuda said in a statement.
“We have spent the last 18 months planning the move and the new restaurant so this was not an easy decision, but sometimes things just don’t go to plan.”
And it’s not just these major landmark eateries, smaller businesses have also been forced to shut down, with owners and restaurateurs providing a plethora of reasons behind their closures such as rising costs in rent, ingredients and drinks, staff shortages and more.
Earlier in May, Redbird and Tequila Daisy — owned by Hamish Ingham and Rebecca Lines — announced the closure of both eateries as they are unable to keep up with increased cocktails costs, rent and a lack of staff.
Per The Daily Telegraph, other restaurants that are shutting up shop include Silks, Lima Peruvian Bar & Cevicheria, Raja, Khanaa and so many more.
And unfortunately, it seems like these devastating closures are just the beginning. According to a new report from the Business Risk Index for April from CreditorWatch, one in 13 businesses will face failure in the next 12 months.
The report, shared by The Daily Telegraph, also found that small to medium businesses will be impacted.
“The outlook for hospitality businesses is not likely to improve until we see a lift in consumer spending,” Patrick Coghlan, CreditorWatch’s CEO, told the publication.
“And that is not going to happen until the impacts of one or two rate cuts filter through to households. We don’t anticipate that being felt until at least the second half of next year.”
Welp, I guess the Melburnians were right when they called Sydney “Shit-ney”, but unfortunately, our foes down south are also facing a bunch of restaurant closures as well, such as Izakaya Den, Gingerboy and Pie Thief.
Hungry, expensive, boring and it’s cold. Sydney, pick a struggle.
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