Jarmer’s Kitchen

Chris Jarmer was born to be a chef. After working in fine dining restaurants around Australia, the third-generation chef and his wife Linda now run bright Bowden eatery, Jarmer’s Kitchen. It honours Jarmer’s Restaurant, the European fine diner his parents ran for 20 years in Kensington.

But while the names are similar, the approach isn’t. Jarmer’s Kitchen is a relaxed all-day eatery that benefits more from the fine dining approach to kitchen technique than from its style of service.

This difference is apparent in the clean space, which is filled out with white bentwood chairs, subway tiles and the occasional industrial accent. It’s more geared towards communal buzz than intimate conversation.

The days start early, with the specials blackboard getting a solid workout. Breakfasts hint at the evening menu’s more obvious pan-European theme, through dishes such as churros, leek and mushroom crepe with grana padano, and fried eggs with chorizo. There’s also a range of fresh juice mixes, which include fruit and vegetables such as pineapple, cucumber, kale and watermelon.

By night you’ll find dishes drawn from all over Europe ¬ from antipasto and pastas to schnitzels and piri piri chicken. The Jarmers aren’t out to alienate anyone here.

The drinks list takes a similar approach, with craft beers sitting alongside big-name imports, and a few pricier wines thrown into a collection that rarely breaks $40 otherwise.