Since its 2013 opening, Sefa Kitchen has well and truly established itself as a Bondi go-to. Now the venue and its founder have made the move north. But will the Middle Eastern restaurant be embraced by the Byron locals?

Utku Ayhan has spent the last eight years working between Sydney and the Northern Rivers. He opened successful Asian street food venue Foxy Luu’s in 2017, before closing it in late 2022. For almost two years, he’s been looking to open a new spot in the region where he’s set down roots.

“I wanted to do something here, where I belong, and it just made sense to bring Sefa,” Ayhan tells Broadsheet. “Originally, Habitat invited me to see if Foxy Luu’s would work on the site, but I think Sefa made more sense.”

Never miss a moment. Make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter today.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Habitat is the eco-arts precinct frequented by locals, just north of Byron town. Now Ayhan will bring buzz back to its courtyard, which has sat quiet since Barrio vacated the space in May.

“Because nothing has been happening in the courtyard for the last [few] months, I think people have forgotten just how beautiful it is,” he says. “We are booking in lots of events within the space – every second week we have a bachata evening where you can dance in the courtyard. The courtyard is gorgeous, particularly in the evening. There’s nothing else like it. Whatever we do, it feels like a private party, but it’s a public access courtyard, so everybody is welcome.”

Sefa Kitchen is a venue in three acts. There’s a casual canteen, a dining room and a place to kick on and dance the night away.

During the day, dishes are served canteen-style on neatly partitioned trays. The Mediterranean menu is on constant rotation and consistently includes slow-cooked meats, fresh salads and crusty bread to soak up sauces.

Lunch and dinner are served from Wednesday to Saturday in the dining room, with head chef Ryan Blagrove (ex-Apera, Sunday) at the helm. Sefa Kitchen comes to life with the fiery roar of the woodfired oven and open flame grill, along with the distinct smell of Levantine and North African spices.

Sharing is part of the Sefa philosophy, and the five-course set menu is a winner at $55 per person. It’s all crowd favourites: grilled halloumi with burnt wildflower honey, pickled grapes and lemon curd, along with the slow-cooked lamb shoulder with roasted peppers, pickles and preserved lemon. But, according to Ayhan, it’s the crispy brussels sprouts with nut tarator, sorghum dukkah and barberry salt proving to be the instant hit with the beachy crowd.

“So many people got traumatised by brussels sprouts growing up, having them boiled, but I think we’ve managed to heal a lot of people’s traumas with our dish,” he laughs. “When you flash fry them and then serve with a pungent sauce of the nutty almond dip, it’s just a completely different story – the texture is different, flavours are different.”

Also from Wednesday to Saturday, is a Spanish-style bar offering in the courtyard where live music plays while wines are poured alongside plates of pinxtos and paella. And on Thursdays it’s locals night, with $35 getting you a charcoaled shish platter (with plenty of pickles) and a glass of wine.

Sefa Kitchen Byron
Habitat, 1 Porter Street, Byron Bay
0432 412 678

@nourishing.habitat
www.nourishinghabitat.com