Bills Double Bay

Restaurateur Bill Granger’s first Bills cafe opened in Darlinghurst in 1993, followed by eateries in Surry Hills, Bondi, London, Tokyo and Japan – but the chef and cookbook author has always had an affinity for Double Bay.

Bills Double Bay is inspired by Granger’s time in Vienna and meals in its grand all-day cafes. Global development chef Louis Solley (ex-Ottolenghi) has kept the familiar breakfast and lunch dishes that put Bills (and Australian breakfast culture) on the map – sweet-corn fritters, avocado with chilli and lime on rye, scrambled eggs and ricotta hotcakes – as well as dishes that celebrate fresh produce, such as green-pea falafel with fennel and herb salad, grated tomato and hummus.

Dinner is a collection of Granger’s favourite things. That means plays on the schnitzels he enjoyed in Austria; a raw bar featuring Sydney rock oysters; simply grilled fish or steak; and a chicken, pea and leek soup that he’s especially excited about.

Long-time collaborator Meacham Nockles design studio is behind the handsome dining room, which offers the same warm and inviting experience as its predecessors. Tan leather banquettes and rattan chairs – both something of a signature for Bills’ Sydney venues – frame a combination of gilt-edged and timber tables. Out the front, glossy black chairs sit behind orange tables on the footpath. Sconce lighting illuminates the modern space, while an eye-catching black column stands in the middle of the dining room.