A bright, bold prawn saganaki is tipped to star at Caness, a bar for small plates and wine destined for a former grocer’s shop in Paddington. “We cook the prawns in feta and tomato sauce, it’s like poaching it,” co-owner Erez Nahum tells Broadsheet. “It’s beautiful – honestly something.”

Nahum heads up Surry Hills restaurant Shaffa, and conceived of Caness together with long-time head chef Juan Colmenares (who will be front-of-house in the new space). “[Caness is] a take on a tapas bar. We’re trying to strip out all the excess and noise of hospitality trends, the wow-effect, while keeping the highest standards. We want to give an experience that’s extremely straightforward … very comfortable to just walk in.”

That’s fitting, with Caness translating to “come in” in Hebrew. The facade is bordered by the grocer’s original glossy blue tiles, with freshened up double-front windows and footpath seating coming. Inside, an open kitchen and bar area runs along two walls, with a range of spots to sit.

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The co-owners are both chefs, despite being off the pans, and they’re gearing up to deliver a punchy menu (exclusively made of small plates) with an as-yet-unnamed head chef. “We are too excited,” says Nahum. “One of my favourites is the octopus, which we’re going to blanch for softness then onto the charcoal.” It’ll come paired with a charred lettuce salad, zested up with capers and herbs. A bonito crudo will carry crushed pistachios and a citrus-spiked spicy “Mediterranean salsa”.

“We’re taking the classic tapas bar and actually dancing between Mediterranean and Middle Eastern – [the] beautiful spices and depth.” A short cocktail list will support the menu, along with a 100-strong list of wines.

“We do everything with a lot of heart and passion. We work with a team. One thing I can tell you about myself is that I don’t think success comes for one person, no matter how talented this person is. [All our] decisions are running through literally a group that brainstorms and then we make decisions.”

Once doors open in February, this tight-knit team invites you to simply come in.

Caness is slated to open in early February 2025.

@caness_sydney