ARIA Restaurant Sydney

What ARIA Restaurant Sydney does

ARIA Restaurant Sydney is an Australian fine-dining establishment located at 1 Macquarie Street, Circular Quay, operating since 1999 in the venue formerly occupied by the Sydney Opera House's Bennelong restaurant. The restaurant is co-owned by chef Matt Moran and Bruce Solomon and operates under the Solotel hospitality group, with executive chef Tom Gorringe leading a produce-driven, multi-course Australian tasting-menu format ($250-$295) complemented by lunch service ($180-$185) and a pre-theatre menu.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: à la carte and tasting-menu covers in a 90-seat main dining room, private and corporate event hire for up to 100 guests, walk-in bar service, gift cards and a celebratory cake line, a Champagne Club membership, and recurring producer-led wine dinners with prestige winemakers including Yves Cuilleron, Frédéric Savart and Château d'Yquem. Distribution is via direct reservations through the SevenRooms platform, walk-ins, and partnerships such as the Opera Australia dessert collaboration.

The underlying operating model is owner-operated fine dining with a credentialed creative team (executive chef, head sommelier Salvatore Persico, head pastry chef Luke Jardine), a sustained two-hat Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide rating from 2013-2025, and a real-estate-anchored location asset opposite the Sydney Opera House that supports premium per-cover pricing.

Name

ARIA Restaurant Sydney

Legal name

Aria Restaurant

Website

https://ariasydney.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ARIA Restaurant Sydney is an owner-operated fine-dining venue at Circular Quay, opened in 1999 by Matt Moran, serving multi-course Australian tasting menus, lunch, and private events to premium diners and event clients from Sydney and tourism markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Dining Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG), Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK)

Keywords

• Fine dining restaurant
• Australian seasonal cuisine
• Wine and sommelier program
• Private dining events
• Waterfront dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fine Dining Restaurant Service: Revenue from à la carte dining, tasting menus, and pre-theatre dining experiences. Customers pay per person for curated multi-course menus featuring Australian seasonal produce.
2. Events and Private Dining: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, corporate functions, cocktail parties, and exclusive venue hire. Event bookings include dedicated event spaces with harbour views.
3. Gift Cards: Pre-paid gift cards sold for use at the restaurant, valid for up to three years from purchase date.
4. Champagne Club: Seasonal promotion featuring Champagne pairings with signature dishes, available for limited periods.
5. Wine Dinners: Exclusive multi-course wine dinner events featuring visiting winemakers and curated wine pairings, priced at premium per-person rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ARIA Restaurant Sydney is a fine dining restaurant at 1 Macquarie St, Circular Quay, serving curated multi-course tasting menus and à la carte Australian seasonal cuisine alongside an award-winning wine program, cocktails, and bar dining. The restaurant also operates private dining rooms and exclusive venue hire for weddings and corporate events, and sells gift cards valid for three years.

Product overview

ARIA Restaurant Sydney is a single fine dining establishment offering multiple dining formats including a la carte lunch and dinner menus, five-course and eight-course tasting menus (degustation), pre-theatre menus, and bar dining. The restaurant features a dedicated cocktail program, an award-winning wine program, and provides private dining rooms and event services for weddings and corporate functions. Additional offerings include gift cards and celebratory cakes. The venue operates under the Solotel hospitality group, owned by Matt Moran and Bruce Solomon.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tasting Menus (Degustation) Five-course ($250) and eight-course ($295) tasting menus curated by Executive Chef Tom Gorringe, showcasing Australian seasonal produce with optional Classic, Premium, and Prestige wine pairings. For individual diners seeking a premium culinary journey.
• Lunch Menu Three-course lunch menu at $180 per person, available Thursday through Sunday, featuring seasonal Australian produce and an option for Krug by the glass at $75. For individual diners seeking a refined midday experience.
• Pre-Theatre Menu Two-course ($130) or three-course ($185) pre-theatre dining experience designed for guests attending Sydney Opera House performances, with condensed 1.5-hour table durations.
• Bar Menu Relaxed bar dining offering bite-sized Australian produce and seafood snacks (oysters $9 each, caviar service at market price, lobster toast $22, wagyu burger $26, cheese selection $50), available for walk-ins.
• Cocktail Menu Signature cocktails crafted with seasonal ingredients, featuring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.
• Wine Program Award-winning wine list celebrating Australian and international winemaking, led by Head Sommelier Salvatore Persico, with optional pairings across Classic, Premium and Prestige tiers and a Coravin-powered by-the-glass program.
• Gift Cards Pre-paid gift cards sold for use at the restaurant, valid for up to three years from purchase date.
• Private Dining Rooms Event spaces including Main Dining Room (90 seated, 100 standing), Harbour Room (30 seated, 40 standing), Wharf Room (40-54 seated, 80 standing), and exclusive venue hire for up to 100 guests.
• Weddings & Events Wedding celebrations and corporate events with harbourside views, customizable seasonal menus, and dedicated event planners.
• Celebratory Cakes Custom cakes created by Executive Chef Tom Gorringe and pastry team for special occasions, including St Honore ($26 per person) and milk chocolate mousse cake ($25 per person), with a $100 minimum.
• Champagne Club Seasonal promotion featuring Champagne pairings with signature dishes (e.g., Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial with Lobster Club Sandwich at $40 per pairing), available at the bar for limited periods.
• Wine Dinners Exclusive multi-course wine dinner events featuring visiting winemakers and curated wine pairings, priced at premium per-person rates (e.g., Cuilleron Wine Dinner at $250 per person).

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Opera AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2026Seasonal dessert collaboration inspired by Opera Australia's production of The Merry Widow. Aria's Head Pastry Chef Luke Jardine created a limited-edition mandarin, champagne & honey choux dessert (priced at $35) available during the opera season from 8 July – 18 August 2026. Available as part of pre-theatre dining or in the bar.
• Domaine Yves CuilleronminorOthers · 18 August 2025Exclusive wine dinner hosting winemaker Yves Cuilleron from the Rhône Valley. Five-course dinner at $250 per person featuring wines from Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, and Côte-Rôtie expressions. Hosted by winemaker alongside Aria's Head Sommelier Salvatore Persico.
• Frédéric Savart (Champagne)minorOthersChampagne producer partnership featuring Frédéric Savart's Premier Cru expressions from Montagne de Reims. Wines include Le Pinot Noir Premier Cru Extra Brut, Lieu-Dit 'Les Noues' Écueil (limited to 2,814 bottles), and Champagne Bulle de Rosé Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes (limited to 8,400 bottles). Selected by Head Sommelier Salvatore Persico.
• Château d'YquemminorOthersPrestigious Sauternes producer featured on wine list with the 2013 vintage. Château d'Yquem has been producing Sauternes since 1593 from its singular terroir in Bordeaux. The 2013 shows remarkable elegance and precision with honeyed complexity, recommended as a pairing with Executive Chef Tom Gorringe's desserts.
• SolotelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent hospitality group owning Aria alongside Matt Moran and Bruce Solomon. Solotel manages multiple acclaimed venues including Chiswick, North Bondi Fish, and Chop House Sydney. The group provides operational infrastructure, privacy policy, and booking systems for Aria.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tetsuya's: Iconic Sydney fine dining institution in the CBD. Direct competitor for destination tasting-menu diners, awards recognition (Three Hats), and high-end corporate and tourist clientele in the Sydney market.
• Sixpenny: Three-hatted fine dining restaurant in Stanmore, Sydney, with a multi-course set menu format. Comparable chef-driven tasting-menu concept and awards positioning in the Sydney fine dining market.
• Quay Restaurant: Peter Gilmore's flagship fine dining restaurant at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney Harbour. Direct competitor for premium Sydney waterfront fine dining, tasting menus, and tourist/event spend with overlapping Opera House clientele.
• Rockpool Bar & Grill: Neil Perry's flagship fine dining steakhouse in Sydney (with Melbourne and Perth locations). Comparable premium Australian fine dining brand, wine program, and corporate/private event offering.
• Bennelong: Fine dining restaurant inside the Sydney Opera House, led by Peter Gilmore. Direct competitor for pre-theatre and Opera House tourist covers, with arguably an even more prestigious physical location than Aria's Circular Quay address.
• Sepia: Three-hatted Sydney CBD fine dining restaurant offering multi-course tasting menus. Direct competitor in the same Sydney premium tasting-menu segment targeting destination diners and wine pairings.
• Catalina: Long-established Rose Bay waterfront fine dining restaurant in Sydney. Direct competitor for Sydney harbour-side fine dining, weddings, and corporate event spend.
• Restaurant Hubert: Jason Atherton's and the Swillhouse Group's French-leaning fine dining venue in Sydney CBD. Comparable high-end dining destination competing for premium covers, private events, and wine-driven sales.
• Icebergs Dining Room and Bar: Bondi Beach waterfront fine dining restaurant. Comparable Sydney waterfront fine dining with strong chef brand (Maurice Terzini) and comparable per-cover pricing.
• Mr. Wong: Merivale's upscale Cantonese fine dining in Sydney CBD. Comparable high-end Sydney dining destination competing for corporate entertaining, group bookings, and premium a la carte spend.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aria-restaurant-sydney

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ARIA Restaurant Sydney