New Middle Eastern eatery Above Par has opened its doors in the Sydney CBD, bringing fast and affordable Levantine fare to the centre of the city.

As timing would have it, Above Par owners Efe Topuzlu and Ozgur Sefkatli opened the doors to their new diner on the very same day that the federal lockdown restrictions were announced. The venue immediately transitioned to take-away and is now back in business again with an all-day offering.

Located just a stone’s throw from some of the city’s best watering holes (see: Lobo, The Baxter Inn and Cantina Ok!) Above Par trades up the late-night kebabs for homestyle Turkish and Lebanese dishes that live up to its name.

Start your day with a shakshuka or gozleme, then hang around for dips, felafels and grilled meats served from lunchtime until late. Wash it down with a couple of chilled Efes and then head out for a night on the town.

If you’re in the area, the desserts are definitely worth a detour. Above Par makes its own baklava, however, the highlight is the katmer, a sweet borek filled with pistachios and Turkish clotted cream.  

Above Par
215 Clarence Street, Sydney
Mon – Tue 6:30am – 4pm, Wed – Thu 6:30am – 10pm, Fri 6:30am – late, Sat 8am – late
aboveparsydney.com.au