The latest addition to the Grand Parade of Brighton Le Sands is Republiq, a 220-seater Shisha Bar and Grill. The waterfront venue is an opulent but modern take on Middle Eastern fare open from 5.30pm till late throughout the week. For now the venue remains largely focused on its midday and beyond feeds but it has just introduced breakfast on Sundays with plans to expand down the track.

The waterfront venue is manned by head chef Bektas Özcan, who previously worked at Sydney Turkish favourites Efendy and Anason. “We’ve incorporated the Mediterranean flavours brought to the Middle East by the ancient spice trail,” says Özcan of his new venue’s food direction, “the dishes are a combination of street food, local techniques and traditional recipes.”

Authentic Middle Eastern dishes form the bulk of the menu at Republiq, which is split into cuisines from five different countries. The flavours of Spain, Morocco, Greece, Lebanon and Turkey are catered to in an effort to showcase the wide variety of flavours that populate Middle Eastern cuisine. Dishes include Bektas’ signature meze; a taramasalata with cemen spice dried bottarga and salmon roe to the kibbe nayyeh with hand chopped beef, Aleppo pepper and siyez cracked wheat. The menu has been designed to share, with larger mains including amb neck tagine with fig, almonds and sweet potato, and a Southern samke harra of barramundi, broad beans and artichoke.

The waterfront dining destination is evidently inspired by its cuisine, decorated in classic Arabic tiling on floors, walls, and ceilings. Polished marble bars sit throughout, including a one-of-a-kind bench-long fish tank, filled with colourful fish and baby African sharks. Upstairs boasts an intimate Shisha bar that offers 15 different flavours, while downstairs is home to the dining room.

Republic sits at 96 The Grand Parade, Brighton-Le-Sands, Sydney, rqrepubliq.com.au.