After a four-year stint at Pt. Leo Estate on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Phil Wood has returned home to the Harbour City to open his first solo restaurant, Ursula’s.

The former Rockpool chef has chosen a corner terrace in the leafy backstreets of Paddington for his new venue. The heritage site has long been a place of significance for the community, serving as a grocery shop, pub and restaurant over the years.

“The building itself goes back to around 1890. It’s one of those corner terraces that make Paddington so special,” Wood says. “It’s got a beautiful feel during the day when you get the natural sunlight coming through the windows, and then at night time it’s quite glorious as well.”

Wood came across the name Ursula – which is also his mother-in-law’s middle name – in 1930s newspaper clippings from Paddington. “We loved the way it tied in with what we wanted to do and the thought that she probably walked past the grocery store, as it then was, almost every day and occasionally popped in to purchase a few bits and pieces. It felt fitting to name our little neighbourhood restaurant after a neighbour.”

While the restaurant serves “simple, produce-driven fare,” residents can expect a serious step-up from your average local diner. Take, for instance, Ursula’s signature dessert: a nostalgic bowl of golden syrup dumplings with rum and raisin caramel and malted whipped cream.

“I hope people will love sitting in a beautiful room that feels like home, being welcomed by staff who feel like family and eating food that makes you feel happy,” Wood says.

And while locals may want to keep Ursula’s all to themselves, it appears the word has already got out.