Adding to the numerous culinary attractions of Sydney’s Kensington Street precinct comes an authentic taste of Sicily, courtesy of award-winning Sicilian-born chef Lino Sauro.

His restaurant, Olio Kensington Street, has opened in the newly restored Old Rum Store building in the thriving inner-city development. Designed by international award-winning architects LAVA, Olio features both an indoor dining space that makes the most of its industrial heritage and a rooftop terrazza with views over the Kensington Street rooftops – the perfect spot for an Aperol spritz and a plate of ocean trout- or burrata-topped cuddura fritta on a sunny day.

Diners can look forward to dishes that reflect Sauro’s Sicilian roots, with a focus on ingredients typical of the region – think seasonal seafood (don’t miss out on the signature salt-baked wild snapper and the gattopardo seafood stew), wild fennel, raisins, saffron and couscous, as well as olive oil from Sauro’s family farm on Sicily.

That translates to dishes like warm Sicilian caponata with fresh buffalo ricotta cheese; homemade ravioli with king prawns, black truffle and burrata sauce; dry-aged saltbush lamb loin with blueberries, anchovies and smoked tea; and risone pasta with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow. And be sure to leave room for desserts that put an inspired Sicilian twist on Italian classics, including a delicious take on ricotta cheese cake.

“This is the style of food my family and I eat in Sicily,” says Sauro. “At home we’re surrounded by the ocean and olive trees, so obviously olive oil and seafood are very important. Sicily’s historic past also mean there’s influences from North Africa and Mediterranean Europe. It’s a beautiful cuisine that I believe will translate really well to Australia given the location and climate here.”