Australia’s best seafood restaurants can usually be found on a jetty somewhere, or at the very least, a sandy shake from the water’s edge. Enter Petermen, Josh and Julie Niland’s newest pescatarian diner, which has just opened its doors in the landlocked suburb of St Leonards on Sydney’s North Shore. It may seem like a fish-out-of-water scenario for some, but the Nilands have never needed a coastline to create a truly magnificent seafood dining experience.  

By now, you will have heard of Josh Niland, Australia’s forefather of fish butchery. Tales of the chef’s innovative techniques have travelled from port to port, recounting his uncanny ability to turn pink snapper eyes into ice cream and fish scales into coconut flakes (all of them true).

Petermen is the fifth venue for the Nilands and their first one upstream of Sydney Harbour. It’s a large space with seating for 60 around smart walnut timber tables, with additional high-top spots around the bar. What it lacks in ocean vistas, it makes up for in light, airy interiors, which feature colourful Ken Done artworks splashed against the walls. Globe lights hang like frosted fish bowls, while sheer curtains billow elegantly in the breeze. 

Like Fish Butchery, Charcoal Fish and Saint Peter, you won’t find any meat on the menu. Seafood is the order of the day and you can expect the complete catch from Sydney rock oysters to octopus, scallops, pipis, marron, tuna, trout, and more. There’s also a high volume of vegetable-driven dishes for a good balance between land and sea. 

Related news: Josh Niland has opened a second Fish Butchery site in Waterloo

Speaking of, the saltbush empanada is a deep-sea treasure. Bust open the bubbled pastry case to discover a savoury tangle of saltbush – it’s the spanakopita of the sea. 

It’s been a while since foam has washed up on any menu, but it just works in Niland’s dish of Goolwa pipis, finished in a frothy garlic and fennel broth enriched with natural shellfish juices. It’s richer and more complex than the usual clams with wine and cream. 

Niland wades even deeper into French bistro territory with a tuna chateaubriand designed to share between two or four. The tuna is treated like a tenderloin fillet, dry-aged for ten days then crusted with peppercorns and coriander seeds. It’s roasted whole in the oven, then finished on the parilla for a light, smoky char. Each steak is robustly flavoured, while the texture is beautifully succulent – you’ll want to savour every bite. It’s served with skin-on fries, sauteed warrigal greens, and a jug of buttery hollandaise to compensate for any missing fat.

It’s not long before we notice we’re surrounded by glossy apple galettes, which are sadly sold out by the time we come to order. Instead, we opt for Niland’s take on Mexico’s favourite cake, tres leches. Niland admits to using around six milks  in the creamy white slice, which is made from a super light milk sponge soaked in evaporated milk and condensed milk and rippled with streaks of creme fraiche.

And just like that, Petermen has shot to the top of the country’s best seafood restaurants. It’s perfection – well, almost. If only you could finish up with a stroll on the beach. 

Related news: Make a splash with 6 of Josh Niland’s best entertaining recipes