TOP CHEF TAKES OVER TARONGA ZOO RESTAURANT WITH THE BEST HARBOUR VIEWS IN SYDNEY
If your idea of a perfect summer lunch involves sparkling water views and food that tastes of the Australian bush, Taronga Zoo is about to become your new favourite address.
Celebrated chef Matt Stone is taking over Me-Gal, the restaurant inside the zoo grounds at Mosman, and it is set to reopen with his name above the door on Tuesday 15 December.
The restaurant closed on 2 November for a refit, so the countdown to its new chapter has well and truly begun.
For anyone planning a festive-season catch-up with friends, a special birthday or a treat for visiting relatives, it is one to pop in the diary now.
Who Is Matt Stone And Why Is Taronga Zoo So Excited?
Matt Stone is one of the country's most admired chefs when it comes to cooking with a conscience.
He made his name with zero-waste cooking at Greenhouse in Perth and later led the kitchen at Oakridge Estate in Victoria's Yarra Valley.
More recently he has guided the menus at venues in the NSW Northern Rivers, including You Beauty in Bangalow, as Broadsheet reports.
He has also launched his own range of wines from South Australia, which will feature on the new drinks list.
Me-Gal first opened in 2023 and is run by hospitality group Trippas White, which also looks after the food and drink at the Sydney Opera House.
What's On The New Menu
According to Time Out Sydney, the menu will be produce-led and built around seasonal native ingredients and local growers.
Early dishes include tuna crudo with desert lime and potato terrine.
There is also a Jersey milk cheese curd with sunrise lime and globe artichoke, which sounds like a starter worth ordering twice.
Mains include peppered lamb scotch fillet with spring vegetables.
For dessert, look out for a lemon and green ant tart with cultured cream, a clever nod to the zesty, citrusy flavour that green ants are known for.
Broadsheet says diners will be able to choose from à la carte or set menus, with fermentation and closed-loop kitchen practices at the heart of the approach.
Stone himself has kept his mission refreshingly simple, saying he simply wants to "serve yummy food".
A Wine List That Champions Women
One of the loveliest details is the drinks list, where half the wines will come from female winemakers.
It will also feature biodynamic, organic and carbon-neutral producers.
First Nations-owned wineries Mt Yengo, Munda Wines and Bidja Wines are on the list too, alongside Stone's own label.
If you enjoy discovering new drops, this is a wonderful chance to support women in an industry that has long been dominated by men.
How To Plan Your Taronga Zoo Dining Date
Me-Gal sits beside the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, at 2A Bradleys Head Road in Mosman, and looks out across the harbour towards the city.
The good news is that you do not need a zoo ticket to dine, as the restaurant is open to the general public as well as zoo visitors.
The restaurant's own website says guests enter via the Taronga Wildlife Retreat and can park in the zoo's multi-storey car park, with parking validation available.
It is also a cashless venue, so leave the coins at home.
Bookings and a waitlist are available through the Me-Gal website, and opening hours may change when the new menu launches, so check before you go.
Taronga's executive director Nick Boyle says conservation and sustainability are at the core of what the zoo does, which makes Stone's low-waste philosophy a natural fit.
Our Tips For Making A Day Of It
Why not pair lunch with a morning wandering the zoo, then linger over dessert while the ferries glide past below?
Catching the ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo wharf is half the fun and saves the stress of parking during busy school holidays.
A long lunch here would also make a thoughtful Christmas gift for a parent, a best friend or the person in your life who has everything.
With the opening falling just ten days before Christmas, tables are likely to be snapped up quickly, so it pays to get organised.
