Babylon

Babylon is an 800-seat venue sprawled across more than half the massive rooftop space on level seven of Westfield Sydney. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, a large outdoor terrace, plus multiple private and semi-private dining spaces.

Designed by architects from Hogg & Lamb and interior stylists Stewart + Highfield, Babylon is an imagined recreation of the ancient city, with warm textures and colours of burnt orange, pink mauve, mahogany and blue-grey throughout.

It also features Italian beige travertine archways, marble and brass finishings, timber booth seatings with velvet and leather upholstery, a canopy of gold-beaded chains and a 600-bottle wine wall.

Fronting the open kitchen is head chef Arman Uz (ex-Efendy, Jaaks Dining), whose Turkish heritage and childhood memories inform every aspect of both of Babylon’s menus.

The bar menu is substantial with almost 30 dishes, including atom yoghurt (labneh with chillis and Turkish peppers), sardine dolmas, cabbage kebab, as well as various gozleme and pide.

At the restaurant, most dishes are cooked over the custom-built wood and charcoal mangal (Turkish grill). There’s borek (flaky pastry) filled with house-made basturma (seasoned, air-dried cured beef), roasted mushroom and mozzarella, and oysters with squid-ink cracker. There’s also Babylon’s take on a soup commonly served only at Turkish weddings. Lamb neck is braised for 12 hours and added to stock with manti (lamb dumplings), yoghurt, mint and chilli butter.

The bar team bring Middle Eastern and eastern Mediterranean flavours to their cocktails, mixing baklava syrup with mezcal and lime, and vodka and sweet vermouth with hibiscus, rosehip, pomegranate and house-made watermelon soda. There’s also a wine list of almost 300 bottles, and 400 bottles of international and Australian spirits, including some Middle Eastern favourites such as ouzo and raki.