PHOTO: Nigella Lawson. DELISCIOUS
From Paddington to the Pinnacle: Saint Peter Cracks World’s Best Restaurants List
A humble seafood restaurant in Sydney’s inner east has just landed on one of the most prestigious culinary rankings in the world—and food lovers everywhere are taking notice.
Saint Peter, the innovative seafood restaurant helmed by chef Josh Niland and his wife Julie, has claimed the No.66 spot on the extended World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list—leaping an incredible 32 places from last year.
This puts the Aussie eatery shoulder-to-shoulder with the planet’s most revered fine-dining establishments across cities like São Paulo, San Francisco, Queenstown, and Macau.
🧂 Josh Niland’s Genius is Now Global
Niland, just 36 years old, is far more than a chef—he’s a revolutionary. Dubbed “The Fish Butcher”, he’s championed a gill-to-fin approach that transforms the way seafood is cooked, prepared, and appreciated. Bones, skin, offal—even eyes and scales—are elevated into art on a plate.
Saint Peter’s menu shifts daily based on what’s fresh that morning. It’s not just dinner—it’s a deep-dive into the future of sustainable seafood.
Josh shared the milestone online, calling it a tribute to “the superhuman efforts” of his team and their network of dedicated suppliers and artisans.
🌟 Nigella Lawson Can’t Get Enough
When Nigella Lawson calls a chef “a genius,” the world listens. The British culinary icon is a longtime fan of Niland’s cooking and has raved about Saint Peter during her Australian visits.
“Josh Niland is, simply, a genius… His inventiveness, delicate touch, exquisite care, and joyful gift for flavour and texture just bowl me over,” she once wrote.
Her favourites?
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“Sensational oysters”
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Coral trout bone noodles in maitake broth
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Raw bream with marigold ponzu and purple daikon
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A Balmain Bug she called “the most luscious crustacean”
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The now-famous fish charcuterie (yes, made from offcuts)
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And a jaw-dropping caviar-topped canelé—”weird but sensational”
The British culinary queen has raved about Saint Peter on her multiple trips to Australia, calling chef Josh Niland ‘a genius’ and describing her meals at the restaurant as nothing short of transcendent. Pictured: her ‘sensational oysters’
🧑🍳 From Oxford Street to Global Recognition
Saint Peter first opened in 2016 in a tiny Oxford Street location. It recently moved into a larger space under The Grand National Hotel in Paddington—proof of how far the vision has come.
The restaurant sits alongside Niland’s other ventures:
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Fish Butchery in Waterloo – part fishmonger, part prep kitchen
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Charcoal Fish in Rose Bay – like an Aussie chicken shop, but with flame-grilled seafood
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Award-winning cookbooks like The Whole Fish Cookbook, changing how the world cooks fish
Josh also made a guest appearance on MasterChef Australia earlier this year, cementing his reputation as a modern seafood trailblazer.
📊 What This Means for Australia’s Dining Scene
Being ranked among the world’s elite proves what locals and insiders already knew—Australia’s food culture is world-class, especially when it’s rooted in innovation, sustainability, and passion.
Saint Peter’s rise is more than a personal win for the Nilands. It’s a signal to the culinary world: don’t underestimate Australian dining.
At just 36, Josh Niland has become one of the most important voices in modern seafood cuisine. The head chef even made a guest appearance on MasterChef Australia in May this year (pictured)
SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL