LOOKING BACK: 5 YEARS OF SHAFFA

Shaffa opened its doors in April 2021, and somehow, five years have passed in a blink — filled with hard work, laughter, challenges, and unforgettable moments around the table. Five years may not sound like a long time, but for us, this journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.

As one of the most cherished Middle Eastern restaurants in Surry Hills today, it is hard to believe how quickly the time has flown. we could not be more proud to call 80 Albion Street home — a place that has welcomed familiar regulars, first-time guests, and everyone in between.

Now, Where?

When we first began looking for a home for Shaffa in the middle of the pandemic, plenty of venues came our way. Some were already built, ready to go, with keys almost waiting to be handed over. But something never felt quite right. The venue might have been ready, but the energy was not.

That quiet instinct, the one you cannot always explain, kept telling us to keep looking for the right place to launch a Middle Eastern restaurant Sydney would truly fall in love with. Then we stepped into 80 Albion Street.

Tucked away in Surry Hills, the space was once a church and presbytery, with sandstone walls dating back more than 17 decades. At the time, opening a restaurant here felt almost impossible. There were tarps, dust, broken concrete, and no real sign of a kitchen fit-out, let alone the makings of an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant Central Station diners would one day discover.

But that gut feeling spoke again, and this time, it said yes.

Led by a feeling

A hidden location. A global pandemic. It felt like driving against traffic, but within those old sandstone walls, there was history, character, and something deeply special. We could already imagine guests sharing plates inside an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant Sydney locals and visitors had not yet discovered — all warmth, old stone, and slow conversation.

The team believed in it. We believed in the vision, the warmth, and the experience we wanted to create: a place where Middle Eastern food could be shared generously, where old-world architecture could meet contemporary hospitality, and where Shaffa could become a fine dining Middle Eastern restaurant that people returned to again and again.

A Place Built on Fire, Warmth and Generosity

From day one, we wanted Shaffa to feel like a Middle East food restaurant in the truest sense: generous, rooted, and unhurried. Today, Shaffa continues to sit proudly within Sydney’s dining landscape, shaped by Mediterranean influences, open-fire cooking, generous plates, and warm hospitality.

The fit-out embraced the building’s heritage, from the exposed brickwork to the original sandstone walls. Those textures were balanced with cobblestone flooring and contemporary black metalwork, creating a space that feels both historic and modern — a home for Levantine flavours in the heart of Sydney. In every nook and cranny, you’ll find ornamental pieces and thoughtful details that carry a part of our roots: Middle Eastern spice jars, terracotta pots, and more.

Hospitality is never easy. It takes resilience, patience, passion, and heart. As a fine dining Middle Eastern restaurant in Surry Hills, we are grateful to have become a place people return to — and humbled when guests call us one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Surry Hills. Our fire burns as strongly as ever, fueled by the smiles, the familiar faces, the “that was amazing,” and the warm “welcome back” that keep us going. Whether you know us as a Middle East food restaurant, an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant Central Station locals love, or simply your neighbourhood spot in Surry Hills, this is what we live for every day.

For those searching for a truly unique Middle Eastern restaurant Sydney or an immersive dining experience in Surry Hills, we hope Shaffa feels like somewhere worth discovering. 

Here’s to five years, and to everything still to come.

– with love, shaffa.