Dine at NEL and feel mystified, enthralled, nostalgic, exhilarated, perplexed. Each dish tells a story that reaches beyond the palette.

Breathing new life into Sydney’s dining scene, NEL is pioneering a global-infused culinary experience that is setting Sydneysiders’ tastebuds alight.

Spearheading the kitchen, chef Nelly Robinson and his team are widely celebrated for their unique dining experience. Nelly’s robust understanding and appreciation of the best produce is showcased in every dish and is guaranteed to throw guests into a food frenzy.

  • Owner & Chef Patron

    Nelly began his career as a kitchen hand at the tender age of 14 at Michelin- starred restaurant Northcote Manor (UK), He stepped into the kitchen full time at 15 to start his apprenticeship. Trained by chef patron Nigel Haworth and his team, including Warrick Dodds and Mark Birchall, Nelly was the first to complete an apprenticeship at Northcote. Nelly then worked around the world in more Michelin star restaurants in the UK and abroad.

    At 29, Nelly opened Nel, offering guests a unique dining experience with an innovative flair. Well known for his role as nel. restaurant’s executive chef and owner, Nelly has found his feet as one of Australia’s top chef personalities. His attention to detail, especially when it comes to guest interaction, has earned him a loyal following of international and local guests.

    Nelly has been invited to cook as a special guest at many Australian and international events. Including Obsession 18 in the UK, with him cooking alongside some of the cooking greats from around the world. His recent adventures include Bangkok and Abu Dhabi – as a competitor in the Taste of
 Abu Dhabi World’s Best Dish competition with 11 leading chefs from around the globe. In 2016, he took over Vinum restaurant in PER AQUUM’s Huvafen Fushi luxury resort in the Maldives, for an exclusive dinner and masterclass. In 2017, he designed a menu that was featured at a corporate event for the Taste of Sydney festival. He has also had the honour of cooking for Queen Elizabeth II at her 90th birthday celebrations at the British High Commission in Canberra. In 2015/2016 Nel was voted best restaurant in Australia by Timeout by the people of Australia and was also given #1 best restaurant of Australia by Dimmi/TripAdvisor in 2016.

    Notably, Nelly was a finalist in the Chef of the Year Gault & Millau 2017 Award. This follows his nomination as a finalist in the 2016 Awards, receiving an impressive 16.5/20 from the judges in 2017.

    Nelly and Nel have also been awarded #79 best restaurant in Australia in the Australian financial awards in their first year. Nelly himself has been voted #228 in the top 300 chefs of the world by best chefs of the world which was held in Milan.

The modern venue encompasses an open kitchen viewed from every seat in the house, and fuses contemporary and traditional techniques to offer a sophisticated yet unpretentious space. Nel features leather booths, exposed brickwork and sleek copper facades, creating the perfect backdrop to any occasion.