A return to craft, comfort and the kind of hospitality that never goes out of style.
Newtown is about to welcome a new neighbourhood favourite with the arrival of Joe’s Tavern, Restaurant & Bar, the long-awaited project from the team behind Paisano & Daughters. The venue brings to life a vision originally intended to sit above Continental Deli, a classic bar dedicated to the food, drinks and craft that shaped the group. After two years stalled in council, that idea has finally found a home at 206 Australia Street.
Joe’s Tavern pays tribute to its namesake, founder and partner Joe Valore, a quiet force who’s guided countless careers behind the scenes. The venue leans into timeless dishes—steaks, cold seafood, nostalgic plates like prawn cocktails, devilled eggs and crab with cornbread—alongside a dedicated Parts & Labour section showcasing nose-to-tail cooking. Signatures like Joe’s 50/50 Burger, a lamb-and-beef blend Joe swears is the perfect ratio, and a beautifully revived Knickerbocker Glory from pastry chef Lauren Eldridge bring a sense of heritage and heart to the menu.
In the kitchen, chefs Elvis Abrahanowicz and Måns Engberg bring deep technical roots and a reverence for tradition, blending years of experience at the likes of Aria, Becasse, Saint Peter and Paris’s Au Passage. At the bar, Michael Nicolian (ex–Milk & Honey, Bentley, Continental Deli) leads a program built around clean, precise classics—cocktails where technique is everything and simplicity shines.
Quick Bites
- What to Eat: Joe’s 50/50 Burger, devilled eggs, prawn cocktails and the Knickerbocker Glory for a nostalgic finish.
- What to Drink: Classic cocktails crafted with precision, the kind that leave nowhere to hide.
- When to Go: A lingering weekend lunch or a cosy weeknight dinner with proper tavern warmth.
- Where to Play After: Take a wander through Newtown’s late-night bars or stroll the vibrant King Street strip.
- Vibe Check: Moody, intimate, and deeply crafted, a true tavern in the original sense of the word.
- Book It: Bookings made here.
