2020 Gallery

Hotel restaurants can sometimes be an afterthought, but Mat Lindsay’s austerely chic Poly, in the basement of the Paramount House Hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills, stands apart as a destination in its own right. Located on a semi-subterranean inner-city corner, the fitout responds intelligently to a difficult site. Featuring a sweeping bar and a daringly exposed open kitchen, there’s a restraint and timelessness to the design that suggests a long life ahead. Communal tables, exposed utilities, raw brick and polished concrete make for a sparse, industrial, yet absolutely on-the pulse spot to dine. The 80-seat venue is just as accessible for a late snack as it is for a lengthy lunch, and proves a worthy sequel to Lindsay’s legendary Ester in nearby Chippendale. The vision from Anthony Gill Architects is beautifully resolved and elegant in its simplicity. “I can see this place looking exactly the same 20 years from now,” noted one of the jurors. Everyone agreed: Poly is a keeper.