Fish face gets a makeover and a new home

Darlinghurst's Fish Face will close its doors on August 4, but the shutters won't stay down long at the venue many experts rate as the best for seafood in Sydney. The site will reopen a week later as Fish & Chips by Fishface, with the restaurant relocating to Double Bay.

''We're taking the old Thairrific site on New South Head Road,'' owner-chef Steve Hodges says.

When the 100-seater opens in Double Bay in late September, it will feature a sushi bar and ''Momofuku-style'' seating around an open kitchen.

''We'll have some table seating; many of our customers hated sitting on the high stools in Darlinghurst,'' Hodges says.

The Fish Face addition will aid Double Bay's recovery, the suburb hit hard by the opening of the redeveloped Westfield at Bondi Junction, but bouncing back with new venues such as Mrs Sippy and Pelicano.

Hodges says customers at the Darlinghurst fish-and-chipper will eventually be able to ''come in and grab some cooked fish, or buy a piece of fish on the way home. We'll have one beer on tap and one red and one white wine.''

Hodges will also have some new partners, with current manager Sally Hobbs and chef Josh Niland taking a stake in the businesses.