Kepos Street Kitchen spin-off Kepos & Co opens in Sydney

Winter is the new summer for Sydney restaurant openings, with a record number of venues swinging open the doors across town.

The first week of winter, traditionally a time Sydney hibernates not celebrates, saw a rash of openings including the long awaited Boathouse Shelly Beach, Barrio Cellar at Martin Place, Lucio Pizzeria in Zetland and Romolo at The Strand Arcade.

And that's just the tip of the winter iceberg. Bondi is about to heat up unseasonably, the reboot of Danks Street in Waterloo also shifting up a gear. The once high flying eat street was knocked around by the departure of Danks Street Depot and Fratelli Fresh, but is regaining a little spring in its step. Beccafico opens on Danks Street tonight, with the spin-off from the chef's hatted Kepos Street Kitchen slated to open today.

Kepos & Co owner-chef Michael Rantissi says the design of the restaurant has Moorish elements. The menu is a winter warmer, with wagyu brisket, mulukhiyah and lemon sharing a spot on the line-up alongside a dish of quail with dates, pinenuts and sujuk.

The empty former site of Fratelli Fresh will also be reborn, but building delays mean an early 2016 date is now on the cards. The building's new owner, Peter Quattroville, from Fourth Village, maintains Danks Street is waking from its slumber. "The whole strip is more alive," he says. His plans for the sprawling building include a restaurant and pop-up marketplace.