Hatted chef opens Eliza Food and Wine in Darlinghurst

The once-prized but long-empty corner site where Fez operated in Darlinghurst finally has a tenant.

And it has been worth the wait, with hatted chef Jeremy Bentley from The Devonshire opening Eliza Food and Wine in February.

"Darlinghurst got its name from Governor Darling's wife Elizabeth Darling, who was known as Eliza," he says of the choice of moniker.

It will open on February 20.

While the venue will be a balance of food and drink, Bentley's classical training, which includes The Square in London, will have the Sydney food community on alert.

The chef is already working on dishes including john dory with cucumber, fermented cabbage and yoghurt and a tweaked version of his signature creme brulee using raspberry tea.

"My business partner is Simon Rabbitt. We went to school together back in Adelaide and have been mates for 30 years," he says.

Bentley has been off the radar since closing The Devonshire in late 2017 after light rail work on the strip took a heavy toll on the restaurant.

"I went to council before taking this site to make sure there were no major works happening around here."