New head chef, new menu, same three-hour-lunch-that-turns-into-dinner energy. Arms Length is back with news, and it’s very good news.
The beloved Kellett St wine bar and restaurant has kicked off a new chapter with the appointment of Dipti Karnad as head chef – and if you’re the type who measures a night out by how many bottles deep you got while nibbling on flatbread, you’ll want to make a booking.
Karnad joins Arms Length fresh from stints at The Waratah and Three Blue Ducks, bringing serious pedigree (and a Le Cordon Bleu education) to a kitchen that’s fast become one of Sydney’s favourite neighbourhood haunts. Alongside co-owner and executive chef Jeff Sue, she’s also unveiled a brand new menu built to sit alongside Arms Length’s cult-favourite dishes.
Think stracciatella with persimmon, a winter-warming grilled octopus with eggplant caponata and pan-fried snapper, all joining the ranks of the venue’s already-beloved stuffed flatbread and milk-braised pork ragu mafaldine.
Owned by sisters Rebecca O’Shea, Rosie O’Shea, Danielle Sue and her husband, ex-Ormeggio at The Spit chef Jeff Sue, Arms Length first opened its doors in Redfern back in 2021 before relocating to a warm Kellett St terrace house in Potts Point in 2024 – where it’s been firmly adopted by the locals ever since.
For Karnad, the move feels like a natural fit. “The wine bar concept is exactly what I’ve always wanted to do,” she says. “There’s both that community feel and a focus on creating technical dishes that showcase beautiful Australian produce, but it isn’t restricted to fine dining.”
“The variety of the different spaces – from the front room and bar to the outdoor terrace and booths – mean you can sit for hours over a few bottles of wine and share plates and just enjoy the vibe.”
Jeff Sue puts it more simply: it’s like turning up to a dinner party at a friend’s house, except your friend happens to employ personal chefs. “There’s delicious food continually being brought to the table but it’s not taking centre stage; the focus is on people coming together to talk and catch up,” he says. “Then you take a bite of something and it stops you in your tracks. We like to describe it as elevated comfort food, but Arms Length is also the type of place where you’re welcome to come just for drinks, like you’d do in downtown New York.”
The 60-seat venue backs it all up with an extensive wine list spotlighting boutique Australian producers, monthly cocktail specials, and a dedicated martini menu ranging from yuzu and lychee to appletini and banana espresso – each also available in mini form for those who want a taste of everything.
And because Arms Length has always leaned into its neighbourhood-favourite status, the weekly deals remain firmly in place: $19 pasta and wine on Tuesdays, $29 steak frites and wine on Wednesdays, and a build-your-own $15 mini meal on Thursdays.
Arm’s Length is located at 7 Kellett St, Potts Point, open 4pm until late Monday to Thursday and 12pm until late Friday to Sunday. Reservations are recommended; walk-ins are welcome, and honestly, once you’ve had the martini menu, you won’t be leaving anytime soon anyway.
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