Walking down Bolton Street of an evening towards Newcastle Harbour, your eye is drawn to Bistro Penny's warm and welcoming glow.
The French-inspired bistro's subdued mustard lighting throws an attractive golden hue, in stark contrast to the two-storey former bank's dark and sombre exterior.
Step inside, and the smell of food cooking on the open flame of the large grill is intoxicating.
Chefs work side by side in the open kitchen.
The steady hum of conversation is occasionally pierced by the clink of wine glasses.
Bistro Penny was the hottest ticket in town when longtime friends and collaborators Joel Humphreys and Nic Wong opened the doors 18 months ago.
Not much has changed.
Tables are still in demand, however, word of mouth has now spread beyond Newcastle. Bistro Penny, you see, received a coveted Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide chef's hat in February 2025 which it continues to wear proudly today.
And Sydneysiders are now travelling north to Newcastle to find out what all the fuss is about.
Bistro Penny started a new chapter last week with the official launch of its renovated upstairs space at a dinner featuring Symphonia Wines.
"The existing bones have always been there, however, it was quite a big overhaul polishing the beams, redoing the architrave around the windows, applying a luxurious carpet and slightly deeper colour choice for the walls," Wong said.
"The aim was to create a richer experience."
Symphonia Wines is in Victoria's King Valley and owned by Novocastrians Suzanne and Peter Evans. Suzanne, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2011 for her service to the community, runs Symphonia Wines with her daughter Sophie and winemaker Lilian Carter.
"Having Symphonia on our list helps tell our French/Australian story," Humphreys explained.
"Symphonia has been with us since we opened the doors."
The upstairs space, accessed via a grand timber staircase, caters for functions, special events and large bookings (groups of 16 to 50).
"We are very excited to see how this new space can be utilised. From wine dinners to weddings to birthdays, we really hope that Newcastle enjoys what we have created in that space," Humphreys said.
He hinted at "something new on the horizon" later in the year for Bistro Penny, but remained tight-lipped. He did reveal, though, that he would be looking to expand the team of 15 "as we open more hours for summer trading and gear up for the festive season".
As stunning as the restaurant is to look at, it's the quality of Bistro Penny's service and its ever-changing food offering that drives its success.
The chicken liver parfait with brandied prune.
The grilled scallops with chicken fat bearnaise.
The blue swimmer crab custard tart with fine herbs.
The raw coral trout with horseradish and verjuice.
Humphreys had always dreamed of opening his own restaurant in Newcastle ... a French-inspired neighbourhood bistro where he could cook food simply using fire and quality ingredients.
Bistro Penny has given him the opportunity to return to his classically French-trained culinary roots - and the kitchen - after years of consultant chef roles.
"Achieving a chef's hat is such an honour, and shows how dedicated the whole team is," he said.
"Keeping that standard, day in, day out, is what we hope to continue."
Is there one dish that could never be removed from the menu? Humphreys nominates the parfait ("It has always been a staple and has gotten better and better with the evolution of the dish").
