SRG Hospitality, the group behind some of Sydney's best-known waterfront venues, will open two new restaurants at Rose Bay Marina: Ripples Rose Bay, a relaxed contemporary Australian venue opening late June, and Riva, a refined Italian restaurant opening in late July.
The openings mark the group's most significant expansion to date, bringing two distinct but complementary venues to one of the harbour's most recognisable addresses.
Perry Drakopoulos, managing director and creative director of SRG Hospitality, said: "Rose Bay Marina is one of those sites that doesn't need an introduction. Sydneysiders have a genuine affection for this location, and we don't take that lightly. For us, it's less about making a statement and more about doing the site justice, with two venues that feel like they genuinely belong here."
Riva takes its name from the Italian Riva yacht, a design reference that shaped every decision in the room, from the polished mahogany timber and scalloped dining chairs to the custom table tops drawn from classic Riva detailing.
Drakopoulos continued: "The design of Riva is grounded in a very specific reference point, the Riva yacht. That craftsmanship, that mid-century Mediterranean glamour. We've carried it through in the timber, dining chairs, the custom table tops, but then softened everything through a more romantic, feminine lens. The palette is sun-faded and coastal: washed blues, soft creams, terracotta, honeyed timber. It's a room that feels like it has been there for decades, quietly collecting warmth and personality."
The food philosophy marries Italian tradition with premium Australian produce. Head chef Manuel Bellanti, whose family has been making porchetta to a family recipe for more than 40 years, brings a menu where pasta is the centrepiece. The inhouse pasta program, led by a dry-aged risotto, and the porchetta are among the dishes expected to define the Riva experience.
Alessandro Intini, SRG Hospitality food and beverage director, said: "We want to stay true to the simplicity and authenticity of Italian cooking, while working with the best local ingredients to achieve the same level of quality and flavour you'd expect in Italy. It's not about reinventing pasta, but about respecting it."
The wine list is structured around Italian regions and varietals alongside Australian expressions of Italian grapes and a curated selection of international styles. The cocktail program draws on Italian products (Italicus, amaro, vermouth, grappa) in a modern, clean format.
Sitting beneath Riva on the same marina site, Ripples Rose Bay is designed to become a neighbourhood staple, whether for a morning coffee, a long lunch, or a relaxed dinner by the water. The menu is built around generous share plates and seafood, reflecting the coastal setting. Standout dishes include a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, and whole seafood.
Daniel Drakopoulos, managing director of SRG Hospitality said: "Ripples has been part of Sydney's waterfront since we opened at Milsons Point in 2002, and every venue since has been built around the same idea; great food, a genuine connection to the water, and somewhere people actually want to come back to. Rose Bay is the next chapter in that story, and we want it to feel exactly the same way."
The beverage list focuses on Australian producers, with an emphasis on bright whites, textural rosés and lighter reds suited to the harbour setting, with the venue also BYO. The cocktail program keeps it coastal, with highlights including the Main Squeeze (vodka, cherry blossom, guava, citrus) and the Ripple Effect, a salted rum espresso martini.
The fit-out continues the design language established across the Ripples portfolio, timber, bamboo trusses, and natural materials that lean into the light and water rather than compete with them.
Perry Drakopoulos, said: "It's about longevity, something that feels like it has always been there. We applied what we call the ‘barefoot test’, a place you can arrive barefoot for breakfast, lunch or dinner and still feel entirely comfortable."
Ripples Rose Bay opens late June, and Riva, opens late July.
