ESCA Hospitality Group will open Amé, a Nikkei restaurant bringing Japanese-Peruvian cuisine to Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, this October.
Situated on the ground floor of a heritage-listed 1927 building at 84 Oxford Street, Amé is led by executive chef Erik Ortolani, currently serving as executive chef of ESCA’s Itō and Jōji. At Amé, Ortolani draws inspiration from Nikkei cuisine, exploring the rich culinary tradition born from more than 130 years of Japanese immigration to Peru.
“I’ve always loved Nikkei cuisine. It’s incredibly vibrant, layered and exciting, yet it still feels underrepresented in Sydney,” says Ibrahim Moubadder, co-founder and creative director of ESCA Group. “Sydney is one of the greatest dining cities because we don’t just replicate cuisines, our chefs interpret them through the way this city eats, and I don’t think Nikkei has had that moment here yet. That’s what excites us about Amé.”
“Erik has such a strong foundation in Japanese cooking, and after travelling through Peru and immersing himself in its food and culture, he’s bringing those two worlds together through his own perspective. We want Amé to be some of ESCA’s best work yet, a restaurant that makes people fall in love with Nikkei cuisine and shows what it can become in Sydney. I can’t wait to open the doors this October and share what we’ve created.”
Amé forms part of Oxford & Foley, the Darlinghurst precinct also home to the recently opened Mecca Coffee and Aenza, with Soho House set to open next door in 2028. The opening of Amé follows the recent launches of ESCA venues AALIA Wine Room in Martin Place and Besa in Bondi, reflecting the group’s continued investment in Sydney’s hospitality scene.
Amé will open 7 days a week for dinner, and for lunch Wednesday-Sunday, from October 2026.
