Popular Sydney restaurant announces closure after a decade in business: ‘Goodbye to an icon’
An established Asian restaurant that has operated in Sydney’s CBD for over a decade will shut its doors permanently next month.
Lotus The Galeries, a contemporary Asian restaurant located within the iconic Galeries shopping precinct on George Street, will serve its final customers on Sunday, April 12.
An online announcement shared to the eatery’s Instagram account a fortnight ago sadly confirmed the upcoming closure.
The notice read: ‘Dear Valued Guests, After wonderful years, Lotus The Galeries will be closing its doors on 12th April 2026.’
The restaurant owners noted that Lotus The Galeries has been a ‘vibrant’ eatery ‘in the heart of the city’ for over a decade, and acknowledged that they had welcomed an array of different diners during that period.
‘From quick lunches between meetings to relaxed dinners and celebratory gatherings, it has been our privilege to share so many special moments with you over our signature dishes and shared tables,’ the post continued.
The message extended ‘heartfelt thanks’ to both patrons and staff, past and present.
The announcement concluded by saying: ‘While this chapter is coming to a close, the Lotus spirit lives on across our other venues, where we look forward to welcoming you again soon.’
Lotus the Galeries in Sydney’s CBD will shut on April 12
The contemporary Asian restaurant is located in the iconic Galeries shopping precinct on George Street
An announcement post about the impending closure extended ‘heartfelt thanks’ to both patrons and staff, past and present.
Lotus The Galeries falls under the umbrella of hospitality business Lotus Dining Group.
News of the upcoming closure also appeared on the hospitality group’s @lotusdininggroup Instagram account.
’17 days to say goodbye to an icon,’ their latest social media post began.
‘For over a decade, Lotus The Galeries has been the heart of our story. From first dates and birthday toasts to that reliable mid-week dumpling fix, this space on Level 1 has seen it all,’ it continued.
‘As we prepare to close our doors on April 12th, we’re inviting you back for one final chapter,’ the post read.
‘Whether it’s a final basket of our signature Jade Prawn dumplings or a celebratory banquet with the team, let’s make these last 17 days unforgettable.’
The initial post about the impending closure was met with an outpouring of dismay from past diners.
‘Nooooo way, so sad,’ read one reply.
Lotus The Galeries was renowned for offering traditional Chinese cuisine in a contemporary and elegant setting
Popular items on the menu include their signature handcrafted dumplings, including pork and prawn siu mai
The Galeries is a mid-city shopping centre in the heart of the Sydney CBD
‘Loved this place,’ another patron responded.
Enjoying a premier mid-city location, Lotus The Galeries was renowned for offering traditional Chinese cuisine in a contemporary and elegant setting.
The highlight of the expansive menu was its signature handcrafted dumplings, including pork and prawn siu mai and jade prawn dumplings.
Other popular choices included signature spring rolls with king brown mushrooms, and wok-fried dishes like Singapore noodles and Wagyu flank steak.
Lotus Dining Group has operated a range of contemporary Chinese venues across Sydney since 2012.
They currently operate two other Lotus restaurant venues located at Barangaroo on Barangaroo Wharf and Pearl Dining on Bridge Street.
They also operate several Dumpling Bars at Circular Quay, Summer Hill, and at Sydney Airport in the T3 departure terminal.
Daily Mail contacted Lotus Dining Group for comment but had not heard back at the time of publication.
