Darling Glebe is turning the traditional Christmas in July formula on its head this month with The Naughty List, a series of secret weekly dishes served beneath its spectacular sandstone arches. 

Instead of the usual festive set menu, diners receive a sealed invitation containing three off-menu winter dishes created by Chef Jeff Schroeter: one entrée, one main and one dessert.

Guests won’t know what’s on The Naughty List until they break the seal. Each selection is individually priced and may be ordered alone, paired with another Naughty List dish, or enjoyed as a complete progression alongside Darling Glebe’s regular à la carte menu.

The menu changes every week from 1-31 July, creating fifteen limited-edition dishes across five weeks. Once a week’s dishes disappear, a new trio takes their place.

Restaurant manager Jack Schroeter (above with his father Jeff) said: “We loved the idea that Christmas in July should feel like discovering an unexpected present.

“The people who love Christmas in July tend to be the same people who order dessert, buy the good Champagne and convince the table to stay for one more round. We thought they deserved their own invitation.”

The dishes themselves remain under wraps, but guests can expect winter warmers featuring rich buttery sauces that demand bread, golden pastry that scatters flakes across the tablecloth, slow cooked comforts, nostalgic luxuries and desserts capable of derailing even the strongest intentions.

Chef Jeff Schroeter said: “Christmas is one of the few times of year when people give themselves permission to enjoy the things they genuinely love.

“Rich flavours, great wine, dessert. Another course, another story around the table. The Naughty List is our way of bringing that feeling to the middle of winter.”

Start your evening with a cocktail in the Ferrari Martini Lounge. The cocktail list, which is served from the elegantly curved bar, has been curated by award-winning bartender Charlie Ainsbury. The Chef’s Martini is a must-try, from chef’s own recipe. Built with balance in mind, it features three parts Plymouth gin to two parts Dolin dry vermouth, with a restrained touch of olive brine. Shaken briefly to integrate and soften, it’s then served ice cold with three olives.

Learn more about The Naughty List and book to experience it here.

Located on the site of the iconic Darling Mills, Darling Glebe features five character-filled rooms carved from convict-chipped sandstone, reclaimed heritage brick and vaulted ceilings from Edmund Blackett’s original St John’s Church.

Jeff took the helm at the restaurant earlier this year. He’s previously worked in Michelin-starred kitchens and dining rooms including London’s The Savoy, The Royalton Hotel in New York, and Sydney institutions Bistro Moncur and Bayswater Brasserie. He has also cooked privately for everyone from the late Queen Elizabeth II to Anna Wintour.

You’ll find Darling Glebe at 134A Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW.