Willis Canteen

Restaurant · Sydney, Australia

Willis Canteen

About Willis Canteen

Hand-ground gado gado, made fresh to order with peanut sauce pounded rather than blended, is the dish most closely associated with Willis Canteen, a casual Indonesian restaurant tucked into a laneway address in Ultimo, inner-city Sydney. The restaurant operates out of 197/392 Jones Street, a compact space that leans into a canteen-style setup with communal seating rather than a formal dining room layout, and it has built a following in the Ultimo and nearby Chippendale and Haymarket areas since opening.

The menu runs through familiar Indonesian street food staples: nasi goreng ayam (chicken fried rice), mie bakso (meatball noodle soup), sate padang, and beef ribs served with sambal, alongside the signature gado gado. Portions are generally described as generous relative to the price point, and the restaurant positions itself at the more affordable end of Sydney's Indonesian dining options, with service that trends toward quick and informal rather than a sit-down, multi-course experience.

Willis Canteen seats around 35 diners and offers gluten-free and vegan options alongside its standard menu, along with takeaway service for those not eating in. Free Wi-Fi is available on site, and the restaurant has hosted small functions in addition to regular lunch and dinner service. It operates six days a week, closed on Tuesdays, with lunch and dinner service running the rest of the week; specific hours vary somewhat by day, so calling ahead is worthwhile for larger groups or during peak dinner periods.

For Sydney's Indonesian community and curious diners alike, Willis Canteen offers a lower-key alternative to the city's more formal Indonesian restaurants, built around a small number of dishes executed consistently rather than an extensive menu. Its Ultimo location puts it within walking distance of UTS and the Sydney entertainment quarter, giving it a mix of student, worker, and destination diners across the week.

Address

197/392 Jones St, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia, Sydney, Australia

Opening hours

Friday
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Monday
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Saturday
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Contact

Category

Indonesian Restaurant in Australia

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