3 Reasons to Cross the Carpark: Why Sunny Park Deserves More of Your Time
Most people know the drill at Sunnybank. Park at Sunnybank Plaza, eat at Sunnybank Plaza, head home from Sunnybank Plaza.
And look, that’s not a bad plan, but it means a lot of people are walking past some of the precinct’s most interesting dining without ever crossing the road. Sunny Park, sitting directly opposite at the corner of Mains Road and McCullough Street, has its own distinct personality. The dining deck, the quieter pace, the mix of long standing local favourites and fresh new arrivals, it’s a different experience from the plaza, and one that rewards the five minute detour.
Here are three very good reasons to make the walk.
Nan Hot Pot: China’s Most Popular Hot Pot Brand, Now in Sunnybank
If you’ve spent any time in China’s hot pot scene, the name 楚火锅 (Nan Hot Pot) needs no introduction. One of China’s most popular hot pot brands has opened its first Australian flagship right here at Sunny Park, and it’s already turning heads.
The concept is built around authentic Sichuan and Chongqing style hot pot: the kind of bold, fragrant, fiery mala broth that serious hot pot lovers fly to China for.
Choose your soup base. The signature numbing mala (麻辣牛油红锅) is the one to start with. Customise your pot with a split compartment if you want two or more flavours running simultaneously. Load the table with thinly sliced meats, fresh seafood, vegetables, tofu, dumplings and noodles, then cook everything at your own pace. The signature specialty platter is the entry point for first timers, taking the guesswork out of ingredient selection and showcasing what the kitchen does best. And save room for the shaved ice desserts (招牌雪花冰) that everyone’s talking about. They’re as much a part of the Nan Hot Pot experience as the broth itself. This is the real thing, and it’s right across the road.
Yori: Donburi by Day, Izakaya by Night, Sunny Park
Tucked away behind Sunny Park on McCullough Street, Yori (りょうり) is the kind of place you discover by accident and immediately start telling people about. This Japanese restaurant opened in 2025 with minimal fanfare and almost no marketing, and fills up anyway.
By day, the focus is donburi. The Miso Katsu Don layers a Nagoya style pork cutlet under rich Hatcho miso sauce, the Roast Beef Don is built on sous vide MB9 wagyu finished with a crème brûlée sauce, and the Aburi Don torches salmon and white fish for a delicate smoky edge over warm rice. Round things out with a side of Japanese potato salad or the mentaiko cheese balls, and don’t skip the tempura udon if noodles are more your mood.
What many visitors don’t realise is that Yori transforms after dark into Yori Snack Bar, an izakaya night session with its own menu of signature plates, highballs, beer and sake. This is where things get interesting. Order the Motsu Nabe, a rich Japanese miso hot pot with tender beef intestine, tofu and napa cabbage, or the Kimchi Katsu Nabe, a crispy pork cutlet simmered in a spicy kimchi broth. Pair it with yakitori skewers, crispy tebasaki wings glazed Nagoya style, or the crab miso pasta topped with a whole crispy fried soft shell crab. During Izakaya Nights, order any hot pot alongside a signature plate and you’ll receive a free can of beer, a small but generous touch that sums up the whole Yori experience.
Hours run Monday to Wednesday and Sunday until 8:30pm, and Thursday to Saturday until 10:30pm, with later sessions available by reservation.
Hana Zushi: Flower Sushi and All You Can Eat Izakaya, Sunny Park
In Japanese, “hana zushi” means “flower sushi”, and the name is a promise. At Hana Zushi in Sunny Park, presentation is taken seriously.
Their sashimi platters arrive on beds of ice, decorated with cherry blossoms and sea coral, looking as though they’ve been assembled for a photograph rather than a Tuesday dinner. Head chef and owner Tony runs an open kitchen where you can watch Japanese sushi masters slicing fresh fish and assembling their creations with quiet precision. The selection runs to 35 different types of freshly made nigiri, sashimi platters in multiple configurations, flame grilled wagyu beef topped with truffle sauce, skewers, karaage chicken, takoyaki, and udon. The restaurant operates as an all you can eat format, a particularly good value way to work through the nigiri selection without the usual restraint.
A new menu has just launched with a current 10% discount running for a limited time, so it’s worth checking their Instagram (@hana_zushi_sunnybank) for the latest before you book.
Open for dinner nightly from 5pm, with lunch sessions added on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am. Book ahead for weekends. The open kitchen fills the room with the kind of energy that makes it easy to linger.
Cross the road. You won’t regret it.
Sunny Park has always had its own character, a little quieter, a little more local, a little more surprising.
A brand new hot pot brand making its Australian debut. A tucked away donburi spot that fills up without trying. A flower sushi izakaya with 35 types of nigiri and a new menu worth celebrating. Three restaurants. One carpark crossing.
Entirely worth it. With 70+ dining and entertainment options across Sunnybank Plaza and Sunny Park, there’s always something new to discover, especially if you’re willing to walk the extra fifty metres.
