With already national kudos from The Good Food Guide and famous faces seen walking through the doors, it’s clear that Port Kembla’s new restaurant, The Iron Yampi, has hit the right note from the get-go. But far from being the overnight success some may think it, the Iron Yampi is the culmination of a long-fought journey for Ben Abraham and Justine Parkinson in learning the trade as restaurateurs.

This is now their seventh restaurant, with other ventures under the Good Times Only Group banner in Wollongong including Howlin’ Wolf Bar, Dagwood Bar + Kitchen, and The Little Prince. By combining a deep appreciation for the region and an adventurous approach to expanding the possibilities of our local foodie scene, The Iron Yampi is showing us just what the Illawarra is made of in more ways than one.

It is the endearing paradox of entrepreneurial polish and relaxed irreverence that seems to be the reason for the exciting choices co-owner Ben makes in his restaurants and why people flock to him.

Ben and his partner in life and business, Justine, say it is that love of the local area that in large part guides what we now experience when we enjoy a meal at The Iron Yampi.

“We bloody love Port,” said Ben. “We tried and failed to buy a house here, so we figured we’d open a bar instead. We saw a gap in the local market for good wine, cocktails and food, and we set out to fill this gap.”

“Wentworth Street is jammed full of history and character, and we genuinely love every bit of it,” continued Ben.

“When designing the space, we aimed to nod to the art deco design elements that are prominent throughout Port. Think Port in its heyday!

“The name comes from the first ship to enter the inner harbour when it was dredged in the ‘60s,” continued Ben. “It’s a suburb that has been so integral to the growth of Wollongong, and we feel like many it’s poised to become a central part of the Illawarra once again.

There is truth in that rumour about the rise and rise of Port Kembla, with Ben noting the Hollywood-esque flavour about Port Kembla with some notable names spotted there.

It’s safe to say the word is out about Port!”

“Yael Stone from Orange is the New Black walked in for dinner a few months ago,” recalls Ben. “Melissa Leong from Masterchef and Alex Volkanovski filmed a cooking video in the Bank Space recently. It’s safe to say the word is out about Port!”

And The Iron Yampi is carrying its fair share in reviving Port Kembla thanks to the strong and creative cocktail list and menu. It’s carefully curated to fit any vibe, from a cold beer in summer to a top shelf shiraz.

“Our Head Chef, William Strong, is a seasoned professional and draws from his decades of experience to present an excellent menu of elevated classics,” said Ben. “Everything we do we try to do to the best of our ability, be it crowd pleasers done well, like hand crumbed schnitzels and 100% wagyu burgers, or nods to Will’s fine dining training, like quail and dauphinoise.

“We’re aiming to be the bar for everyone,” Ben continued. “Thongs and a pint? No stress. Date night and a bottle of Hermitage? We got you.

“All of it is backed by a smiling crew who are here to help your night be the best it can be. I have this underlying principle where I believe it’s really special when people entrust you with their night out. A lot of people are feeling the pinch these days, and for someone to decide to trust us with their hard-earned money is something we take seriously.”

There are some favourites though that reflect a certain signature for which the Iron Yampi is becoming known.

“Our grain fed Black Angus scotch fillet is a genuine contender,” said Ben. “Its accompaniments change fortnightly, but as an example it currently goes with Jerusalem artichoke and potato puree, 12 hour slow roasted carrots, charred broccolini and a red wine poached egg.”

“As for drinks, we both love a straight up and down Montenegro on the rocks. Our current list has an amazing cocktail created by our bar manager, Spencer, called Agrodolce, with Montenegro, passionfruit and citrus.

As for 2024 and beyond there seems to be no predicting what Ben and Justine will do next, naturally keeping the rest of us on our toes and eager to go along for the ride.

“We love our degustation dinners,” continued Ben. “Last year we ran three, all of which sold out.

“The Yampi is our first foray into a good wine venue, with close to 100 bottles on the list currently, and growing.”