Aspiration embodied: How Unita brought Hamsi Taverna to life 

A celebration of good food, good music and connection through shared experience, Hamsi Taverna brings Mediterranean vibes to Sydney’s landmark fish markets precinct. Replete with brightly coloured umbrellas, linen tablecloths, beach vibes and a DJ spinning grooves till late, the restaurant is already becoming a fast favourite for locals and visitors alike. 

The restaurant was made possible through a close partnership between interior fitout company Unita, designer Alkot Studio and the client, Efendy Group. Unita’s highly collaborative approach helped bring the owners’ long-held aspirations to fruition, while keeping all-important financials in check. 

Restaurateurs Berk Cemail, Fatih Kulle and Somer Sivrioglu are no strangers to the hospitality scene, having already made their mark both locally and abroad in their native Turkey. When the time came to open their latest, high-end offering at Sydney Fish Markets, they knew they needed a fitout company that could keep the project on track and on budget. Unita was a natural fit. 

“You might have a great design, but if you don’t have a great builder, something like this will not come to life,” says Fatih, General Manager of Efendy Group. “So many people asked me, ‘why don’t you open a restaurant’. After 20 years, opening this space, it’s been worth the wait. It is what I dreamed of.” 

Honouring this lifelong vision, Unita was determined to deliver a space that looks beautiful, but also supports Efendy Group’s commercial realities. Naturally, budget was of critical importance, which is why Unita was involved from the early stages to guide decision-making and prevent early decisions from causing blowouts later on. 

“Budgeting is very important,” says Berk, Efendy Group’s Managing Director. “It’s a big project, so if you go off-budget, you can go off by a lot. The way we worked together with Alkot and Unita helped us get this right.” 

Unita worked closely with Barbara Albert from Alkot Studio to develop a cost-effective solution for the bar area. Originally intended to be formed concrete poured onsite, challenging site conditions made this impossible. Together, they devised an alternative that could be partly built offsite, without impacting on its visual impact. 

“Often, fitout companies substitute finishes or materials without first discussing the change with the designer. I knew Unita wouldn’t do that,” Barbara says. “I knew straight away that I wanted to work with Unita on this project, as they had the right capabilities and a strong presence in Sydney, with a lot of professionalism in the team.” 

Together, Unita, Alkot Studio and Efendy Group have succeeded in creating one of Sydney’s most iconic new spaces, redolent of salty air, shared laughter, and endless summer evenings well-spent. 

“We will definitely work with Unita again if we open another restaurant, for sure,” says Fatih. When the result is as well executed as this, it’s little wonder. 

Watch the full interview with Efendy Group’s Fatih Kulle and Berk Cemail on Unita’s website.

This article first appeared in Inside Retail in February 2026.

Photography credit: Cieran Murphy.