Fishbowl Is Changing Its Name to Thisbowl Across Australia, With $10 Bowls at Bondi on September 26

Around 20 Australian restaurants are expected to switch to the Thisbowl name from September 22, with the remainder of the chain scheduled to transition by mid-October. The change starts as Fishbowl marks 10 years since opening its first tiny restaurant at Bondi Beach in Sydney.

There is also a deal attached to the anniversary celebrations. The original Bondi restaurant will reopen after a major renovation on Saturday, September 26, with $10 bowls available all day as part of its 10th birthday event.

Fishbowl Is Becoming Thisbowl Across Australia

The Fishbowl name is being progressively replaced by Thisbowl, rather than the company launching an entirely separate Australian restaurant chain.

A newly published September 22 report says roughly 19 additional locations will adopt the Thisbowl branding on Tuesday alongside the revamped Bondi store, with remaining restaurants expected to be converted by the middle of October.

Fishbowl’s existing Australian website and ordering service are still operating during the transition, so you may continue to see a mixture of the Fishbowl and Thisbowl names while individual restaurants, apps, websites and centre directories are updated.

The Name Is Changing Because Fish Is No Longer the Focus

The company’s founders say the original Fishbowl name no longer accurately reflects what most customers order.

When the first Bondi restaurant opened in 2016, its protein choices were heavily seafood focused, including kingfish, salmon and tuna. Ten years later, salmon is reportedly the only seafood protein remaining on the standard range and accounts for less than 30% of orders, with chicken and beef becoming more prominent choices.

Co-founder Nic Pestalozzi told the newly published report that the Fishbowl name could give potential customers the impression that the restaurants primarily sold seafood. The company says that perception has occasionally caused confusion, including customers expecting fish and chips when visiting some locations.

The Thisbowl name is intended to be broader and better suited to the current made-to-order bowl menu.

It is not an entirely new name for the company. Fishbowl opened its first US restaurant in New York City in 2024 under the Thisbowl brand, something its Australian location and careers pages have previously acknowledged.

Get $10 Bowls at the Bondi Flagship on September 26

The rebrand coincides with a major reopening at the place where the business began.

Fishbowl’s original Bondi Beach restaurant at 182 Campbell Parade, Bondi NSW 2026 has been closed for renovations. The company’s current online ordering service still lists the location as closed for renovation ahead of its reopening.

The new flagship will officially reopen on Saturday, September 26, exactly 10 years after the brand’s first year of trading at Bondi.

As part of the “Ten Years of Fish” celebration, the company has advertised $10 bowls for 10 years, all day at the Bondi restaurant.

That makes Saturday’s reopening more than a branding event if you are in Sydney. You will be able to buy a bowl for $10 at the Bondi flagship throughout the day, based on the company’s published event announcement.

The birthday event is also set to include collaborations involving Gelato Messina and Motorino.

Thisbowl Will Replace Fishbowl at More Than 50 Australian Restaurants

Fishbowl has grown substantially since opening its approximately 26-square-metre Bondi shop in 2016.

Its existing Australian site says there are 50+ locations across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, while the company’s careers material describes a network of more than 60 locations across Australia’s east coast.

For customers, the most immediate changes will therefore be the branding you see on restaurants and online. The rollout begins September 22 and is expected to be completed by mid-October, while the first Bondi shop celebrates the company’s 10th anniversary with its reopening and $10 bowl promotion on September 26.