Perth
Concealed down a heritage arcade, Stables Bar manages to be both an energetic, bustling bar and a worthwhile destination for interesting food. On weekend…
Must-see restaurants in Australia
The East Coast
Head to the Edge of the Bay resort early to snare a window seat for dinner. The chefs serve up fresh east-coast produce with prodigious amounts of seafood…
Hobart
Tried and true Greek dishes and Adonis-like staff come together perfectly at Mezethes. All the classics (moussaka, souvlaki, lamb, fish, saganaki, baklava…
Whitsunday Coast
The in-house bistro at the Austral Hotel is Mackay's place to go for those who fancy a slab of judiciously singed cow. Porterhouse, eye fillet, T-bone and…
Whitsunday Coast
About 16km east of Finch Hatton, on the road between Mackay and Eungella, is the unassuming single-story Pinnacle Hotel, where you can try one of…
Launceston
Charles St's pioneering cafe serves sandwiches, pastas, risottos, salads and all-day breakfasts, plus an interesting array of craft beers and wines…
Melbourne
Sandblasted oak stools, whitewashed timber and a wintry forest mural evoke Scandinavia at this contemporary cafe with smooth coffee and a smart, produce…
Cradle Country & The West
Enjoy your meal or drink on the grassed terrace or around the wood stove in the tentlike dining room at Tullah's best eating option. Lunch is a simple…
Mt Field National Park
A few hundred metres past the park turn-off is this old country pub (1920), cooking up mixed grills, chicken dishes and steaks. The bartender shakes her…
Launceston
The Seaport development on the North Esk riverbank can feel contrived and soulless, but most of the eateries here are at least decent. Spice Lounge is…
Tasmania
The grassed sea-facing terrace at this modern cafe in the surf lifesaving club features bean bags and umbrellas and is hugely popular with local families…
Eyre Peninsula & the West Coast
We're not sure how much actual yachting transpires in Coffin Bay (this is more of a fishing town), but this cavernous waterfront club sure has yacht…
Melbourne
The southside branch of Fitzroy burger royalty, Huxtaburger is famed for its sweet brioche buns, grass-fed wagyu patties and crinkle-cut chips (best…
West Coast Australia
In a great position butting up to JB's caravan park, Jetty serves up decent breakfasts, burgers, grilled fish and toasted sandwiches. It's a supercasual,…
Hobart
A slice of urban cool, Raincheck’s bohemian room and street-side tables see punters sipping coffee, reconstituting over big breakfasts, and conversing…
Eyre Peninsula & the West Coast
Elliott's opens early to serve hungry fisherfolk and nomads wandering in off the Flinders Hwy, filling stomachs with citrus tarts, luminous pink…
Byron Bay
With flickering candles and a rainforest backdrop 4km south of town, this intimate resort restaurant offers grazing plates and Modern Australian mains…
Barossa Valley
An elegant, breezy room with huge windows facing the main street, Blond serves nutty coffee and all-day cafe fare (including awesome pumpkin, capsicum and…
Brisbane & Around
Tuck into stock-standard, Italian-inspired dishes at this busy, casual eatery on Redcliffe's main street. While its cast of salads, pastas, pizzas and…
The East Coast
Sit under the wisteria-draped pergola at Kate's (3km south of Swansea) and decide which handmade berry incarnation suits your mood: berry ice creams, jams…
Limestone Coast
Naracoorte's closest approximation of a city cafe is sweet little Sweet Espresso, an unpretentious caffeine nook with a contemporary fit-out near the town…
Hobart
Ignore the slightly clinical decor and dive into some of Hobart’s best seafood. Stand-outs include scallop linguine, curried seafood chowder with grilled…
Sydney
Near Taronga Zoo, this handsome building has lovely harbour views from its verandah. Essentially a function space, it makes a tempting lunch stop on a…
Lord Howe Island
Near the airport, this nine-holer offers beautiful views for a round but is also one of the island's simple but reliable places to eat. Tuesday nights it…
Ricky's River Bar & Restaurant
Noosa
The biggest selling point at linen-clad Ricky's is the location, right on the Noosa River. Fresh seafood is the focus, be it scallop tartare with potato…
Melbourne
Fun, thumping Fonda serves Mexican-with-a-twist street food. Tacos are from La Tortilleria in Kensington and the crispy prawn version with guacamole and…
Melbourne
Reflecting Melbourne's current obsession with American cuisine, this dark, smartly fitted-out restaurant serves up the ol' American-Italian classic…
Yarra Valley
A bona fide slice of colonial Australiana, Reefton is a real Aussie bush pub. Eat your burger, steak or chicken dish in the bar, which is presided over by…
Limestone Coast
Lean on the front bar with the locals, or munch into steaks, schnitzels, Coorong mullet or a Coorong wrap (with mullet!) in the cavernous, refreshingly…
Hobart
This cosy red-painted nook inside the Salamanca Arts Centre serves up a range of cafe classics (BLTs, toasties, scrambled free-range eggs, salads, house…
City Centre & Haymarket
One of the many tendrils of the Ivy complex, Ash St Cellar is an urbane, laneside wine bar that does excellent cheese, charcuterie and shared plates at…
Surfers Paradise
Located downstairs from the Aegean Apartments, thankfully this burgundy restaurant doesn't feel like a generic hotel dining option, but is rather upmarket…
Sunshine Coast
Smart-casual Bella Venezia cooks up decent Italian dishes with an emphasis on local produce. Ditch the pizzas (from $25) for dishes like local-fish and…
Tasman Peninsula & Port Arthur
It’s all purple power at this lavender farm and distillery framed around a large cafe. If you can flavour it with lavender, they’ve done so – lavender ice…
Midlands & Central Highlands
Hanging off the side of the old Kentish Hotel, TKO delivers total-knockout steak sandwiches, steak-and-bacon pies, soups and scallop pies (either curried…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
The top-notch cuisine at Altitude, on the 36th floor of Shangri-La hotel, is liable to send your taste buds soaring as high as the fabulous views over the…
Fleurieu Peninsula
One of four Home Grains dotted around the Fleurieu Peninsula, this one in otherwise soporific McLaren Flat wakes up the locals with good coffee, bags of…
Melbourne
This wooden restaurant with sake bottles and Japanese lanterns is mostly casual and affordable, but what really gets people in the door is the $40 all-you…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
There aren’t a lot of decent downtown places for a reasonably priced, healthy bite, so this Italian cafe in the foyer of the AMP building is worth…
Melbourne
Head down a laneway and up some stairs to step into this restaurant – and into another era. Opened in 1947, it still has 1950s drapes, wood panelling and…
