Must-see restaurants in Australia

  • Safavi

    Flinders Ranges

    Port Pirie's best cafe is inside an old church, one street back from the main drag. Pay your pious respects to big biscuits, quesadillas, pastas, toasted…

  • Swell

    Mid-North Coast

    Come to this basic beach kiosk for the well-made coffee on the way to a morning surf; drop in for burgers, pizzas and milkshakes at lunch; and finish the…

  • Taku Japanese Kitchen

    West Coast Australia

    Away from Mandurah's tourist glitz, this skinny, unpretentious, family-run operation does excellent tempura, sashimi and sushi. The $9.50 lunchtime…

  • Homestead House Cafe

    Victorian High Country

    This smart and cheery little cafe on the main road does good coffee, roast-lamb rolls, wonderful homemade cakes and a daily changing menu of seasonal food…

  • Bay Merchants

    Albany

    Just a sandy-footed stroll from the beach, this cafe-provedore makes good coffee, enticing cakes and gourmet sandwiches. The deli section has a good…

  • Bellas

    New South Wales

    Breakfast at this quality all-day option treads familiar ground (with some fun tempters like Sicilian doughnuts). From lunchtime, the menu skews heavily…

  • Cafe 3564 Wine Bar

    Victoria

    Inhabiting the old Echuca post office, this smart contemporary cafe does fabulous coffee, light lunches, sweets and excellent wines, most of them local…

  • Aqua Grill

    The Southeast

    Reliable takeaway or dine-in pizzas (the 'Sicily' has plenty of pepperoni punch), plus fish and chips in all shapes and sizes (try the blue-eye trevalla)…

  • Mecca

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Musicians occasionally hang out at the pavement tables at this 1950s-era cafe, scoffing burgers by day and sometimes jamming until late on impromptu…

  • Normanton Bakery

    Gulf Savannah

    Normanton's bakery is one of the better outback bakeries in the gulf region, with the usual mix of pies, pastries and breads, plus a handful of sandwiches…

  • Jilarty Gelato Bar

    Victoria

    Gelati on a hot summer’s day? Unbeatable. This little cafe specialises in Italian-style gelati with local fruit flavours, along with great coffee and…

  • Heinemann's Bakery

    Outback Queensland

    The best place for a coffee, pie or fresh-baked cake in Charleville. Pies include the Ned Kelly (minced meat, egg, bacon and cheese). The sit-down cafe…

  • Cache Store of Food

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    This popular cafe has the creative-sandwich, mini-pizza and pastry market covered. The coffee is good and there are tables aplenty inside and out. A juice…

  • Sonoma

    Sydney

    'Artisan sourdough' is the speciality of this bakery cafe on the Five Ways intersection. The toast with ricotta and the sourdough sandwiches are suitably…

  • Belsize & Co

    Bellarine Peninsula

    A good spot for brunch, this chic main-street cafe does an ever-changing menu featuring the likes of smashed-avo breakfasts and pulled-pork rolls, along…

  • Sunset Bar & Grill

    Gold Coast

    This umbrella-shaded, family-friendly place by the water won't knock your socks off, but it does serve something for everyone, with an extensive menu of…

  • Keils Fine Food & Coffee

    Barossa Valley

    Sidestep the coffee mums and their prams; spurn the ugly, humming drinks fridge; and place your order for homemade baguettes, soups, quiches, pies, wraps,…

  • Pt. Leo Restaurant

    Victoria

    Offering an à la carte menu, Pt. Leo Estate's second restaurant has a more casual ambiance than its sibling Laura. In our experience, the food can be a…

  • Ragusa

    Melbourne

    Using the old name for Dubrovnik, Ragusa incorporates the likes of Moreton Bay bugs and Wagyu beef into traditional Dalmatian dishes. You'll find them in…

  • Wild Fennel

    Midlands & Central Highlands

    This timber roadside cafe does a roaring trade in pies, burgers, omelettes and hot soup, best consumed by the open fire. Order the ominously named Black…

  • Urban Pantry

    Canberra

    This popular brunch spot boasts a chic bistro atmosphere inside and sunny tables in the small square outside. Unfortunately service can be a bit chaotic…

  • Barefoot

    Magnetic Island

    With high-quality food and service, this restaurant has an extensive wine list, fresh and excellent seafood platters and gourmet desserts. It also houses…

  • East Beach Take Away

    Port Fairy

    Your classic old-school fish-and-chip shop, run by friendly Greek owner Con. Grab 'em and head to nearby East Beach to enjoy by the water – a great Aussie…

  • Misschu

    Melbourne

    Misschu pumps out Laotian-Vietnamese hawker-style food to a mix of south-side suits and hipsters. Fill out your order form for tiger-prawn and green-mango…

  • Robert Burns Hotel

    Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford

    A change of ownership at the end of 2018 saw Robbie Burns' menu switch from Spanish to Italian-Australian fare. Think prosciutto di Parma with oozing…

  • Club Hotel Bistro

    Gulf Savannah

    Croydon's only remaining pub serves up good counter food including pizzas, steaks and stir-fries. Bar snacks available all day. Sunset with an ice-cold…

  • Christopher’s Cake Shop

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    At the Darlinghurst end of Bourke St there are some rare reminders of the neighbourhood’s once-prominent Greek community, such as Christopher’s Cake Shop,…

  • Devils Marbles Hotel Restaurant

    Outback Northern Territory

    Serves large-sized meals from an extensive menu that includes outback staples such as the barra burger, steak sandwiches and burgers. Unusually for an…

  • Indian Tandoori

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    You can smell the tandoor oven the second you walk into this spotless, friendly, family-run restaurant, bursting with the aromas and flavours of fine…

  • Pizza Birra

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    Bentwood chairs clatter across the polished-concrete floor; friends laugh, clink glasses and unwind; waiters spin and smile. Pizza Birra is stylish enough…

  • Hot Shott

    Gold Coast

    Drop by for a breakfast of eggs Benedict, Bircher muesli or buttermilk pancakes, or try a burger or filling salad for lunch at this down-to-earth cafe…

  • National Museum of Australia Cafe

    Canberra

    Set in a glass-roofed atrium overlooking the lake, this cafeteria-style cafe is a great spot to combat museum fatigue. Meals are a cut above normal…

  • Coral Resort Bakery

    West Coast Australia

    Fulfilling all your carb-loading requirements, this bakery in the shopping arcade has sandwiches made to order, plus breakfast toasties, ready-made picnic…

  • Izakaya Chuji

    Melbourne

    One of Melbourne's most authentic izakayas, no-frills Chuji is popular for its well-priced and delicious traditional Japanese pub-style dishes, from…

  • Don Don

    Melbourne

    This humble Japanese eatery fills up fast. Grab a big bowl of udon noodles or a bento box full of assorted goodies and either wolf it down indoors or join…

  • Les Chefs

    Fraser Island & the Fraser Coast

    Attached to the Riviera Motel, this old mainstay of the Bundaberg dining scene offers huge salads, schnitzels and pork cutlets on a meat-and-potatoes menu…

  • Schnitzel House & Oyster Bar

    South Coast NSW

    Offering a food pairing you never knew you needed, this casual restaurant serves delicious East Coast oysters (with zesty garnishes or au naturel) along…

  • Byng Street Local Store

    New South Wales

    This cute corner cafe is a big hit with locals. The bread, muffins and pastries are freshly baked on-site, the coffee is excellent, and the hunger-busters…

  • Port Hotel

    West Coast Australia

    There's a relaxed cafe feel to this corner pub, and the kitchen's daytime output ranges from eggs Benedict to lunchtime caesar salad and panini. The…

  • Waterfalls Cafe

    Mt Field National Park

    This simple eatery inside the Mt Field National Park visitor information centre serves up reasonable cafe fare (burgers, nachos, toasted sandwiches and…