Must-see restaurants in Australia & Pacific

  • Sweet Meadow

    Victoria

    There's absolutely no trade-off for flavour in Sweet Meadow's great vegan and plant-based menu. Overflowing with seasonal fruit, quite possibly Australia…

  • Sum Yung Guys

    Sunshine Coast

    Flavours explode and thrill at this fun and popular place, co-owned by 2016 Masterchef Australia runner-up Matt Sinclair. He's usually in the kitchen,…

  • Goldmines Hotel

    Victoria

    A remnant of the lucrative Victoria Hills goldfields, this grand heritage hotel (1857) just west of central Bendigo has been taken over by the folk from…

  • Reed & Co

    Victorian High Country

    Combining a gin distillery with delicious wood-fired food, Reed & Co is an essential Victorian High Country destination. Native Australian bush botanicals…

  • Rock-It Kitchen

    Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula

    Around 3km from town adjacent to surf beaches, Rock-It Kitchen combines rustic decor – it's housed in an old woolshed – with the area's best food. New…

  • Hanuman Restaurant

    Alice Springs

    You won't believe you're in the outback when you try the fab Thai- and Indian-influenced cuisine at this stylish restaurant. The delicate Thai starters…

  • Joy

    Fortitude Valley

    Advance planning is the only way to secure a place at this 10-seat, omakase-inspired 'it kid', one of Australia's hottest eateries. Behind its compressed…

  • Same Same

    Fortitude Valley

    Book an early feed to avoid a wait at what is one of Brisbane's hottest dining spots. Here, Thai-inspired recipes, top-tier produce and contemporary…

  • Nanam

    Auckland

    Modern Filipino food is the star at Nanam in the North Shore suburb of Takapuna. Dine on innovative updates of traditional Filipino food that made UK chef…

  • Marta

    Sydney

    Set back from a showroom on its own sunny square – or should that be piazza? – this seductive spot focuses on traditional recipes from Rome and its region…

  • Manuka Woodfire Kitchen

    Fremantle

    Relying almost exclusively on a wood-fired oven, the kitchen at Manuka is tiny, but it's still big enough to turn out some of the tastiest food in town…

  • Source Dining

    Victoria

    One of central Victoria's best restaurants, this fine place has a menu that changes with the seasons and dish descriptions that read like a culinary short…

  • River Deck

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    Right beside the Murray, the River Deck is a fine place for a leisurely brunch or lunch. Vegetarian options include jackfruit breakfast tacos, and…

  • Porteño

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    This upbeat and deservedly acclaimed Argentine restaurant is a great place to eat. The 'animal of the day' is slow-roasted for eight hours before the…

  • Merricks General Wine Store

    Victoria

    Dating back to the 1920s, this place is the heart of the district, frequented by locals and visitors alike. Its La Marzocco espresso machine is used to…

  • Bistro Molines

    Hunter Valley

    Set in Carillion's Tallavera Grove winery, this French restaurant run by the Hunter Valley's most storied chef (Robert Molines) has a carefully crafted,…

  • Whistling Frog

    Fiordland & Southland

    Colourful and fun, the Frog is the best dining option in the Catlins, offering craft beer on tap and crowd-pleasing meals, often garnished with flowers…

  • Wildflower

    Perth

    Filling a glass pavilion atop the restored State Buildings, Wildflower offers fine-dining menus inspired by the six seasons of the Indigenous Noongar…

  • 1889 Enoteca

    Brisbane

    Italian purists rightfully adore this moody, sophisticated bistro and wine shop, where pasta is not served with a spoon and a Roman-centric menu delivers…

  • Getaway Garden Café

    Capricorn Coast & the Southern Reef Islands

    This open-sided, teak-doored pavilion, set in restful tropical gardens overlooking a pond, is where belly-led travellers invariably find themselves,…

  • Etsu Izakaya

    Gold Coast

    Transport yourself to Tokyo at this mysterious and moody yet fun and vibrant space reminiscent of a Japanese izakaya. Prop up the bar or nab a seat under…

  • Tonic

    New South Wales

    Classy Tonic is highly lauded for its sophisticated contemporary food that celebrates the region. Perhaps you'll start with Mandagery Creek venison,…

  • Town Restaurant & Cafe

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Upstairs (Uptown, if you will) is one of northern NSW's perennially excellent restaurants, serving a seven-course degustation menu carefully and…

  • At the Heads

    Bellarine Peninsula

    Directly overlooking the confluence of river and ocean, this glassed-in weatherboard cafe-bar sits on a jetty over the water. Breakfast runs the full…

  • Anbinik Restaurant

    Kakadu National Park

    Easily Jabiru's best place for a meal, this outpost of Thailand in Kakadu has lovely outdoor tables (that can lack shade at lunchtime) and expertly…

  • Three Blue Ducks

    Brisbane

    Sydney’s cult-status, produce-driven eatery has checked into Brisbane’s W hotel, complete with river views. Here, morning coconut chia pudding might come…

  • Boo's Place Café & Provedore

    Victoria

    This fabulous spot has the town's best coffee. Cuisine follows a paddock-to-plate ethos, and there are local veggies and oranges for sale. For breakfast…

  • Jonah's

    Northern Beaches

    Perched above Whale Beach, luxurious Jonah's has fabulous perspectives over the ocean. The food is easy on the eye too, with immaculate presentation and…

  • Tanto

    Hervey Bay

    Great ingredients and expert charcoal-grilling are the winning formula employed by this simple shopfront restaurant on the Esplanade in Scarness. Three…

  • Azuma

    City Centre & Haymarket

    Tucked away upstairs in Chifley Plaza, this is one of Sydney's finest Japanese restaurants. Sushi and sashimi are of stellar quality and too pretty to eat…

  • The Chapel

    Tasmania

    This hipsterish cafe is housed in a handsome decommissioned chapel and the quality of the food certainly matches the surrounds. The best cafe in Burnie …

  • Mrs Jones

    Tasmania

    Head upstairs at the surf lifesaving club at Bluff Beach for fine food with an equally fine beach view. The ambitious menu cherry-picks highlights from…

  • Harrietville Snowline Hotel

    Victorian High Country

    A welcome sight after the hair-raising drive down from Mt Hotham, this 100-year-old pub successfully combines historical character with a cool, modern fit…

  • Little Beach Boathouse

    Mid-North Coast

    In an airy but intimate dining room, right on the water, you can order fabulous seafood dishes such as Hervey Bay scallops, Port Stephens oysters and…

  • Mansfield Regional Produce Store

    Victorian High Country

    Wildly popular with Mansfield folk for breakfast and brunch is this rustic store-cafe with mismatched furniture and an array of local produce and wine…

  • Proserpina Bakehouse

    Melbourne Region

    There aren't many bakeries in Victoria milling their own organic flour, but this stylish and always busy cafe at Loam Nursery on Sassafras' main strip…

  • Summer Kitchen Bakery

    The Southeast

    Head to the side courtyard of this tucked-away treasure, on a street corner in Ranelagh a few kilometres out of Huonville, for a wide-ranging selection of…

  • Silos Restaurant

    South Coast NSW

    The former grain silos that give the winery its name overlook this loveable restaurant, which has an inviting verandah space and dining room with dreamy…

  • Gauge

    Brisbane

    In a crisp, sparse space punctuated by black-spun aluminium lamps and a smashing wine list, clean, contemporary dishes burst with Australian confidence…

  • Rinaldo's Casa Cucina

    Victoria

    With a riverside location, Rinaldo's serves up Northern Italian flavours including seasonal specials making the most of local produce. Try lighter meals…

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