Sydney
The crisp white minimalism of the decor here belies the food, where there's plenty going on. Marrying Japanese and European ideas along with quality…
Must-see restaurants in Australia & Pacific
Limestone Coast
A classy, intimate dining room inside a 1908 Methodist church, with friendly staff and seasonal fare. The menu fizzes with high-end culinary lingo: tobiko…
Victorian High Country
One of the best restaurants for fine dining on the mountain, Summit Ridge does a menu of alpine-inspired modern Australian dishes using local produce,…
Hobart
Boldly claiming itself as Hobart's top restaurant, angular Aløft occupies a lofty eyrie atop the floating Brooke St Pier. Menu hits include silken tofu…
Great Ocean Road
Simon and Kara from Bespoke Harvest in Forrest have relocated to Birregurra to set up their new venture along the town's main drag. Its innovative, daily…
Brisbane
Cafe-style Naïm wins on many levels: affable staff, laid-back vibe, verdant views from the back room, and fresh, gorgeous dishes inspired by the Middle…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
This busy corner restaurant has an all-vegan menu and punk sensibility. Italian dishes like 'beef' ragu on 'cheesy' polenta will have you swearing it's…
Queenstown
The sweeter sister of Fergburger bakes all manner of tempting treats – and though most things look tasty with 3am beer goggles on, it withstands the…
Sunshine Coast
Part of Mooloolaba's revamped Wharf, boisterous, bistro-style 'The Wind' has blown in proper, thin-crust pizzas made in a wood-fired oven, and homemade…
Cairns
Trawler restaurant Prawn Star is tropical dining perfection: clamber aboard and fill yourself with prawns, mud crabs, oysters and whatever else was caught…
Christchurch
Central Christchurch's new essential destination for travelling foodies is this superb multi-level market combining fresh produce stalls with…
Victoria
This cafe-gallery in the 1856 general store has fast attracted a following – people travel far for its gourmet food, using fresh local produce only, and…
Queenstown & Wanaka
Everything at this elegant restaurant is designed to be shared, from the cicchetti (Venetian-style bar snacks) to the pasta and substantial secondi (mains…
Limestone Coast
Ask a local where they go for coffee: chances are they'll say, 'the Metro, you fool!' In the thick of things on the main drag, it's an energetic cafe with…
Brisbane
Decked out with a vine-laced front deck and open kitchen, chilled, warehouse-turned-cafe Sourced serves beautiful, seasonal cafe fare made with high…
New Plymouth
Crammed with retro furniture, superpopular Federal conjures up a 1950s corner-store vibe. Switched-on staff in dinky headscarves take your coffee requests…
Dunedin & Otago
There's a rumble-tumble look about it, but this tin-and-timber fishing hut houses one of the South Island's best – and most popular – seafood restaurants…
Melbourne
The ironbark charcoal grill at George Calombaris’ northern outpost works overtime as long-time staff serve and chat with ease. The slow-roasted lamb…
Darling Harbour & Pyrmont
This wharf spot sits alongside bobbing boats, though views aren't quite knock-me-down. Hidden just steps from the Star Casino, it offers strikingly…
West Coast Australia
This arty waterfront cafe with broad shared tables morphs into an effervescent evening option on weekends. The pulled-pork breakfast burger will kick…
Noosa
Away from the hustle, this relaxed, casual restaurant serves up seriously good tacos (mushroom, prawn, pulled beef, achiote chicken and more), plus…
Midlands & Central Highlands
Enterprising Jackson’s (an emporium since the 1850s) offers up locally sourced cafe fare (quiches, burgers, chilli con carne, soups), plus desserts, wine…
Victorian High Country
This French-style cellar door specialises in shiraz, marsanne and durif wines crafted from historic well-established vines, and the relaxed bistro is also…
Cairns
Cairns has plenty of good Indian restaurants, but none is quite as innovative as this unassuming place, where fusion food and curries have been turned…
New Plymouth
Sharing a fairy-light-draped courtyard with Snug Lounge, seductive Ms White serves trad wood-fired Italian pizza and a bedazzling range of 40-plus craft…
Coffs Harbour
Upmarket Italian fare is prepared in an open kitchen using produce from the best local suppliers and herbs from the restaurant's own garden. Expect…
Great Ocean Road
From the same family that ran Kosta – a much-loved Lorne restaurant – comes this smart taverna that occupies the same location where it all started in…
Hobart & Around
This classy love child of the Agrarian Kitchen sits inside a cavernous former ward of the Willow Court psychiatric hospital. The main wall is lined with…
Bellarine Peninsula
The oldest and most renowned winery on the Bellarine is this world-class outfit that produces some wonderful cool-climate reds and whites, as well as a…
Queenstown & Wanaka
Perhaps the tables are a little tightly packed, and the open kitchen does take up half the space, but we're splitting hairs. This place is uniformly…
Victoria
In the township of Tinamba, 10km west of Maffra, this classy restaurant is well known for its delectable menu using regional, seasonal produce. Its dining…
Brisbane & Around
Massive 150-year-old wine barrels (filled with port and muscat) flank the dining room at the Granite Belt's top dining destination. Located at Ballandean…
Canberra
Elegant, seasonal dishes are the highlight at this classy fine-dining restaurant in suburban Ainslie. The menu changes daily but features local produce…
Sunshine Coast
Slick, contemporary Spice Bar dishes up superb Asian-fusion fare. The menu is a share-plates affair, with highlights including Hervey Bay scallops, and an…
Coromandel Peninsula
Luke’s Kitchen has a rustic surf-shack ambience, cold brews including hyper-local craft beer from Kūaotunu's tiny Blue Fridge Brewery and excellent wood…
Coromandel Peninsula
Bringing cosmopolitan cool to Coromandel Town, Wharf Road offers the opportunity to ease into another day equipped with excellent coffee, interesting…
Noosa
Intimate, gracious Sumi offers a set-course menu from chef Giles Hohnen, who owns the place with partner Tomoko. From delicate dashi soup with prawn…
South Coast NSW
Unusual flavour combos like pineapple, ricotta and barbecue sauce, or Gorgonzola, ham and pickled pear, give pizzas at Bussola an edge. Moreish sweet…
Kakadu National Park
Run by Michael and Amm, charming little Border Store is full of surprises, including real coffee, sweet cakes and delicious Thai-cooked Thai food – a real…
South Coast NSW
Big views of the river are amplified by beautifully presented seafood at understated, elegant Wharf Rd. Rich but creamy rock oysters and sashimi,…
