Must-see restaurants in Australia & Pacific

  • Pinchos, wide shot, Leederville.

    Pinchos

    Perth

    Iberian-inspired good times constantly rock this corner location amid Leederville's many cafes, casual restaurants and bars. The must-have tapas are the…

  • Brae

    Great Ocean Road

    Regarded as one of Australia's best restaurants, Brae was established in 2012 by acclaimed chef Dan Hunter, who made his name at Dunkeld's Royal Mail…

  • Fleet

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Fleet, one of Australia's most cultish dining destinations, seats just 14 guests for communal dining in its effortlessly stylish space – its genuine…

  • King and Godfree

    Melbourne

    It took three years to transform King and Godfree, an Italian grocer since 1884, into this multi-venue wonder. There's Johnny's Green Room, with 360…

  • Limone

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    In an elegant dining room largely constructed from recycled materials, Limone's deserved reputation as one of regional NSW's best restaurants is enhanced…

  • Yada Thai

    Western Australia

    Stylishly decorated, this stellar Thai restaurant would be a credit to any world capital. The raw oysters with spicy Thai sauce are a revelation, and the…

  • Minamishima

    Melbourne

    Arguably Australia's best Japanese restaurant – if you care to empty your pockets and book two months in advance. It's hidden down a side street; the best…

  • Charred Kitchen & Bar

    New South Wales

    Beautifully executed meals starring regional produce, over 600 wines on offer (it's won many accolades for its extensive wine selection), and impeccable…

  • Wasabi

    Noosa

    An award-winning, waterside destination restaurant, Wasabi is well known to visiting gourmets. Premium produce from the region and Wasabi's own farm sings…

  • Tantalus Estate

    Tantalus Estate

    Waiheke Island

    Up a winding driveway framed by grapevines, Waiheke's newest vineyard restaurant and tasting room channels an Iberian ambience, but the savvy and diverse…

  • Seating is mainly in the large, covered outdoor area

    Three Blue Ducks at the Farm

    Byron Bay

    The legendary Sydney team behind Three Blue Ducks moved up north to showcase its paddock-to-plate food philosophy. Their heaving barn cafe and restaurant…

  • Sunday crowds at Grounds of Alexandria

    Grounds of Alexandria

    Newtown & the Inner West

    A quite extraordinary Alexandria spot, the Grounds goes well beyond converted industrial chic. This former pie factory sports futuristic coffee technology…

  • Long Chim basement restaurant floor State Buildings Perth

    Long Chim

    Perth

    Australian chef David Thompson is renowned for respecting the authentic flavours of Thai street food, and with dishes like a tongue-burning chicken laap …

  • Stokehouse exterior

    Stokehouse Q

    Brisbane

    Sophisticated bistro fare and relaxing river views make this one of Brisbane's destination restaurants. At crisp, linen-clad tables, urbanites toast to…

  • Eat Street Northshore

    Brisbane

    Brisbane's riverside take on the night food market feels like a gastronomic carnival, its village of shipping-containers-turned-kitchens peddling…

  • Exterior of the a la grecque restaurant.

    a la grecque

    Great Ocean Road

    This outstanding modern Greek taverna is a Great Ocean Road institution that balances fine dining with a relaxed coastal approach. Meze such as seared…

  • Chihuahua, hole-in-the-wall in an arcade off Jonson Street

    Chihuahua

    Byron Bay

    Ignore the rather un-Byron arcade location of Chihuahua to delight fully in the supremely fresh and tasty Mexican on offer. The nachos with slow-cooked,…

  • Saint Peter fish restaurant.

    Saint Peter

    Sydney

    Fish has sometimes been left behind in the race for nose-to-tailery, pulled meat and burgerisation of any land-based beast. It reclaims its deserved pre…

  • Peel Street

    Peel Street

    Adelaide

    Peel St itself – a long-neglected service lane in Adelaide's West End – is now Adelaide's after-dark epicentre, lined with hip bars and eateries, the best…

  • Chicho Gelato, Northbridge.

    Chicho Gelato

    Perth

    Hands down Perth's best gelato. With innovative flavours like avocado with candied bacon, and everything made from real ingredients (no fake flavourings…

  • Bivouac Canteen & Bar, Northbridge.

    Bivouac Canteen & Bar

    Perth

    Flavour-jammed, Middle Eastern–influenced cuisine partners with a good wine list, craft beers and artisanal ciders. Always-busy Bivouac's white walls are…

  • Gin Long Canteen

    Gin Long Canteen

    Adelaide

    This energetic food room is a winner. Chipper staff allocate you a space at the communal tables (bookings only for six or more) and take your order pronto…

  • x-default

    Bay Leaf Café

    Byron Bay

    Squeeze into this busy cafe and relax: everything is made with remarkable attention to detail and a passion for produce and the environment. Breakfasts,…

  • Lorne Beach Pavilion entrance.

    Lorne Beach Pavilion

    Great Ocean Road

    With its unbeatable foreshore location, here life is literally a beach, especially with a cold drink in hand. Cafe-style breakfasts and lunches hit the…

  • Interior of Ochre Restaurant.

    Ochre

    Cairns

    The menu at this award-winning waterfront restaurant makes innovative use of native Aussie fauna (such as salt-and-native-pepper-leaf crocodile and prawns…

  • BSKT exterior

    BSKT Cafe

    Gold Coast

    This satisfyingly industrial-styled cafe is only metres from the beach, but that's far from its only charm. It's the brainchild of four buddies whose…

  • Argo on the Parade

    Argo on the Parade

    Adelaide

    The best cafe in affluent, eastern-suburbs Norwood is arguably the best cafe in Adelaide too. It is in Norwood, so by default it's a bit thin on soul. But…

  • Cow & Moon Ice Cream shop in Enmore

    Cow & the Moon

    Newtown & the Inner West

    Forget the diet and slink into this cool corner cafe, where an array of sinful truffles and tasty tarts beckons seductively. Ignore them and head straight…

  • Saan, Ponsonby.

    Saan

    Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd

    Hot in both senses of the word, this super-fashionable restaurant focuses on the fiery cuisine of the Isaan and Lanna regions of northern Thailand. The…

  • Royal Mail Hotel

    Victoria

    Dunkeld's main attraction is the Wickens at the Royal Mail, awarded two coveted Good Food Guide chef's hats and long regarded as one of Victoria's finest…

  • Long Paddock

    Victoria

    This esteemed restaurant in the tiny town of Lindenow adds to regional Victoria's culinary cachet. Run by a husband-and-wife team – who together boast an…

  • Paper Daisy

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    The award-winning poolside restaurant of Halcyon House is one of the area's best, with chef Jason Barrett, formerly at Raes, at the helm. The sprawling…

  • Northern Ground

    Victoria

    Opened in late 2018, this stylish cafe by expat British chef Rob Turner is symbolic of Bairnsdale's great gastronomic leap forward. Here the star is…

  • MoVida Lorne

    Great Ocean Road

    One of Melbourne's hottest restaurants has gone for a sea change: setting up on the ground floor of the Lorne pub, MoVida has brought its authentic…

  • Glasshouse at Goonoo Goonoo

    New South Wales

    The Glasshouse is just that: a stunningly designed glass-walled dining room set on the historic sheep station of Goonoo Goonoo (pronounced 'gun-oo gun-oo'…

  • Dead Ringer

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    This charcoal-fronted terrace is a laid-back haven of quality eating and drinking. Graze on the short, brilliant menu that changes slightly daily and runs…

  • Wheelers

    South Coast NSW

    The lake-to-plate experience is offered in style at the region's premier oyster farm and restaurant. Set back from the highway between Merimbula and…

  • Sardine

    Victoria

    Don't miss the opportunity to treat yourself at Gippsland's only restaurant to be awarded a coveted Good Food Guide chef's hat. Opened by the former head…

  • Headrick's Lane

    Rockhampton

    All clean lines and industrial decor, this high-ceilinged restaurant and microbrewery makes intelligent use of a heritage-protected merchant's store in…

  • Maeve Wine

    Brisbane

    This narrow, timber-panelled nirvana for food and wine lovers (book ahead) is split into separate bar and bistro areas. Its sharing-style menu showcases…

More destinations you need to see