Must-see restaurants in Australia

  • Depot

    Noosa

    With outdoor seating overlooking the river across the street, casual Depot serves wholesome, flavour-packed cafe grub. Chow down corn fritters with…

  • Gateway Cafe

    The East Coast

    This cafe does bang-up breakfasts, then serves other filling stuff throughout the day: pies, wraps, sausage rolls, vegetable frittata, biscuits and slices…

  • Mestizo

    Great Ocean Road

    Bottling the success of its wildly popular beachfront Argentine barbecues, the team from Swing Bridge is taking things indoors with a vibrant new Latin…

  • Veg Bar

    Hobart

    'Plant-based eatery' may be a coded way of saying 'vegetarian joint', but there's really no need for disguises. Veg Bar is a quality outfit, from the…

  • Nagisa

    Newcastle

    A cut above most of the restaurants in this likeable waterside strip, Nagisa has a pleasant indoor-outdoor seating area and a menu of Japanese and…

  • Govinda's

    Brisbane

    Grab a plate and pile it high with the likes of vegetarian curry, salads, poppadoms, chutneys and semolina fruit pudding at this no-frills budget eatery,…

  • Lettuce B Frank

    South Coast NSW

    A temple to nourishment for body and soul serving sugar-free, sustainably sourced produce. The results are very tasty, with a strong showing of vegetarian…

  • Snoogies

    Cairns

    This superfresh vegan cafe has been a stalwart on Cairns' healthy-eating scene for more than a decade. Tucked down a quirky little arcade running between…

  • Meldrum's Pies in Paradise

    Cairns

    Multi-award-winning Meldrum’s deserves the accolades bestowed upon its seemingly innumerable renditions of the humble Aussie pie; it's been at it since…

  • Napoli Centrale

    Newcastle

    This understated pizza and pasta joint is a real hot spot for locals craving wood-fired pizza. The sparsely topped, crisp-based pizzas are so authentic…

  • Chairman & Yip

    Canberra

    Chairman & Yip moved to this location on the corner of the Burbury Hotel in 2016, after 20 years in Civic. Locals may grumble at having to cross the lake…

  • 27 Degrees

    Cairns & Far North Queensland

    Though it's but a hole-in-the-wall, you won't be able to miss 27 Degrees, thanks to its bright Miami Vice decor and gaggle of satisfied customers chowing…

  • Hawker Walker

    Adelaide

    Walk right in to this hawker joint off Rundle Mall, down inauspicious Francis St (more of an alley, really). The energetic kitchen here – on full display…

  • Sorrento's Pizzeria

    Kangaroo Island

    Walk past reception at the Seafront Hotel to the modest little service counter at the back of the lobby – 'Hey, there's a pizza restaurant in here!' It's…

  • Géographe

    The East Coast

    The only hazards here are the view – of the Hazards – and the possibility of lingering too long over breakfast. Mornings are eggy and evenings are pizza…

  • Roaring Grill

    Hobart

    Beefing up the offerings in NoHo is this sassy steakhouse named for the Roaring Forties winds that wash and dry Tasmania. It's a stylish split-level fit…

  • Scout

    Brisbane

    This vintage neighbourhood shopfront was vacant for 17 years before Scout showed up and started selling bagels. The vibe is affable and creative, with…

  • Mrs Jones

    Southern WA

    Settle in with locals and tourists at this spacious spot with high ceilings and exposed beams. There's interesting cafe fare, often with an Asian or a…

  • Laikon Delicatessen

    Melbourne

    This old-school family-owned emporium (established 1976) has outlasted all of the fashions that have risen and fallen along Bridge Rd, being a surviving…

  • Little Hanoi

    West Coast Australia

    Contemporary Vietnamese comes to the northern end of the Rockingham strip, with lofty ceilings, industrial lighting and walls adorned with conical straw…

  • ShanDong MaMa

    Melbourne

    At this unassuming spot where the dumplings are boiled rather than steamed, you can expect a wait around lunch. The mackerel dumplings are brilliant, but…

  • La Veen

    Perth

    La Veen's sunny brick-lined space, around the corner from fashion and design stores, showcases some of the city's best breakfast and lunch dishes – and it…

  • Gunn Deck Cafe

    Tasmania

    Hidden in an upstairs mezzanine in the nautical Bass & Flinders Centre, overlooking the Norfolk sloop replica, this cafe is a pleasant surprise. Delicious…

  • Boathouse

    Rockhampton

    Occupying the most scenic position on Rockie's historic riverfront Quay St, Boathouse doesn't rest on its photogenic laurels, but augments them by…

  • 12 Rocks Cafe Bar

    Great Ocean Road

    Your classic coastal beachside bistro, 12 Rocks is just about perfect for those who want a feed and a drink with waterfront views. Try an Otways beer with…

  • Fowles Wine Cellar Door Café

    Victoria

    Sixteen kilometres northeast of Seymour in Avenel, Fowles serves up some full and fresh wines, and has a decent cafe with views to the Strathbogie Ranges…

  • Sails Restaurant

    West Coast Australia

    Ask a local for a smart food recommendation and this is it: the town's most upmarket choice, at the Hospitality Inn. The dishes can be hit-and-miss but…

  • Ras Dashen

    Melbourne

    Looking for an excuse to eat with your hands? Order delicious Ethiopian dishes like doro wot (chicken with eggs) or tibs (seasoned, diced lamb with onion)…

  • Rocco's Delicatessen

    Melbourne

    Smiling faces await your order behind the counter at this panini bar. It's a newer branch of the original Yarraville deli, which opened in 1977. Here you…

  • V-Vego

    Adelaide

    With beers on tap and black-painted walls, this glam vegan place is more like a bar than a restaurant – perhaps a reflection of how mainstream vegan…

  • Boughshed

    West Coast Australia

    The views are fabulous (and the visiting birdlife is prolific – just don't feed it!). Stylish Boughshed has plenty of areas in which to nurse a coffee or…

  • Webster's Market & Cafe

    Victoria

    An attractive brunch spot with wooden floorboards and exposed-brick walls, Webster's is popular for all-day breakfast, with pleasing breakfast boards,…

  • Commonfolk Coffee

    Victoria

    Located in an industrial backstreet not too far from the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, this coffee roastery and cafe is a massive space with…

  • Rudimentary

    Melbourne

    What was once an unused plot of land is now a community cafe. The bright, retro-fitted shipping container that doubles as the building is just one part of…

  • Bondi's Best

    Sydney

    In an appealing block of cafes close to the beach action but more peaceful, this little square place has more kitchen than customer space, but it's worth…

  • Xanders

    Tasmania

    The views from the rear windows of this fine diner on the main street are impressive, and the dining room's interior is very attractive, making it a…

  • Pierre's

    Launceston

    Pierre's has been here since 1956 and the retro trim – velour walls, gold-starred ceiling, theatre lighting – is so gaudy it's good. Days begin and end in…

  • Pizza e Mozzarella Bar

    Adelaide

    Everything at this split-level, rustic Italian eatery – adorned with breadbaskets and beautified by Italian staff – is cooked in the wood oven you see…

  • Jack & Jill

    West Coast Australia

    …went up the hill to fetch an excellent cup of coffee. While they were there they enjoyed some breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs, black beans and green…

  • Earthy Eats

    Launceston

    Part cafe, part grocer, part juice bar, black-painted Earthy East is an unexpected find on little Kingsway. Super salads, panini, lush cakes and slabs of…

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