Must-see restaurants in Australia

  • Penny Lane

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Down the back of an arcade you'll find this hip, popular cafe turning out well-prepared food from a seasonal menu. Turn breakfast into dessert with French…

  • Au Lac

    Canberra

    Herbivores rejoice: this excellent vegan restaurant has your Asian-food cravings sorted, from stir-fries to laksas to rice-paper rolls. Most dishes use…

  • Nada's

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    There are swisher Lebanese restaurants around, but for a no-frills delicious feed at a very fair price, it's hard to beat this old family-run favourite…

  • Empire Hotel

    Cradle Country & The West

    The 'grand old lady of the west coast' delivers hearty pub standards, including parmas, pastas and steaks, with a hefty side serve of atmosphere. The…

  • D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

    Melbourne

    Many come here for thin-crust, bubbly-edged pizzas topped with ingredients like bitter-sweet chicory and lemon or wild mushrooms with truffle oil, but it…

  • Cheese Barrel

    West Coast Australia

    Rope together some travelling amigos for a high-end cheeseboard and wine flight from the adjacent Olive Farm Wines, then stock up on cheeses for on-the…

  • Holy Smoke

    West Coast Australia

    A gourmet cafe outpost for Holy Smoke, the gourmet food suppliers in nearby Manjimup. This small garden cafe serves the best coffee in town plus a…

  • Innes' Boatshed

    South Coast NSW

    Since the 1950s this has been one of the South Coast's best-loved fish-and-chip and oyster joints. Innes' has undergone some major renovations – for…

  • Taylor St Quarters

    Southern WA

    This sprawling cafe by the jetty serves fish tacos, burgers, seafood and salads. Locals hang out at the tables on the grass or on the covered terrace. It…

  • Cafe Yasou

    West Coast Australia

    This sunny cafe serves excellent coffee and a Med-inspired menu, including a grilled-halloumi and peach salad, crispy fish tortillas with apple slaw and…

  • Deli on Kinghorne

    South Coast NSW

    Nourishing brunches and lunches fill the menu at this likeable cafe. Unwind with a flat white, debate between watermelon salad or a mighty 'Wagon Wheel'…

  • Myu

    Hobart

    Let yourself in on a little Hobart secret at this unsigned, unadulterated dining room in an unprepossessing strip of shops where the ever-changing menu…

  • Rosevears Hotel

    Tasmania

    Built in 1831 but almost totally rebuilt over time, this high-quality tavern offers pub-grub faves (steak sandwiches, pizza, crispy-skin salmon) as well…

  • Jimmy Wah's

    Gold Coast

    Modern Vietnamese is dished up in a relaxed yet stylish setting, featuring a wall mural of the man himself (Jimmy Wah is a character in the film Good…

  • Halls Gap Hotel

    Victoria

    For generous, no-nonsense bistro food or a family dinner, you can’t beat the local pub with its views of the Grampians. Dishes include pizzas, chicken…

  • Beach Shack

    Port Douglas

    It's quite a hike down to the southern end of Four Mile Beach, but this locals' favourite is worth the trip for sublime pizzas, tapas and tasty dishes…

  • Bar Carolina

    Melbourne

    Sit on the sidewalk with a blue lavender spritz and stuzzichini against the geometric glass window while gossiping over spaghetti with crayfish, or get a…

  • Grazers

    The East Coast

    Next door to Pelican Sands accommodation, Grazers is a surprisingly sophisticated little bistro with a short-but-sweet menu of international offerings:…

  • El Sabor

    Melbourne

    This little two-storey eatery serves Mexican street food and home cooking, all designed to be shared. Wash it down with a cocktail, a shot of tequila, a…

  • Pinjarra Bakery & Patisserie

    West Coast Australia

    The coffee at this cavernous backstreet bakehouse passes muster, but what you're really here for is hot pies (go for the pepper beef), plus wraps, rolls,…

  • 1882

    Australian Capital Territory

    Named after the year Hall was established, this spacious, light-filled pub only opened in 2018 but already seems to be a well-established local favourite…

  • Hydrant Food Hall

    Victoria

    Sneakily hidden down a city laneway is this industrial-chic cafe in a converted heritage warehouse, full of in-the-know patrons sipping Seven Seeds…

  • Cafe de France

    Sydney

    An art nouveau building, posters of Paris, crêpes, croissants and croques monsieur…this friendly cafe is as French as South Coogee can get. There are…

  • Sunset Food & Wine

    Kangaroo Island

    Awesome view! If you can't make it up the steep driveway, there's another access around the back. Either way, expect brilliant modern bistro fare. Expect…

  • Regatta

    Sydney

    With a luminous, romantic location on a pier jutting out into Rose Bay, Regatta offers relaxed but quality service and well-presented contemporary seafood…

  • Jumping Rock

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    Jumping Rock's Scandi-style decor really suits Bundanoon's forested ambience, and it's a cosy spot to enjoy excellent coffee and homemade pies. Try the…

  • Two Professors

    Rockhampton

    Approaching coffee with a reverence given to alchemy, Rocky's best coffee shop turns speciality beans from a Brisbane roastery into highly satisfying brew…

  • Dromedary Hotel

    South Coast NSW

    If you're thirsty as a dromedary, stop at this weatherboard beauty sitting proudly above the main drag. New owners have revamped the menu to include some…

  • Criterion Street Cafe

    Hobart

    It’s a short menu on a short street, but Criterion Street Cafe effortlessly meets the criteria for keeping both breakfast and lunch fans sated, and…

  • Afghan Marco Polo

    Victoria

    Marco Polo is an atmospheric place with Persian rugs and brass hookahs. It serves traditional Afghan dishes – kebabs, kormas, boranis – and nan bread…

  • Canteen Kitchen & Bar

    Sunshine Coast

    Slick yet casual, Canteen serves fantastic breakfasts and flavoursome mod-Oz lunch and dinner plates, many inspired by fresh, tangy southeast Asian…

  • Ristorante Da Angelo

    Hobart

    An enduring (and endearing) Italian ristorante, Da Angelo presents an impressively long menu of homemade pastas, veal and chicken dishes, calzones, and…

  • Piper Lane Cafe

    West Coast Australia

    With an alleyway strewn with mismatched furniture, Piper's is primarily a brunch joint serving brekkie burritos, smashed avo on sourdough with beetroot…

  • Bistro on Cinders

    New South Wales

    Behind Armidale's post office is this cool, contemporary, family-run bistro à la mode focused around a small courtyard. The ever-changing menu fuses a…

  • Top Paddock

    Melbourne

    Crowd-favourite Top Paddock is industrial-chic, with road signs repurposed as stools, exposed piping, white tiles and your choice of timber communal…

  • Lebrina

    Hobart

    Foodies and critics alike enthuse about Lebrina. Concealed in Hobart’s northern reaches, it looks small and unremarkable from the outside, but inside it’s…

  • Tenterfield Gourmet Pizza

    New South Wales

    Tenterfield's only pizza joint just happens to be an excellent one. Dough is made in-house every day, gluten-free bases are available (for an extra $3 to …

  • Nick's Restaurant

    Cairns & Far North Queensland

    Nick's has been serving it up Swiss-style since 1986. Costumed staff, piano-accordion serenades and impromptu yodelling provide an apt backdrop for a menu…

  • Sam's Pizzeria

    South Coast NSW

    Tasty pizzas and a lovely indoor-outdoor setting on the waterfront promenade make this a real favourite with locals and visitors. Go for a Martin's or a…

  • Lamont's

    West Coast Australia

    Look forward to lazy tastings and heaving plates of tapas (shaved pastrami with black-olive salsa, coconut crumbed prawns) under the wide WA sky. The wine…

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