10 Australian restaurants you must visit at least once
Pull up a chair at the best restaurants in Australia.
1. Café Sydney, Sydney
Eat your meal with a side of the best views in town. Café Sydney is an icon, perched right by Sydney Harbour and serving up fine-dining seafood. Expect to see Sydney’s movers and shakers at the tables beside you.
2. Attica, Melbourne
The highest-placed Australian restaurant on the prestigious World’s 50 Best list came in at number 32 in 2017. Chef Ben Shewry’s uses local ingredients like sorrel and foraged seaweed to create innovative Australian-themed dishes in a small, sleek space.
3. Esquire, Brisbane
Foodies, take a leap of faith at Esquire. The degustation menu could be 12 courses or 24 and the dish descriptions often don’t give anything away. Whatever it is, it’s sure to be memorable and the views over the Story Bridge are just as delicious.
4. Brae, Birregurra
Coming in at number 44 on the World’s 50 Best list, Brae is one of the country’s best restaurants hidden away in rural Victoria. The multi-course degustation menu is a feast for the eyes and the palate. There’s even a new hotel on-site so you can have breakfast the next day.
5. The Source, Hobart
There’s more than just art at Hobart’s famous Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). The Source restaurant is gorgeous in itself and you’ll be dazzled by the playful, daring, innovative French-inspired cuisine. Plus there’s lots of exceptional local wine on the list.
6. Petition Kitchen, Perth
Named Western Australia’s best restaurant in last year’s annual hospitality awards, Petition Kitchen serves rustic, quirky and fun dishes, and has a commitment to local, seasonal produce. Pick a sunny spot by the window for Sunday brunch.
7. Appellation, Barossa Valley
Another regional star, Appellation showcases the best fresh produce and wine from one of Australia’s most famous regions. The restaurant is part of The Louise hotel, meaning you can have that extra glass or two at dinner.
8. Nabilil Dreaming Sunset Dinner Cruise, Katherine
It’s not exactly a restaurant, but this dinner cruise through the stunning Nitmilik Gorge should be on your bucket list. Dine on saltbush kangaroo and crocodile bisque as the sun sets behind the sheer gorge walls. Incredible.
9. Aubergine, Canberra
The only two-hatted restaurant in the nation’s capital, Aubergine offers a set four-course menu that crosses gourmet and geographical boundaries. Expect European, Asian or Central American influences across all the dishes, served in a moody, atmospheric dining room.
10. Vasse Felix, Margaret River
The restaurant at award-winning winery Vasse Felix is one of the best in the region and the perfect place to settle in for a (really) long lunch. Local produce is prepared with an Asian/Australian twist and washed down with plenty of excellent vintages grown right on site.
Have you been to any of these restaurants? Let us know in the comments.