Magma by Dany Karam opened in Canley Vale, in November 2025 with feeling, fire and family at the forefront. Fully owned and operated by Karam, Magma is an ode to his childhood days of Sunday barbecues at home, when his family would open their doors to relatives and friends to enjoy a meal together. Karam’s mother would be found cooking her favourite dishes on the charcoal grill and it is this exact atmosphere he looked to recreate with Magma, greeting all guests with open arms into his own “home”.

And the typical restaurant precinct was never going to deliver that same feeling.

Karam, who grew up in Western Sydney and built his reputation as a top fire and grill chef at BLACK Bar & Grill at The Star, believed that his local community needed more elevated dining destinations as it continues to grow, diversify and demand more variety. Since the opening just over 7 months ago, Dany’s vision has come to life with Magma now a destination for celebrations, date nights, and family dinners for his local community, city foodies and tourists.

But the accolades aren’t just from the community. Magma has since been ranked 14th in Australia and 61st in the world in the prestigious World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants Program — making it the finest steak restaurant in Western Sydney, and one of the most decorated in the country.

“This project took four years— to say I am proud to bring my home community these dining experiences is an understatement. I speak to my community daily, and I know people are seeking more elevated concepts. We have added to an already thriving local culinary scene with something new,” said Karam.

Set in the new lifestyle precinct, Cabravale in Cabramatta, the scale of Karam’s ambition at Magma is immediate. The fire-charged culinary destination boasts a multi-million-dollar kitchen fronted by executive chef Sebastian Geray.

The impressive open-flame charcoal grill grounds the space, while a dry-ageing room known as Dany’s Butchery overlooks an impressive six-metre-high ceiling in the dining area, seating 140 diners, and an additional 16 in a private space.

The Magma menu

Drawing from Karam’s Lebanese heritage, the menu fuses charcoal-fired cuisine and premium Australian produce with refined Lebanese and Japanese influences elevated by culinary theatrics.

“I want to bring a city experience to our local area. My team is dedicated to creating and delivering a standard of dining that knocks people over.”  — Dany Karam

Menu highlights include the must-order Blackmore Wagyu Trio; Abrolhos Island scallops with Valencia orange and crispy shallot sauce; Queensland spanner crab poached in olive oil with dashi cream, coriander and brioche; semolina gnocchi with exotic mushrooms, brown butter and sage. But it’s not all steak and fire. The crème brûlée with Valrhona white chocolate, tropical sorbet and brown butter tuile has been a highlight amongst local diners.

The Dany details

From the on-site butchery — where whole wagyu carcasses are delivered from, long-standing partner, David Blackmore’s world-renowned farm in north-east Victoria to prepare and dry-age on site — to the hand-selected network of top-tier supplies, the finer details are what elevates the Magma experience. Karam works exclusively with Australian producers, choosing suppliers for their integrity as much as their quality. Appellation Oysters, Luxe Caviar, leading fish suppliers, boutique local farms, Simon Johnson cheeses — every element on the plate has a provenance story Karam can tell.

The food experience isn’t without an equally top-shelf wine and cocktails list. From the whisky bar that demands attention with lined black marble tops and copper trim, to the floor-to-ceiling wine cabinet for more than 500 carefully selected bottles. Sip the signature Magma Martini complete with seaweed, sake and house-made pickles or the Acai Sour.

Magma, and beyond

Each season, Magma deepens its ties to the region, from partnerships with MindRise, a Blue Mountains mushroom producer, to local truffles in winter. This June, a Sunday roast menu launches: whole Blackmore Wagyu beef fillet, carved tableside, a ritual that echoes those childhood Sundays. Later in the year, Primitivo, a casual Italian sibling, will open in the same precinct, continuing Karam’s vision of building something lasting for his community.

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The Miracle Meal comes served on a silver platter, presenting the seafood-rich Miracle Broth, a prawn roll and a crisp martini. Guests will also receive La Mer’s Mini Miracles valued at $95, including the brand’s day and night creams, so be sure to book your seat over at Gran Torino.  

The Miracle Meal 

Perry is a longtime lover and user of La Mer, saying that “no matter what,” it’s a part of his daily ritual. 

Now, we’ve joined forces with La Mer and Perry to bring The Miracle Meal to life — a collaboration shaped by a shared appreciation for true craftsmanship, quality, patience and precision. Inspiration is drawn from exceptional produce, depth of flavour and, naturally, a nod to the sea as Perry creates his interpretation of La Mer’s iconic Miracle Broth elixir.  

Together, the partnership finds common ground in ritual, refinement and transformation. From the aperitivo tray to the savoury broth at the centre of the menu, the experience leans heavily into texture, atmosphere and thoughtful detail. 

Inside The Menu  

The menu, inspired by La Mer, “is all about the wonderful ingredients that create the fantastic cream and how all those incredible flavours work so well in food,” explains Perry. 

It leans into savoury marine flavours lifted by citrus, sesame and delicate spice. Perry elaborated that the star of the meal, the Miracle Broth, draws inspiration from both Italian and Japanese cuisines.   

When dining, Perry wants you to understand that all the “beautiful marine accents are not just because of the partnership; La Mer has this incredible marine kind of feel and sense to it,” but the marine notes lend a savoury umami depth of flavour synonymous with his cooking. 

If you can’t make it to one of the seated dining experiences, that only cost $50 to attend, there are 200, $25 Miracle Meal boxes available to purchase to take away daily, which offer the Miracle Broth and prawn roll, plus the La Mer products, packaged in a custom box.

As Inspiration  

For Perry, quality and patience are two pivotal parts of cooking, resonating with La Mer’s ethos. He finds it important to give food “time to develop flavour,” and as you let the food evolve, the dish develops “such structural integrity and taste, [which is] something that you really cannot rush or replace.” Similarly, La Mer’s own elixir is sustainably sourced from self-regenerating giant sea kelp found only on Vancouver Island, then fermented over four months.

For Perry, the connection between marine ingredients, patience and refinement felt instinctive. He found it a very natural process to create a food experience reflective of the iconic Crème de la Mer, with ingredients such as “kelp and citrus being so important in food, that it was a wonderful transition to the recipe for the broth.” 

La Mer itself has a rich history. Developed by aerospace physicist Dr Max Huber after a lab accident, he spent 12 years and performed more than 6000 tests to perfect the four-month-long fermentation process that led to the healing power of the sea being harnessed for skin rejuvenation purposes.   

The pristine giant sea kelp is the hero ingredient in the cell-renewing elixir, which is the basis of all La Mer skincare products as the kelp’s microbiome supercharges the Miracle Broth through its self-generating bioactives.  

Guests at Gran Torino during our collaboration will sample the restorative properties in the form of La Mer’s Crème de la Mer and The Rejuvenating Night Cream.  

Enjoy The ‘Miracle Meal’ For Yourself  

Gourmet Traveller and La Mer’s Miracle Meal is available for two days only: Thursday 25 June and Friday 26 June, 12pm-4pm at Gran Torino in Double Bay, Sydney. You’ll be able to enjoy the dine in meal for just $50, while the takeaway box is $25. Be sure to book online to secure your seat. 

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Known for their work across leading hospitality and lifestyle venues, Brisbane interiors agency Collectivus has devised a contemporary aesthetic tailored to Darwin’s tropical climate. They’re working across The Leea Poolside, Garden and Common as well as the property’s 168 hotel rooms, with the ongoing transformation of The Leea will continue over the coming 18 months.

“This is the beginning of a new chapter for The Leea and, we believe, a new chapter for hospitality in Darwin,” said Prendiville Group Regional CEO Garrett Prendiville. “Darwin already has an electric sense of energy and personality. Our vision is to create a vibrant social hub that complements that spirit while bringing a level of design detail and food and beverage experience that feels fresh for the city.”

Prendiville Group operates popular destination restaurants and accommodation in Western Australia including The Cottesloe Beach Hotel, recently reviewed restaurant Tigerfish and Samphire Rottnest on Rottnest Island, as well as properties in Broome and Townsville.

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Happening across Brisbane’s most celebrated lifestyle precinct, James St, 26 leading venues will spill out across 36 stalls, transforming the streets into an open-air dining room for one Sunday only. Free to attend and bursting out over 13,752 square metres, the 2026 program boasts the largest footprint in the event’s history. The only question worth asking is: where do you start?

For the Gourmet Traveller editors, the answer begins with the people behind the food. 

James St culinary community

The best way to see the trail is through the chefs who know it best, and this year, the Gourmet Traveller Live Chef Stage puts four of them front and center. Situated at the heart of the event and hosted by our editor, David Meagher, it’s the ideal way to start the day. The stage opens from 10am with light refreshments and a complimentary copy of the latest issue of Gourmet Traveller for attendees who get in early. Register is necessary as spots are limited.

From 11am, master fishmonger and sashimi specialist Mitsu Sakurai and Head Chef Shimpei Raikuni of Sushi Room will take the centre stage with a whole bluefin tuna carving. Anyday (Agnes, Bianca, sAme sAme) co-owner and culinary director Ben Williamson, ESSA owner and executive chef Phil Marchant and Hellenika head chef Bryan Kelly will each take their turn throughout the afternoon with Sushi Room closing out the day with a second whole tuna carving.

James St Food + Wine Trail, Sunday 26 July 2026, 10am–4pm. Free entry. Book ticketed experiences online.

James St x Gourmet Traveller edit:

With more than 160 food and drink options on offer, it’s worth starting where the longest lines are – and for good reason. Begin at Hellenika where Bryan Kelly’s char-grilled octopus and lamb on the spit with tzatziki and mint sells out every year. For a Brisbane-coded taster, head to The Calile’s Lobby Bar for a Moreton Bay bug roll finished with rooftop-grown chives and finger lime mayonnaise.

Cult favourites such as ESSA’s — Gourmet Traveller‘s 2025 Queensland Restaurant of the Year — returns with the Jerusalem artichoke skewer with peanut miso, while James St icon Gerard’s is back on the grill, serving pulled eggplant man’oushe with garlic yoghurt and mint.

For dessert, plan ahead. Gelato Messina’s limited “S’more Please” — milk chocolate gelato with brownie cheesecake swirl, graham cracker crumb base, dark chocolate fudge and toasted vanilla marshmallow will not last the afternoon. LOS (Land of Smiles) makes an equally compelling case for starting sweet early, with their legendary churros with Thai tea dulce de leche. The most sought-after new addition? SK Steak & Oyster’s famous strawberry cake.

Something to refresh the palate? Penelope’s Grey Goose, soda and cucumber cooler is what you’ll want in hand most of the day. Or perhaps an afternoon pick-me-up with LOS Bar’s Jalapeño Business”: mango, Anyday vodka, mint, lime and jalapeño soda. Sushi Room’s yuzu slushies, served alongside their famous spicy tuna crispy rice, round out the drinks worth tracking down.

James St neighbourhood experiences

For those who want more than the trail or a place to sit, selected venues are offering a series of Gourmet Traveller-approved express lunches and ticketed experiences worth securing in advance. 

At ESSA, Phil Marchant’s wood-fired Moreton Bay bug with chilli XO butter arrives with a glass of Blood Moon orange wine for $58pp — one of the day’s most considered pairings. Hellenika’s seven-dish staggered express lunch covers all the classics, with a choice of Thymiopoulos Young Vines xinomavro or Gaia 4-6hr Agiorgitiko rosé for $90pp. Mosconi brings pappardelle with chicken and pork ragù, aged Reggiano and a glass of 2019 Lunaria ‘Coste di Moro’ Montepulciano for $55pp. For the long lunch, Harveys Bar and Bistro is hosting a French-inspired alfresco degustation for 60 guests at $150pp with matched wines — book here.

Beyond the table, The Calile Hotel is offering free rooftop garden tours (register online) with with Future Wild, Cru Cellar will host Shaw + Smith tastings from 1pm to 3pm ( no registration required), and Mud Australia is running fused-glass workshops with local glassware artist and founder of Lawn Bowls at $120pp – book here.

James St Food + Wine Trail, Sunday 26 July 2026, 10am–4pm. Free entry. Book ticketed experiences online.

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The competition encourages young chefs to consider food beyond what’s on the plate. Each applicant is asked to submit a recipe for a signature dish that captures their technical skill, ethos and personal identity.

“There are so many talented chefs out there who can cook, but to win this type of award you need more than that,” says esteemed chef, and one of this year’s Pacific Region judges, Dan Hong (Mr. Wong, MuMu, Good Luck Restaurant Lounge). “You need to create a story around why you put these flavours together.”

First, dishes go to ALMA – the International School of Italian Culinary Arts – to select the chefs who will go through to the regional finals around the world. 15 finalists will move on to compete at the 2027 Grand Finale in Milan – a sacred opportunity for emerging chefs to showcase who they are to the world. 

“Because it’s an international competition, it puts you on the world stage,” explains Hong. “It’s one of the big advantages of this competition…maybe you’ll get the chance to work with these Michelin-starred chefs around the world.”

Hong joins a rollcall of culinary heavyweights that will judge the Pacific Region this year, including sustainable cooking pioneer Analiese Gregory (Lumachelle); winner of Gourmet Traveller’s 2019 Best New Talent award Alanna Sapwell (Esmay); head chef of Gibney James Cole Bowen; internationally acclaimed chef Clinton McIver (Amaru); restaurateur Karen Martini (Bar Carolina) and leading chef Ross Lusted (Marmelo).

For Hong, who attended the Grand Finale in Milan last year, the opportunity to learn from and connect with established chefs is one of the most valuable parts of the competition – not only for the contestants but for the health of the hospitality industry.

 “I think we have a responsibility to pass on our knowledge and our advice on what we’ve learnt,” he says. “We shouldn’t have any secrets that stick with us to the grave – it’s our responsibility to give back to the industry.”    

As he prepares for his first year as a judge, Hong insists that flavour will remain paramount. “At the end of the day, your food has to be delicious. If it looks amazing, if you’re using really unique techniques and you’ve got a story to back it up, then you’ve got the whole package.”

Applications for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2026-27 are open until 9 June 2026. Applicants must be aged between 18 and30 and submit their signature dish for a chance to compete. Apply now via sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com.

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Roma

From Melbourne hospitality trio Con Christopoulos (The European, Kafeneion, City Wine Shop), executive chef Matt Wilkinson (Pope Joan) and Giovanni Patane, Roma is Collins Street’s new Italian restaurant where almost every element takes inspiration from the Eternal City.

Wilkinson’s menu covers the requisite pasta program, a page of offal dishes in the spirit of “quinto quarto” Roman butchery (including the paccheri alla baronessa, with chicken livers and mushrooms), and exclusive use of extra virgin olive oil for everything from deep-frying to drizzling, while the wine list focuses on the Lazio region, among a broader selection of European and Australian producers. Offering a polished experience where the lively and comfortable trattoria spirit is encouraged, the dining room features century-old Italian details and a mammoth 1930s marble table dressed with the day’s best produce, while a separate breakfast menu can be enjoyed on the terrace. From the same team, Sergio’s will open adjacent to the restaurant in June.

Spaghetti Club

A homely trattoria inspired by a dog-eared family recipe book has landed on Swan Street in Richmond, though Spaghetti Club isn’t entirely what its name suggests. The eighth venue from Mama’s Dining Group (Disuko, Hochi Mama), this Southern Italian restaurant draws on the childhood of co-founder Lucas Gugliandolo, whose late Nonno spent decades cooking in kitchens across Sicily and Australia, documenting recipes in a faded orange notebook along the way.

“The orange book was never meant to become a restaurant,” says Gugliandolo. “It was simply Nonno writing down what he cooked throughout his life, from pastry kitchens in Sicily through to the dinners we all grew up around.”

Head chef Michael Fleming (ex-Totti’s Bondi and Press Food & Wine Adelaide) has reworked those family dishes into a menu that extends beyond pasta, spanning pork chop cotoletta with fried capers and parmesan; Nonno’s bubbling lasagne layered with bolognese and béchamel; and involtini stuffed with provolone and herb crumb. Pasta still features, naturally, with house-made spaghetti vongole finished with lemon and bottarga, alongside cacio e pepe arancini with black garlic aioli. Meanwhile, the drinks list leans into aperitivo culture with Negronis, spritzes, Italian lagers and local wines at the fore.

The venue itself exudes all the warmth of Nonna and Nonno’s house, with a few upgrades —including marble tables and plush, sunflower-yellow booths — that place it loosely in the neighbourhood trattoria category.

Julietta

Pasta and Negronis lead the charge at Julietta, South Yarra’s intimate new Italian restaurant from the Mamasita team.

Located on the corner of Toorak Road and Chambers Street, it channels a cosy, neighbourhood trattoria. Think burgundy banquettes, vintage brass lights and European awnings, joined by shelves of house pickles and imported flour and tomatoes for the pasta program. The menu follows a familiar format, moving from antipasti to larger plates, with handmade pasta at its core.

“It’s about doing things really well – pasta at the centre, with dishes that feel familiar,” says executive chef Jimmy Garside (Mamasita, The Apollo). Expect burrata with pine nuts and sweet-sour golden raisin agrodolce or crisp potato fritti with saffron aioli, followed by pastas that riff on the classics: green peppercorn cacio e pepe, short rib ragu and an nduja-vodka bake with stracciatella.

Desserts lean similarly classic, with favourites like coffee semifreddo with amaretto caramel and chocolate cake drizzled with olive oil. Drinks skew Italian, anchored by a tight Negroni selection, from a shiraz-gin twist to a tequila-led Rosita with strawberry Campari and white cacao.

Florentino

While the Florentino name is most definitely not new — it’s approaching its centenary in 2028 — the Bourke Street institution has relaunched under the ownership of the Edition Group (NOMAD Sydney and Melbourne, Reine & La Rue) following its acquisition from Guy Grossi’s Grossi Group after a 27-year tenure. Its distinct offerings now include flagship restaurant space Florentino Dining Room, where three-, five- and seven-course menus offer house-made pastas, seasonal interpretations of Italian traditions, and long-standing favourite desserts like chocolate soufflé and tiramisu using Melbourne-based Cuvée Chocolate.

Next door, Café Florentino (formerly Grossi Grill) has returned to its original name, serving a Tuscan-inspired a la carte menu delivered from a wood-fired grill and Josper oven; naturally, there’s a bistecca alla Fiorentina and one of the country’s most substantial selections of Tuscan wines. The charming Cellar Bar continues trade until late Monday–Saturday as a wine and pasta bar, with 15-20 wines available by the glass and a new aperitivo hour from 3pm tempting early visits with a $9 piccolo Martini, $10 Garibaldi, wine from $12 and $12 antipasti including calamari fritti with basil aioli.

Geralds Bar

After more than 20 years operating from a beloved but tiny shopfront, Geralds Bar has reopened a few blocks away in a significantly larger Carlton North space.  Now on Lygon Street, the expanded venue offers far more room to linger, dine and gather, while remaining deeply anchored to the spirit that made the original so enduring. Much of the bar’s character has been rebuilt by hand: original shelving has been carefully restored, a sculptural curving bar and 300-year-old brushbox timber bar top.  With the addition of chef Matt Podbury alongside long-time Geralds chef Pete Savage, the menu sees elevated dishes such as raw nannygai from WA with a cucumber chutney, horseradish yoghurt and Aleppo pepper, as well as baked cheesecake and crème caramel from the separate pastry kitchen. 

For a slower, multi-course experience, Geralds’s separate 35-seat dining room, The Parlour, offers a refined menu of seasonal dishes and desserts including line-caught Blue Eye with courgette and basil, petit fours, goose fat fudge and a selection of cheese served from a roaming trolley.

Disuko

The Melbourne rooftop formerly home to Madame Brussels has become modern Japanese joint Disuko. The 1980s Tokyo-inspired venue from Mamas Dining Group (Hochi Mama, Windsor Wine Room) comprises a dining room and bar, terrace, eight-seat omakase counter for 12-course sushi seatings and a private dining room. The izakaya-inspired menu lists dishes like a Japanese McDonald’s-esque Fillet-O-Ebi sando; wagyu tataki with yuzu kosho cream, ponzu and a crisp potato; and hibachi-grilled pork belly with tare and bottarga. Signature cocktails using ingredients such as yuzu syrup, red shiso-infused vodka and toasted sesame bitters are joined by Highballs, Spritzes and a specialty saké selection, while Japanese design elements like red timber, black lacquer and kumiko joinery are contrasted with glass blocks, leather and disco balls.

For more of the latest restaurant news, pick up the latest Gourmet Traveller magazine or subscribe here.

Bar Sophia

A strong wine program is on show at Bar Sophia, the new Glen Iris venue from Michael Badr (Marameo) and Marco Tenuta (Il Bacaro, Marameo) that takes inspiration from the growing wine bar scene in the Greek capital. “Athens has changed so much in the past decade,” says Badr. “We’re hoping to bring back a little of that energy and flavour.”

The menu changes seasonally, along the lines of kefalotyri flatbread with florina peppers and honey; charred Corner Inlet squid with smoked almond; and Cretan-style braised lamb. A mostly Greek wine program draws on Steve Kimonides’s (The Rocket Society, Il Bacaro) insights from annual visits for vineyard hopping, and spotlights native varieties like xinomavro, assyrtiko and saviatano. Naturally, ouzo and tsipouro are also deployed in cocktails.

Daphne

Steps away from her adored restaurant Etta, Hannah Green has introduced Daphne to the Lygon Street dining scene. “It’s a restaurateur’s answer to a pub,” she says. “The mood is fun and easygoing, and the food is highly delicious but not too fancy.” In the kitchen, chef Diana Desensi (Saint George, Pt Leo Estate) is doing big, European-leaning flavours centred on seasonality, like Bloody Mary heirloom tomatoes with pickles and olives; grilled potato flatbread with mussels, celery hearts and whipped cod; and a half chicken roasted over the custom hearth.

Small serves for children, weekly steak and pasta nights, and a late-night supper menu from 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays cover most bases. The wine list, curated by sommelier Ashley Boburka (Etta, Rockpool), offers shared access to the 450-bottle selection at Etta, plus wines on tap made for the venue by the Yarra Valley’s Valentine Wines and a house draught by Hop Nation Brewing Co. Complementing the menu and blending classics with creativity, cocktails include a rhubarb Spritz and olive oil Sour, with a Monday night $15 Martini Club serving spins on the cocktail of the moment. Retaining the welcoming feel (and terrazzo flooring) of Bar Romantica, the casual front bar and rear dining room have been updated with a welcoming palette of walnut timber, glass brick, antique mirrors, coffee-coloured upholstery, Australian marble and crimson textiles.

Yiaga

In the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens in East Melbourne, Yiaga is Hugh Allen’s first restaurant. The former Noma and Rockpool chef (who remains executive chef at Vue de Monde) and head chef Michael McAulay (also Noma, Vue de Monde) serve a $295 set menu expressing seasonality, intention, and a deep commitment to the best ingredients sourced from farmers, fishers, growers and makers across Australia, like deeply flavoured beef from retired Blackmore Wagyu breeding cows; Queensland coral trout; and wakame seaweed foraged from the Victorian coast.

The venue, designed by noted architect John Wardle, comprises an open-plan layout breaking any barriers between the kitchen and 44-seat dining room, with Allen and Wardle’s shared appreciation for detail, craftsmanship and sense of place on display inside and out.

Death & Co

New York City’s globally acclaimed cocktail group Death & Co has landed Down Under, opening its first local outpost in Melbourne. Known for expertly crafted, richly layered cocktails and an intimate speakeasy ambience, the bar brings a selection of its signature classics alongside new blends. Standouts include the Telegraph, a refined gin martini riff layered with eucalyptus, pear and pine, and Sound & Fury, a smoky margarita twist blending ancho chilli, raspberry and red capsicum. Food highlights range from gin-cured kingfish with rhubarb to a dry-aged cheeseburger stacked with smoke cheddar, house pickles and Martin’s potato buns.

A Brisbane venue is set to follow this summer, promising to spread even more world-class mixology.

Saadi

Heritage flavours star at Saadi in the CBD, the new restaurant by chef couple Saavni Krishnan and Sriram Aditya Suresh. Their reimagined family recipes and takes on lesser-known dishes from the Indian subcontinent are delivered with confidence accrued through almost 12 years in Australian kitchens, plus a dozen pop-ups and residencies in Melbourne in recent years.

Krishnan, who was raised in Mumbai to Punjabi and Tamilian parents, has worked at Fred’s in Sydney, and Etta and Manzé in Melbourne, and Suresh (most recently head chef at Coburg’s Gemini) was exposed to diverse regions and their food cultures, thanks to his Tamilian father’s postings with the Indian navy. Saadi’s menu highlights prime, in-season vegetables; idli (rice cakes) are topped with spiced Dutch carrots, and fritters of veggies in a precariously delicate batter are served on a yoghurt sauce. Select proteins include pulikachal (simmered tamarind) flathead from Corner Inlet with curry leaf chutney, and Loddon Valley lamb brisket complemented by fermented citrus dressing. Saadi has taken over Halim Group’s split-level Punch Lane site, which was formerly home to Sunda.

Harriot

A cracking team has assembled to lead a new opening in Melbourne’s CBD, by Conferre Group, the folks also behind Tipo 00, Osteria Ilaria, Figlia and Grana. Harriot will see Andreas Papadakis (partner and group executive chef) and Luke Skidmore (partner and director) joined by executive chef James Kelly (previously at Lyle’s London and Embla) and head sommelier Justin Howe (ex-Osteria Ilaria and Embla). The modern European restaurant is a slight departure for the group, which has focused mostly on Italian fare, though it won’t stray too far from the formula of excellent food and outstanding wine. “I’m excited because it’s my first head chef role,” Kelly tells GT. “There’s so much interesting Australian produce to explore and we’ve got a beautiful brand new kitchen.” Tucked within the recently opened 555 Collins Street, the restaurant is designed to seat around 60 diners, including a 14-person private dining room. Clocking in with a Melbourne sensibility and a tempting range of Victorian produce, expect white tablecloths to showcase starters such as oysters with preserved quince and horseradish; chicken liver parfait and chestnut; and bluefin tuna with rye. Mains-wise, they’re considering rainbow trout served with baby leeks and roe; and Sher wagyu rump with parsley root and pink radicchio. Meanwhile, in territory that might feel more familiar to Conferre Group diners, an elegant spanner crab ravioli with butternut pumpkin and bergamot will also be making an appearance.

Da Bao, Ho Jiak and Ho Liao

Sydney chef Junda Khoo has brought his clever take on Malaysian flavours to Melbourne. Landing a three-level site at 235 Bourke Street with an entrance on Royal Lane, each floor features a separate menu and vibe. “So, it’s like having three different Ho Jiak concepts under one roof,” says Khoo. The ground floor is home to Da Bao, with a street-food focus. Expect “stuff like nasi lemak, Hainan chicken rice and a bain-marie with different dishes – similar to the “chap fan” stores on the street in Malaysia”. The first floor – named Ho Jiak after the original in Sydney’s Strathfield – is more formal, exploring the cultural intersections of the cuisine with a levelled-up playfulness. “That’s where we will be doing our elevated Malaysian dishes, so the laksa bombs, oysters, steak and a good wine list,” says Khoo. Finally, the crowning second floor is a rooftop beer hall with home-style family favourites, called Ho Liao, which means “good stuff” in Hokkien.

Pizzateca Lupa

On the corner of Cecil and Coventry Streets at South Melbourne Market, Pizzateca Lupa is a new Roman-style cafè and pizzeria. Brothers Lino and Gabriele Torre (both of D.O.C Gastronomia Italiana) are once again tracing their Italian roots, dishing out antipasti, pasta and square tray-baked pizza – both whole and by-the-slice. On the design front, they’ve enlisted Jackson Clements Burrows (the team behind Her and Arbory Bar & Eatery) to direct the 34-seat space, with walnut timber finishes and deep red hues. Spilling out onto the street to match the energy of South Melbourne Market, the alimentari-style menu highlights include a ‘30 clove’ garlic red sauce spaghetti, a baked cacio e pepe and classic Italian puddings such caramel budino.

Kolkata Cricket Club

After building his fandom with debut restaurant Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel, Mischa Tropp – GT’s Best New Talent title holder– has undertaken a sprawling new venue. Kolkata Cricket Club is dishing out nostalgia, butter chicken and brews at the Crown precinct. Inspired by charming Bengali members’ bars and cricket clubs, the 150-seat pan-Indian restaurant has Bengalese threads throughout its menu. The well-armed kitchen has a woodfire hearth and tandoor-style ovens. From here expect tandoori lamb chops marinated with green papaya; butter garlic mud crab; king prawns with turmeric and coconut curry; and saffron braised duck, best enjoyed with a side of freshly cooked soft warm naans.

Punters can also keep it casual watching the cricket over beer battered fries with curry sauce; a thali plate; or a Bombay sandwich with mixed fried veggies, chutney and aged cheddar. With interiors by Min Chun Tseng – who also dreamed up the Toddy Shop’s façade, plus SilkSpoon and Cinque Terre – think warm colours and inviting textures.

Marmelo and Mr Mills

Melbourne has scored not one but two new venues from Ross and Sunny Lusted, with a restaurant and a basement bar, Marmelo and Mr Mills, now open in Melbourne’s CBD. With 90 seats, Marmelo is decked out in elegance. Think sweeping windows for light-filled lunches and opulent banquettes covered in tapestry-like fabrics. The menu skews toward an Iberian-coastal focus, with snacks like savoury pastel de nata (handpicked crab meat on a rich custard) or wood-grilled southern calamari with goat’s milk butter.

Mr Mills, accessible through Marmelo or via Melbourne Place Laneway, is a little more intimate with tight, secretive booths and a sleek bar. Furnished with an extensive cocktail list, snacks are also available downstairs, with everything from lighter snacks like grilled padron peppers to larger plates like baked cod with roasted onions and potatoes.

The post The best new restaurants in Melbourne for exciting dining in 2026 appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Bar Bruno

Joining basement daiquiri bar and discotheque, Razz Room, Bar Bruno is Odd Culture Group’s rustic, all-day Italian osteria. Sitting above Razz Room at ground level, the warehouse-style space pairs exposed brick walls and high ceilings with a mixture of booth, bar and table seating.

Mornings begin with coffee from Genovese and house-made pastries, before executive chef Tony Gibson’s à la carte menu takes centre stage. Expect familiar Italian flavours with less emphasis on pasta and more on seafood, crudo and meat. This looks like mussels with fagioli giganti (jumbo butter beans) and ’nduja butter, crisp cotoletta with black garlic aioli, and Murray cod in parmesan-rind brodo, among the standouts.

Drinks, overseen by group beverage manager Jordan Blackman, skew spritzy, bitter and amaro-heavy, alongside pours from Red Mill Rum. The Grasshopper — made with Mapo’s fior di latte gelato — is the must-try cocktail, while the tight 100-bottle wine list leans Italian, balancing cult producers with emerging makers. Bar Bruno is open from 10am until late on weekdays and from noon until late on Saturday.

Ananas

Anyone with fond memories of buzzy French brasserie Ananas will be pleased to hear it has reopened its doors after a decade. Next door to its original Argyle Street address in The Rocks, the new space has the same 1881 sandstone bones as the original, in a smaller format that better suits the experience.  “It was ambitious and had a clear point of view, but the original space was simply too large to operate comfortably,” says Frank Tucker, CEO of Hunter St. Hospitality (Rockpool Bar & Grill, Spice Temple). “We’ve been looking for the right environment to bring it back for years.” 

With executive chef Mike Flood (Felix) at the helm, the menu leans into French brasserie staples such as escargots, soupe à l’oignon and steak au poivre with frites. Entrées are mostly under $30 and mains under $50, with a mix of returning favourites and moments of tableside theatre, including a Baba d’Ananas brought to the table and finished with a pour of house-infused pineapple rum.

“This isn’t about recreating a Paris corner exactly as it is,” says Flood. “The menu draws from across France and shifts with the seasons. As we move towards spring, it lightens and leans south, with olive oil stepping in and dishes becoming brighter. The idea is familiarity and comfort, with moments of decadence when you want to dial it up.”  Naturally, the wine list also steers French, with approximately 800 to 1000 wines available and a justifiably strong emphasis on Champagne. 

Grappa The Rocks

A second location for the beloved neighbourhood restaurant that opened in Leichhardt in 1999, Grappa has launched at the original Rockpool site on George Street. Owners Charlie and Virginie Colosi have brought their pillars of Italian food, wine and hospitality to the historic 1860s bakehouse building, sticking to their approach of all pasta, pizza, bread and desserts made in house.

Head chef Adam Nicholls’s menu blends favourites from the Inner West’s menu with new dishes that speak to the harbourside location, with highlights like house-made Calabrese sausages, pappardelle with White Rocks Veal ragù and the signature salt-baked snapper. Chef Alessandro Penna mans a wood-fired oven fuelled by red gum, yellow box and ironbark, turning out scampi, Limestone Ridge full-blood wagyu tomahawks and pizzas. Per the name, the drinks offering includes over 150 varieties of grappa, plus an Italian- and French-focused wine list. Grappa The Rocks spans a ground-floor dining room and, upstairs, an aperitivo bar (with a dedicated bar menu) and event spaces, with an outdoor terrace to open on George Street later this year.

Pasta Shop

This new Sydney restaurant from Paola Toppi was designed to be wallet-friendly and welcoming: nothing on the menu is more than $30. At Pasta Shop, she’s serving 11 pasta dishes including the famed spaghetti Machiavelli (with prawns and mushroom in a silky sauce) from the now-closed institution opened by her mother in 1988. There’s also spicy rigatoni alla vodka, gnocchi gorgonzola and a classic lasagne, with Italian crowd-pleasers like polpette con sugo, house-made focaccia and tiramisu rounding out the menu.

“It’s decades of pasta knowledge, made accessible,” says Toppi. “We’re still using the premium ingredients we’ve always been known for, but by creating a more relaxed dining experience, people are able to enjoy them for less.” Pre-made Maybe Sammy cocktails are joined by Italian classics and wines and Sardinian beer on the drinks list and BYO is available too. Pasta Shop, at 37 Bayswater Road in Potts Point, serves dinner Wednesday–Sunday and lunch Thursday–Sunday.

Sushi Oe

Your odds of securing a spot at one of the nation’s most coveted counters are now slightly better. Last month, Toshihiko Oe relocated his six-seat Cammeray omakase restaurant Sushi Oe to the Sydney Fish Market. The elegant, charcoal-hued space, decked out with ceramic details from his home in Fukui prefecture, ups his audience to eight diners per seating. “Ten years ago, there were Japanese restaurants [in Australia], but nobody knew about omakase,” says Oe. Today, customers wait up to two years to enjoy his offering of around 30 impeccable dishes (now at a cost of $350pp).

While guests previously had to text Oe direct in the hope of nabbing a seat, the system has now moved online, though you can still expect a wait. “I feel like I’ve touched my dream,” he says of the opening.

The James

Interpreting classic English dishes with French technique and international influences, British restaurant The James is now open in The Langham, Sydney — complete with ruffled curtains, kitsch colourways and timber joinery. Operated by the Drakopoulos family-owned SRG Hospitality (Akti, Sails Lavender Bay, The Nielsen), The James is led by head chef Sam Tuchband, who brings experience from highly regarded London restaurant Trinity, as well as Aria Sydney.

Menu highlights look like Welsh rarebit pain perdu, seasonal game (maybe Fallow deer with brassicas and berries) and an Eton Mess vacherin with Shropshire Blue, while tableside serves include a blushing beef Wellington presented on antique silverware, and a Knickerbocker Glory sundae service. Australian and English wines (especially standouts of its emerging sparkling wine scene) are joined by British beers and ciders and spins on classic cocktails, like the Sir James reimagining the gimlet with The Botanist gin, Linden Leaf 8 gin, Noilly Prat, grapefruit and iceplant tincture.

Watermans

The Bentley Restaurant Group opened Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Watermans in Barangaroo late last year, marking a return to the waterfront precinct just over a year since the closure of Cirrus. Led by Darryl Martin (Barzaari) as executive chef, the menu takes inspiration from the Levant, with a custom-made, wood-fired grill and oven influencing most of the menu. Key dishes include pickled watermelon and raw tuna salad with sumac; sweet and sour Abrolhos scallop with sesame praline; and pomegranate-glazed, slow-cooked lamb shoulder with pickled radishes and black lime.

Located in the One Sydney Harbour development, the restaurant sees long-term collaborator of the group Pascale Gomes-McNabb, alongside Chris Grinham from H&E Architects, deliver a 120-seat space, including a large outdoor dining area with lush greenery-covered pergolas perfect for summer dining.

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach

Rick Stein’s first Sydney restaurant builds on the popularity of his restaurants at Bannisters properties in Mollymook and Port Stephens, on the New South Wales South Coast. “The connection between my restaurants and the sea is very important to me,” Stein told Gourmet Traveller. “The ethos of my restaurants almost requires that they be by the sea.”

Stein’s unmistakable voice and love for seafood shines through on the Rick Stein at Coogee Beach menu: XO pipis are described as “one of my favourite seafood dishes — particularly when made with Australian pipis,” while oysters Charentaise invites diners to “eat an oyster, take a bite of sausage, then a good gulp of cold white wine.” As well as the quality, Stein says he’s inspired by the variety of fish on offer in Australia. “Fish like snapper and blue-eye… flathead is a favourite — there’s so much flavour in so many of the species,” he says. Rick’s fish and chips, in the style of his sell-out Padstow chippie, are fried in beef dripping and come with mushy peas and tartare sauce, and dishes with Asian roots — a favourite of the chef himself — include his famous Singapore chilli crab.

The restaurant has a relaxed coastal aesthetic across a main dining room, outdoor dining terrace, two semi-private dining rooms and a bar.

Aambra

Tthe Rose Bay Uniting Church has been transformed into a light-filled, 140-seat Levantine restaurant. Owner Cristian Gorgees has spent the last three years working closely with interior designer Paul Papadopoulos from DS17 to bring his vision for Aambra to life.  “This property is such an important part of Rose Bay and indeed Sydney’s history,” said Gorgees, “so we wanted to make sure there was something special about every inch of it.” Outside, a multi-level wraparound deck is furnished with lounge chairs and olive trees. Inside, original stained-glass windows, Italian marble floors, custom pendant lights and an open kitchen aren’t the only attractions.

With executive chef Gianluca Lonati – ex-Nour – leading the charge, the share-style menu showcases a breadth of flavours from Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Cyprus and Egypt. Snacks and smaller plates might look like samke harra (Lebanese-style spicy fish) whiting sando with whipped tahini, or a seafood version of kibbeh nayeh made with tuna instead of lamb. Mains feature an on-the-bone 800-gram wagyu rib-eye that’s cooked over an open-flame grill, or dry-aged carob duck crown. On the drinks front, sommelier Sasa Savic has curated a wine list more than 130 strong, as well as fruity cocktails like a watermelon Martini or arak elderflower Spritz. 

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South End

The first project from a trio of respected names in Sydney hospitality, South End is a neighbourhood bistro on Newtown’s King Street. In the kitchen, former Fred’s head chef Hussein Sarhan is joined by Alex Tong (Ester and Hong Kong’s Belon and Ho Lee Fook), serving a highly seasonal menu that puts flavour first. “We want to be the local everyone wants as their local,” said Tong in a statement. “There for an easy meal at the bar, but just as ready to roll for a splash-out good time for a celebration, and with enough movement in the menu to keep it fresh week to week.”

Snacks and smaller plates might look like potato rösti with curls of Tête de Moine cheese and chestnut honey, or buttermilk-fried rabbit with green garlic aioli. Mains follow the same broadly European lean — described by Sarhan as “potato Europe in the winter and tomato Europe in the summer” — which could look like whole flounder with sauce vierge, or roast chicken with nettle butter. Leading service and drinks is Paul Guiney, who cites Embla, A.P Bread and Wine and The Bentley Group in his former stable and claimed GT’s joint Maître d’ of the Year title in 2008. Expect an “always fun, always delicious” wine program that favours emerging and interesting producers from Australia and Europe over established labels, and a few batched cocktails.

Young’s Palace

Potts Point has scored a take on the old-school Chinese restaurant by “Big” Sam Young and partner Grace Chen. Young’s Palace sticks to interpretations of favourites seen in Chinatowns around the world — the likes of prawn toast, sweet and sour pork, and fried rice — where Young’s first restaurant, S’more in Castlecrag, is luxe, over the top, and indulgent.

“The brief is local neighbourhood Chinese, and I want to stick to the truth of it,” says Young. “I want to make this restaurant approachable to everyone.” For those looking to splash out, a “secret menu” of premium lobster, beef, truffle and caviar provides the high-end fixings that made S’more a destination. Similarly, the wine list offers affordable options with a “baller” selection of coveted producers (of the ilk of Selosse or Pierre-Yves Colin Morey) and vintages. The styling of the corner site on Kellett Street plays with the familiar aesthetic, with fringed lamps and curtains, red velvet banquettes, and artworks of roosters and dragons.

Vin-Cenzo’s

Bar Copains, Bessie’s and Alma’s owners Morgan McGlone and Sali and Nathan Sasi are putting their spin on Italian at the former Bar Vincent site in Darlinghurst. Vin-Cenzo’s offers a commitment to produce over authenticity, with inspiration from France, Spain, and even America’s take on Italian cuisine. Menu standouts look like grilled scampi with chilli, garlic and Sicilian oregano; a veal T-bone with Marsala and shimeji mushrooms; and pastas including pumpkin and pecorino quadrati (like a thick, square spaghetti), or rigatoni with tripe and sweetbread ragu.

The significant dessert menu tempts with an Italian biscuit selection (served in a vintage tin) inspired by Nathan’s Sicilian godmother, plus coffee granita with whipped mascarpone, a pig fat cannolo with Sicilian almonds, and a line-up of sorbet and gelati. Wines mostly cover Italian, French and Australian makers (including some rare vintages from McGlone’s personal cellar), and cocktails cover Italian classics. The space, while it’s kept its signature archways, has a fresh palette of glowing yellow, blues and deep burgundy, with hand-painted murals, walnut timber and tiled details, and capacity has almost doubled thanks to the addition of an outdoor dining space. Vin-Cenzo’s is now open at 174 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst for lunch and dinner Tuesday–Saturday, with a late-night supper club menu until 2am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Grandfather’s

The new Sydney CBD Chinese restaurant and cocktail bar from Andy Tyson, Dan Pepperell and Michael Clift is now open for dinner seven days. Grandfather’s leans towards the flavours of Guangdong and Sichuan, with Clift crediting his own Chinese grandfather for his career as a chef: “I think China has the most diverse and historic cuisine in the world. We consider it to be the mother of all cuisines,” he said.

On the menu, oysters are dressed with Chinese celery vinegar; a Sichuan “husband and wife salad” combines veal tongue and crispy tripe; and a daily assortment of steamed dumplings sits alongside prawn toast and scallop spring rolls. Proteins include classic crispy-skinned birds (chicken, pigeon or duck), wok-fried pork jowl in doubanjiang, and red emperor poached in a fragrant broth with green Sichuan peppercorn.

Tyson’s wine selection stars riesling, with a by-the-glass listing of huge global names (along the lines of Raveneau and Keller), plus on-theme reimaginings of classic cocktails like a sesame Sazerac, yuzu Colada, and Martini made dirty with MSG and Shaoxing wine. The restaurant — the fifth opening from the group behind Pellegrino 2000, Clam Bar and Neptune’s Grotto in as many years — is in the former Long Chim site in Angel Place, with a refreshed interior to suit the new concept.

Vineria Luisa

Alessandro and Anna Pavoni (Ormeggio, A’Mare, Postino Osteria) have taken over one of the inner west’s most recognisable shopfronts to open Vineria Luisa in Enmore. Located within the mauve and pink heritage-listed Marie-Louise Salon, the 70-seat dual-level wine bar is dishing out pre-theatre pastas, gin-based cocktails and a Euro-focused wine list.

Expect a menu featuring Pavoni’s clever blend of old-school Italian standards along with some new-wave takes, including a sizeable snack section to suit its aperitivo approach. Perhaps crostini with chicken liver pâté and bright orange marmalade with Piedmont hazelnuts; or cacio e pepe, transformed into croquettes. There’s also tuna crudo with pickled onion, cannellini beans and green elk; culaccia prosciutto with pickled dwarf green peaches; and buffalo mozzarella with fennel, orange and Taggiasca olives. Pastas include a bright gnocchi with spanner crab, ocean trout roe, herbs and lemon crumble; and lasagne alla Bolognese with slow-cooked pork, beef and veal ragù. There’s also a lamb porchetta, rolled with pork sausages and served with chicory and celeriac purée; a warming wild greens savoury pie with Tuscan cabbage, herbs and whipped goat’s cheese that hails from the Reggio-Emilia region; and salted and fried ling cooked in a rich tomato sugo with sultanas and pine nuts, for something more hearty.

Loulou Martin Place

Above the Martin Place Metro station, Loulou has finally welcomed diners into its 175-seat Frenchy-chic bistro. Following in the tradition of the Milsons Point flagship, the bistro, bar, boulangerie and traiteur is lined with Parisian-style streetfront tables. Menu-wise, expect favourites from across the bridge, like the tower of peppery steak frites; John Dory with Champagne sauce; and créme caramel — alongside new dishes like the charred wagyu frites baguette. From 4-7pm, city slickers can also enjoy $2 escargots and oysters, together with $13 mini Martinis as part of Loulou’s signature happy hour, L’Apéro.

Next door Petit Loulou is a more of a grab-and-go affair serving as a café and patisserie, with counters stacked with Paris-Brests, coconut palmiers, croissants and tarts, alongside rotisserie chicken baguettes, Niçoise salads and golden sausage rolls.

Rovollo

Martin Place has welcomed intimate Italian diner, Rovollo, into its fold, located on the groundfloor of Harry Seidler’s famed MLC Centre. Led by family-run Esper Group – the team behind Surry Hills’ Mille Vini and Rosie Campbell’s – the new 75-seater is a sophisticated affair with ample outdoor seating.

In the kitchen, Zane Buchanan of former Clam Bar and Fish Butchery fame and Matteo Downtown’s Cami Feliciano are bringing simple Italian fare to the city. Think light and bright tuna crudo with a slight kick; pici carbonara set alight in a hollowed-out cheese wheel; and just-pink wagyu rump cap from the grill. As for dessert, an order of the fudgy 24-layer chocolate cake with rosemary-spiked compote is a must.

Caness

Paddington’s main thoroughfare has welcomed Caness, a Middle Eastern meets Mediterranean restaurant and snack bar in a former grocery store. Drawing on tapas-style dining, the 60-seater serves up denizens of the deep blue like saganaki prawns in a tomato and feta sauce; grilled octopus with a caper-studded dressing; and a soft brandade, which sees salted cod and potatoes become a creamy dip. There’s also a take on a sabich with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs and tahini atop pita; a beef tartare charged with pimentón and harissa; and a vegetarian shawarma crafted with delicious layers of mushrooms and celeriac. The 80-strong wine list is approachable and a great fit for weeknight sips or a long Saturday lunch, while the cocktail menu features a Figroni – a figgy take on the popular aperitif – and a tomato water-spiked tipple that riffs on gazpacho.

Osteria Mucca

In Newtown, Osteria Mucca is the the penultimate puzzle piece of Paisano and Daughters’ delicious Australia Street precinct. Named to honour the building’s butcher-shop past (mucca meaning “cow” in Italian), the 50-seater offers old-school trattoria charm. With Janina Allende (Pellegrino 2000 and Alberto’s Lounge alum) in charge, Osteria Mucca’s menu brings an “in with the old” philosophy to the plate, with old-world Italian techniques, nose-to-tail cooking and plenty of pasta at the fore. Think pigs’ head sausage across the board, lemony prawn spaghetti lifted with bottarga; pappardelle paired with chicken liver and mushrooms; and spinach and ricotta ravioli swimming in short-rib ragù. Desserts are courtesy of Paisano’s official sweet tooth, Lauren Eldridge, and are likely to feature dolce delights including fluffy ricotta sponge or sweet-wine custards.

Corner 75

In Sydney’s inner east, Jean-Paul El Tom of Baba’s Place and Sixpenny’s Daniel Puskas have joined forces to explore Hungarian food, taking over Corner 75 in Randwick. The old-school Hungarian restaurant has a new lease on life thanks to the new custodians, which keeps the soul of the long-standing Hungarian restaurant alive while putting a clever post-modern, slight Australian spin on it. It has the heart of Baba’s Place and the exacting finesse of Sixpenny, and has brought a welcomed new standard to the neighbourhood’s dining scene.

The atmosphere is jovial and warm, with a memorabilia-laden dining room delivering nostalgic charm; and the wine list is a delightful education on Eastern European drops. Menu-wise you’ll find a classic golden schnitzel; a complex and hearty gulyásleves (beef and potato soup); and a chicken broth with semolina dumplings, which could cure all ills with its comfort. Sides are also a must, particularly the nokedli, a buttery, spiced pasta-like side.

The post The best new restaurants in Sydney appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Best lunch specials and set menus in Melbourne

Marmelo

Victoria’s 2025 Restaurant of The Year, this Portuguese-inspired hotel restaurant’s flame continues to burn bright with its new weekday lunch offering. Its riff on a classic bife à Portuguesa — an indulgent Portuguese steak dish — sees wood-grilled eye fillet finished with a whipped anchovy butter in place of a garlic, white wine and butter concoction, and crowned with fried hen’s egg. Fried potatoes are swapped for crisps for a lighter, lunch-friendly option. Smoky, deeply savoury and incredibly moreish, this simple but flavourful dish is available for $45 in-venue Tuesday to Friday.

When: Tues – Fri: 12 – 2:30pm

Bookings: Recommended via their website. Walk-ins welcome.

Pastarami

Run by two former chefs of the popular now-closed Richmond haunt, Noir, Pastarami on Swan Street is the stylish neighbourhood wine bar putting handmade pasta and natural wines front and centre. Its new express lunch lineup includes packed paninis from $17 — with fillings ranging from beef ragu to mortadella — or chicken cotoletta and salad for $32. For something more substantial, diners can opt for the lunch special, comprising of three plates (including focaccia, a snack and pasta or salad) for just $32 per person.

When: Tues-Sat: 12-2:30pm

Bookings: Recommended via OpenTable. Walk-ins welcome.

PAST/PORT at The Waterside Hotel

Perched above the city, PAST/PORT is The Waterside Hotel’s South-East Asian dining destination. Its recently launched express lunch menu offers a choice of entrée and main for $42 per person. Start with favourites like Tom Yum prawn dumplings before moving onto grilled chicken curry ‘Kapitan’. For those after a one-and-done meal, the Sarawak laksa ($32) is a highlight, drawing from executive chef Sarah Chan’s roots. Silky rice vermicelli noodles swim in a fragrant coconut broth infused with lemongrass, galangal, turmeric and chilli, that’s then topped with poached chicken, king prawns and crisp bean sprouts. 

When: Mon-Fri: 12-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via their website. Walk-ins welcome.

Stokehouse Pasta and Bar

Set just metres from the sand in St Kilda, Stokehouse Pasta & Bar brings a breezy, coastal ease to weekday dining with its $45 Express Lunch. The two-course offering pairs a small entrée with a pasta from a rotating selection and a glass of wine, distilling the venue’s Mediterranean-leaning, pasta-first menu into a quick, polished midday stop.

When: Mon-Fri: 12-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Disuko

Melbourne’s red-hued1980s Tokyo-inspired venue from the team behind Mamas Dining Group (Hochi Mama, Windsor Wine Room) comprises a dining room and bar, terrace, intimate omakase counter and a private dining room. It’s set menu gives you and a guest the choice of five dishes to share, spanning izakaya classics and Disuko signatures. Choose two small plates, two large plates and a side  for $55 per person, with smaller options like spicy tuna bites with crisp rice; plump scallop tacos; and agedashi tofu, as well as spicy crab udon, tonkatsu curry with marque pork neck and glazed cod with whipped tofu as mains. Round out the meal with fries or steamed rice, or go the lighter route with spicy edamame or pickles.

When: Mon-Sun: 12-3pm; 5-10pm

Booking: Recommended via OpenTable.

Albert’s Wine Bar

Tucked behind the heritage listed Kings Arcade in Armadale, Albert’s Wine Bar is a quietly polished neighbourhood spot with a European bent. Set within a 19th-century building once painted by Albert Tucker (from whom the bar gets its name), it pairs an intimate interior with a relaxed courtyard. While its menu is ever changing, a $75 set offers a chef-selected, share-style progression — moving from baguette and cured meats to kingfish crudo and beetroot, and finishing with casarecce vodka and slow-roasted lamb shoulder.

When: Tues-Thurs: 3pm – late; Fri-Sat: 12pm – late; Sun: 12-9pm
Bookings: Recommended via OpenTable. Walk-ins welcome.

Clover vin de cav

Richmond’s casual-cool, minimalist wine bar-bistro hybrid celebrates natural wines with food cooked solely over fire. Take a seat in the leafy courtyard for the ever-changing menu du jour (“menu of the day”) which might look like honey bread served with fresh cheese and cured meat, followed by chicken from the wood-fired oven for $89 per person.

When: Mon – Sun: 12pm- late

Bookings: Recommended via OpenTable.

Yakimono

Chris Lucas’s high-octane Japanese-inspired eatery on Collins Street dishes up a bold lineup of weekday lunch specials for hungry office workers. Available from noon until 3pm Monday to Friday, you can tuck into Donburi with the likes of karaage chicken or a range of sashimi from $24.5, or order cult-favourite Bento Boxes with options like sake salmon from $25.5.

When: Mon – Fri: 12-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via their website. Walk-ins welcome.

Marameo

This laid-back Italian diner from the team behind Il Bàcaro and Bar Carolina takes its pasta very seriously. Made in-house daily, you can get crowd-favourites – like the jet-black squid ink linguine with blue swimmer crab –  as part of the express lunch menu, together with starters such as fried calamari and a garden salad, for $49 a head.

When: Mon – Fri: 12-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Cleo

Hyde Melbourne Place has scored a chic new rooftop restaurant and bar, and it’s built around an Eastern Mediterranean concept. From Monday to Thursday, you can feast on a selection of mezze from $59, including nigella seed pide with your choice of five dips and small plates, including the likes of golden prawns with a fresh green zhoug or halloumi served with quince chutney, oregano and a squeeze of lemon.

When: Mon – Thurs: 12-5pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Common Cuts

When it comes to one-dish restaurants championing steak frites, Melbourne is putting its best foot forward. This moody grill and listening room opposite Old Melbourne Gaol specialises in just-pink steak frites seared on the habachi from $28.50. Choose from one of six sauces – from classic mushroom and peppercorn to Ndjua or spring onion butter – and soak up the atmosphere. In the mood to indulge? Enjoy a three-course meal for just $48.50 per person, including grilled scallops, Common Cuts’ signature steak frites and a rich chocolate and date cake.

When: Thurs – Fri: 12-5pm

Bookings: Recommended via their website. Walk-ins welcome.

BKK

HER’s party-forward Thai BBQ canteen on level three offers more than just fun energy. From 11:30am to 3pm Monday to Friday, you can enjoy $15 noodles. Slurp up thick ribbons of drunken mama noodles laced with minced pork, a fiery hit of wild ginger and green peppercorn, or dig into smoky pork and prawn noodles – all at sub-$20.

When: Mon – Fri: 11:30am-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Omnia

South Yarra’s Euro-leaning bistro, Omnia, ticks all the right boxes: an award-winning chef, voluminous wine list and slick interiors. And now, from Thursday to Saturday, you can dine in the light-filled conservatory room and enjoy a two-course lunch set for $49. Choose from a starter starring mussels or a corn tart, and finish with the likes of Yellowfin tuna with mushroom and peppercorn sauce or bavette.

When: Thurs-Sat: 12pm-2:30pm

Bookings: Recommended via OpenTable. Walk-ins welcome.

Greta

Located in Flinders Lane, this sophisticated Euro-centric wine and sandwich joint has been satisfying all our carby cravings for half a decade. And now, it tickles our fancy with a  $35 set menu. Split a serve of French fries with special sauce and snack on the pickle of the day before tucking into a baked eggplant parmigiana or a cheesy beef cheek baguette with pesto and Napoli sauce, among plenty of other mouth-watering options. Bellissimo!

When: Mon – Fri: 12pm-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via their website. Walk-ins welcome.

Beverly

The stunning rooftop oasis above the hustle and bustle of Melbourne’s CBD offers a one ($35), two ($50) or three-course lunch option ($65), featuring dishes like handmade pastas or vibrant salads. The menu is available Tuesday to Friday, noon until 3pm, and the mains change fortnightly.

When: Tues – Fri: 12pm-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Nomad Melbourne

Nomad’s daily lunch special features a share-style menu with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern influences, available Wednesday to Sunday from noon until 3pm. Dip into hummus, toum, Gundagi lamb skewers and more for $66 — and be in and out within the hour.

When: Mon – Sun: 12pm-3pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Society

A democratic peek into one of Melbourne’s most glamorous — and expensive — fine-dining restaurants, the Society Social‘s lavish lunchtime set-price menu (available Friday to Sunday from noon until 2:30pm) offers the choice of two or three courses from $55, with the option of adding on something decadent from the dessert trolley to finish. Sample Society’s beef tartare and chicken cotoletta with a herby salad, or perhaps John Dory with a zingy lemon-scented beurre blanc.

When: Fri – Sun: 12pm-2:30pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Entrecôte

If your heart belongs in Paris (and whose doesn’t?), book a ticket for south-of-the-river darling Entrecôte’s two- or three-course prix fixe menu. Featuring dishes like pork rillette and the Entrecôte Cheeseburger with frites, it’s a flurry of Gallic charm enjoyed amid a fit-out that conjures up fin de siècle France.

When: Mon – Fri: 12pm-2:30pm

Bookings: Recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Check out our favourite Sydney happy hours and lunch menus.

Looking for more luxe for less?

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Sodewa Sake Bar, CBD

On Pirie Street in Adelaide’s CBD, a new sake bar is bringing an intimate, husband-and-wife approach to Japanese hospitality to the city. Sodewa Sake Bar is the work of Hiro Sodeyama and Ri Ogawa, who have traded Queensland for South Australia after years of running restaurants interstate. Originally from Japan, the pair have opened the venue as a koryori-ya — a style of Japanese eatery centred on small, carefully prepared dishes — with no additional staff, just Hiro in the kitchen and Ri leading service and curating the drinks offering.

Anchoring the menu is made-to-order sushi and sashimi alongside refined plates including wagyu beef tataki, agedashi tofu, braised Adelaide Plains pork belly and beef short rib simmered in sukiyaki master stock. On the drinks side, the sake list spotlights Shichiken — sourced from Hiro’s hometown and currently unavailable elsewhere in Adelaide — alongside premium labels such as Yuki no Bosha. The offering extends to Suntory Premium on tap, imported Kirin Lager and a tightly edited selection of Japanese whisky and shochu. 

Esmay

Esmay has spent years cultivating a following with keenly attended pop-ups across Australia. A wine bar in Canberra, a pub in Brisbane, a hotel in Perth — Esmay has cut its teeth with a revolving door of diners and venues. Now, it’s finally found a permanent home in Adelaide’s historic Hackney Hotel. Inside the 40-seat venue, Esmay’s chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone is serving up carefully crafted dishes with hyperlocal ingredients. Think: emu pastrami donut. Although creative and elegant, the menu remains highly accessible and enjoyable, with a seven-course tasting experience totalling only $95pp (plus drinks).

“Every [Esmay pop-up] gave me something. From the Hearth restaurant in Perth to the bustle of Canberra’s wine bars, I learned how the setting shapes the experience — and how important it is to create a sense of belonging, no matter where you are.”

Esmay Chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone.

Omada

Omada opened its doors in late 2025 to a community ready to embrace this friendly and stylish new eatery. Located in the heart of Adelaide CBD, Omada is a celebration of contemporary Greek cuisine from local hospitality royalty Simon Kardachi (Fugazzi, Shōbōsho, Osteria Oggi). Expect a menu of Greek classics — including spanakopita, taramasalata, and gyros — with a contemporary twist and locally-sourced produce. The drinks menu is as impressive as the food, showcasing fresh concoctions like a filthy feta martini and clarified baklava cocktail. This loving ode to Greece is destined to attract return customers and become a favourite in the South Australian capital.

“There’s no ignoring this new Greek bar and bistro in a towering heritage city building on the corner of Leigh and Currie Streets. You smell it before you see it, especially when Spit Roast Sunday brings Greek traditions streetside with lamb and octopus cooked kerbside over coals.”

South Australia state editor Katie Spain in her Omada review for Gourmet Traveller

Yakisan

Ritzy newcomer Yakisan launched in late 2025 in North Adelaide’s flashy new 88 O’Connell development. The sprawling 180-seat space is serving Japanese fusion dishes with Korean and French influences thanks to executive chef Adam Liston. On top of a range of delicate raw bites (Pacific oysters, sashimi and luxury sushi rolls), Yakisan’s hero is its wood-fired grill, producing succulent Wagyu and charred hispi cabbage. The glamorous seven-day venue does not prioritise flash over substance, providing both a vibrant and delicious dining experience. 

Icardis

Another addition to North Adelaide’s revamped O’Connell St, Icardis is a new hearty Italian diner serving pastas alongside woodfired meats and seafood. Billed as a Mediterranean bar and dining room, “inspired by the charm of coastal Europe”, you’ll find an Hellenic-leaning lamb and octopus, alongside swordfish Milanese and vodka rigatoni. Opening in October 2025, Icardis has already proved to be a scrumptious, unpretentious eatery with a legion of well-fed fans.

Orleana Restaurant

Boutique accommodation Kingsford The Barossa has announced chef Jake Kellie (Arkhé) is stepping in as culinary director of Orleana Restaurant. Within the heritage sandstone building, Kellie has reimagined the menu to centre around slow-aged meats and delicately garnished vegetables interacting with fire. Beef intercostal skewers with a burnt chilli glaze are made from thinly sliced local meat marinated in chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander seed, sweet soy and turmeric, then grilled over redgum timber to develop a deep char and smokiness.

Handmade brioche buns, split and filled with slow-caramelised Barossa Dairyman bacon and onion, are made even more decadent with a wodge of wagyu fat-spiked butter. Mains may include Southern Rock Lobster from Ferguson Australia, steamed then grilled, with a silky beurre blanc made from house-fermented koji butter, confit roast garlic and a bright splash of kombu vinegar; or Birdwood venison loin crusted in crushed peppercorns then gently grilled with a house-made quince mustard and bitter leaves.

Restaurant Aptos

Chef and owner Justin James (formerly of Restaurant Botanic) has been busy renovating a historic 157-year-old church in Stirling, turning it into a haunting — and hotly anticipated — multi-venue precinct. Restaurant Aptos and its sister venues, Bar Mary and Bar Cruz, are yet to open (coming autumn 2026), but we’ve listed it here so you can mark your calendars and keep an eye on the Adelaide Hills’ buzziest opening of the year.

The post The best new restaurants in Adelaide appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Delivered over (around) 16 courses to no more than 14 guests per seating —and currently priced at $495pp — the Restaurant Aptos menu is served progressively in three distinct spaces over three storeys. Guests are welcomed before their seating into a dedicated arrival lounge (“To me, luxury is having a space for people to hang out before and after their meal,” says James), before being escorted upstairs to the first dining room for the first six courses, which might include chilled starters, or abalone done over a small charcoal grill.

“The next space we call the kitchen,” James continues. “It had plaster all over the walls covering the original stone wall of the church, which the stone masons have reappointed. Now you’re in the back of the building, and it’s designed like you’re sitting in the kitchen with us. You do five courses there of more substantial, hotter food.” The final step, upstairs again, is Up Top, where around six small dessert courses are presented.

Beyond diners’ physical movement through the venue, each room is distinct with six different playlists in the building, different napery in each setting, and even different kinds of water. “It’s almost like going to a new restaurant every time,” explains the chef.

Prior to launching Restaurant Botanic in Adelaide in 2021 (and claiming Gourmet Traveller’s Restaurant of the Year in 2022), the Michigan native was executive chef at Melbourne’s Vue de Monde following time at esteemed international restaurants including Noma, Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Eleven Madison Park. “Eleven Madison Park was like getting my doctor’s degree in culinary. What I learned there is still the foundation of everything I do,” he reflects.

Known for a concerted commitment to native ingredients at Botanic, James installed around 600 individual plants in the Aptos landscaping, including mountain pepper, native thyme, river mint, lilly pillys, muntries, native ginger, native lemongrass, myrtle, Geraldton wax, ruby saltbush, bush tomatoes, warrigal greens, quandong and wattle. “When I first came here, I remember tasting all these ingredients and thinking, ‘That’s what Australia is to me.’ It’s acidic, it’s bitter, it’s astringent and salty —  it’s all these different berries and citrus and leaves.”

The first dish (for now, at least) sees five native Australian fruits presented in various forms: “some are turned into puree, like smoked quandong, or lightly pickled. We stuff a quandong with a little bit of horseradish and grilled parsley, and the last part is like a little leather made from those fruits. It just sets the tone for the whole Aptos experience,” says James.

“I think the most logical way [to develop a menu] is to have structure and pillars, so I say: This is an Australian restaurant. Our proteins include kangaroo, emu, wallaby, marron and Murray Cod,” he continues. “We also have camel and water buffalo — things that were brought here and are telling this Australian story.”

Five beverage pairings, including a lineup called Just the Hills, feature wine and more from local producers including Deviation Road (“They’re like, six or seven minutes from the restaurant.”), Vinteloper and Tapanappa Wines.

Set to join Restaurant Aptos on the site later in 2026, Bar Cruz will comprise a further three spaces and offer an a la carte menu geared towards local and return visitors, and Bar Mary will be a dedicated whisky bar.

“I think if you can’t explain something in one sentence, you have to go back to the drawing board — my one sentence for Restaurant Aptos was to bring people here. I’m bringing people here as part of the team — from Lima, my head chef from Kyoto, a few inter-staters, a chef from Sweden, two chefs from Korea that moved over — but also bringing people to Adelaide, South Australia and Australia.”

Restaurant Aptos is open for dinner Thursday–Saturday (with 5.30pm and 8.30pm seatings) and Sunday lunches (12pm or 3pm) at 147 Mount Barker Road, Stirling, South Australia. Bookings are available online.

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Melbourne’s café and bakery scene is in a particularly energetic moment, with established names expanding and a new wave of operators refining what the everyday stop can be. Across the city, the appetite for well-made coffee, brunch bites and a reliable baked good shows no sign of easing. 

From early-morning espresso rituals to late-afternoon shelves of still-warm pastries, here are the best new cafés and bakeries in Melbourne to visit right now. 

Upper Middle, South Melbourne

Front-of-house veteran Franck Sammut, who spent eighteen years at France-Soir, has opened Upper Middle, a casual all-day spit in South Melbourne. 

“The menu and the space both draw on the food and places I love: simple things done well, European touches, and a room with personality. My hope is that it becomes part of people’s daily routine, a spot they return to without thinking,” says Sammut.

Led in the kitchen by head chef Lakshay Kapoor (Le Cordon Bleu, formerly Bistro Thierry), the offering spans brunch staples and St Ali coffee, alongside a baguette and pizza bar serving everything from margherita to nduja with pickled chilli and jalapeño honey. Our pick: the baguette with DOP prosciutto, stracciatella, tomato, basil pesto and rocket. 

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Bloomwood, CBD

A second CBD outpost on Bourke Street cements Bloomwood as a go-to for pastries that sit between French technique and Asian-influenced flavours, drawing a steady city crowd since its debut on Exhibition Street in 2024.

Moving between the familiar and the unexpected, the pastry case is anchored by viennoiserie like buttery pain au chocolat and crisp croissants, alongside playful reinventions: miso banoffee Danish, Dubai chocolate cookies, shio salt bread and a Hong Kong custard shio. Past creations such as the black sesame mochi flower offered a more intricate bite — layered with black sesame custard, mochi, blackberries, ginger sesame cream and black sesame jelly.

Drinks complete the picture, from matcha clouds to well-executed coffee, reinforcing Bloomwood’s appeal to both pastry purists and those seeking something a little more exploratory.

Hector’s Deli, CBD and Carlton

Cult Melbourne sandwich shop Hector’s Deli has opened its eighth location in Carlton, arriving on Lygon Street shortly after launching its second CBD site on Little Collins Street. The expansion continues a steady rollout, which has become a go-to for fast, well-made sandwiches across Melbourne. Known for its signature toasted tuna melts on rye, generously filled salad sandwiches and chicken schnitzels tucked into steamed milk buns, Hector’s Deli also serves a tight line-up of drinks and doughnuts. The Carlton store adds a location-only item to the menu with a doughnut maritozzo, filled with whipped cream, condensed milk and vanilla.

Hector’s Deli has been running since 2017, when chef Dom Wilton first opened in a former milk bar tucked into Richmond’s backstreets. Quality ingredients and a commitment to consistency paid off. Key elements such as bread, pickles and sauces are made on-site at Hector’s Bakery in Richmond, and while the menu remains the same, each fit-out is designed to suit the location.

Butter Days Bakery, Malvern

Melbourne has a new sweet stop worth queuing for at Butter Days Bakery. Owned by John Demetrios (Vue de Monde, Omnia, Yugen)—winner of season two of MasterChef: Dessert Masters—and his wife Martina Cissig Demetrios (Embla, Trader House), the bakery blends classical pastry technique with Scandinavian influence. The signature is the Sunshine Bun: a savoury-sweet malted dough filled with lemon and cinnamon-scented custard. Sweet offerings continue, from Swedish kanelbulle and chocolate-dipped profiteroles to brown butter sablés Bretons filled with fruit custard and macadamia swirls. Those who prefer savoury can go for Danishes with everything bagel seasoning, cream cheese, dill, capers, shallots and lemon topped with smoked salmon, or cheesy pinwheels.

Nico’s Sandwich Deli pop-up, Fitzroy

A freshly made crisp chicken sandwich bathed in a glowing blue light sounds more like a mirage than a genuine snack option for late-night revellers, but it’s real! In March, Nico’s Sandwich Deli opened an after-hours sandwich automat in Fitzroy, modelled on examples they’d come across in Amsterdam. Staff on hand keep the vending machine freshly stocked, and for the six-month stint it’s operating, there is a rotating menu of limited-edition sandwiches.

The post The best new cafes and bakeries in Melbourne in 2026 appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Whether you’re a local seeking your next booking for a special occasion, long lunch or date night, or a visitor exploring the dining scene of the Queensland capital, these are the best new restaurants and bars in Brisbane worth checking out in 2026.

Ruma Rooftop

Brisbane has added another rooftop bar and restaurant to its skyline with Ruma Rooftop: a sun-drenched, tropical oasis by the team behind Kangaroo Point’s Sunsets Rooftop. Set atop the Little Lane dining precinct in New Farm, Ruma is a lush island escape surrounded by palm trees and teeming with woven textures, stone and terracotta tones. Divided into an open-air courtyard filled with spacious booths, long tables hedged by rattan chairs and a chef’s counter where you can watch chef Felipe Oliveira work his magic, Ruma is primed for long lunches and sundowners.

“The name Ruma means ‘home,’ a word from my mum’s language,” co-owner Katrina Mead explains.  “She’s from a coastal village in Papua New Guinea, so we’re trying to weave in elements inspired by that.” The menu takes its cue from the tropics and incorporates native ingredients. Expect plates that surprise and delight, such as sourdough served with black-garlic butter and native pepperberry salt; whipped feta with toasted buckwheat and hummus sprinkled with wattleseed dust; or raw tuna bites layered with crème fraîche, strawberry and a hint of wasabi oil. Larger dishes might look like market fish layered with wilted spinach, butter and green onion oil or marbled rump cap joined by golden skin-on shoestring fries and green pepper sauce. A sunset-ready cocktail list leans similarly tropical, with 11 specialty cocktails built around citrus and fresh herbs and a steady stable of classics.

Venner

The combined effort of buddies Jack Stuart (of noted Scenic Rim restaurant Blume), George Curtis (Milquetoast, Before + After) and James Horsfall (also an owner of Milquetoast), Venner is a new-Nordic restaurant on buzzing West End’s Boundary Street. “James worked with Jack at Blume for a significant period of time,” says Curtis, “and James and myself met at Elska in New Farm, which was an award-winning Scandinavian degustation.” 

The neo-Nordic philosophy has sustainability at its core, he continues, “So, fermenting hyper-seasonal fruit and using it as a vinegar when that fruit is out of season, for example.” Dishes change seasonally, and might look like buckwheat tartlets with blue mackerel and cucumber; barbecued deer loin with cavolo nero and warrigal green sauce served with braised deer shoulder, rye waffle and pickled rosella; and buttermilk custard with fig leaf and ginger granita and honeycomb.

Venner serves an a la carte menu and set menu Wednesday–Saturday, and a set Sunday brunch with plates like smørrebrød topped with egg salad, ocean trout gravlax and optional caviar.

+81 Sushi Kappo

The team behind Gourmet Traveller’s 2025 Bar of the Year, Aizome Bar, has opened +81 Sushi Kappo right next door, in West End. The 12-seat omakase experience is delivered by Tokyo-trained chef Ikuo Kobayashi, who’s mastered the art at notorious destination restaurants including Sushi Saito, Kyubey and Sushi Iwa. +81 Sushi Kappo‘s seafood-focused omakase is served for just 12 guests at a time, and reflects the seasons with influences from Ginza’s glitzy culinary scene, combining Australia’s best produce with special ingredients imported from Japan.  

A beverage menu offers 100 sake options plus rare Japanese whisky, Champagne and Australian and international wines, with optional pairing options. Beginning at $450 per person, it’s one of the most expensive dining experiences in Australia — but cheaper than a flight to Tokyo.

The French Exit

Next to the CBD site of its months-old Middle Eastern restaurant, Golden Avenue, the ever-expanding Anyday group (Agnes, Same Same) has revealed its first foray into the food of France with The French Exit. The cosy ode to Paris is a modern take on the bistrot, with an opulent heritage-inspired interior by Sydney designer Tamsin Johnson fitted out with parquetry flooring, lacy cafe curtains, dark timber and a warm butter and brass palette.

Executive chef John-Paul Fiechtner (Le Châteaubriand in Paris,  Lûme in Melbourne) and head chef Ryan Carlson (Agnes, St John in London) developed a menu that covers comforting classics with the group’s expected level of reinvention; duck à l’orange, escargot and lobster Thermidor are joined by bite-sized panisse topped with whipped roe, chicken liver parfait éclairs with mulberry conserve, and a pretty pineapple sorbet. Naturally, the 500-bottle wine list leans heavily on the key regions of France (and rare, iconic labels) as well as a selection of emerging appellations.

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Suum

Bringing experience from Disfrutar in Barcelona (The World’s Best Restaurant 2024) and Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, chef Andy Choi is serving a boundary-pushing interpretation of Korean cuisine driven by its depth, diversity and identity at Suum in the Brisbane CBD. On the omakase-style menu, Choi integrates elements of molecular gastronomy, traditional Korean fermentation (swapping a hard-to-source Korean starter culture for Champagne yeast and shio koji) and ineffable cultural concepts of harmony and rhythm. The seasonally updated tasting menu might present tofu kimchi samhap wrapped in tomato jelly; Three Bites of Fermented Jangs (doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang); and a truffle chestnut soup inspired by a Korean dish enjoyed in his childhood.

House-made makgeolli and traditional Korean liquors are offered as a pairing in addition to a wine list, and BYO wine is also invited. Raw, blackened steel, warm timber and high-contrast lighting create an atmosphere of reverence and performance for just 16 guests at a time, with place settings around the open kitchen illuminated by a soft spotlight. At $180 per head, it sits at the approachable end of Australia’s omakase offering.

Marlowe

Weaving through a 1930s apartment block, Marlowe is the sixth venue from the trend-leading Fanda Group (Rick Shores, Southside, Central). Head chef and co-owner Ollie Hansford sought to upgrade classics from vintage Australian cookbooks with an elegant approach, subbing beef for coral trout in a Wellington that gets doused in caviar butter sauce; turning prawn cocktail into a pretty tartlet; and layering rhubarb jelly and macadamia sponge in a trifle. “I’m lucky to have locked in five kilos of jumbo yabbies a week from a farm just outside of Gympie, and 20 whole heritage-breed chickens from Joyce’s Gold [in the Scenic Rim],” says Hansford, who highlights noteworthy local producers on a dedicated page of the menu.

Where silver trays, paper doilies and pressed metal ceilings speak to Marlowe’s nostalgic core, the all-Australian wine list (with the exception of Champagne) by Peter Marchant and cocktail selection heavily featuring native ingredients reinforce a modern understanding of local flavours. Nodding to the site’s Art Deco origins with pared-back, modern design choices from J.AR Office, Marlowe’s various spaces (dining rooms and nooks, a bar, and terrace) feature walnut timber, polished metal details and a breezy palette of blue, buttercream and crimson.

Bar Monte

The Longland Street bubble in Newstead has welcomed a sequel to, Bar Monte, the Light Years team’s Italian restaurant on the Gold Coast. “Brisbane is such a dynamic city for dining,” says co-owner Kim Stephen. “We see [this] as the grown-up sibling of our Miami venue – warm, social, and fun, but with a little more edge and sophistication.” The modern trattoria serves jazzed-up dishes such as mortadella buns with pickled green chilli and limoncello aïoli; yellowfin tuna with pineapple, green chilli, lemon and koji mayo; and dry-aged bistecca with porcini rub, onion and marrow butter, along with crowd-pleasing pastas and risotto. Australian, Italian and French wine producers form the drinks list alongside savoury-leaning cocktails, including a Celery Margarita. The breezy split-level venue calls on various eras of Italian interior design with spotted gum and concrete, high-gloss ceramics and statement wool pendants.

Golden Avenue

Brisbane’s new Middle Eastern restaurant by the owners of Agnes and Biànca, Golden Avenue evokes a Levantine garden terrace at the Botanic Gardens end of Edward Street.

Wood ovens and charcoal grills make for a heady atmosphere in the spacious restaurant, with the broad culinary inspiration (described as spanning “from the Levant to the Maghreb”) applied by Anyday co-owner and culinary director Ben Williamson, group executive chef Adam Wolfers (Gerard’s Bistro, Etelek), and head chef Tim Yates. The menu offers kibbeh nayyeh with Urfa chilli and sheep curd; fried quail with chilli oil, carob molasses, verjuice and za’atar; Spring Bay mussels (cooked in a clay pot) served with fennel, roasted rice cream and lemon; and house-made breads (saj, pita and potato bread), cooked to order in the wood-fired oven. As well as the multi-level restaurant space (with textural concrete surfaces, mature trees and plants, soft green tiling, and pink granite surfaces), there’s a dedicated bar area with a menu of mezze snacks.

Golden Avenue is Anyday’s seventh venue, joining Agnes (Gourmet Traveller’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year), Same Same, Hôntô, Biànca, LOS bar and bakery/café Idle.

The interior of South Brisbane bistro Clarence.

Clarence

The popular bistro run by chefs Ben McShane and Matthew Kuhnemann has relocated to the lively Fish Lane precinct in South Brisbane. Swapping its origins in a historic Woolloongabba terrace for a bright new laneway location, Clarence 2.0 continues to offer a top-value approach to casual fine dining, creatively utilising produce from Brisbane’s surrounds.

Rare-breed pork and cream for butter come from Tommerup’s Dairy in the Scenic Rim, vegetables from Neighbourhood Farm in Brisbane’s inner south, and scallops from Hervey Bay, with a standout new seafood platter, the popular house-aged duck, and an apple tarte Tatin (a necessary pre-order) on the menu. The drinks list (with all-Australian wines by sommelier Zoe Mahoney) offers cocktails like a bergamot martini and rhubarb gin fizz. Reflecting its new always-on location, Clarence has a happy hour between 3pm and 5pm Friday–Sunday; a three-course, $75pp Sunday lunch; and a condensed late-night menu (with a cheeky new cheeseburger) from 9pm.

Evra

Over in Newstead, Evra is a new Brisbane restaurant and bar where provenance shines on the plate. Salad leaves and veg are plucked straight from the rooftop garden, while the breezy seasonal menu celebrates local farmers and fishmongers through stellar snacks of wild-caught smoked salmon crumpets and CopperTree Farms steak tartare right through to mains of grilled coral trout and lightly breaded Talgai lamb cutlets served with celeriac remoulade. The crowd-pleasing menu is complemented by the restaurant’s thoughtful interiors across the sleek dining room, the light-filled, lush indoor garden-like setting, and the more casual bar with high-top tables.

Winnifred’s

A chic new bar, shop and restaurant has opened on Arthur Street (or rue d’Arthur, as the owners call it) in Fortitude Valley. Staking a claim for one of the longest and most diverse Champagne lists in Asia Pacific, Winnifred’s stocks more than 360 cuvées from 63 growers and Grande Marque houses, showing a preference for smaller producers. The 18-seat Champagne Bar and 16-seat Champagne Garden are focal points, ably aided by a concierge and marchand de vins (wine merchant) where bottles can be purchased to take home. Beyond that, there are two event spaces and a 60-seat restaurant – The French Bistro – looked after by Antoine Potier (Restaurant Dan Arnold and E’cco Bistro), which focuses on seasonal French-friendly ingredients that match well with bubbles. Think pissaladière with white onion, olives and sardines; beef tartare with grain crisps; half a quail with sauce foie gras, and Moreton Bay bugs with Champagne veil. Chic interiors by Tim Stewart Architects revolve around a show-stopping green granite bar offset with layered copper skirting.

The Fifty Six

After opening to acclaim in 2024, Naldham House has welcomed the final puzzle piece to its multi-venue CBD hotspot. The Fifty Six brings dim sum, prawn toast and roast meat classics for a Cantonese extravaganza in stately quarters. Head chef Gerald Ong is gunning to evolve Brisbane’s perception of Cantonese cuisine, bringing his deft skills from working in restaurants across Hong Kong including The Chairman. Modern one-bite starters approach traditional flavour profiles with snacky finesse, like the drunken prawn tart; and Hervey Bay scallops with house-made XO. Dim sum chef Ka Wai Kwok is overseeing the handmade menu, which includes scallop siu mei layered with whole prawn and pork mince; alongside soupy xiao long bao and crisp pork spring rolls. Queensland seafood is naturally showcased, including baked blue swimmer crab with calamansi; and Bay bug pao fan – a nod to chef Ong’s Singaporean heritage – which is finished tableside with a rich broth. Bold interiors complement the elegant bones of the building, with arched windows, jewel tones, marble and brass finishes, booth seating and long tables.

The post The best new restaurants in Brisbane appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Little Rose will present a more relaxed, “undone version” of Kaul’s most recent pop-up, Bistro Marigold, which she describes as “a more prescriptive dining experience.” Her signature “Chinoiserie” philosophy will still anchor the menu, with whimsical, vibrant dishes that reinterpret Asian cuisine through a European lens.   

This might look like buttery puff pastry that’s intended to be layered with sautéed oysters and oyster mushrooms in a classic peppercorn sauce, chilled clams prepared Chaozhou-style with garlic and coriander and brightened with a fragrant vin jaune, and a rotation of sautéed plates — say, mussels in lemongrass butter mopped up with a crusty baguette.   

Renowned mixologist Joe Jones is similarly reworking the classics with a rotating cocktail menu featuring Gin and Tonic made with dandelion gin, green apple and celery tonic, alongside the Little Rose Martini with London Dry Gin, chrysanthemum vermouth, fino sherry and a coconut water dilution for added levity.

Melbourne’s Little Rose pop-up runs from 9 May to 5 July and is open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner and weekend lunches. Bookings are now via their website.

The post Rosheen Kaul’s French-Chinese pop-up, Little Rose, opens tomorrow in Fitzroy appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

“We’ve always positioned Mott 32 to show that Chinese cuisine belongs on the same stage as any cuisine in the world,” says Mott 32 founder Malcolm Wood. “Melbourne has been on our wish list for years thanks to its dynamic energy and global outlook.”

The modern Cantonese restaurant known best for its signature 42-day apple wood roasted Peking duck (carved tableside and considered some of the best in Hong Kong) will offer an array of dim sum, premium beef and seafood, and signature dishes like smoked black cod and Iberico pork char siu glazed with mountain honey, drawing on ingredients and styles from further regions including Shanghai and Beijing.

As part of Crown’s ongoing $200 million redevelopment of it Southbank precinct, waterside pub Bellevue Bar & Terrace will open later this year, with a grill by Victor Churchill and two venues by Las Vegas-based group Clique Hospitality — Amaya Modern Mexican and Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails — to launch in early 2028.

The post Hong Kong restaurant Mott 32 will open in Melbourne next year appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

From revamped institutions serving off-menu items to rooftop bars that make it worth your while to eat away from your desk, these are some of the best fine-dining lunch specials in Sydney to know about this year.

Not from Sydney? You might also like:

• Melbourne’s best lunch specials in 2026

The best lunch specials in Sydney in 2026

Aalia Wine Room

The more relaxed counterpart to Gourmet Traveller’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year for New South Wales, Aalia, this sleek Martin Place wine bar offers prime lunchtime people watching and a taste of the Middle Eastern flavours that its sister restaurant next door is loved for. Sneak in some alone time over steak frites boosted by a “café de Cairo” butter for $39, or head in with a guest (be it boss, colleague or friend) and dine on the set menu for $39 per person, where you’ll both get Aalia’s pita with labneh or eggplant dip, plus, steak and chips.

When: Tues – Fri: 12-3pm

Bookings: Bookings recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Ibushi

Located in Sydney’s multi-storey Japanese dining precinct, Ibushi is Prefecture 48’s robata-style restaurant specialising in open-flame cooking. At $75 per person, Ibushi’s lunchtime set menu celebrates expertly grilled meats and seasonal produce in a fun, communal setting. Don’t skip the tuna tartare served on crisp sushi rice, miso pork jowl complemented by a burnt apple puree and fennel-apple salad, or the heirloom tomatoes on a bed of stracciatella cheese. For the grilled meats portion, expect seasonal stars like autumn’s Koji-marinated spatchcock, finished over charcoal.

When: Weds – Sat: 12-3pm

Bookings: Bookings recommended via their website. Walk-ins welcome.

The Grill at The International

This “classy, confident and cosmopolitan” chophouse just became more accessible with the introduction of its $69 Quick Fire set menu. Designed to be enjoyed comfortably within an hour at any time of day, it’s ideal for business lunches, shopping breaks or pre-show dinners.

“Quick Fire is about respecting people’s time without lowering our standards,” says culinary director, Joel Bickford.

Begin with warm sourdough and cultured butter before moving on to your choice of seasonally-driven snacks and a main built around steak, fish or lobster (+$30).

When: any time within standard open hours

Bookings: Bookings recommended via OpenTable with tables reserved for walk-ins.

Martinez

Circular Quay’s French-leaning restaurant and rooftop terrace is making it easier to leave our desks with their $20-$25 lunch specials available throughout the whole venue. Enjoy a rotating menu of steak frites, seafood pastas, wagyu burgers and more while soaking in the autumn sun.

When: Mon-Thurs: 11:30am-3pm

Bookings: Bookings recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Petit Loulou

This adored French café and patisserie at the entrance to Martin Place metro has packaged up the grab-and-go lunch with a neat bow. For $15, you can get a baguette sandwich (choose from luxurious options like prosciutto and brie, saucisson or pork rillette, among others), a salad (nicoise, lyonnaise or Caesar) and a bottle of Orangina – best enjoyed in the sunshine.

When: Mon-Fri: from 10:30am until stocks last

Bookings: Walk-ins only.

White Horse

These days $55 won’t get you far, but at the revamped White Horse in Surry Hills it unlocks a four-course menu centred on lobster, Bannockburn chickenand seasonal produce. Round out the meal with Adelaide Hills brie ice cream served with strawberries and pistachio – and call it a day.

When: Fri – Sun: 12- 3pm

Bookings: Bookings recommended via SevenRooms.

Poetica

Continuing the lunchtime burger trend is North Sydney’s Poetica, who are offering their flamed grilled cheeseburger served with herby fries and a choice of house wine, beer or soft drink for just $28.

When: Mon – Fri: 12- 6pm at the bar

Bookings: Bookings recommended via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Olympus

Since opening in 2024, the sun-lit courtyard at Olympus has been one of the most coveted dining rooms in the Sydney food scene. Fun and fashion-forward crowds pile in, hankering for taramasalata scooped up with warm pita; lemon yellow avgolemono soup that reminds owner Jonathan Barthelmess (The Apollo) of his childhood; savouring charred octopus with an almond skordalia and potato or devouring the team’s slow-cooked lamb shoulder. For an easy way to sample all the favourites, opt for the full taverna, where for just $77 per person, you can get all the greatest hits in one go: rich taramasalata, a slightly nutty split pea dip, souvlaki with sesame yoghurt, among them.

When: Mon – Fri: from 12pm; Sat – Sun: from 11:30am

Bookings: Bookings recommended via SevenRooms.

Jōji

 Whether you’re closing deals over lunch, wooing clients or simply looking for a city escape, the rooftop at Jōji is the place to be. At $65 per head, you can enjoy an express lunch menu with a curated selection of Jōji’s best dishes. Bookings are encouraged in this small CBD oasis.

When: Tues – Fri: 12-3pm

Bookings: Bookings encouraged via SevenRooms. Walk-ins welcome.

Cho Cho San

Potts Point’s loved izakaya-adjacent hotspot, Cho Cho San has always had a way of pulling us back in, and its newly launched bottomless brunch is no exception. Following the success of its “buns and bubbles” offering, it’s reinventing the menu, refreshing its drinks list, and adding live DJs to its weekly rotation. For $99 per person, diners can enjoy a banquet menu featuring all the favourites (this might look like an assorted sushi and sashimi platter, alongside glossy eggplant miso sticks, pork gyoza and more), plus a free flow of sparkling wine, house wine and beers. For those after a more premium option, upgrade to the cocktail package for $120 per person. With an hour and 45 minutes to wine and dine, these are your Saturday plans, sorted.

When: Sat: 12-3pm

Bookings: Bookings required via SevenRooms.

Woodcut

Woodcut’s signature brick chicken has been reimagined as a chicken burger with chips, available at the Hickory Bar from noon until 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday, for just $30. Also on the cards is a Moreton Bay bug brioche roll and a French dip-inspired roll starring roast beef, pastrami and bresaola doused in pepper jus. Walk-ins only.

When: Tues – Sun: 12-3pm at the Hickory Bar

Bookings: Bookings required via their website.

King Clarence

This much-loved neon-tinged hotspot wins bonus points for its lunch set menu. For under $50, you can get the best of King Clarence’s fare – including the famed fish finger bao on Nigella’s hit list. Complete with oysters, Korean fried chicken, rice and miso soup, we think this one is the whole package.

When: Daily from 12pm

Bookings: Bookings required via SevenRooms.

The Wine Bar at The International

City slickers rejoice, this trendy wine bar will have you feasting on excellent $15 pizza made with 72-hour fermented sourdough and a rotating roster of $25 handmade pastas. Plus, $10 glasses of wine. “Proper lunch” runs from Tuesday to Saturday, noon until 3pm, weekly.

When: Tues – Sat: 12-3pm

Bookings: Bookings recommended via SevenRooms.Walks-in welcome.

The post Luxe for less: Sydney’s best lunch specials appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Celebrating a work win over wine, sampling the cocktail menu during a long-overdue catch-up with a friend, or kicking on after a lunch or dinner call for finding a bar worthy of the occasion — so these are Sydney’s newest bars that should be on your radar for your next drink.

Meadow, Cronulla

Razz Room, CBD

Nodding to New York’s storied underground discotheque scene, the new Sydney CBD bar from the Odd Culture Group (Odd Culture, Pleasure Club, Bistro Grenier) marks their first move away from the Inner West. “Ultimately refreshing, a well-balanced daiquiri is unrivalled and transcends the cocktail world. It really lends itself to riffs and playful takes,” says group beverage manager Jordan Blackman. “I’m also strongly of the opinion that the daiquiri is the next big thing, long overdue for a comeback.”

On a list of 15 signatures at Razz Room, the Razz Daiquiri blends Bacardi white and dark rums, lime, pandan and banana, with a piece of pomelo pith added to the cocktail shaker to boost the citrus aromatics. “We’re chasing depth, complexity and texture without wandering too far from the feeling of a real, classic daiquiri,” says Blackman. The drinks list also offers sip-sized Snaiquiris, frozen daiquiris and a small selection of wines and beers. In the upstairs bar, low seating sprawls under historic timber and joinery while down in the sunken space in front of the stage, a more glamorous aesthetic sees velvet banquettes speckled with light reflecting off misshapen disco balls. Live performances, musicians and DJs are scheduled nightly from 7pm.

Inspired by ‘70s dinner parties and finger food, the one-page menu ticks off satisfying bar bites, with food available until 10pm. We loved the oysters Rockefeller, classic prawn cocktail, Parmesan-loaded potato skins topped with caviar and the Dirty Royale Cheeseburger served on a puddle of cheese sauce. Razz Room is open from 4pm daily at 18-20 York Street, Sydney. A second venue from the Odd Culture Group will open upstairs in May 2026.

What to drink: The Dirty Daiquiri was our favourite; everything you love about a dirty martini in a cocktail blending Bacardi white rum, lime, olive, smoke and bay leaf — topped with three olives.

Bar Bridge, CBD

The team behind Bar Planet and Bar Herbs has added another winning venue to its stable with the opening of Bar Bridge in the CBD. A classic Martini bar, Bar Bridge’s cocktail list is built around the extra dry Martini. Choose from a trio of options – ranging from a bone-dry signature serve to a zesty, citrus-led concoction and a more savoury alternative – or opt for one of the five signature cocktails instead. Plus, there’s a rotating Martini special, starting off strong with April’s Passionfruit Crème Martini.

Low-lighting, sleek leather booths and an unending popcorn supply complete the picture.

What to drink: For a refreshing sip, the Citron Martini — layering yuzu gin and citron vodka with sweet orange notes — is primed to be your go-to.

Aalia Wine Room, CBD

A spin-off of Gourmet Traveller’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year for New South Wales, Aalia, this new Martin Place bar offers prime people watching, a wine list designed to encourage discovery, and the modern Middle Eastern flavours for which the restaurant is loved. Downstairs is a cosy setting among wine bottles and the bar, while upstairs offers tables for small groups and views over the Sydney CBD action.

On the menu, you’ll find nibbles like charred lupini or oysters; anchovy toast with muhammara; single-serve fattoush on a cracker; Gildas threaded with basturma, pickled chilli and a quail egg; and the doughnut-like fried khorasan bread with optional foie gras atop. On Tuesday–Friday, Aalia Wine Room also offers a casual lunch menu with a Murray Cod shawarma; steak frites with shoestring fries and café de Cairo butter; and a beef cheeseburger.

What to drink: Try a DIY wine tasting — from $69, you can order a bracket of three wines from sommelier Sarah O’Dwyer’s list, with expert insight on hand to craft your perfect personalised selection.

L’Avant Cave, Paddington

While it’s existed in some form for a while, Paddington bar L’Avant Cave recently came under the sole direction of Nik Hill (our own Chef of the Year for 2025) from acclaimed upstairs restaurant Porcine. While it’s no longer a wine shop since P&V stepped away from the site, the snack-forward menu and strong wine selection remain, with the charming courtyard a local go-to for a relaxed, outdoor setting steps off Oxford Street.

Some snacks are familiar, like the baked oysters and pigeon liver toasts, with the new menu’s highlight being a daily selection of small seafood snacks priced at $12 each for guests to DIY a platter; our digital editor Georgia Condon chose a trout crudo, sardine toasts and Merimbula oysters paired with a glass of crémant on a warm day. Larger plates include steak frites, or garlic snails on toast.

What to drink: A refreshing Pocito cocktail — Pommeau, lemon and tonic — is a good place to start.

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Sakura House, CBD

A CBD basement bar open till late Monday–Saturday, Sakura House is the second venue from the team behind popular Darlinghurst venue The Waratah. The Japanese-inspired cocktail list uses elements like yuzu, hojicha and wasabi, and sits alongside an extensive range of sake and shochu. Food by former Cho Cho San head chef Nick Sherman takes after izakaya-style dining, offering gyoza, fried ebi bao and takoyaki skewers.

What to drink: The house Martini blends Haku Vodka, cherry blossom, purple shiso and pickled onion.

Hotel Harry, Surry Hills

Surry Hills corner pub, Hotel Harry, has recently undergone a refresh courtesy of the group behind The International and Shell House. As part of the new Hotel Harry offering, the menu focuses on elevated pub classics. Central to the kitchen is a French rotisserie, a wood-fired grill and a pizza oven shipped straight from Italy, meaning you can expect to find crowd-favourites like charred rotisserie chicken joined by crispy roast potatoes, fried Brussels sprouts and roast chicken jus; smoky split king prawns grilled over an open flame and pizza with turbo-charged toppings like ‘nduja, pancetta and vodka sauce.

What to drink: The signature cocktail — mixing gin, orange liqueur and Campari — blends refreshing citrus flavours with the bitterness of grapefruit.

Bar Allora, CBD

An all-day destination bringing a sense of 1980s Milan to the Sydney CBD, Bar Allora is led by culinary director Rosy Scatigna and head chef Josh Donachie (Jane, Jackson’s on George, RE), and the group behind award-winning bar Maybe Sammy. You can start the day with cornetti and espresso, lunch on spaghettone with anchovy butter and lemon pangrattato, and let aperitivo hour roll into dinner before finishing on a brandy-spiked Shakerato.

What to drink: The Americaniello cocktail is a refreshing take on the aperitivo classic, with added lemon myrtle liqueur and a splash of mango soda.

Folio, Walsh Bay

Pre- and post-show dining just stepped up its game at Sydney’s Roslyn Packer Theatre, where Sydney Theatre Company launched Folio in late 2025, transforming the theatre’s bar with a rich plum palette, gold and chrome details and a walnut and marble bar. Inspired by New York’s famed theatre bars and speakeasies, the drinks list was devised by award-winning bar consultant Charlie Ainsbury with wines and Champagnes, customisable cocktails and suitably theatrical drinks like a tableside Martini pour.

Folio serves light bites like Yambra prawns with curry mayonnaise, a house burger with Pino’s smoked bacon, cheese and a fried pickle, and late-night bites including cheese plates. Located in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, it’s worth the walk from Barangaroo or the CBD even when you don’t have a ticket to a show.

What to drink: The house Bellini blends Prosecco and seasonal fruit sorbet, hand-whisked to order.

The post Sydney’s best new bars (and what to drink there) appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Bar Ferdinand, Melbourne

Say hello to Bar Ferdinand, an intimate 21-seat cocktail bar from the Hunter St. Hospitality group (Spice Temple, Rockpool Bar & Grill), perched atop a heritage-listed 1885 building in Melbourne’s CBD. Steeped in history, the venue leans into a distinctly botanical design that reflects the building’s layered past. Originally built as the German Social Club, the site was once frequented by celebrated botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, giving the bar both its name and a fitting historical anchor. Today, this botanical concept is expressed through atmospheric interiors and a cocktail list that spotlights flora, including rose, fern, camellia and eucalypt. Two signatures sit outside the framework, including the House Japanese Slipper — originally created in the same building at ground-floor restaurant Mietta’s in 1984 — now reworked with melon and yuzu liqueurs, a nod to the original Midori, Cointreau and lemon juice blend.  Food is concise and drinks-friendly, spanning oysters, pork and pistachio terrine, wagyu pot pie and chocolate bark with wattleseed. 

Frenchie, Melbourne

Up a mirrored staircase behind velvet curtains, a pocket of after-dark Paris has settled into Collins Street with new late-night bistro Frenchie — where everything you can eat and drink is priced at $14. The food menu spans the likes of steak entrecôte, ratatouille tart, crème brûlée and even caviar bumps joined by snack-friendly share plates, while a central marble bar offers cocktails on tap (Martinis, white Negronis and the Parisian Iced Tea built around gin and yuzu tonic) and a wine list naming French and Australian producers. With a Melbourne-meets-Moulin Rouge aesthetic, it’s primed to be a wallet-friendly go-to, trading until midnight Monday–Saturday.

Bar Carnation, Carlton North

Opening in February 2026, Bar Carnation is the boozy new outpost from the team at Carnation Canteen. Continuing the restaurant’s signature elegance, Bar Carnation is the perfect, romantic space to enjoy a martini or glass of wine. To accompany its drinks list, Carnation’s owner and head chef, Audrey Shaw, has designed a small menu of classic bar snacks and meals to savour. Occupying the former Gerald’s Bar space at 386 Rathdowne Street, the venue will remain similar to the original, with the addition of a small wine shop at the back. Bar Carnation is walk-ins only and will deliver for date nights and intimate drinks with friends.

Three Horses, Melbourne

One never knows which spirit will become the It drink of 2026. If Three Horses has its way, that drink will be Sherry. A new venture from the team at Caretaker’s Cottage, Three Horses is a cocktail bar with a focus on the Spanish fortified wine, with a fun and accessible cocktail list of sherry-laced Martinis and spicy Armadas. Nestled in Little Lonsdale Street, Three Horses is a petite, walk-ins only joint, destined to be a must-try for the cool kids.

Boire, North Melbourne

Located across the road from its sister venue, Manzé, Boire is the exciting, new wine bar to hit North Melbourne. On one long table occupying nearly the entire length of the venue, Boire is serving up signature cocktails and an impressive selection of wine alongside some Manzé-inspired snacks. Interestingly, this wine bar is open during the day for lunch, serving up fresh charcoal chicken, egg salad and fritter sandwiches.

“We’re really proud of Manze and extremely humbled by the response from the community over the past four years. What we’ve tried to do with Boire is extend the atmosphere, service and flavours that people love about Manze and make it accessible to more people.”

Nagesh Seethiah, Chef and Co-owner of Manze and Boire

Hands Down, Fitzroy

Located just off Smith Street, Hands Down is fated to become a new neighbourhood favourite for the Fitzroy-Collingwood crowd. With ample indoor and outdoor seating, Hands Down meets its promise as a “social bar”, where you can drink and chat in a vibey setting. Designed to be more for sipping than eating, there are only two snacks on the menu: Gildas and chips. Moreish as they are, the focus is really on the sherry and vermouth-forward cocktail list, which will not disappoint.

Death & Co, Melbourne

Hailing from New York’s East Village, Death & Co opened its first Australian outpost in Melbourne in November 2025 to immediate hype. From the fit-out to the fare, Death & Co maintains its NYC roots and flair. Occupying two levels at 87 Flinders Lane, Death & Co combines sophistication and soul. Fun times abound within the bar’s dimly lit interior, but make no mistake — this is a venue that takes cocktails seriously. Expect a highly knowledgeable staff and some of the finest-crafted cocktails in the city.

Bar Sophia, Glen Iris

Bringing the atmosphere of Athens‘ wine bars to the suburbs, Bar Sophia combines cosmopolitan cool with a cosy local. Located in the Central Park village of Glen Iris, Bar Sophia is the owners’ ode to the thriving Greek capital. The wine list heroes grapes from Greece, with hero varietals like xinomavro, assyrtiko and saviatano. The elegant interior perfectly matches a Greek-fusion menu from the woodfired hearth.

“We want Bar Sophia to be familiar and welcoming – the kind of place you can swing by a few times a week and settle in however you like.”

Michael Badr, co-owner of Bar Sophia

Moondrop, Fitzroy

Taking over the old Everleigh space on Gertrude Street, the team behind Carlton North’s Sleepy’s Cafe & Wine Bar brings you a Shanghai-inspired cocktail bar. Maintaining The Everleigh’s layout, the decor and menu pays homage to co-owner Steve Chan’s heritage. With mahjong table tops and warm-lit lanterns above the bar, Moondrop triumphantly evokes the spirit of 1920s Shanghai. When it comes to the drinks, think: elegant fusion takes on the classics, like a ‘Chanhattan’ (named for Steve) or a ‘Moondrop Negroni’. Meanwhile the kitchen will serve up dumplings, bao buns and prawn crackers.

Blackhearts & Sparrows By The Glass, Fitzroy

The second Smith Street venue from the Blackhearts & Sparrows crew, the latest craft bottle shop doubles as a small bar. While not the kind of venue to while away the hours, if you’re looking for somewhere to grab a quick glass or two, catch up with a friend, and maybe improve your wine knowledge, Blackhearts will let you grab a bottle from the shelf and sip it on site with a snack.

The Waterside Hotel, Melbourne

Talk about landmark openings, this November 2025 addition to Melbourne’s food and beverage scene offers seven levels of fun. Occupying the corner of Flinders and King streets, many of you would recognise the iconic Waterside Hotel exterior. What will surprise you is the sprawling space beyond, with beer gardens, outdoor terraces, and a three-level Pan-Asian restaurant (Past Port) now inhabiting the multi-level extension and refurbishment. Having started the renovation in 2019, The Waterside has been a long-awaited labour of love for the Sand Hill Road group, also behind The Espy, the Garden State Hotel, and Prahran Hotel.

Cleo, Melbourne

Opening in December 2025, Cleo is the latest rooftop hotel bar for those seeking sweeping city views. Located on the 12th floor of the Hyde Melbourne Place, Cleo brings colourful summer vibes to a sprawling, stylish space. Dishing up Eastern Mediterranean fare and vibes, Cleo can accommodate small groups with ease and allows you to book in advance. A nice addition to ‘special occasion’ venues in the CBD.

The post Melbourne’s best new bars to add to your list in 2026 appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Buffalo cream butter by Del Bocia

Alberto Borghi’s brand of premium, uncultured butter made with top-quality Australian dairy, Del Bocia, took home the Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show award for Champion Sheep, Goat, Buffalo or Camel Milk Product for its 100% grass-fed buffalo cream butter. Stir through pasta with parmigiano reggiano and plenty of pepper for a simple but indulgent sauce, or use like normal butter in applications that warrant extra richness (he even suggests topping with caviar). 

Swift 2016 Methode Traditionelle by Printhie Wines

After the ‘16 took home Best Sparkling at the Sydney Royal Wine Show and Best Sparkling in the NSW Wine Awards in 2025, this year it also claimed the Wine award of the District Exhibits arm of the Sydney Royal Easter Show for the Western District. A textbook cool-climate sparkling from the Orange region in Printhie’s esteemed range of Swift sparkling wines, it’s a typical Champagne-style blend of chardonnay and pinot noir that spent eight years on lees for a balanced richness.

Stockyard Black wagyu by Stockyard Beef

Stockyard Black is a long-fed, 100% wagyu product from Queensland producer Stockyard is a finalist for the prestigious President’s Medal, which will be awarded in May — you’ve probably seen their beef on the menu at some of the country’s best restaurants. The highest honour awarded by the Royal Agricultural Society, the President’s Medal goes beyond just taste or presentation, selecting a winner based on innovation, responsibility, and a long-term vision for Australian agriculture and food production. Other finalists in 2026 include Brokenwood Wines, Mandolé Orchard, Marionette liqueurs and the Norco co-op of dairies.

Honey yoghurt by Kenilworth Dairies

You might recognise Kenilworth Dairies’ products from a supermarket shelf near you; their products are popular, and for good reason, taking home plenty of medals at the Sydney Royal Easter Show including Champion Yoghurt or Cultured Milk Product for their honey yoghurt, with ribbons of local Sunshine Coast gold from Hum Honey. You can visit the dairy in the charming Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Kenilworth — it’s worth it to try their ice-cream alone.

Sunset late harvest extra virgin olive oil by Wilson Family Olives

Established at the Sydney Royal Easter Show back in 1900, the District Exhibits competition showcases New South Wales regions with elaborate and artistic displays of produce, with individual category winners selected from what’s on show. Based in Narromine and running a deeply sustainable program of production, the Wilson family claimed the Olive Oil title for the Western District.

See all of the 2026 winners from the Sydney Royal Easter Show and other Royal Agricultural Society of NSW competitions.

The post Five Sydney Royal Easter Show winners you can cook with at home appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Jump to the best new restaurants in

• Regional Australia
• Sydney
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• Adelaide
• Perth
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• Gold Coast
• Tasmania
• Northern Territory

Best new restaurants in regional Australia

Crudo Wine and Provisions, Lakes Entrance

The much-loved floating restaurant in East Gippsland, Sodafish, has recently secured another reason to visit the waterfront hotspot: Crudo Wine and Provisions is the team’s Mediterranean-inspired providore beneath the celebrated restaurant, offering artisan goods and wines to stock your pantry (or your picnic baskets) with. Pick up cheeses, anchovies and grazing platters, alongside freshly baked sourdough pizza slices with toppings like mortadella, stracciatella and pistachio, before getting back on the Gippsland Lakes. The deli also offers retail wines from upstairs, plus a selection of labels from Spain, Italy and France.

Florent Bistro, Rockhampton

Central Queensland has welcomed the first restaurant from Roel Van Camp, who has most recently been an in-demand private chef in the region. At the 35-seat Florent Bistro (named for his grandfather), Van Camp seeks to evoke a cosy bistro in Brussels in Queensland’s beef capital, with a charming brick-walled and checkerboard-floored space embellished with brass accents and antiques sourced from flea markets by his family in Europe. The menu stars premium seafood, small producers and heritage-breed proteins in classic European bistro formats with subtle Asian influences; Belgian chocolate desserts nod to the chef’s origins, while the wine list is led by Australian producers.

Florent serves dinner Tuesday–Saturday, and Saturday lunches — and bookings are in high demand.

Zin Food & Wine House, Mudgee

Award-winning regional restaurant The Zin House at Lowe Wines has relaunched as Zin Food & Wine, with owner Kim Currie steering towards a relaxed, grazing-style offering designed to complement the property’s wines. “My approach to cooking and dining has changed since I started The Zin House,” says Currie. “I want to make great food that is inclusive and accessible, not just for special occasions. It’s fun, communal and non-pretentious.” The new approach sees seasonal dishes using Central West and on-site garden-to-table produce paired with a tasting flight of wines for $95 per person, and can be supplemented with house-made pasta or local cheeses. Glasses and bottles of Lowe Wines can also be paired, or purchased to take away.

Lucette, Bowral

On Bowral’s high street, the owners of Franquette Crêperie have opened Lucette: a bistro serving from petit-déjeuner to dinner providing another reason to visit the Southern Highlands. “Lucette is about bringing the joie de vivre of French bistro dining to Bowral,” says owner Julien Besnard. “It’s French at heart, designed for the neighbourhood.” Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois (Monopole) is doing three-cheese soufflés with onion jam, pear and walnuts; moules marinière with frites; and beef Bourguignon for two, with a drinks list starring French wine, apéritifs and classic cocktails. Gallic energy extends to the look and feel, with soft textures and buttery shades running across the dining room and outdoor terrace.

Cibaria Noosa

Alessandro Pavoni (a’Mare, Ormeggio, Postino Osteria) has expanded outside of Sydney for the first time, with his popular beachfront concept Cibaria open at the just-launched Elysium Noosa set right on Hastings Street in time for summer holiday dining. Head chef Lucas Bach, who has worked at several venues in Alessandro and wife Anna Pavoni’s Maestro Hospitality group, oversees the Sunshine Coast kitchen, with menu highlights including scallop crudo with lemon oil, finger lime, chervil and ocean trout roe; buffalo mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes, basil and peach; risotto with Queensland spanner crab and local tomatoes; and a bisticcheria selection including a 400-gram Rangers Valley Black Angus sirloin, grilled over flame on the bone. At the all-day Bar Capri, the menu of small plates and casual snacks includes fritto misto, a poached rock lobster roll with burnt butter bisque and the signature Capri Spritz blending locally distilled Seabourne Gin, limoncello, grapefruit and Prosecco.

Papalote, Newcastle

Familiar Newcastle faces Eduardo Molina (The Flotilla), Michael Portley and Stephanie Wells (Humbug) have combined clout to open Mexican restaurant and agave bar Papalote at the former site of The Edwards. Executive chef Portley is serving an “homage to the traditions and flavours of Mexico” on a menu broken into categories of cold and raw dishes, antojitos (tacos, tostadas and tamales), and al carbón proteins from a custom grill and brick pit oven. He’s sourcing Mexican vegetables from Newcastle Greens, and there are plans for an in-house masa program, processing locally grown heirloom corn for tortillas.

Standouts on the menu include pink snapper aguachile with mezcal and sapo melon; king prawn tostadas with pequin pepper and avocado; and cochinita pibil, marinated in achiote and sour orange, from the brick oven. With agave spirits front and centre on the bar menu (and more than 80 in stock), cocktails embrace tequila, mezcal, sotol and raicilla from top Mexican estates, while the wine list focuses on Latin American and Spanish varieties. The Newcastle West venue’s former industrial aesthetic has been replaced by earthy tones and tiling, curved timber booths and murals by Newcastle artist Ruby Laxton, but the palm trees, atrium garden and sunny front terrace – a prime spot for afternoon Palomas – remain in place.

Catseye Pool Club, Hamilton Island

Run by husband-and-wife duo Josh and Julie Niland of Sydney’s acclaimed Saint Peter, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s hottest new restaurant. While Josh is known for his seafood mastery, the menu leans equally into red meat and poultry. Dishes are designed to share, arriving in set combinations rather than traditional à la carte. Think wood-fired pizza bread served with charcuterie, fresh buttermilk ricotta, pickles, olives, grilled peppers and tomato vinaigrette. Naturally, the Nilands have tapped into the local seafood scene, sourcing oysters, crabs and fish from nearby Bowen. Don’t miss the line-caught coral trout, served with finger lime butter sauce, Vadouvan-roasted cauliflower, and warrigal greens. Drinks are just as considered with Sam Cocks, bar director at Saint Peter, designing a Queensland ingredient-focused cocktail menu.

Éthos at Alsahwa Estate, Sunshine Coast

A sprawling 30-acre regenerative farm in Palmwoods is now home to Alsahwa Estate. A field-to-fork ethos drives the Mediterranean-leaning restaurant, Éthos, where local chef Sophie Phipps harvests produce straight from the onsite pesticide-free kitchen gardens, as well as sourcing ingredients from local farmers. Leaning into agritourism to showcase the surrounding grounds, Alsahwa Estate is as much about exploring the farm as it is eating at the restaurant. On the menu you’ll find a daily baked focaccia; oysters topped with prosecco, lemon and dill sorbet; burrata and tomatoes with honey compressed persimmon, balsamic pearls and basil gelato; and eye fillet tartare seasoned with hand-ground mustard, salsa verde, egg yolk and crostini. For mains you can order chicken Maryland accompanied by a savoury pumpkin and saffron cheesecake with capsicum marmalade; a hefty Angus tomahawk with mustard and jus; and a side of tempura mushrooms with caramelised chilli.

Best new restaurants in Sydney

See more in our dedicated list of the best new restaurants in Sydney.

• Sushi Oe
• Watermans
• South End
• Gran Torino
• Young’s Palace
• Vineria Luisa
• Caness
• Corner 75
• Osteria Mucca

Best new restaurants in Melbourne

See more in our dedicated list of Melbourne’s best new restaurants and bars.

• Florentino
• Daphne
• Yiaga
• Saadi
• Zareh
• Harriot
• Suze
• Da Bao, Ho Jiak: Junda’s Playground, and Ho Liao
• Le Splendide

Best new restaurants in Brisbane

See more in our dedicated list of the best new restaurants in Brisbane.

• The French Exit
• Suum
• Golden Avenue
• Bar Monte
• Clarence
• Winnifred’s
• Evra

Best new restaurants in Adelaide

See more in our dedicated list of the best new restaurants in Adelaide.

Esmay

What began life as chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone’s roaming post-pandemic pop-up has put down permanent roots in Adelaide’s Hackney Hotel. For Esmay, Sapwell-Stone (Saint Peter, Arc Dining) has drawn on her experiences cooking around Australia, from a heritage pub in Brisbane to a wine bar in Canberra, to create a restaurant that is about warmth and quiet refinement.

“Esmay will continue to evolve here, shaped by what resonates with our new guests,” she says. The menu will change with the seasons, drawing on hyper-local and regional producers., with dishes like doughnuts topped with emu pastrami; house-made Jersey milk curd with peaches, young almond and rose; and barbecued venison with potatoes, peas and bone marrow sauce on the opening menu. Diners should stay on their toes: she likes to pull the “nanna move” of sneaking vegetables into dishes.

Yakisan

In the $300 million 88 O’Connell Street development in North Adelaide, Yakisan is a fire-fuelled rooftop restaurant. Combining Japanese tradition with Korean and French influences, Yakisan guarantees dinner and a show with three open kitchens – a raw and sushi bar, wood-fired grill, and wok kitchen – all surrounded by a curving, green marble counter. Menu highlights include devilled ramen eggs with miso cream, fried leek and kizami nori; a Zinger-style prawn sando with Japanese tartare between Hokkaido milk bread; and Sir Harry 9+ wagyu rib-eye with house mustard, pickled onions and umami cream.

Orleana Restaurant

Boutique accommodation Kingsford The Barossa has announced chef Jake Kellie (Arkhé) is serving as culinary director of Orleana Restaurant. Within the heritage sandstone building, Kellie has reimagined the menu to centre around slow-aged meats and delicately garnished vegetables interacting with fire. Beef intercostal skewers with a burnt chilli glaze are made from thinly sliced local meat marinated in chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander seed, sweet soy and turmeric, then grilled over redgum timber to develop a deep char and smokiness. Handmade brioche buns, split and filled with slow-caramelised Barossa Dairyman bacon and onion, are made even more decadent with a wodge of wagyu fat-spiked butter. Mains may include Southern Rock Lobster from Ferguson Australia, steamed then grilled, with a silky beurre blanc made from house-fermented koji butter, confit roast garlic and a bright splash of kombu vinegar; or Birdwood venison loin crusted in crushed peppercorns then gently grilled with a house-made quince mustard and bitter leaves.

Canopy Bar

Sommelier Henry Bampton has opened a wine bar in Adelaide’s West End. Canopy Bar hones in on high-quality wines more typically enjoyed at haute restaurants, with Bampton keen to offer these drops in a more casual environment. Taking over the former Stem restaurant site, it’s named after the sunlight-harnessing magic of a grape vine canopy. Expect cracking options from local boutique producers like Honey Moon Vineyard and Eperosa alongside global rarities including magnums of Bordeaux from the 1970s and Grand Cru Burgundy selections. While wine is the focus, a concise, Australian-leaning cocktail menu by Lorenzo di Pasquo is also on offer, with a blood orange take on a fluffy Garibaldi, and a cocktail with the intriguing inclusion of Vegemite. Snacking options are as beverage-friendly as you’d hope; think French caviar with crisps, spicy kimchi toasties; salty Gildas with the addition of grilled chorizo; and truffle salami melts with Comté; joined by meat, cheese and pickle platters.

Magill Estate Kitchen

At the foot of the Adelaide Hills, Magill Estate Kitchen has been given a makeover. Nestled within the picturesque and world-renowned Penfolds winery, the reimagined bistro space and its menu are overseen by owner Scott Huggins and group executive chef Rodrigo Santos. The installation of a charcuterie fridge means there’s a new program of dry-aged meats, including a four-month-aged wagyu rump cap with the flavour of tender roast beef; mortadella; two salamis, the first starring pork seasoned with black pepper and rum, and the second made with venison and juniper berry; and a seasonal terrine. Other carnivore pleasers include the hearty grill section of the menu, highlights including Mayura Station rump cap, Gumshire Barossa pork tomahawk and a Monapilla lamb rack, sauced with the likes of zesty salsa verde, an aromatic tawny jus or a classic béarnaise. There’s also a snacky selection of focaccia served with Olasagasti anchovies and smoked hummus; a fish sando; lamb tartare atop a crisp hash brown; and tempura nori with raw tuna seasoned with katsuobushi and house-made zesty ponzu.

Coming soon: Restaurant Aptos

Former Vue de Monde and Restaurant Botanic chef Justin James will open his own venue in the Adelaide Hills. Following months of research and development, Restaurant Aptos presents the chance for James to take control of the vision as both chef and patron, with the goal of establishing a globally renowned restaurant. True to the reputation he established at Restaurant Botanic (awarded GT Restaurant of the Year in 2022 under his watch), James will hone in on ultra-seasonal produce, pulling from the great food bowl that is the Adelaide Hills. While the space is the former Aptos Cruz Galleries, it began its life 156 years ago as a church, and will now be transformed into a series of forward-thinking dining rooms. A high-concept experience awaits, with guests moving through different spaces throughout the meal. Consequently, James has called upon Williams Burton Leopardi to furnish the space. At this stage, guests can expect a detailed 16- to 20-course fine dining menu.

Restaurant Aptos will open in early 2026.

Best new restaurants in Canberra

Lunetta

Miles Jakl’s iconic mid-century dodecagon on Red Hill has been granted a new life with not one, but two new restaurants taking up residence in its space-age looking halls. Seating 82 people, Lunetta is an elevated restaurant on the building’s first floor (with panoramic views of the surrounding city) while 86-seater Lunetta Trattoria, takes over the ground floor as a slightly more relaxed neighbourhood-style bar. Both venues offer a Euro-style menu: think jewel-like tuna on fried polenta to grilled calamari with cavolo nero and pistachio.

With interiors by ACME (responsible for Sydney’s Margaret and Una Mas and Melbourne’s Supernormal and Gimlet), both venues take their cues from Jakl’s futurist form, known locally as “the spaceship”.

Compa and &Sando

In the CBD, Matt Moran is behind a double-hitter venue Compa and &Sando. Complementary but differing concepts see Compa (a slick Italian steakhouse) matched by its casual neighbour &Sando (dishing out deli-style sandwiches). The Moran Family Farm is key to both menus with lamb, beef and pork sourced from the 405-acre farm in the Central Tablelands on show, both on the plate and in between bread. Head chef Nick Mathieson (formerly of Sydney’s Bistecca) has worked with Moran on the menus. At Compa a custom Montague grill fires up steaks on and off the bone, each served with red wine jus, peppercorn, anchovy butter or salsa verde; and tableside mustards. Other items on the menu to pique the interest of Canberrans and visitors alike include a mac and cheese with a cacio e pepe treatment; whole trout sourced from the nearby Snowy River; and salumi made from Moran farm pork. Next door at &Sando you’ll find a hefty steak sambo; baguettes stuffed with ham, egg salad, cheddar and rocket; and ciabatta slices packed with chicken schnitzel, slaw and provolone.

Best new restaurants in Perth

See more in our dedicated list of the best new restaurants in Perth.

Pearla & Co.

Local chef Scott Bridger (Bib & Tucker) has opened a coastal restaurant to connect diners with the producers who contribute to every step of their food’s journey. At Pearla & Co., local seafood is treated reverently with dry-ageing on site and a dedicated oyster and chilled seafood bar, plus a focus on native ingredients and local produce from growers Bridger has come to know personally. Highlights from the summery opening menu include scallop crudo with macadamia, finger lime and grapes; char-grilled Fremantle octopus skewers with smoked tomato XO and labneh; and dry-aged Augusta nannygai with capers, brown butter, lemon and sea herbs.

With a dining room featuring a 10-metre-long marble bar, recycled jarrah floors and an alfresco terrace for catching the salty breeze, it’s a celebration of Perth’s unique style of relaxed dining.

Light Years

The east coast-based team behind Light Years has headed west, opening Light Years in Perth’s CBD. Building upon a string of venues located up the NSW and Queensland coast, including Byron Bay, Noosa, Newcastle and Burleigh Heads, the pan-Asian diner has opened in the heritage-listed Mitchells building in the heart of the CBD.

Culinary director Robbie Oijvall has designed a menu that plays off Light Years hits like kingfish ceviche with coconut, chilli and makrut lime; crisp master stock braised pork belly; and bitey, sweet miso corn ribs. The Perth outpost boasts a more robust dumpling section, including ginger and shallot lobster dumplings; and lemongrass pork shumai. There’s also be steak tartare seasoned with spicy gochujang, pickled pear and umami cream; and lobster noodles with an aromatic laksa bisque. WA vintners take a starring role on the wine list with Logan Bendeich overseeing the selection; and zesty cocktails that play with tropical ingredients get shaken up.

Magic Apple Wholefoods

Cottesloe has received a café-restaurant as bright and beautiful as the azure-blue waters it overlooks. Magic Apple Wholefoods is the new bohemian-spirited waterfront spot from the team behind Gibney and Kailis Fishmarket Café. With a Tame Impala-meets-hippy grocer aesthetic, the venue leans into colourful interiors and meals. Order bright bowls that embrace fermenting traditions of the ‘70s, while still being thoroughly modern and delicious. Bowls include grated veggie fritters with sumac-roasted cauliflower, yoghurt dressing, lemon tahini and rice; steamed miso king salmon with roast eggplant, greens and ginger mayonnaise; and marinated tofu with cabbage, mushrooms, crunchy seeds and vegetable XO mayo. These are joined by a rainbow of juices, smoothies, kombuchas and tonics; alongside Margaret River wines
and cocktails.

Best new restaurants in the Gold Coast

Norté and Sueño

The team behind beloved beachfront venue Rick Shores has debuted a new restaurant and bar dubbed Norté and Sueño in Nobby Beach – just north of Burleigh. Chef James Brady visited and stayed in Mexico City’s hip Roma Norte for a month, visiting restaurants and markets as research for Norté’s menu. Brady also flew to Buenos Aires to learn the art of cooking over a parilla, from butchery to barbecuing. This combination of experiences informs much of the menu: think short rib seasoned in the style of Mexico City’s favourite taco, al pastor, joined by aji amarillo and pineapple; and flank steak grilled and served with a native ingredient-spiked chimichurri and caramelised onion.

There’s also a fresh seafood focus, with scallops served with mango, bee pollen, chilli and zesty grapefruit; coral trout with asparagus, kohlrabi and nashi pear; and there’s even a savoury take on a churro, topped with Mooloolaba spanner crab, cucumber, apple and jalapeño. In-demand architecture and interiors firm J.Ar Office took care of interiors (they also did the team’s Brisbane venue, Central, and Gerard’s Bistro), taking cues from the bold modernist architecture of Mexico City in the ’60s and ’70s, which translates into a room punctuated by black slate, brown limestone and woven textiles. Upstairs, Sueño has more of a sun-kissed bar vibe with plenty of wines by the glass and lots of mezcal and tequila-led cocktails. These are joined by a snacky menu of ceviches, skewers and tortillas.

Lars Bar and Grill

In the same precinct, Lars Bar and Grill has opened. Meticulously dry-aged steaks, a creative array of hyper-local seafood and one chef-owner with a two-decades-long resume across some of Brisbane’s best and brightest restaurants are just some of the drawcards. Start small with hand-picked crab and crisp rosti or raw kingfish with blood orange, and make your way up to pan-fried whole Knobby snapper; or pork tomahawk swimming in silky jus gras. The full page of steaks, sauces and sides should be seriously considered.

Best new restaurants in Tasmania

Oirthir

Taking the place of Van Bone in Tassie’s south-east is Oirthir. The Scottish Gaelic for “coast” pronounced along the lines of “oor-heid”, the name nods to the fact both land and sea serve as inspiration for the husband-and-wife duo, Bob Piechniczek and Jillian McInnes. Tasmanian produce and French technique anchor a menu that’s also influenced by their homeland of Scotland. Chefs, owners and Tasmania newcomers, Piechniczek and McInnes are working closely with nearby producers – think Blue Lagoon Oysters from Boomers Bay, Tasmanian flour from Van Diemen’s Stone Flour, Tongola goat’s cheese and Bangor lamb. On the menu, a light dish of goat’s curd, tomatoes and semi-dried tomato oil and consommé; Freycinet-sourced blue lip mussels with a zucchini kimchi and a beurre blanc sauce; or line-caught Port Arthur mackerel, cured and finished over the wood-fire and served with gooseberry chutney and Tasmanian wasabi. The wine- and whisky-focused drinks list nods to Apple Isle producers and the pair’s Scottish heritage.

Best new restaurants in the Northern Territory

Flora’s Temper Mexicantina

In the Top End, Darwin’s Nightcliff is heating up even more than usual thanks to Flora’s Temper Mexicantina. Owner Nicholas Peters has worked in hospitality around the world – most relevantly as co-owner of Mamasita in Melbourne, as well as working across London and Mallorca – before heading to Darwin. To suit the tropical climate, expect fun, fresh Mexican eats: corn with queso, lime and chilli salt; prawn quesadillas; and fresh ceviche made with locally caught saddletail snapper. There are also some fun takes on Tex-Mex and Cali-Mex staples like chilli con carne meatballs; habanero and orange chicken wings; and battered fish tacos with chipotle mayo, cabbage, pico de gallo. Ice-cold cucumber jalapeño Margaritas are a staple on the drinks front, joined by local tins and Mexican cervezas.

For more of the latest restaurant news, pick up the latest Gourmet Traveller magazine or subscribe.

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But with the break comes a downside: many restaurants and bars shut for a well-deserved break of their own, meaning you have to know what’s open Good Friday through to Easter Monday.

Fortunately for you, we’ve scoured the web and rounded up some of the top restaurants and bars that are staying open over the long weekend. From riverside restaurants in Brisbane to fine-dining establishments in Sydney harbour, here’s where to fine in your city or state over the Easter break.

What’s open during the Easter holidays in:

• Melbourne
• Sydney
• Brisbane
• Tamania
• Adelaide
• Perth

What’s open across Australia this Easter long weekend in 2026

What’s open this Easter in Melbourne

What’s open this Easter in Sydney

What’s open this Easter in Brisbane

What’s open this Easter in Tasmania

What’s open this Easter in Adelaide

What’s open this Easter in Perth

The post What’s open this Easter long weekend appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

While dates aren’t confirmed, more names in the mix for collaboration dinners include Virgilio Martínez of Central in Peru (which took top spot on the 2023 list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants); twice-named Best Restaurant in the World El Celler de Can Roca’s Joan Roca; American chef Wylie Dufresne; Sydneysiders Kylie Kwong, Peter Doyle and Stephen Hodges; and Pascal Barbot of Parisian restaurant Astrance — with more to come.

“This series of dinners is our way of celebrating and thanking the exceptionally talented team at Saint Peter that contributes tirelessly to making it the special place that it is,” said Josh Niland. “We want to provide them the opportunity to stand alongside the chefs we all admire most — to cook, learn and be inspired by them.”

As well as welcoming the public to celebrate with them at these one-off events, the Nilands are also offering two seats at each to industry peers.

“We have two complimentary tickets set aside for each dinner. These will be given to deserving hospitality professionals through a nomination process… through our social media. I really couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate ten years, ” said Josh Niland.

Bookings and details will be shared incrementally — follow Saint Peter and Gourmet Traveller to be the first to score a table.

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The 2026 program has just been released and features plenty of action across four jam-packed days. There are collaborative dining experiences – including Gourmet Traveller‘s Queensland Restaurant of the Year, Essa, joining forces with Ricky’s River Bar & Restaurant for a six-course dinner – and signature events, such as Anyday Group co-founder and chef Ben Williamson cooking with Ben Cross (Bar Vera, Bali) for a French bistro-inspired lunch on the beach. Then there’s the Festival Village, where you can watch cooking demonstrations from the likes of Ben Cooper (Chin Chin), Louis Tikaram (Stanley) and Jason Barrett (Supernormal Brisbane).

Even if you can’t make it to Noosa during festival time, there are plenty of places to eat and drink. There’s a wonderful mix of beloved institutions, like Ricky’s River Bar & Restaurant and Bistro C, alongside recently opened gems such as Peli’s and Cibaria Noosa. Discover the restaurants picked by Gourmet Traveller’s expert team as the very best in Noosa in 2026.

Theo’s Social Club, Noosa Heads

Theo’s embodies everything there is to love about Noosa: relaxed, fun and run by genuinely friendly people – Jake McWilliams and Gabby Smith. McWilliams is behind the snack-centric menu, while Smith runs the floor and makes the killer desserts. Theo’s is walk-ins only, but you should be able to snag a seat either inside or outside in the arcade, beneath a fairy-light-lit tree. The wine list leans natural, with plenty of options from Australia and abroad. There are also tallies of Melbourne Bitter, one of McWilliams’ favourite beers (before Theo’s, he was head chef at Pope Joan in Melbourne). On the food front, there’s an addictive anchovy and parmesan custard crisp, toast topped with mortadella and creamy stracciatella, and grilled Mooloolaba prawns with curry butter. Larger plates include a pasta of the day – perhaps rigatoni with tomato and ’nduja. Smith’s desserts are listed on the specials board and change daily – expect chocolate mousse, classic cakes or ice-cream cookie sandwiches.

Cibaria Noosa, Noosa Heads

In December, Sydney-based Italian chef Alessandro Pavoni opened Cibaria Noosa, bringing the vibrant atmosphere of an Italian piazza to Hastings Street. Our tip: start with the pizzettas and order a few sides to go with them – perhaps charcuterie (the thick-cut salami from Felino is excellent), buffalo mozzarella with just-ripe peach, tomato and basil, and some crudo. Match it with something crisp and mineral from the large Italian-leaning wine list, like a Sicilian catarratto from Alessandro Di Camporeale. From there, choose a pasta, such as spicy vodka penne with Moreton Bay bug, or go large with a one-kilogram tomahawk steak. Don’t miss the tiramisu: lighter and creamier than most, it’s the perfect finale.

Ricky’s River Bar & Restaurant, Noosa Heads

It’s impossible to discuss Noosa’s best restaurants without mentioning Ricky’s. A 20-year institution, it draws as many returning regulars as it does first-time visitors. As a vote of confidence, the restaurant expanded into the neighbouring site – formerly home to Wasabi – in 2021. Don’t miss their signatures, including a spanner crab spaghettini with the perfect amount of garlic, parsley and chilli, and a textbook passionfruit souffle. Other highlights include a carpaccio of Mooloolaba yellowfin tuna with cucumber dressing and pickled fennel, and whole roasted baby barramundi with saffron beurre blanc. With stunning river views and consistency down to a fine art, Ricky’s is a Noosa favourite for a reason.  

Lucio’s Marina, Tewantin

There’s strong lineage at Lucio’s Marina. Owner Matteo Galletto is the son of Lucio Galletto, who operated Lucio’s in Paddington, Sydney for almost 40 years. A portrait of Lucio hangs proudly on the wall at Lucio’s Marina, which opened just months after the closure of the Paddington institution.

“Consider it Lucio’s: The Next Generation. Less fine-dining, more made-for-sharing. Less eastern suburbs Sydney, more easy, breezy Noosa lifestyle.”

— Gourmet Traveller covers the opening of Lucio’s Marina.

Menu highlights include truffle steak tartar cornetto, octopus carpaccio with olive emulsion and salsa verde, and saffron pappardelle with hand-diced ragú, lemon zest and bone marrow. Lucio’s signature tagliolini alla granseola makes an appearance here, although it’s tweaked slightly to incorporate local spanner crab in place of blue swimmer crab.

Sum Yung Guys, Noosaville

MasterChef alumnus Matt Sinclair opened Sum Yung Guys in Sunshine Beach with a few mates in 2017, before relocating to Noosaville in 2021.The modern Asian eatery is big on flavour and doesn’t take itself too seriously. See: Mooloolaba prawn toast with gochujang mayo, and a black sesame LCM bar with salted coconut ice cream. That said, authenticity is still respected, as seen in a blackened barramundi larb with mint, chilli and sticky rice, and a Southern Thai yellow curry of swordfish. Looking around the bustling dining room, the hand-stretched roti is a clear favourite, appearing on almost every table.

Peli’s Noosa, Tewantin

From the team behind Sum Yung Guys, Peli’s centres on share-style Mediterranean flavours that perfectly match its marina waterfront setting. Their puffy woodfired flat bread has quickly become a signature, and pairs wonderfully with some sliced jamon Iberico and silky taramasalata topped with Yarra Valley caviar. Follow with ocean trout crudo and grilled Port Lincoln sardines with pickled green beans, before sharing a glazed lamb shoulder with smoked yoghurt and guindillas. The $55 prix-fixe lunch offers excellent value, especially with a view this good.

Somedays Pizza, Noosa Heads

The best slice in Noosa arguably belongs to Somedays. It’s all about the dough – hand-rolled and cold-fermented for 48-hours – plus a wood-fired oven and brilliant produce, which includes Cetara anchovies from the Amalfi Coast, local buffalo mozzarella and Mooloolaba prawns. Rosso pizzas include classics like pepperoni with mozzarella, parmesan and oregano, and a very good Margherita, alongside specialties such as “A Neapolitan in Naples”, which sees a combo of anchovies, black olives, local burrata and fresh basil. Bianca pizzas include prawns with mozzarella, zucchini, chilli, garlic and ricotta, and mushrooms with Meredith goat’s cheese, baby spinach and balsamic onion.

Bistro C, Noosa Heads

Located metres from the sand at Main Beach, beachgoers have been retreating to Bistro C for a refreshing drink and good food since 1992. There’s a subtle Asian slant to the current menu, seen in dishes such as seared scallops with char sui pork and pineapple and ginger jam, spanner crab and prawn ravioli with chilli sambal bisque, and a lunch-only seafood laksa. The drinks list suits the climate: crisp whites, rosé and lighter reds, alongside an impressive cocktail selection. Our tip: their signature chilli coconut margarita is perfect after an ocean dip.

More restaurants near Noosa worth a drive

Humble on Duke: This lovely 14-seat restaurant in Sunshine Beach is known for its Middle Eastern flavours and warm, welcoming hospitality.

Mariella Mexicantina: Owned by Nathan Ramsay, who also co-owns Somedays Pizza, this lively Mexican spot in Peregian Beach does everything the proper way. The corn tortillas are made in-house, the beef for the birria is slow-cooked for eight hours, and there’s a large selection of mezcal.

Kin Kin Hotel: A 40-minute drive inland, this beautifully restored 111-year-old pub is well worth the trip. Whether you drop in for a casual pub lunch, or book into The Woodshed for a seven-course dinner, you can’t go wrong.

The post The 8 Noosa restaurants you cannot miss in 2026 appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

The cuisine of the Healdsburg restaurant (about 20 minutes’ drive from the farm) applies a Japanese lens to the tenderly produced ingredients, reflecting Kyle’s career which includes experience as the head chef of research and development at The Fat Duck under Heston Blumenthal, with noted French chef Michel Bras (also known for a love of dressing plates with flowers), and at traditional kaiseki restaurants.

“SingleThread is about the dialogue between farm, kitchen and guest,” said Kyle Connaughton. “Coming to Sydney allows us to explore that philosophy through Australia’s extraordinary produce while maintaining the integrity of what defines us.”

The Sydney residency — which will run from Tuesday 28 July to Sunday 23 August —  will be delivered in the same format as SingleThread’s Californian restaurant, following a 10-course tasting menu beginning with a hassun-style snack course of individual bites sharing the pinnacle of produce available that day, presented on a visually stunning bed of flowers.

“The way florals are integrated into dishes and presentations is our way of bringing the outdoors in — showing what today feels like,” says Kyle. “We grow our own cut flowers and also use floral materials from the agricultural process — bolting asparagus, cabbage going to seed, tomato vines, peas on the vine — highlighting the beauty in farming. We’ll work on ways to tell that story in Sydney, combining a sense of place with a sense of California.”

Bringing SingleThread’s philosophy even closer to the Sydney operation, Bathers’ Pavilion’s executive chef Aaron Ward will spend several weeks at the Sonoma restaurant in April, while the restaurant’s Southern Highlands farm has begun producing vegetables and botanicals in consultation with the Connaughtons in anticipation of their arrival.

“On the farm, we’re very interested in getting into local varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit that are native to Australia and that we don’t have in California,” said Kyle. “Our seafood sourcing is also very important to us, so we’re really interested in exploring the seafood in Australia. We recently did a collaboration dinner with Neil Perry in Copenhagen, and he brought pearl meat, which we had never seen or experienced before.”

Reflecting SingleThread’s location in the prized American wine region and ongoing connection to Japan, the residency’s drinks offering will span Californian, domestic and European wines with sake. 

The July pop-up will mark the third instalment of world-class residencies at the esteemed Mosman restaurant, following two visits from Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in 2023 and 2025. Following the form of the past residencies, restaurant details including ceramics, crockery, artwork and more will completely transform the Bathers’ Pavilion dining room, with key staff also joining Kyle and Katina.

“These residencies are cumulative — each one aims to raise the bar,” says Bathers’ Pavilion managing director Jessica Shirevington. “To have the world’s joint number-one restaurant choose Balmoral for a four-week collaboration is something we are immensely proud of. For diners, that translates into an experience that feels truly transportive — as close as you can get to dining at the source, without leaving Sydney.”

It’s also a key period for the Connaughtons; their first outpost, SoNoMa by SingleThread, opens this month in the brand-new Capella Kyoto — marking a return to Japan, and a significant international expansion of their concept.

The SingleThread residency at Bathers’ Pavilion is priced at $690 per guest (a rough conversion of the price to dine in the States) and will be available for lunch and dinner, Tuesdays–Sundays, between 28 July and 23 August 2026.

Bookings are available from 10am on Thursday 12 March on Bathers’ Pavilion’s website or on (02) 9969 5050.

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From Latin American-inspired cuisine at Norté, to the effortlessly chic Restaurant Labart, you’ll find an abundance of flavourful fine dining to whet your palette and add to your long list of must-try eateries in Queensland’s cosmopolitan coastal haven. Discover the restaurants picked by Gourmet Traveller’s expert team as the very best on the Gold Coast in 2026.

Restaurant Labart, Burleigh Heads

Restaurant Labart is a labour of love from husband-and-wife duo Alex and Karla Munoz Labart. While Karla handles front-of-house operations, Alex mans the kitchen with expertise earned at Sydney’s Monopole and Cirrus. The dishes at Labart are elegant and flavour-packed, ranging from charred king prawns to Cantabrian white anchovies. The menu boasts a mix of modern Australian-meets-European cuisine, with a fabulous French-leaning wine list to pore over. A warm ambience resonates from mood lighting and timber panelling, offering a vibrant and accessible take on traditional white tablecloth dining.

One last tip from us? Don’t forget to take home an edible souvenir in the form of a jar of Alex’s Brun Butter: flavoured, brown butters in combinations like Aleppo pepper, garlic and lemon or dulce de leche and coffee.

Lars, Mermaid Beach

Lars Bar & Grill is about classic dishes done well. The emphasis here is on local produce, with a menu sourced from Australian farmers and fishermen. With Queensland’s finest ingredients at the ready, all that’s left is to cook them to perfection — which owner and head chef Lars Kollrepp and team completes with aplomb. Add stylish, contemporary decor and a fun and flirty cocktail list, you have your next date night sorted. “Mermaid Beach has become a dining destination in recent years, and Lars fits perfectly in the precinct with its menu that covers quick lunches through to long shared dinners,” explains Gourmet Traveller digital editor, Georgia Condon. “On a recent visit with family, I was particularly impressed by the friendly but polished service.”

The steak selection rivals that of established steakhouses, with CopperTree Farms and Stockyard wagyu on the list, and our striploin came perfectly charred on the outside and rare in the middle.”

— Georgia Condon, Gourmet Traveller Digital Editor

Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads

Few venues in the entire nation boast the idyllic beachside locale of Rick Shores. Situated on the water — or, at least, as near as you can get without it being a hazard — even if the food weren’t exceptionally tasty, the view alone would warrant a visit. Alas, the fare is as good as its situ, with a menu of flavourful pan-Asian bites with a strong seafood focus. Visitors to the Gold Coast simply must visit for a taste of all the best things the city has to offer. Our tip? Don’t skip the bug rolls!

Norté, Mermaid Beach

From the team at Rick Shores, Norté draws on a range of Latin American cuisines to craft a unique menu of must-try dishes. Central to the restaurant is its traditional wood fire oven, where fresh ingredients are grilled to perfection. The menu boasts a range of favourites from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Peru with a fresh fusion perspective. Think: Moreton Bay bug tacos, spanner crab churros and scallop aguachile. Meat lovers will drool over the ‘Asados’, with Tomahawk and Angus Rib Eye steaks served fresh from the fire. Warm stone and timber finishes add to the feeling of a special occasion.

“This energised new opening from the Rick Shores team confidently draws on Mexican, Argentine and Brazilian influences for a coastal party.”

— Gourmet Traveller reviews Norté

Sueno, Mermaid Beach

The upstairs companion of Norté, Sueno is a rooftop destination with a more relaxed menu than its downstairs fine diner. The cocktail bar and restaurant is all about fresh, simple produce to be enjoyed under the Gold Coast sun (in the comfortable shade of umbrellas, of course). The indoor-outdoor restaurant offers more casual, shareable dishes, from ceviche to buttermilk fried chicken with a habanero hot sauce. The menu is destined to be enjoyed with the Latin American-themed cocktail list, featuring world-class margaritas, pisco sours and mezcal mixes.

Etsu Izakaya, Mermaid Beach

This undeniably cool, hidden eatery is unassuming from the street, but when you step through the door you’ll immediately be swept up in the vibes. In the grand tradition of izakayas, the atmosphere is both buzzy and intimate — not a destination for serious conversations or laid-back group hangs, but a fun destination to lift spirits with truly scrumptious fare. The menu offers a mix of Japanese classics and contemporary fusion dishes, ranging from a wagyu sando to delicate sashimi. As for drinks, enjoy a crispy Japanese lager (the perfect escape from the Gold Coast heat), or an expertly mixed cocktail with a Japanese twist. Tip: Book ahead because prime time slots fill up quickly.

“There’s a sense of mystery to Etsu Izakaya. A barn door devoid of signage is all that can be seen from the road, but slide it open and an Aladdin’s cave awaits.”

— Gourmet Traveller reviews Etsu Izakaya

Kost, Broadbeach

Nobody does coastal glamour like Kost. The light and airy space is perfect for a splurge-worthy lunch or group dinner in the spacious banquettes. As for the menu, the “bar meets grill” has perfected the Australian and Mediterranean classics with the best of ingredients from land and sea. The set menu has all the restaurant’s biggest hitters, including a caviar bump, yellowfin tuna, steak tartare and the lobster and prawn roll. The a la carte menu will be for those wishing to sample Kost’s array of flame-grilled steaks, seafood or vegetables.

Yamagen, Surfers Paradise

Yamagen‘s executive chef, Adam Lane, boasts an impressive culinary pedigree, having spent time in the kitchens of Nobu, Tetsuya’s and Saké. Now, he’s serving up fine-dining quality in a friendly izakaya setting. While crowd-pleasing flavours abound, Lane excels at combining the unexpected for joyful results. Located in the QT hotel, guests will no doubt enjoy ducking downstairs for a standout meal while passersby will be lured in by the emanating excitement of satisfied diners.

Palette, Surfers Paradise

A stalwart of the Gold Coast’s fine dining scene, Palette has enjoyed a long, exalted reputation. Located within the Home of the Arts (HOTA), Palette joins the ranks of exceptional museum dining venues, such as Matt Moran’s Crafted in the Art Gallery of NSW or MONA’s Faro. Given the elegant atmosphere, one wouldn’t expect prix fixe menus to total an unpretentious $65 to $85 for two or three courses. Mains are elegant (think: roasted quail or line-caught fish), with producers given shout-outs on the menu. The perfect rest stop for a day at Queensland’s iconic cultural institution.

Mamasan, Broadbeach

This Broadbeach institution reopened in September 2025 after undergoing a sleek renovation, and diners have been forming a queue to enjoy what’s old and new at the restaurant. With elegant stone and Japanese timber finishes, Mamasan is all about harmonising its space and its menu. Regulars will be pleased to hear that Mamasan classics, like the spanner-crab dumplings and Korean fried chicken, have returned to the menu, alongside a new range of elevated dishes. If you’re seeking something new, the red duck curry is destined to be a favourite. If you find yourself with room for an indulgent dessert, sweet tooths will adore the brownie with ice cream and miso salted caramel.

The post The 10 Gold Coast restaurants you cannot miss in 2026 appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

Operating out of a mechanic’s workshop by day and transforming into a lively, after-hours taquerias by night, El Vilsito has gained world renown – courtesy of Netflix’s Taco Chronicles.

Popping up at Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves and Sydney’s Manly Wharf as part of La Mexicana – a Mexican food festival that will run alongside Artemus Group’s Margarita Week – the takeover will see two El Vilsito chefs work with local teams to serve up their famed tacos (including the al pastor) here in Australia.

“We’ve welcomed so many Australians to El Vilsito over the years, and their love for our tacos has always stayed with us,” Sandro Blanco, daughter of El Vilsito owner Juan Carlos Blanco, said.

“Our family has been making food here for nearly forty years, so being able to bring our chefs and recipes to Australia and cook them in the same way we do at home feels incredibly special. We’re proud to share something that already means so much to so many Australians.”

La Mexicana Week will be celebrated Thursday 5–Sunday 8 March and Thursday 12–Sunday 15 March at Howard Smith Wharves; Thursday 19–Sunday 22 March and Thursday 26–Sunday 29 March at Manly Wharf.

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The Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay was established in 1966, functioning as both a site for wholesale trade and consumer-facing sales and ready-to-eat dining (with more than 50 tonnes and 100 different species of seafood moving through the market daily). The new  Sydney Fish Market has a high-tech market floor with purpose-built facilities including separate, temperature-controlled zones for different seafood categories, updated auction room and flashy new space for the popular Sydney Seafood School.

“This new precinct creates a global platform for our fishers, wholesalers and retailers, while offering visitors an authentic, immersive experience that celebrates the quality, diversity and sustainability of Australian seafood,” said Sydney Fish Market CEO Daniel Jarosch.

Sydney Fish Market’s CCO Adam Mourad said, “The new market preserves the authenticity of Sydney Fish Market, while significantly improving the environment for both trade and public customers. It also opens up the working market to the public, giving people a view of the live auctions and daily operations in a way that has never been possible before.”

Food at the new Sydney Fish Market

As well as offering the public a glimpse into the daily seafood trade, the Sydney Fish Market retains a beautiful waterfront setting and varied dining options from just-cut sashimi to elaborate social media favourites like blow-torched lobster rolls.

Top chefs have entered the lineup, with names like Luke Nguyen, Somer Sivrioğlu and local favourite omakase chef Toshihiko Oe operating venues at the new Sydney Fish Market. Favourite retailers from the past site including Claudio’s Seafoods, Christie’s Seafoods, The Boatshed and Musumeci Seafoods made the move, and it’s an all-day affair with coffee (including yuzu cold brews) by local roastery Stitch Coffee, and breakfast through to dinner at Touch Wood.

Beyond seafood, the new Sydney Fish Market has specialty vendors such as an olive oil concept store by Olivetta, Cow & The Moon gelato, fresh daily bunches from Mayfarm Flowers and cheese and charcuterie from Blackwattle Deli.

Notable food options at the new Sydney Fish Market

• Get Sashimi for colourful market-fresh nigiri and donburi to take away, omakase at Sushi Oe’s eight-seat counter or seasonal kaiseki dining at Restaurant 16
• Hamsi Taverna by Somer Sivrioğlu for modern flavours from coastal Türkiye
• Lua by Luke Nguyen for fire-cooked Asian dining
• Tam Jiak by Junda Khoo for home-style Malaysian cooking
• Tin TIn Seafood Harbour for refined Cantonese yum cha and private dining rooms
• La Dea Pizza for Roman-style slices
• Nanjing Dumplings for steamed and fried specialty dumplings
• TJ’s Po Boys by local operator Trippas White Group
• Tavira Bakehouse for fresh pastries
• Gotcha Fresh Tea for fruity and milk teas

Getting to the new Sydney Fish Market

Parking remains a challenge at the new site, with limited on-site parking available (free for 20 minutes only). Public transport is the best option for getting there, with service details on the Sydney Fish Market website. A dedicated Sydney ferry terminal will commence services in 2027.

What’s happening to the old Sydney Fish Market?

The former site will be demolished and rebuilt as a mixed-use precinct with Mirvac developing more than 1500 homes. There’ll also be further retailers, creative spaces and a waterfront promenade completing the foreshore walk between Rozelle Bay and Woolloomooloo. Construction is estimated to be completed in 2028.

The new Sydney Fish Market is open daily (except for Christmas Day) from 7am at 1 Bridge Road, Glebe.

The post The new Sydney Fish Market is finally open after its $800-million relocation appeared first on Gourmet Traveller.

“Inviting our local culinary network of chefs, sommeliers and tastemakers to collaborate on the menu is a very special first for us,” said The Calile’s co-owner, Catherine Malouf. “The evening honours the James Street culinary community, and reflects our shared approach to provenance, sustainability and the connection we share to each other and our environment through food.” 

The Rooftop Harvest event series (launched in 2025 by the World’s 50 Best Hotels number-34 property), celebrates seasonal food, culinary innovation and boundary-pushing good concepts inspired by its significant rooftop garden plots. The February event will be co-hosted by internationally recognised environmental tech company Sea Forest, which works with isolating Tasmanian Asparagopsis seaweed compounds to create cattle feed supplements that reduce emissions associated with beef and dairy production. The degustation menu will feature premium beef and dairy produced with Sea Forest’s product, and profits from the event will support its work in climate change research and restoring Tasmanian kelp forests.

Tickets are $450 and include a five-course dinner (plus dessert and cheese) with matched wines. Additionally, The Calile Hotel’s Stay and Donate program will collect funds for SeaForest throughout the month of February.

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“The word “hospitality” needs to be reinvented occasionally — not just in Byron but all over,” he said. “So, I thought, let’s do that from the kiosk where we do great egg and bacon rolls all the way through to a high-end dining experience in Feu.”

Past Vue de Monde talent joining him at The Belongil include business partner and group executive chef Cory Campbell (ex-Noma), Master Sommelier Carlos Simoes Santos (who also worked with Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse in London), and group pastry chef Rewenka De Buhr (Burnt Ends in Singapore, Quay in Sydney).

While he’s been out of kitchens for a while, Bennett says reconnecting with producers and tapping into the knowledge of his high-performing peers has been a highlight of developing The Belongil. “I’ve been interviewing chefs and then going out to the farms they’ve loved and recommend: Matt Moran, Guillaume Brahimi, Peter Gilmore, Hugh Allen…,” he said.

“Josh Lewis, who used to be my head chef, is now a commercial fisherman and runs three restaurants in the area. Daniel Fleming, who Neil [Perry] recommended, literally catches the best spanner crab I’ve ever tasted out the front of the restaurant.”

He also lists local businesses like regenerative farm Conscious Ground, Picone’s Exotic Fruit Farm in Tyagarah, and chef Palisa Anderson’s Boon Luck Farm. “Palisa has been amazing,” said Bennett. “She’s an incredible mentor and has shared so much of her knowledge of what’s growing and when.”

The Belongil’s broad design scheme feels completely tied to the Byron Bay aesthetic, with recycled elements and tech-heavy touchpoints throughout. A bathroom in Feu designed by Sydney creative studio Nakatomi and Byron Bay artist Jack Bailey uses AI to respond to a user’s voice with light and sounds with the aim of boosting dopamine. Timber from a 300-year-old Japanese temple that Bennett purchased a decade ago features in Feu and members-only bar Blind Tiger, and works from names like Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung man Otis Hope Carey (a world-first, AI-led collaboration with Nakatomi) and London-based artist David Noonan are cause to pause. Staff are dressed in seasonal capsules by Australian designer Song For The Mute.

NFC chips are used across the precinct, and Bennett is developing an art-led alternative to the widely loathed QR code. Beyond the aesthetics, sustainability initiatives include an on-site water sanitation system, 100-kilogram composter, and fermenting and preserving practices, particularly at The Belongil Bistro where head chef Caitlin Koether (Molli in Melbourne, Relae in Copenhagen) brings fermentation experience from renowned San Francisco eatery Bar Tartine to develop food circularity systems.

Feu

The Belongil’s 40-seat restaurant Feu offers every diner a unique experience, with an immersive and collaborative approach to the creation of every multi-course tasting menu. “Feu came about because there is, literally, not enough power to the site to run four venues with full induction and everything else,” Bennett said.

The necessary (and on-trend) decision to cook over charcoal saw Bennett and Campbell choose local yellow box wood as the fuel behind the shadowy restaurant with chefs at work in a centred kitchen space.

“Ben Devlin from Pipit introduced us to Leia [Sherblom], who owns Grit Ceramics in Murwillumbah. She’s made us beautiful representations of ingredients made out of porcelain,” explained Bennett. “You might put the snapper tail on your plate, choose some grass-fed Mishima wagyu and then, for dessert, a mango — which is represented by a mango leaf. Every guest will have something different to the person next to them because they pick their ingredient for each course.”

NFC chips embedded into each piece offer details on the ingredient’s provenance and producer, closing the loop of Bennett’s desire to integrate art, tech and a new way to devise menu.

While the process sounds chaotic, it’s all the result of preparation and testing. “It’s going to challenge us in the kitchen; it might sound like we’re working on the fly, but we’ve been working on dishes for a month in advance in the development kitchen, really studying the produce,” he says.

Beyond a befuddling shipping container entrance, guests walk through a tunnel lined with wine bottles to enter the Lee Brennan-designed dining room with a dark charcoal palette, plinth-like concrete waiter stations and 300-year-old ceramics from a Dutch ship that sank off Indonesia.

The Belongil Bistro

In the 80-seat bistro (the former site of Belongil Beach Italian), a produce-led, grazing-friendly offering invites diners to step in off the beach, or settle in for elevated dining events. Starting with snacks and entrées, the menu is liberally sprinkled with the names of local producers, with salt and pepper slipper cray, Boon Luck Farm vegetable crudites with a tarragon emulsion, Fleming Fish Co.’s spanner crab cocktail, and grilled flatbread with lemon crème fraîche and trout roe.

Main dishes and substantial proteins include Bangalow pork with pecan and apple, poached bar cod in umami broth, premium steaks from Blackmore and CopperTree Farms, and lamb leg from Matt Moran’s farm cooked in kelp and clay for 12 hours. Sandy hues, sweeping fabric ceilings and natural fibres like rattan create a breezy atmosphere across the dining room and few bar seats, with lunch and dinner served daily, and all-day service on weekends.

Blind Tiger

Named for a famed Prohibition-era New York bar, Blind Tiger is accessed via a hidden entrance and by invitation only. Quelling concerns of elitism, Bennett says, “Memberships are given out — you don’t pay for them — to people who are regulars, or maybe to people who have travelled to have dinner with us. Each member can bring three guests as well.”

Formed like an upturned boat, the bar focuses on whisky and cocktails, responding, says Bennett, to a gap in the Byron Bay market. “There are great places in the area like Bar Heather, Light Years… but I’ve had so many people say to me that they’d love a dedicated cocktail bar.”

As well as the Japanese temple timber, original wood that formed piers and railway platforms from the site’s whaling station days, found in a timber yard a few kilometres away, has also been repurposed. Built around the concepts of craftsmanship and connection, each signature cocktail reflects a story about the local area, with custom ice carved from large blocks, and regular vinyl DJs in the mix.

The Belongil Kiosk

“Everyone needed a place for decent coffee, where they remember your name and honour locals,” says Bennett. Enter The Belongil Kiosk: an open-air counter offering takeaway service for the sandy-footed and salt-slicked from 7am daily with almost the entire menu priced under $20.

As well as grab-and-go staples for the local crowd like chia puddings and jarred grain and vegetable salads, the menu lists Bangalow bacon and egg rolls; a fish burger with special Belongil sauce; and house-made pastries and sweets including a mango custard crumble. Coffees, smoothies and fresh juices are joined by a vending machine selection of canned drinks like coconut coffee or yuzu and sencha iced tea, and even small snacks.

See menus and book for Feu and The Belongil Bistro online.

Accommodation

Best Byron Bay hotels for the luxury jet set

From slick new stays in the heart of town and Cali-style ranches in the hinterland, here’s where to stay.

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Fink first opened at the Circular Quay site with incomparable Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House views in 1988 with Bilson’s, an institution in its own right, led by the late Tony Bilson. Quay was introduced in 1999 and Gilmore joined in 2001, shoring up a connection to growers and producers that has underpinned the past two-and-a-half decades of the Sydney restaurant and shaped the nature-inspired cuisine that’s seen it achieve international recognition.

“Quay was a vehicle to allow me to do everything I wanted to do, without any creative boundaries from a food perspective,” says the chef.

The restaurant has swept national and global awards programs, making several appearances on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list (including three years as the Best Restaurant in Australasia). It claimed Gourmet Traveller’s Restaurant of the Year title in 2018 following a three-month overhaul of the site and menu, and the same award in 2012 and 2009.

“There’s a lot I’m proud of,” says Gilmore, “but one thing is I’ve never rested on my laurels as a creative person and I’ve always tried to push forward and not just rely on my signature dishes.”

One signature dish in particular, the Snow Egg, has achieved icon status; he confirms it’ll make an appearance on the seven-course (plus snacks) Quay Experience menu for its final six weeks.

“I contemplated a retrospective sort of menu — but it’s not really me, to be honest. I always like to look forward,” he says. “The only concession I’ve made is I’m going to bring the Snow Egg back — I couldn’t not do that for the end!”

2026 will also mark a major transition for Gilmore as his term as executive chef at Bennelong ends in June.

“It’ll be sad to say goodbye to this era in my working life, but I’m also immensely grateful for the platform to do what I’ve been able to do,” says the chef. “I’m open to consulting, I may even look at opening something down in Tasmania. I’m leaving the book open at the moment.”

Quay’s February closure will coincide with the final service of Oncore by Clare Smyth at Crown Sydney, marking two significant losses on the Sydney (and Australian) restaurant landscape.

“Fine dining is a more difficult environment than it was before Covid,” suggests Gilmore. “With the cost of living crisis and the cost of ingredients going up so much, there’s only so much you can charge. For an equivalent experience in Europe, you’d be paying double what we do here in Australia.”

He’s hopeful, though: “The future of fine dining is definitely not dead. I think it’ll probably change; maybe get a bit smaller, a bit leaner.”

Australia Venue Co. (which operates a significant portfolio of over 200 pubs and nightlife venues across the country) will take over the Overseas Passenger Terminal site in 2026.

“Quay has been part of my life’s work, a place where creativity, hospitality and the beauty of Sydney Harbour come together,” said Fink founder Leon Fink in a statement. “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved alongside Peter and the outstanding teams who have shaped the restaurant’s legacy.”

Quay will welcome its last guests on Saturday 14 February 2026. Bookings are available online for all remaining services.

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“Bringing my Roman dishes to Sydney is incredibly exciting,” Cicolini said in a statement. “Working with Australian producers opens up a whole new palette of ingredients, and I’m inspired by the chance to blend the extraordinary freshness of Australian produce with the traditions I carry from home. To do this at a venue as iconic as Icebergs Dining Room and Bar feels like the perfect meeting of two worlds.”

For the duration of the Summer Series, Icebergs Sunsets will see resident DJ Dolso spinning tunes Wednesday–Friday evenings with drinks specials by Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Ketel One. Saturdays will host live music between 4pm and 9pm, and Icebergs Sundays will kick off with Don Julio 1942 sessions from 3pm with a signature Margarita menu and snack specials including suckling pig, corn and sage fritti.

Guests can toast to New Year’s Eve with a three-course Sunset Lunch (bookings between 4.30pm and 7.30pm) of Icebergs classics with music by Dolso — evening bookings have already been snapped up. Keeping the Pacific-facing celebrations rolling into 2026, bookings are available for a la carte dining on New Year’s Day between midday and 3pm; the ever-popular later New Year’s Day session  (this year featuring Double Touch with special guests Reigan and Pauli and live DJ sets) is also booked out.

“The Summer Series represents the essence of Icebergs, a cultural institution that thrives on creativity and community,” said Icebergs Dining Room and Bar CEO Tasso Della Noce. “Every summer we have an opportunity to reimagine what it means to dine by the sea, and this year’s program brings together global talent and local energy to create experiences that feel true to Icebergs Dining Room and Bar.”

See the full Summer Series program at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar online.

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