Australia’s best new restaurants 2015

Oakridge, Yarra Valley

Chef Matt Stone (Greenhouse, Brothl) and his sous-chef Jo Barrett (Tivoli Road Bakery) are kicking goals at their new post at Oakridge winery’s restaurant and cellar door in the Yarra. Flavour and provenance are given equal weight in the likes of custard made with local eggs and whey from Yarra Valley Dairy, dotted with peas and broad beans straight from the garden. Oakridge, 864 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream, Vic, (03) 9738 9900

Read our article on Oakridge.

Missy French, Sydney

The “missy” here is 21-year-old Josephine Perry, and it’s safe to say that the daughter of Neil Perry has the restaurant trade in her blood. Missy French is her first foray as restaurateur, and it’s a surprisingly grown-up space – definitely more French than Missy. Fellow Rockpool alum Chris Benedet presents the likes of venison, duck and quail terrine, buttery pork Pithiviers and all the trimmings. Missy French, 22 Rockwall Cres, Potts Point, NSW, (02) 8599 4912

Read our full-length review of Missy French.

Aløft, Hobart

For their Asian-inspired menu at Aløft, chefs Christian Ryan and Glenn Byrnes work with some of Tasmania’s best small growers, producing food that’s thoroughly modern and thoughtful. Fig-leaf cream and prawns are served on a turmeric-flavoured wafer, while coffee and condensed milk ice-cream channels a Malaysian kopi-tiam. Aløft, Brooke St Pier, Hobart, Tas, (03) 6223 1619

Read our article on Aløft.

Fino at Seppeltsfield, Barossa Valley

The second incarnation of Fino restaurant landed this year in the Barossa, and head chef Sam Smith is keeping up with the seasonal-regional ethos that Fino owner David Swain nailed so beautifully at Willunga. Simple, sunny and confident: sherry-braised pork hock arrives in a bacon broth with yellow and green peas, while a lamb pasty with silverbeet is gently spiced and accompanied by sheep’s milk yoghurt. Fino at Seppeltsfield, 730 Seppeltsfield Rd, Seppeltsfield, SA, (08) 8562 8528

Read our article on Fino at Seppeltsfield.

The Paddington, Sydney

The rotisserie chicken might be the push at The Paddington, but  the best eating is on the wider menu. In his first move post-Momofuku, Ben Greeno joins forces with the Merivale group to deliver clever plates to the thirsty masses. Hit the squid with XO (tender, spicy), the smoked trout and duck egg muffin (rich, gooey), the roast cabbage, spelt and prawn salad (nutty, kombu-boosted), the crab on toast (sweet, fresh) and the raw kingfish with redcurrant, witlof and olive oil (crunchy, squishy) and profit. The Paddington, 384 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW, (02) 9240 3000

Read our article on The Paddington.

Wildflower, Perth

Wildflower is all about celebrating Western Australia, from the restaurant’s widescreen rooftop views to the kitchen’s tight focus on indigenous flavours. Although the full menu and dégustation don’t go live until the new year, sweet Shark Bay scallops lifted with native basil, and cumin-scented lamb on warrigal greens and black sesame flag this fine-diner as one to watch. Wildflower, Como The Treasury, 1 Cathedral Ave, Perth, WA, (08) 6168 7888

Estelle by Scott Pickett, Melbourne

The luxed-up complement to Estelle next door, Estelle by Scott Pickett (or ESP, if you’re feeling clairvoyant) is a dégustation-only restaurant with a focus on experimentation. The seven-course menus feature the likes of White Rocks veal with sweetbreads, white eggplant purée, hand-rolled macaroni and mustard leaf, and the stunning “violet, milk and chocolate”, chocolate mousse with violet caramel, petals and frozen pebbles of choc-mint. ESP, 245 High St, Northcote, Vic, (03) 9489 4609

Read our full-length review of Estelle by Scott Pickett.

Stanbuli, Sydney

It’s been a busy year for the Porteño gang, not least this past couple of months, which have seen them open the Continental Deli in Newtown, The Unicorn in Paddington and now this Enmore Road stunner. It’s a showcase for the talents of former Porteño chef Ibrahim Kasif, and the flavours of his ancestral Turkey. Eggplant, saffron and lamb abound, of course, but the menu is ripe with unexpected treats such as an excellent street-style fried mackerel sandwich, and a weighty side of potato wedges and spicy sujuk sausage topped with a fried egg. Stanbuli, 135 Enmore Rd, Enmore, NSW, (02) 8624 3132.

Read our article on Stanbuli.

Continental Deli, Sydney

At Porteño, the parrilla and asado were the centrepiece. At Continental Deli, one of the latest ventures from chef-owner Elvis Abrahanowicz and his cohorts Jesse Warkentin, Joe Valore and Mikey Nicolian, it’s all about the canning machine. Baked beans, chickpeas, creamed corn and Australian sardines are all canned on site, along with T-shirts and Martinis (really). There’s a bistro upstairs, and sandwiches galore on offer at the bar, but the standout is the fish plate with octopus, mussels and clams – best enjoyed with a canned Martini in hand. Continental Deli, 210 Australia St, Newtown, NSW, (02) 8624 3131

Read our article on Continental Deli.

Master, Sydney

Master is a fresh Sydney take on modern Chinese, with chef John Javier framing big flavours with contemporary technique. Salt-and-pepper sweetbreads arrive with a heaping serve of chilli and spring onion; scallop meat is pressed into thin sheets of “silk”  and dressed with XO sauce, while puffed beef tendon with seaweed salt is a welcome riff on the good old prawn cracker. Master, 368 Crown St, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 8065 0838

Read our full-length review of Master.

Three Blue Ducks, Byron Bay

This second outpost of Bronte’s Three Blue Ducks sits on 86 acres just outside Byron Bay. It’s local, green and waste-conscious, but also fresh, tasty and a lot of fun, whether you’re eating the char-grilled octopus with guanciale and pink grapefruit, the mixed grain and mint salad, or the smoky fruits of the Argentine-style grill. The bar stocks everything on tap to minimise waste – from wine to house-made kombucha. Three Blue Ducks, The Farm, 11 Ewingsdale Rd, Ewingsdale, NSW, (02) 6684 7795

Read our article on Three Blue Ducks on the Farm.

Lûmé, Melbourne

South Melbourne’s Lûmé is both provocative and eclectic. During a three-hour-plus dégustation, many dishes trick the eye even as they tickle the palate (duck liver and quince, for instance, served on the same plate, are made to look like each other). Ingredients such as calamari entrails, lamb’s blood and dehydrated emu might be challenging for the faint of heart, but push on regardless: surprise is the name of the game. Lûmé, 226 Coventry St, South Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9690 0185

Read our full-length review of Lûmé.

Silvereye, Sydney

A light-flooded corner dining room within The Old Clare Hotel, Silvereye is a showcase for the considerable talents of former Noma sous chef Sam Miller. He presents detailed tasting menus that include many a fresh, inventive dish, among them “Tommy’s turnip tempura”, which sees the leaves of baby turnips deep-fried and the roots dressed in macadamia nut cream. Silvereye, The Old Clare Hotel, 20-24 Broadway, Chippendale, NSW, (02) 8277 8520

Read our full-length review of Silvereye,

Gauge, Brisbane

The hip café vibe at this Grey Street newcomer belies the quality and thought going into the food – and the talent in the kitchen. Get a load of grilled blue mackerel glazed with pear and dressed with horseradish and parsley, or lose yourself in a burnt cream with quandong and native thyme. Gauge, 77 Grey St, South Brisbane, Qld, (07) 3852 6734

Paper Daisy, Cabarita Beach

Set in a rebooted Cabarita Beach surfer motel, Paper Daisy is white, bright and entirely unexpected. Fish grilled in paperbark is a worthy signature, while the pipis with lemon myrtle and warrigal greens make for wonderful post-surf sustenance. Paper Daisy, Halcyon House, 21 Cyprus Cres, Cabarita Beach, NSW, (02) 6676 1444

Read our article on Paper Daisy.

Long Chim, Perth

Long Chim is David Thompson’s first Australian restaurant in 20 years – and boy, has he delivered. While the full menu won’t be revealed until January, what he’s dished up so far is a firm reminder of why he’s sometimes called the king of Thai food. From the sour and porky sai krok sausage to a chicken curry that blows away any notion of the dish as a pedestrian staple in a thermonuclear onslaught of chilli heat, Thompson is back and he’s ready for you. Long Chim, basement, State Buildings, cnr St Georges Tce & Barrack St, Perth, WA

Read our article on Long Chim, Perth.

Fleet, Brunswick Heads

A tiny seed of perfection hidden in sleepy Brunswick Heads, this GT Regional Restaurant of the Year nominee combines inventive snacks (love those veal sweetbread schnitzel sandwiches with anchovy mayo) with a concise but mighty powerful natural-leaning wine list. Fleet, 2/16 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads, NSW, (02) 6685 1363

Read our article on Fleet.

Marion Wine Bar, Melbourne

The wine comes first at Marion, the newest wine bar from chef and restaurateur Andrew McConnell. And as if the 14-page list were not enough, aficionados also have  access to the full cellar of Cutler & Co next door. Head chef Allan Eccles’ menu presents many reasons to hoist a glass, too: sea urchin and finger lime prime the palate ahead of smart, unfussy main courses such as grilled rock flathead and smoked duck leg. Better still, Marion does killer breakfasts of a weekend. Marion Wine Bar, 51-53 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Vic, (03) 9419 6262

Read our article on Marion Wine Bar.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Melbourne

In the space previously occupied by the Fat Duck pop-up at Crown, the Melbourne version of Dinner mines the history of British cooking for ideas, as at the Knightsbridge original, but gives them a gentle antipodean twist. The “rice and flesh” signature, for instance, uses braised kangaroo in place of the calf’s tail used in the UK, while the lamington is a great example of Blumenthal’s creativity and appreciation of Australian classics. Some of the best service in the city and a superb bar make it a must. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Crown Entertainment Complex, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, Vic, (03) 9292 5777

Read our article on Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.

Automata, Sydney

Automata has added to Chippendale’s buzzing Kensington Street precinct in more ways than one: from the design of the room to the offering on the plate, it’s inventive. Stars of Clayton Wells’ $88 five-course menu include the steamed hapuku served with cured roe and sea succulents, and the inside-skirt steak with shiitake and morels. If you’re lucky enough to score a place at the four-seater bar, the snacks are just as impressive (we’re looking at you, deep-fried olives stuffed with anchovies).  Automata, 5 Kensington St, Chippendale, NSW, (02) 8277 8555.

Read our full-length review of Automata.

Firedoor, Sydney

Lennox Hastie is a fire-starter. At Firedoor he deploys smoke and fire with surprising subtlety, cooking everything but dessert over the coals. The menu features very cleanly executed dishes that range from the light and the fresh – bonito with pea flowers and pomelo, say, or grilled green figs – to the funk of 150-day-aged beef cut to order on the bandsaw. Firedoor, 23-33 Mary St, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 8204 0800 

Read our full-length review of Firedoor.

Bennelong, Sydney

Peter Gilmore’s reboot of Bennelong flies the Aussie-food flag with pride: here cold-smoked wagyu tartare with fermented chilli paste shares the table with red-claw yabbies and seared blue mackerel. Instagram celebrates the Opera House-shaped pavlova, but it’s the crème caramel and mille-feuille mash-up that steals the show. Bennelong, Bennelong Point, Sydney, NSW, (02) 9240 8000

Read our full-length review of Bennelong.