The Top 80 restaurants in Australia for 2022

Welcome to the Gourmet Traveller 2022 Restaurant Guide, celebrating the most exciting and exceptional dining experiences to be found across Australia in the year ahead. From new openings to established favourites, each of the restaurants featured in this guide can be relied upon to deliver both innovation and excellence. Together, they represent the diversity of fine-dining in Australia, presenting either something wholly original, or the very best of its kind. Service, atmosphere and ambience are critical.

This year’s guide returns with a few changes. We have chosen not to rank the guide this year. Instead, you can be assured that every restaurant featured is gold standard and will deliver an exceptional experience, worthy of both your time and money.

We’ve also compiled separate lists for each state. Smaller states and territories, such as Tasmania, have shorter lists, while larger states, such as Victoria and New South Wales, have longer lists. In each, our editors have singled out an individual state winner.

Want the GT 2022 Restaurant Guide in print? Find it in our November issue, on sale now. Better yet, become a subscriber and receive a bonus copy of Stephanie Alexander’s latest cookbook, Home.

Want to see our top restaurants, sorted by state? See:

• The top 5 restaurants in ACT

• The top 20 restaurants in NSW

• The top 10 restaurants in Qld

• The top 10 restaurants in SA

• The top 5 restaurants in Tas

• The top 20 restaurants in Vic

• The top 10 restaurants in WA

THE YEAR IN RESTAURANTS

The challenge and change of the past 18 months has been seismic and a new landscape is continuing to emerge.

Yet amidst this turmoil has been a current of resilience, strength and creativity. New restaurants and bars have continued to open. Side-hustles and lockdown pivots have become permanent, viable businesses. At the same time, customers have become more aware of the pressure and pain points facing restaurants, embracing small changes that make a big difference to a restaurant’s bottom line. The result? Spend per head is up. Credit card details to secure bookings are standard. Two-hour time limits on tables are acceptable. And the era of walk-ins only is firmly behind us.

As Australia opens up in the coming weeks and months, there will be more challenges to come, in particular around staffing shortages and capacity. But as we’ve already witnessed, solutions will be found.

As diners, we can offer support by booking ahead and remaining patient. Be kind. And celebrate the small things. Because treating yourself to a meal out, or glass of something special, is the best way to support the industry right now.

Editor: Joanna Hunkin

Deputy Editor: Karlie Verkerk

Sub-editor: Grace MacKenzie

State & territory editors: Michael Harden (Vic & Tas), Karlie Verkerk (NSW & ACT), Fiona Donnelly (Qld), Tory Shepherd (SA) and Max Veenhuyzen (WA)

Reviewers: Alix Davis, Amy Diggins, Larissa Dubecki, Tristan Lutze, Jordan Kretchmer, Katie Spain.

All of the restaurants reviewed were visited anonymously over the past 12 months with reviewers paying their own way. Due to Sydney’s extended lockdown, no new restaurants were reviewed after June 2021.

THE TOP 80 RESTAURANTS IN AUSTRALIA, A-Z

• a’Mare, NSW

• Africola, SA

• Anchovy, Vic

• Attica, Vic

• Aubergine, ACT

• Aurora, SA

• Balthazar, WA

• Bar Lourinhã, Vic

• Biànca, Qld

• Brae, Vic

• Bread in Common, WA

• Cafe Paci, NSW

• Chaco Bar, NSW

• Corella Restaurant & Bar, ACT

• Di Stasio Città, Vic

• Dier Makr, Tas

• Elska, Qld: Qld Restaurant of the Year

• Embla, Vic

• Essa, Qld

• Fico, Tas: Tas Restaurant of the Year

• Fino Seppeltsfield, SA

• Firedoor, NSW

• Fleet, NSW

• Fleur, WA

• Flower Drum, Vic

• Gather at Coriole, SA

• Gerard’s Bistro, Qld

• Gimlet, Vic: WINNER Best New Restaurant

• GOMA Restaurant, Qld

• Grazing, NSW

• Grossi Florentino, Vic

• Hentley Farm, SA

• Ho Jiak Town Hall, NSW

• Igni, Vic

• Kazuki’s, Vic

• Labart, Qld

• Lake House, Vic

• Lankan Filling Station, NSW

• [Le Rebelle]https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/dining-out/restaurant-guide/le-rebelle-19444|target=”_blank”), WA

• Lee Ho Fook, Vic

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• Lulu La Delizia, WA

• LuMi, NSW

• Magill Estate, SA

• Millbrook, WA: WA Restaurant of the Year

• Minamishima, Vic

• Mr Wong, NSW

• Nomad, NSW

• O.My, Vic

• Osteria Oggi, SA

• Otto Brisbane, Qld

• Peel St, SA

• Pilot, ACT: ACT Restaurant of the Year

• Porcine, NSW

• Propeller, WA

• Provenance, Vic

• Quay, NSW

• Raes, NSW

• Raku, ACT

• Restaurant Botanic, SA

• Restaurant Dan Arnold, Qld

• Restaurant Hubert, NSW

• Saint Peter, NSW: NSW Restaurant of the Year

• Same Same, Qld

• Sáng by Mabasa, NSW

• Shōbōsho, SA

• Si Paradiso, WA

• Sixpenny, NSW

• SK Steak & Oyster, Qld

• Stillwater, Tas

• Sunda, Vic

• Tedesca Osteria, Vic: Restaurant of the Year and Vic Restaurant of the Year

• Templo, Tas

• The Gidley, NSW

• Tulum, Vic

• Una Más, NSW

• Underbar, Vic

• Van Bone, Tas

• Vasse Felix, WA

• Wildflower, WA

• XO, ACT

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