Restaurant Reviews

REVIEW The heritage building is key to Circa’s charm, and its tiny lounge is the place to sit and have dessert as you contemplate history – apple pie ice-cream with granola-style toffee crumb, say, with a Hunter Valley sticky to draw out the apple flavour. The food at Circa is diligently sourced from its kitchen […]

REVIEW Chef Douglas Elder’s penchant for gels, crumbs and creative plating will impress out-of-towners seeking an affordable taste of fine dining in an approachable, family-friendly space. And at $96 for three courses and matching wines, it really is affordable. Lightly battered quail with rich terrine, yuzu mayonnaise, tangy apple kimchi and slaw is an upmarket […]

REVIEW Melbourne has a thing for comfortable Italian, and this self-assured laneway trattoria knows how to deliver the staples. Butter comes in foil, pasta is handmade and the Collins Street suits soak it all up like a wedge of ciabatta in a pool of Nap sauce. Evenings draw a diverse crowd – it’s also the […]

REVIEW Overlooking the tree-lined Fawkner Park, Bistro Gitan occupies a particularly blessed quadrant of South Yarra where nothing, it seems, could go wrong. Here, little does. The pearls-and-polo set comfortably take to their bentwood chairs and glasses of Perrier-Jouët from the French-accented wine list before entrusting themselves to the Reymond family’s famed hospitality, albeit in […]

REVIEW It’s within cooee of Queen Street Mall, but this laneway bolthole feels coolly out of step with it. Moodily lit with an industrial-chic interior featuring brick, leather hides and brass, there are nooks aplenty to dally in, including a quirky courtyard behind. Even the wine list is character-filled – a “reserve, vintage and obscure” […]

REVIEW If you’re not averse to ants with your salmon or roasted mealworm clinging to stir-fried water spinach, you’ll get plenty of love at Public: big flavours, adventurous pairings and seriously good cooking are top of the menu. An emu tartare with cured egg yolk, served atop lavosh, stands out for its unique taste and […]

REVIEW Double-dressed tables. Fussy compositions on big plates. A chef that loves playing with guests’ food: team Petite Mort evidently missed – or ignored – the memo about contemporary restaurant trends. But for those unmoved by the zeitgeist (no bookings, communal tables, venues that lean more bar than dining room), this bare-brick diner in leafy […]

REVIEW Diners and drinkers are in confident hands at this buzzy wine bar and bistro. The wood-fired grill keeps regulars happy, offal lovers are cheered by the menu, and the wine list is ever evolving, with sherries currently in favour. Downstairs is all high tables and bar stools, timber walls and industrial heritage. Upstairs has […]

With the opening of Red Lantern on Riley from co-owners Luke Nguyen and Mark Jensen, Sydney’s modern Vietnamese dining scene just got a whole lot brighter, writes Pat Nourse.

Old-school fine dining of the truffle-shaving-at-the-table variety may be making a comeback if Albert Park’s reinvigorated The Point is anything to go by, writes Michael Harden.

Sydney’s hottest new diner, Popolo, in Rushcutters Bay, is Italian food by and for the people – and the people are loving it, writes Pat Nourse.

Restaurateur Paul Mathis is back, and his latest Japanese venture is the real deal, albeit one that’s as much Melbourne as it is Tokyo. Michael Harden visits Akachochin.

At the Estelle, two chefs with disparate talents defy expectations of boho Northcote to deliver a dégustation that’s skilful, generous and unpretentious, writes Michael Harden.

Colin Fassnidge, the poet of pork, is one of the most interesting talents cooking in Sydney today, writes Pat Nourse, who visits 4Fourteen and asks: is that a slice of snout?

The Fish Shop is about seafood made fun and accessible via a mash-up of Aussie milk-bar and British chippy tropes, with a dash of Americana to season it, writes Pat Nourse.

Forget the intercity rivalry, writes Michael Harden. In Pei Modern, Sydney chef Mark Best has brought something unique and original to Melbourne’s buzzing food scene.

It’s in Stanmore. It’s tiny. It’s dégustation-only. It’s Sixpenny, the most ambitious restaurant to have opened in Sydney this year. Pat Nourse recommends adding it to your must-eat list.

From the robata grill to the do-it-yourself taco, Circa – the flagship restaurant of the Prince of Wales Hotel – has been reincarnated as a space that’s completely on-trend.

Joseph Vargetto has taken his Sicilian heritage and years of restaurant experience, added some modern inspiration and come up trumps at Mister Bianco, writes Michael Harden.

Philippa Sibley’s restrained, flavour-packed dishes run the gamut from breakfast to nightcap at her new digs, a former bank building rebranded as Albert St Food & Wine.

This will be the year of small things done well, writes Pat Nourse, and both Wilbur’s Place and Reuben Hills are on trend.

Fish heads, pork belly and kara-age – when it comes to authentic Japanese bar food (and Japanese booze), Izakaya Fujiyama is the real deal, writes Pat Nourse.

Bistro Gitan, a restaurant with the Reymond family name behind it, has a French-accented menu, a playful gypsy spirit and loads of charm, writes Michael Harden.

Buenos Aires has arrived in Melbourne: San Telmo is an authentic Argentine treat, writes Michael Harden.

The new incarnation of Restaurant Arras is bright, bold, and endearingly goofy, writes Pat Nourse.

Pat Nourse tries his luck at the tables of Momofuku, Black and Balla, the real high rollers of The Star.

Lupino, the new diner from a winning duo, is familiar in the best possible way, writes Michael Harden.

It’s modern, it’s different and it’s assured: Ross Lusted’s The Bridge Room is one of the most interesting restaurants to have opened in Sydney this year, writes Pat Nourse.

French remains the mother tongue at Vue de Monde, but with foraged beach herbs and kangaroo-hide tabletops, the accent’s now decidedly Australian, writes Michael Harden.

REVIEW A long, candlelit corridor quarantines Rockpool from its gaudy casino mothership and builds anticipation as diners enter a Crown jewel of Perth’s dining scene. Linger at the bar over a Bourbon and Blood cocktail or start swotting the epic wine list, which even describes villages where grapes are grown. This Neil Perry steakhouse is […]

REVIEW There’s a pleasurably unpretentious spirit to Union Dining, a reminder of that oft-forgotten word, hospitality. Nicky Riemer and Adam Cash’s restaurant road-trips across France, Italy and Spain, evoking bistro-trattoria memories. Start with a rooftop Negroni, before settling downstairs for Riemer’s rustic-leaning offerings, executed with urbane care. Crudo might take the form of kingfish enlivened […]

REVIEW Sicily is the clue to everything, wrote Goethe. It’s certainly the key to Rosa’s Kitchen, where the big-hearted cooking of Sicilian-born Rosa Mitchell showcases the island’s vibrant brand of cucina povera. A simple trattoria tucked down a laneway (newcomer Rosa’s Canteen dons more corporate livery for the legal district), it sets the dial to […]

REVIEW Climb the stairs – between downtown office towers and the Supreme Court – and suddenly you’re in an olive grove. The scent of bay leaves drifts across terrace tables, while inside, there’s a happy buzz throughout the big, open venue – proof it’s grown into one of the CBD’s most convivial spaces. From the […]

REVIEW The bastard child of Khao San Road and your favourite warehouse conversion, it’s a broad-scale takeover of historic Curtin House’s first floor: part sophisticated beer barn, part Thai cafeteria where the food matches the noise levels blow for blow and hardworking staff focus the  runaway circus atmosphere. Chef Karen Batson has been flying the […]

REVIEW Surprises are not on the menu at Bistro Guillaume. The unexpected is anathema to its raison d’être, which is to deliver straight-up French classics in smart surroundings that make the Yarra stand in situ for the Seine. In the wrong hands, it could be a disaster, but Guillaume Brahimi, who regularly visits his southern […]

REVIEW For a thumbnail sketch of high-rolling good living, Melbourne-style, swing into The Atlantic, an enormous space lined with floor-to-ceiling windows for prime riverside gazing. This temple of seafood includes a subterranean drinking den, a casual oyster bar and a huge dining room segmented to provide a little intimacy. Slick service doesn’t miss a beat […]

REVIEW Is it a bar with good food or a restaurant with a good bar? You’ll ponder this question as you arrive at Bar H, its welcoming lights glowing on a Surry Hills corner, empty wine bottles lining the window sills and the happy buzz of a hip crowd drifting onto the street. Upstairs is […]

REVIEW This is Sydney’s little black dress of dining. Almost 20 years on, Bambini Trust still attracts a mix of corporate executives, legal eagles and magazine editors who flock here for a heart-starting ristretto at breakfast, or hearty Italian-inspired fare at lunch and dinner. The restaurant, set in an historic building opposite Hyde Park, spans […]

REVIEW Owner and chef Tony Percuoco has created a complete and, for Brisbane, unique dining experience at this high-achieving restaurant. Step from Emporium, a bustling shopping precinct, into an elegant enclave. In a hurry? Turn right and snack on Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizze. Or veer left to find well-drilled waitstaff, rich red banquettes, black linen and […]

REVIEW There’s an air of fun and occasion that makes Saké a popular choice for celebrations. From the enthusiastic chef greetings on arrival to the staggering selection of sakes by the glass, carafe or bottle, spirits are high even before the share plates arrive, and private dining rooms tucked away at the rear cater to […]

REVIEW Few chefs are as committed to Sunshine Coast produce as David Rayner. The word “local” is stamped all over his menu, describing everything from organic kale to barbecued chicken. The region is clearly the hero of the show at this relaxed riverside eatery, with culinary trickery renounced to let the ingredients shine in exceedingly […]

REVIEW Sitting on a high-backed chair at the circular steel and glass teppan, surrounded by shiny curved glass and steel walls, there’s a definite whiff ofIron ChefKitchen Stadium about the Ten dining experience. There’s drama on the plate, too. Juicy organic Bangalow duck breast is surrounded by flecks of tofu cream, drizzles of wasabi oil […]

REVIEW If you could distil the essence of Noosa and turn it into a restaurant, it would probably look a lot like Rickys – all shimmering water views, airy, floor-to-ceiling glass, white walls and polished floorboards. This is a room that’s as handsome by night as by day, and at sunset when flying foxes take […]

REVIEW Watermelon with the texture of rare kangaroo, white chocolate twigs so lifelike they look as if they were gathered from the rainforest walk outside. This is food designed to challenge and excite. Take sweet braised kangaroo tail, beautifully paired with tangy lilly pillies and the watermelon, which has been slow-roasted, frozen and pan-fried to […]

REVIEW Much of the Ms G’s allure can be summed up in the cheeseburger spring rolls: they make a burger filling and stick it in a spring roll. It’s a fairly silly idea but, rather than merely being tossed off as click-bait, is redeemed by the fact that these guys care about what they cook, […]

REVIEW They’re not afraid of smoke and mirrors at Gastro Park. The smoke may nearly be literal, too, in the case of the liquid-nitrogen fog streaming from a shell loaded with a bright scallop and pomegranate ceviche. The room is bistro-like, and the service low-key, but the food doesn’t want for ambition. The restaurant is […]

REVIEW It’s easy to miss The Devonshire from the street, but step inside and you’ll find a jewel box of a restaurant, decked out with crisp white tablecloths and a swarm of gilt-edged mirrors. The room isn’t huge but the comfort level is high, service is affable, and a short, eclectic wine list covers the […]

Bowral’s new two-part restaurant is big, bold and well worth the detour, writes Pat Nourse.

Pat Nourse looks beyond the name – Gastro Park – to the magic on the plate at chef Grant King’s restaurant.

A sense of fun enlivens Geoff Lindsay’s Vietnamese cooking at Dandelion. Michael Harden recommends bringing a group, ordering big and rolling up your sleeves.

At the helm of big-time venture The Atlantic, Donovan Cooke’s boutique origins and characteristic attention to detail stand him in good stead, writes Michael Harden.

The Devonshire doesn’t offer high tea per se, but it has loads of good tea-time eats, writes Pat Nourse.

Pat Nourse celebrates the opening of 121BC Cantina & Enoteca in Surry Hills with a glass of Amarone at the bar and a bottle of Franciacorta back at home.

The dining rooms at the Town Hall Hotel might seem laid-back, but the interesting mixed- Mediterranean menu will have diners sitting up in their seats, writes Michael Harden.

The Newmarket is the latest in a family of pubs that have Paul Wilson’s full-flavoured stamp on the menu. Its funky retro fit-out and Cal-Mex food spell good fun, writes Michael Harden.

There’s a new wave of excellent wine bars in Sydney, and three of the best also deliver food that’s worth seeking out in its own right, writes Pat Nourse.

Dan Hong and Jowett Yu’s relaxed approach to Ms G’s kicks fusty dining to the curb, writes Pat Nourse.

News of Philippe Mouchel’s return to the stoves at PM24 is a boon for food fans looking for authentic French cooking, writes Michael Harden.

Felix comes to Sydney by way of Paris and New York and chef Lauren Murdoch’s own intuitive twists. It loses nothing in the translation, writes Pat Nourse.

Maurice Esposito’s skill with seafood at Saint Peter’s just happens to be one of the best arguments there is for sustainable eating, writes Michael Harden.

Spice Temple and The Waiting Room, Neil Perry’s latest forays into Melbourne, are turning up the heat at Crown, writes Michael Harden.

Bar H is the latest and greatest rejoinder to the idea that Sydney lacks quality casual eats, writes Pat Nourse.

Melbourne’s landmark beachside restaurant has been given a sexy makeover, with good looks matching great food, writes Michael Harden.

With Riccardo Momesso’s contemporary cooking and Joe Mammone’s suave front-of-house style, Sarti is one of Melbourne’s most exciting restaurants, writes Michael Harden.

What do you get if you cross rockabilly fun with mariachi music and the mother of all barbecues? The answer, writes Pat Nourse, is Porteño.

REVIEW Caves Road is Margaret River’s golden mile, a scenic route studded with prize wineries (Vasse Felix, Cullen, Pierro) and Cape Lodge, a hinterland estate offering upscale accommodation and dining to match. Chef Michael Elfwing and his floor staff do much of the heavy lifting in a dated dining room beside a pretty lake. His […]

REVIEW Bells and whistles? There aren’t any at this smart neighbourhood Italian restaurant, but that doesn’t stop it having the gravitational pull of a black hole. Rita Macali’s reputation spread citywide last decade with Ladro; now it’s a family affair with husband Giovanni Patane schmoozing the floor with Italian wines and Macali in the kitchen. […]

REVIEW The Black Cow grills on: it’s still a local favourite and it’s increasingly popular with visitors. The main reason? A list of carefully sourced cuts of aged, grass-fed beef and some consistently champion-standard char-grilling. Entrées, such as char-grilled tiger prawns in a tart sauce of lemongrass, coconut and turmeric, provide a solid overture while […]

REVIEW The Lane Vineyard’s welcoming staff are proud of their show-stopping Adelaide Hills views. Our entrée is an even prettier landscape: folds of ocean trout dotted with marinated roe and threaded with tiny marigolds, violets and cornflowers, while dill oil is pooled in a peak of the whitest crème fraîche. Main courses aren’t hard on […]

REVIEW Fresh from a stint at Maxwell Wines’ Ellen Street Restaurant, chef Tom Boden has a new home among the vines and paddocks at Penny’s Hill. In keeping with the rural vibe, Boden’s food is honest, rustic and bound to sate the hungriest of appetites. A slab of slow-roasted lamb is meltingly tender and delicious […]

REVIEW Much more than a meal, the Spirit House is like a mini-break in steamy South East Asia. Follow the torch-lit boardwalk through lush rainforest, past the Buddha statues to a series of dining pavilions hidden around a lake. By day, birdsong provides a natural soundtrack, giving way after dark to a chorus of frogs. […]

REVIEW The lunchtime crowd seems oblivious to the rain and thunder causing a commotion just beyond the restaurant’s timber deck. They’re too consumed, it seems, by chef-owner Spencer Patrick’s food. In particular, his 14-hour slow-roasted lamb shoulder cooked with Madras spices and topped with crisp curry leaves. The meat, which falls from the bone, is […]

REVIEW You can find Muse in the heart of NSW wine country, housed in a grand industrial building on the Hungerford Hill estate. The menu is packed with flavour, latterly leaning towards Japanese ingredients – an entrée of deer tartare with puffed buckwheat and shimeji is shaped like gyoza in pickled turnip, and seasoned with ginger, sesame […]

REVIEW The Double Bay arm of this slick and growing franchise encapsulates the Saké ethos. The room is good-looking, as is the clientele, the beats are chilled and the well-heeled diners can order contemporary spins on Japanese favourites. Here, prawns are prepared popcorn-style and the raw tuna is done as a ceviche. The menu is […]

REVIEW There’s so much to love about this Hunter Valley favourite: the spectacular views of the vine-clad valley, the charm of the French provincial décor, and the friendly floor staff who offer a specific dose of hospitality that you just don’t get in the city. Then there’s the hearty, European-inspired food that’s a real crowd-pleaser. […]

REVIEW If walls could talk, Lucio’s might need to shut down, such are the classified conversations of Sydney’s powerbrokers, media heavyweights and artists who’ve broken bread in its sunny dining rooms. Not only do they enjoy discretion among works from art royalty who’ve eaten and sketched here – John Olsen, Charles Blackman and Garry Shead, […]

REVIEW There’s intensity here: in the energy levels of floor staff working a perpetually full house, in the furious output in the open kitchen from early evening, among diners packed cheek-by-jowl along the narrow terrace’s brick walls, in a drinks list big on organic wines, left-of-centre grape varieties and craft beers. But most of all […]

This restaurant has closed. REVIEW Jamie Irving isn’t pushing the boundaries of Italian cuisine too far at this understated bistro – he’s pushing impeccably sourced ingredients and presenting them without tricks. Tuesday nights are even dedicated to celebrating a seasonal ingredient such as chestnuts or chilli, or northern Italian cheeses, perhaps. The buzzy room befits […]

REVIEW Sage has seen about as many head chefs as Canberra has sworn in prime ministers in recent years. Fortunately, the cosy fine-diner has found consistency with Thomas Heinrich at the helm. He’s pared back the menu and the reliance on foams and soils. And floor staff have dialled down the formality, if anything this […]

Prefer your salad leaves manicured? Jeremy Strode, a chef with possibly superhuman powers of finesse and consistency, is in full flight at Bistrode CBD, writes Pat Nourse.

Two small, well-crafted restaurants have sprung up on either side of the Yarra: a boon for both neighbourhoods, writes Michael Harden.

The lauded team behind Glebe Point Diner have brought their unique brand of rusticity without clichés to Neutral Bay, writes Pat Nourse.

After 35 years in the business, Australia’s pre-eminent Cantonese restaurant has a new menu and even more energy than ever, writes Michael Harden. Peking duck, anyone?

REVIEW Izakaya Den has all the hallmarks of an ideal Tinder venue: a tucked-away CBD location, flattering lighting, local wines and interesting cocktails. There are even barstools that fit two humans side by side with a seat at the bar primo, the tap-tap of knives a pleasant counterpoint to booming tunes. After eight years, the […]

REVIEW Sarti is at least three places in one: a favourite of the long-lunch and night-time crowd, thanks to its open-air rooftop terrace; a modern Italian restaurant serving everyone from quiet couples to family birthday groups; and a buzzy, popular cocktail bar. The décor is 1980s Italian nightclub meets nonna’s house: think glossy black and […]

REVIEW This leafy CBD sanctuary, with its covered courtyard tables and chandelier centrepiece, embodies Spanishenergía, its ambience a clear nod to the chef-patron’s Barcelona upbringing. The flavour-driven dishes are less clearly inflected, drawing as much inspiration from Mediterranean and Queensland bounty as Catalonia. Padrón peppers fire up alongside spicy Manolete chorizo, and Queensland mackerel comes […]

MoVida Aqui, the latest rendering of Melbourne’s modern Spanish powerhouse, could challenge the loyalties of even the most diehard fan of the original, writes Michael Harden.

Hidden in a laneway at the city’s southern end, Berta is a thing of beauty, writes Pat Nourse. It’s about potent flavours and natural textures; about good ideas rather than showing off.

With Ad Lib, Dietmar Sawyere brings another class act to the upper north shore, writes Pat Nourse. It’s clever French cooking without the bistro clichés.

Aaron Turner’s love of the countryside in which he grew up, combined with his beautifully conceived food, is thrilling diners on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, writes Michael Harden.

Bloodwood, with its funky setting and smart food, is a shining light in Newtown, writes Pat Nourse.

Balzari is putting Lygon Street back on the map with authentic regional cooking, a pared-back aesthetic and charming, hospitable service, writes Michael Harden.

A decade on Sydney’s fine-dining A-list is a lifetime in restaurant years, but at Otto, new chef Richard Ptacnik isn’t taking its gold-plated credentials for granted, writes Pat Nourse.

The views at Melbourne’s Sofitel are legendary and now chef Stuart McVeigh is delivering food which gives the glittering vista the respect it deserves, writes Michael Harden.

With simple food done well, Medusa Taverna may be the best casual Greek diner in Sydney, writes Pat Nourse. It’s polished without being pricey and there’s not a fish-net in sight.

Melbourne’s enjoying a gastropub revival as big-name chefs – Mangan, Lambie and Wilson – lend their talents at glammed-up watering holes. It’s pub food reborn.

Although it channels Tokyo, Izakaya Den – with its local wines, basement setting and superb design – seems quintessentially Melbourne, writes Michael Harden.

Fix St James has become an oasis of good eating in the heart of the city, writes Pat Nourse, who finds himself seduced by its gutsy, honest food and wine.

Having eaten his fill of generic “Italian” food, Pat Nourse is excited anew by the distinctly personal, regional path taken by Alessandro Pavoni at Mosman’s Ormeggio.

Michael Ryan’s excellent cooking highlights the strength of local produce and places Provenance among the country’s best regional restaurants, writes Michael Harden.