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Genius Christmas gifts
The gift ideas you're yet to consider.
Canberra’s best restaurants
French bistro cuisine, modern Australian fare or pan-Asian classics - there's a restaurant to cater to every palate in the nation's capital. Here are the crème de la crème, as featured in our 2019 Restaurant Guide.
What are hemp seeds?
You won't get high off them, but hemp seeds are great for cooking, have a rich nutty flavour and are a nutrient-dense addition to dishes.
Močan & Green Grout
REVIEW By day, in its café incarnation, Močan (they pronounce it ‘mochan’) pumps, locals lining up outside and packing onto outdoor seats. By night, it’s quieter, which gives you some elbow room to mix the egg yolk into your Crookwell steak tartare. Raw scallop is served as is with lightly charred chorizo, and Narooma oysters […]
The top 100 restaurants in Australia for 2019
The best of the best on Australia's food scene, as featured in our 2019 Restaurant Guide.
Matilda
REVIEW The latest venture from Scott Pickett (Estelle, ESP) is a luxe, superbly conceived local eatery. Diners experience the heat and smoke from the wood-fired kitchen at the entry as they make their way to the leather and timber-clad dining room. It’s a drum roll for what’s next – nearly every dish takes cues from […]
Eightysix
REVIEW Five years on, Eightysix continues to impose its disruptive and noisy self on Canberra’s dining scene. The youthful ebullience of floor staff hasn’t waned and it’s still difficult for walk-ins to get a seat. The menu – chalked up on a blackboard spanning the elongated space – has also proven a touch too resistant […]
Italian & Sons
REVIEW While the name evokes images of checked cloths and wax-encrusted Chianti bottles, Italian & Sons is a niftily modern affair. Pendant lamps cast a glow across a buzzy, sleek, timber-panelled space, and the wine list contrasts edgy naturals with the legends of Tuscany and Piedmont. The kitchen turns out classic pizze and pasta, but […]
Ottoman Cuisine
REVIEW The setting for celebrations, dalliances and political manoeuvres, this Canberra stalwart has tradition woven into its fabric. The long space opening onto greenery and a water feature fosters serenity, no matter how busy the action on the floor, and the staff’s dignified, warm demeanour speaks of a justifiable pride. The noise is all in […]
The best bars in Sydney
Take a peek inside Sydney’s best watering holes, from underground spirit specialists to the spots with the best ocean views.
The Boat House
REVIEW A peaceful lakeside setting, a decorous welcome; this wedding conference- restaurant destination emanates Old World charm. But it’s in the hushed, spacious dining room with clinking cutlery and low voices that you get the big reveal: a bold menu and extensive wine list showcase the region’s best in a modern way. Cowra pork belly […]
The Pot
REVIEW Fresh from a stint at Magill Estate Restaurant, chef Emma McCaskill’s first solo venture is with restaurateur-of-the-moment Simon Kardachi at a cosy eatery. The updated space and menu results in a refined bistro focused on regional food and wine. Brine-soaked sardine with chilli relish on a linseed cracker, topped with pickled shallot and dill, […]
Kisumé
REVIEW When restaurateur Chris Lucas puts his stamp on a cuisine, you can expect his take to be bold. And much like its raucous siblings Chin Chin and Hawker Hall, Kisumé is a Japanese restaurant with the volume turned up. Here, though, that energy doesn’t come via music ricocheting off concrete, but rather three levels […]
Aria Brisbane
REVIEW An aria calls for a stand-out soloist – but there are no histrionic prime donne here. In its tenth year, Brisbane’s premier riverfront fine-diner presents as a harmonious group performance, from deft floor staff to the polished interior with its panoramic curve of glass. All up, it’s an agreeably adult affair, which includes Danny’s […]
The Summertown Aristologist
REVIEW A year after opening, The Summertown Aristologist has expanded beyond radiating good vibes as an on-trend hangout to place Adelaide Hills provenance at the centre of every plate. The kitchen’s hands-on commitment is serious, from making smallgoods to pulling vegetables from local plots hours before service. Robust saucisson with Hafod cheddar is a smart […]
Urbane
REVIEW It’s nearly a decade since Urbane revealed its minimalist look, but the polished gallery-like setting remains crisp. So to the technique-driven dishes, now being conjured by a fresh team following the departure of Alejandro Cancino. Herbivore options have lost dazzle with the changing of the guard, but an array of intriguing snacks kick off […]
Ides
REVIEW No need to beware the Ides of March 2018, when the restaurant whipped back the curtains on the makeover it deserved. A sign of commitment to the fine-dining-with-a-difference cause, the formerly austere shopfront was anointed with sleek timber-slatted cladding and artworks injecting a hint of a retro sensibility. The more relaxed approach is another […]
Lûmé
REVIEW Lûmé has put its provocative adolescent past behind it, maturing into one of Melbourne’s most interesting dining experiences. Innovation remains integral to its DNA, starting with cocktails at the superbly tended bar where distilling, dehydration and carbonation come into play. It’s there in the flatteringly lit dining room that silky olive oil and mandarin […]
No 1 Bent Street
REVIEW There are people who, somewhere along the way, got the idea that “produce-driven” meant “boring”. Luckily, Bent Street is here to quietly explode any such ideas with blasts of flavour conjured from seasonal bounty. Blood plums provide the acid flash that animates grilled hand-pressed tofu, while vivid tomato and cardamom frame deeply flavoursome grilled […]
The Apollo
REVIEW This place pumps. In full flow it’s more akin to The Apollo where James Brown sweated out his hottest performances than the Apollo of the tunics and lyres. But for all the darkness, din and hustle, the attention to detail from the kitchen is splendid. Would you look at the flaky delicacy of that […]
Wickens at Royal Mail Hotel
REVIEW Remarkable views of the southern Grampians are given full cinematic treatment in the new building housing chef Robin Wickens’ flagship restaurant at the Royal Mail Hotel. Captured by floor-to-ceiling glass, the vista anchors the sense of place Wickens expresses on the plate through produce grown in the hotel’s gardens and meat raised on nearby […]
Acme
REVIEW An evening at Acme is like kicking on at your mate’s place after a big night out. There’s Drake and Cardi B on the stereo. Staff greet you like the party couldn’t start until you got there. And the best part? Your mate’s a banging cook whose combinations blow your mind. On the menu, […]
Buon Ricordo
REVIEW Luxury takes many forms. While the walls of this solid, two-storey villa all but groan under the weight of owner Armando Percuoco’s collection of fine art, you get the feeling that he is personally moved just as much by the ratio of tomato, bread and oil on the bruschetta as he is by the […]
Queen Chow Enmore
REVIEW What if the ultimate hangover cure wasn’t greasy bacon or burgers? Meet some of the most vibrant, flavour-first Chinese in the city. It’s fresh and fast and you’ll find it at a revamped pub. The menu steers clear of oil and gloppy sauces. Oversized xiao long bao are way better than they need to […]
Billy Kwong
REVIEW Nowhere is the connection between Kylie Kwong’s Chinese-Australian heritage and her understanding of place more clear than in her dishes fusing native ingredients with Cantonese cuisine. They’re no gimmick. The tartness of Davidson’s plum balances crisp-skinned duck with orange; the acid-pop of finger lime plays crucial foil to the XO sauce and lardons of […]
Montrachet
REVIEW Brisbane’s flagship French destination is now bigger, brighter and better. A relocation has added grandeur, without diluting Montrachet’s Old World ambience. Aged timber flooring, gilt-framed mirrors and burgundy leather banquettes are all present, but the handsome marble-topped comptoir is now bordered by a glassed-in cellar, as befits a list loaded with namesake chardonnay and […]
Paper Daisy
REVIEW The beachy jet-set fantasy conjured by the boutique likes of Halcyon House often comes undone at the table. But Paper Daisy doubles down on the magic, perfectly in tune with the blend of poolside ease and inspiration that makes this hotel such an intoxicating treat. At breakfast, pancakes are leavened with kefir, and whole-wheat […]
St Isidore
REVIEW There’s a frog on our table. No, our uninvited visitor isn’t on the menu, but plenty of other items from this rural restaurant’s multi-acre garden are: kipfler potatoes (roasted), heirloom tomatoes (fried), just-picked green leaves (lightly dressed with horseradish). Using local produce isn’t novel, but Alex Delly’s way with flavours and textures is deft. […]
The Press Club
REVIEW The city’s best ’80s playlist and fluent floor staff lend an undeniable sense of fun to this 40-seater, where supple leather booths and sculptured copper bring a sense of occasion. Ponder the premium wine list then opt for a five- or eight-course dégustation or go à la carte at lunch and weekday dinners. Chef […]
Ishizuka
REVIEW Ishizuka brings the Tokyo vibe from the start with a bamboozling location involving unmarked entrances, buzzers and an elevator ride to the basement. There’s payoff for the navigation angst. Tomotaka Ishizuka’s serene 16-seater, its scene set with a paper-lantern room divider and textured concrete walls, offers a sublime 11-course kaiseki experience complete with thrillingly […]
Spice Temple
REVIEW Spice Temple is the glam Chinese diner for all occasions, from yum cha to gala banquets or zodiac-themed cocktails in the bar. An upbeat playlist sets the scene in a Sino-accented space split between a refined dining room overlooking Southbank and a basement with ample mood. Menus are typically expansive but the wine card […]
Bea
REVIEW Whoa! What a piece of fish. When was the last time you saw wild barramundi on a menu? Here it’s free of the muddiness of the farmed stuff, its texture firm, a garnish of muntries and anchovyflecked grilled broccoli giving it a winning indigenous agrodolce vibe. But what’s with this shallow saucer smeared with […]
Marion
REVIEW Marion is the kind of place where a casual night out requires a week’s planning. Securing a table is the only pain you’ll have, however. There’ll be no head-scratching over the love for Andrew McConnell’s little wine bar that rose to the top of his Gertrude Street pops. Take a space with a patina […]
Amaru
REVIEW Clinton McIver’s four- and eight-course dégustations are ready for their close-ups. Arriving on hand-shaped crockery, combinations like smoked duck ham curled along a length of crisp fermented carrot or slivers of shiitake and chawanmushi drifting in a sparkling broth are as good-looking as they are well balanced. Sourdough bread is a course in itself, […]
Otis Dining Hall
REVIEW “Dining hall” has something of an undergraduate vibe, but rare is the cafeteria that offers wallaby, let alone served cured, rolled up in pickled vine leaves with dollops of burnt-onion purée. The bones of this diner still reflect the room’s former Belgian-Beer-Café life; service is more friendly than professional, and the drinks list is […]
Woodland House
REVIEW Woodland House is a quiet champion of finer Melbourne dining. The service is witty and warm, and its two chefs have made a restaurant they took over from their mentor, Jacques Reymond, their own. The grey-walled dining rooms of the Victorian mansion are cosseting and contemporary. Shelves heave with decanters for a wine list […]
Oscillate Wildly
REVIEW There’s a hint of Alice in Wonderland about Oscillate Wildly: the narrow dining room, the black-and-white tiled floor, the sense of falling down an inner-west rabbit hole and meeting brilliant minds – from kitchen talent to front of house – along the way. Karl Firla’s dégustations are pure imagination. Creamy avocado with bergamot dressing […]
Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne
REVIEW Rockpool is the go-to for serious steakhouse action. There’s a reliable sense of occasion from the vast room’s leather-and-timber musculature and the kitchen’s wood grill that echoes the casino’s riverside fireball show in miniature. The 15-cut steak list is similarly impressive, name-dropping some of the best in beef – Blackmore, Cape Grim, Gunner – […]
Rosetta
Rosetta Melbourne is a restaurant in the same way that Ferrari is a car.
Nineteen at The Star
REVIEW Dinner and a show? You’ve come to the right place. The bling fest starts with your ascent skywards in a gilded mirror-walled elevator and it’s amplified when you disembark in the plush dining room with its wraparound triple-height glass walls, infinity pool and impressive two-storey wine cellar. Theatricality extends to both the food and […]
The Bridge Room
REVIEW At one end of the long, elegant room, a table of silks roars at a joke from the senior partner. At the other end, the arts maven and the former premier collude on the banquette at half the volume and twice the intensity. This is a place for machers who like their dining fine, […]
The best BYO restaurants in Sydney
Time to open your wine cellar and grab that special bottle: we've narrowed down Sydney's best BYO restaurants.
Essential Australian Christmas recipes to try this year
Everything you need to plan a memorable Christmas Day, from the first round of drinks to the last bite of trifle.
10 quick entertaining tips for your Melbourne Cup party
Throwing a last-minute party this spring racing season? Don't panic: these 10 tips from party professionals will ensure your celebrations go off without a hitch.
The best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne
From the city's reliable stalwarts to the contemporary takes on Chinese cuisine from up-and-coming chefs, there's a Chinese restaurant just right for you in Melbourne. Let us show you the way.
Sustainable seafood recipes: alternatives to salmon
Farmed salmon may have been declared an unsustainable fish in Australia but we can still enjoy our ocean’s bounty if we’re smart about what we choose.
Eight buys to give the wine-lover in your life
Gifts that are Bordeaux-line genius.
The best pizza in Melbourne
Whether city or suburbs, late-night or lunchtime, Melbourne's pizza offering covers all bases. These are the best spots to find Neapolitan-style, Italo-American or something in-between.
Christmas turkey and ham recipes
Whether you're a ham or a turkey person (or love both equally), we've got you covered with more than two dozen recipes to satisfy any appetite.
Guy Grossi’s globi (Italian ricotta doughnuts)
Ricotta. Doughnuts. Need we say more?
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Sarah Cicolini’s lasagne with romanesco
It's the layered Italian classic you know and love, but Santo Palato's Sarah Cicolini has swapped out the meat for Roman cauliflower.
The Fish House
REVIEW The Fish House could coast by on the view alone: its front windows, usually open, overlook the sweep of the Gold Coast; in the distance the skyscrapers of Suerfers Paradise rise from the blue water like Emerald City. Burgers and watered-down soft drinks would make a killing. Instead, chef Damien Styles doubles down on […]
Bag of green beans
At Eyal Shani's Miznon restaurants, this simple dish of salted green beans with lemon and garlic is served like a snack in a brown paper bag. Who knew eating your vegetables could be this easy?
Gourmet Traveller releases first-ever travel photography book
40 destinations, 358 pages of full-colour photographs and ideas for your next holiday await.
Wagyu kafta nayeh, radish and fried pita bread
Lebanon's answer to steak tartare uses parsley, basil, spring onions and a trio of spices as a counterpoint to rich wagyu.
Mulled apple and spelt loaf
Yoghurt, apple sauce, nutmeg and cinnamon add up to one tasty package that's as good for breakfast as it is afternoon tea.
The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery’s recipes for spring
Take a leaf out of the book of Ali Currey-Voumard, our 2019 Best New Talent winner, and opt for fuss-free, flavour-packed cooking with the season's best ingredients.
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Crazy rich Asian food
The movie sensation has you hankering for hawker food, and we’ve got you covered.
The best travel photos of 2018 to inspire your next holiday
Some of our favourite travel photographers share their snaps and stories from the road.
Lamb cutlets with sumac and parsley salad
Barbecue plus lamb plus Turkish flavours equals one very tasty plate.
Dale DeGroff on making the perfect Martini and becoming King Cocktail of your home bar
Should you put your gin in the freezer? What's the best ice to use when mixing drinks? All this and more from the man who rewrote the rules of cocktails.
Milk pudding in espresso
A jolt of hot espresso is the perfect foil for these creamy, just-set puddings.
Eight cool kitchen gadgets
Changing the way you operate in the kitchen.
Burnt beetroot carpaccio
“Use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the charred beets. The slicing is when the magic is revealed,” says Eyal Shani. “The beetroot heart has remained untouched. It’s red, full of life. Most of its fluid has evaporated leaving him weightless, but still juicy, sweeter than ever, bearing unique mineral flavours within that are unparalleled.”
Rumi’s prawn börek
“Filled pastries have a very long history in the Middle East,” says Joseph Abboud. “The original, sanbosag or sanbusaj, became samosa in India, sambousek in Lebanon and sambusa in Ethiopia, to name a few. Börek, which are a great snack, are another.”
Why Quay is our Restaurant of the Year
The new Quay is back and better than ever. What impressed our critics so much that they crowned it Australia's Restaurant of the Year for 2019?
Gourmet Traveller reader dinner: Queen Chow Manly
Join Gourmet Traveller and APT at the lazy Susan for a night of great dining at Sydney’s hottest new Chinese restaurant, Queen Chow Manly.
Ovolo Inchcolm review
Vibrant design and a service ethos labelled as FUN ("fabulous, unconventional, never boring") await at Ovolo Inchcolm.
Gourmet Institute 2018: James Viles
Smoked chicken vol-au-vents, duck glazed with wildflower honey and "imperfect" pavlova: welcome to flavour-town, James Viles-style.
Father’s Day gifts: food, wine, books and travel
Whether dad's a cook, a wine or whisky connoisseur or a frequent flyer, we've got plenty of ideas for Father's Day gifts.
Who was at the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards?
From the red carpet to the last digestif, see what went down at the food world's biggest night of the year.
The Winners of the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards
The names and places that should be on your radar.
5 high-end brands you no longer need to travel for
Though, we imagine you'll find other excuses.
Orange and blood orange recipes
Brighten up your day, and your plate, with some of our favourite orange and blood orange recipes.
Miznon’s “intimate” wagyu stew
An intriguing name like this could only come from one chef: Miznon's Eyal Shani.
Aaron Turner’s Mum’s chocolate ripple cake
Recreate the Igni chef's favourite childhood cake for your next celebration.
The finalists of the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards
Get to know all the finalists in our Restaurant Awards: an annual round-up of the best of the best in dining, service, wine, new restaurants and more.
Etta’s tamari-roasted pumpkin, sunflower and horseradish
This stunning dish is powerful enough to take a place among the main courses in a banquet or you could serve it as a side to roasted or grilled meat.
New Restaurant of the Year 2019: the finalists
Our editors take note of dozens of new restaurant openings each year. But it was these three that stood head-and-shoulder above the rest.
Best New Talent 2019: the finalists
If the next generation of Australian cooking talent is anything to go by, the future of food is in safe hands. Meet our finalists for the Best New Talent award.
The Johnson, Brisbane review
Plenty more than meets the eye.
Spicers Clovelly Estate, Queensland review
The place to go when you need to unplug and unwind.
QT Gold Coast review
Attentive staff and a generous dose of fun add up to a buzzing boutique hotel by the beach.
Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort review
Gallic charm meets resort living at this high-flying property in the heart of Noosa.
Gourmet Institute: Ben Devlin
Surf's up! Ben Devlin captures the essence of the sea in a seafood-focused menu that's perfect for spring entertaining.
Regional Restaurant of the Year 2019: the finalists
The eating outside our capital cities just keeps getting better. Consider these three restaurants the crème de la crème of regional dining in Australia today.
Bar of the Year 2019: the finalists
From high-concept watering holes to bars with heart and soul, these are the spots you wish were in your neighbourhood (even better if they already are).
Wine List of the Year 2019: the finalists
What does it take to be a finalist for our Wine List of the Year award? Plenty of choice, charming delivery and a dash of personality help - and these three restaurants have got the mix just right.
Maître d’ of the Year 2019: the finalists
It takes more than a smile to win over our team of reviewers. And at these three establishments, every element of the front-of-house formula has been perfected. Meet our finalists for Maître d' of the Year.
The Olsen, Melbourne review
Contemporary Australian art and a fun take on hospitality collide at this South Yarra address in the heart of the action.
Sommelier of the Year 2019: the finalists
Enthusiasm. Deep wells of knowledge. An innate ability to read diners' needs. Our Sommelier of the Year finalists in the 2019 Restaurant Awards have all these qualities, and more.
First-class food at Sydney Airport
Arrive early, check in, then check out some of the best dishes Sydney Airport’s local and international chefs have on offer.
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins review
With a glittering 15-floor chandelier and sweeping views of the city, the Sofitel is all about shimmer and shine.
Gourmet Institute: Paul Carmichael
Take a trip to the Caribbean with Paul Carmichael as he serves up the bold flavours of his native Barbados.
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Park Hyatt, Melbourne review
Old-world opulence, indulgent comfort and an in-house puppy. We're sold.
Salty-sweet desserts
Rich, occasionally gooey and extra decadent, these desserts are all about the contrast of sweet and savoury.
Mona Pavilions, Tasmania review
Step out of the box at this art-inspired hotel where provocation is the name of the game.
Islington Hotel, Hobart review
Antiques, art and an honour bar - it's all about unwinding at this former Regency-style mansion.
Pumphouse Point, Tasmania review
This slice of luxury in the middle of nowhere is a true bucket-list experience.
Macq01, Hobart review
Winner of Large Hotel of the Year, this waterfront hotel also maintains a strong connection to place with a storytelling theme running through the property.
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