REVIEW Hartsyard opened in 2012 when American fare here, beyond mediocre fast-food joints, was largely an anomaly. Now it’s everywhere, making you wonder how a restaurant can peddle fried chicken for $33. (Sure, it’s juicy, crisp and golden, but we’re talking four pieces of chicken here.) Perhaps it’s because the smart décor and deft service […]

REVIEW The long drive at All Saints makes a stately impression, flanked by old elms, manicured gardens and the 19th-century castle housing All Saints’ historic winery and cellar door. Its restaurant, however, is a thoroughly modern space offering a warm welcome, charming service and food as unpretentious as the charcuterie plate of house-made terrine, cured […]

REVIEW Oh, Longrain, can it really have been 17 years already? You take bookings now, and what was the bar when you first opened is now home to large booths, so the dining is no longer strictly communal. Your service is a mix of switched-on and cursory, and you’re as loud as bustling as ever, […]

It's double the fun with the opening of Tipo 00's sibling, Osteria Ilaria, writes Michael Harden.

The best burgers Sydney has to offer, as seen in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

REVIEW Don’t let the silly name fool you. Doot Doot Doot, the marquee restaurant at Jackalope, Gourmet Traveller’s 2017 Hotel of the Year, is a must-do when on the Mornington Peninsula. For starters, there’s the 10,000-bulb chandelier pulsing above the dark-hued dining room. Then there’s a wine focus that embraces the estate’s Willow Creek repertoire […]

REVIEW Chef Quentin Whittle cleverly rethinks suburban bistro style by borrowing boldly from many cultures and producing a variety of share plates with generosity and flair. Salmon sashimi with tahini yoghurt sets the mood – its strong salt levels met with a robust mix of chilli, sumac, candied walnuts, chopped herbs and salmon roe. A […]

REVIEW Visiting Magill Estate is like travelling in time: past Dr Penfold’s 1840s cottage, up to bluestone cellars housing Australia’s most famous wine. Back to the future, Magill Estate Kitchen is a sleek daytime dining space to complement the wine tasting room, contained in contemporary pavilions overlooking vines down to the city. The casual lunch […]

REVIEW Sitting pretty in wine country, surrounded by mountain and vineyard, Margan is more than worthy of a detour. The estate bottles its share of fine wine (not least the shiraz), but it’s also a fine place to while away an hour or two at the table. They’re good at growing things other than grapes, […]

REVIEW Inspired by Spain and Portugal without slipping into caricature, Iberia captures authenticity on the plate. The serious kitchen brigade concentrates on subtleties, best seen in dishes highlighting carefully sourced seafood and vegetables. Grilled perch fillet sits with peas, almond and fennel. Caldoso is rich and fulfilling, its deep, savoury broth augmented by chickpeas and […]

REVIEW Simplicity is Timbre Kitchen’s spirit animal. It’s present in the room, an airy space furnished with rush-seated chairs and bare timber tables, set among vines with the Tamar River somewhere off in the distance. It’s also there in the breezy but competent service and in the drinks list that mixes Velo wines (from the […]

REVIEW In a chic space designed by Hecker Guthrie, Piermont Retreat’s restaurant makes a luxury out of seasonality – using a small pool of ingredients in rigorously inventive ways. While those who need a menu may struggle, true bliss comes from letting go and seeing what lands. It might be a pork terrine animated by […]

REVIEW Here’s a fresh concept: two wineries (Mr. Riggs Wine Co & Zonte’s Footstep) develop a joint cellar door in McLaren Flat as a bar, sales outlet and kitchen, encouraging customers to taste their expansive ranges. Consequently, the nimble kitchen caters for a variety of appetites, but has an unconventional way of creating a two-to-four […]

REVIEW When the wine list comes with a table of contents and the waitress acts out the backstory of your dinner’s cooking fuel, it’s fair to expect a lot of words with your food. Luckily, the meal speaks for itself. The marquee dishes are meat plus smoke. A bell jar adds theatre to an elegant […]

REVIEW Riding the Hobart wine-bar new wave, Ettie’s is the safe word to its more outré peers – a bistro where the pan-roasted chicken evokes rose-hued Sunday lunch reveries and the house sourdough is worth smuggling home for supper. Its slick CBD digs has the ghost of that sweet little wine bar in Paris, while […]

REVIEW Three guys with fine-dining experience walk into a North Fitzroy pub. The punchline? A local with all its hospitality fundamentals in place, a cracker of a wine list and a menu that includes name-brand steak (Hopkins River, O’Connor) with chips and snags with barbecued onions alongside more complex dishes like superb blood pudding and […]

REVIEW Chef Dan Moss has learned a lot since moving to the Clare Valley in 2012 and opening this boutique bistro. His initial eagerness for experimenting meant dishes sometimes got confusing. But time has tempered the chef’s style and his understanding of regional ingredients has grown. So consider his locavore menu afresh, starting with haloumi, […]

REVIEW It’s no surprise that wine is the focal point here: the restaurant is surrounded by vineyards and a nearby cellar door showcases St Hugo’s collection. The multinational owner, Pernod Ricard, is also presenting the venue as a lavish extension of its prestige wine brand. An intimate dining room has been constructed within a restored […]

REVIEW Shadow by name and aesthetic, this restaurant cuts a sophisticated silhouette on Northbridge’s main artery. Clever use of light drapes the banquettes and open bar with a cocoon-like intimacy; it also accentuates the room’s industrial good looks. Chirpy service, a weighty wine offering and the freedom to drink, snack and dine makes the in-house […]

REVIEW What to choose on Rosa Mitchell’s ever-changing seasonal menu? The pasta alone can slay you – six types to pick from, perhaps rustic ravioli or a ripper Sicilian-style linguine with prawns and pistachio pesto? Antipasti? Crusty sourdough goes well with the creamy buffalo mozzarella and chopped green olive. But then there’s the grilled calamari […]

REVIEW As neighbours go, it’s hard to picture an odder couple than the State Buildings and its basement lodger Long Chim, a faux-grunge funhouse of brash music, graffiti and food. David Thompson, Australia’s culinary ambassador to Thailand, serves conventional and uncompromising street  food at this sharply styled diner that’s turned Perth dining on its head. […]

REVIEW Andrew McConnell strikes again at Ricky & Pinky, a Hong Kong-style diner inside the Builders Arms Hotel. Exposed gold pipes, pastel banquettes, and paper napkins project casual glam, and there’s a snacky, shareable menu to match. Using high-end ingredients, such as free-range meat from McConnell’s nearby Meatsmith butchery, his head chef ArChan Chan puts […]

REVIEW Project Forty Nine is a love letter to Beechworth. That’s where owners Rocco Esposito and Lisa Pidutti have a farm, make wine and own a food and wine store, also called Project Forty Nine. They’ve brought that region to this smartly converted warehouse space in Collingwood, showcasing its produce in dishes like mushroom and […]

REVIEW There’s much to admire at QT Melbourne. The parquetry ceilings in the foyer, the rooftop terrace (perfect for an apéritif), and a glass-cased book tower flanking the stairs to Pascale Bar & Grill. In a city rich with fine restaurants, Pascale’s calling cards are bold design and a Robert Marchetti menu of trendy share […]

REVIEW After wowing Melbourne with Tipo 00, chef Andreas Papadakis has opened a second restaurant right next door, proving that his prowess with Italian food extends beyond spaghettini and rigatoni. But don’t panic, there’s still pasta at Ilaria. Nettle and blue cheese gnocchi and paccheri with prawns, sorrel and perfectly pitched prawn oil are seriously […]

REVIEW There’s a relaxed swagger to Neptune, the kind you get in a place being run by people who know what they’re doing. The confidence and experience is clear the moment you step into this well-designed wine bar-bottleshop and scan the shelves: you’ll find a smart range leaning towards the natural without ignoring the classic. […]

REVIEW Check those preconceptions at the door. Sure, there are aspects of Ku De Ta Perth that recall the mothership in Bali (the waterside location, those clubby beats, Bintang for days) yet Ku De Ta’s first international spin-off is more than a giant sunlounge. The sprawling deck, for instance, serves breakfast and Italian comfort food […]

REVIEW When newly minted publican Rachael Niall reopened Wee Bar as Budburst in 2015, the neighbourhood venue fast made friends with its convivial staff, commitment to superior drinking (great wines, plus interesting spirits and beers in support) and ace French snacks (excellent charcuterie and croque-monsieur!). While this is all still true, chef Gwenael Lesle has […]

REVIEW Billie H’s proximity to fashion precinct Claremont Quarter could be hazardous to your financial health. Then again, owner Dan Goodsell’s mighty wine list at this smart-casual bar is packed with similar temptation, at least to those with a taste for bright, lively vino made by boutique  European and local vignerons. The kitchen keeps time […]

REVIEW Bare-bones dish descriptions are effective teasers for the menu at this European-inspired bistro. Sure, the stylish 30-seater run by owner-chef James Guldberg and wife, Erinn Jordan (who oversees the floor), has a steadfast local clientele. But it’s also a venue worth making a trip across town for, particularly for the bargain prix-fixe lunch. Try […]

REVIEW The transformation of this grand sandstone manor hotel atop Mount Lofty has been extensive, expensive and ambitious. And the result? Impressive – especially across all aspects of Hardy’s, its new restaurant. Former suites and a long enclosed veranda form an airy formal dining space and bar, with gorgeous views across Piccadilly Valley. Dégustations are […]

REVIEW Don’t be alarmed if you’re finding Bucci hard to resist. This well-liked Italian’s upbeat red-and-black fit-out, its lively diner buzz and slightly sunken dining space exert a powerful pull on passersby. The attraction is compounded by a pitch-perfect drink list, with its clever array of apéritifs and digestifs, and classic entrées like mussels boosted […]

REVIEW Chicken on sticks is the name of the game at Bird’s Nest, one of the country’s top yakitori bars. If curiosity gets the better of you, order the chicken hatsumoto (arteries), yagen nankotsu (cartilage) or bonjiri (tail). But if more conventional cuts seem like the safer bet, you’re not missing out. Chicken oysters have […]

REVIEW At the base of one of many modern apartment blocks dotting Brisbane’s skyline, Billykart is a welcome reminder of suburbia past. An upside-down picket fence becomes a feature wall, while trellis arches over a humming coffee machine. At breakfast, crisp potato waffles provide edge to eggs Benedict and corn fritters are enlivened by chilli. […]

REVIEW Consistent – no word sums up better the appeal of Beccofino’s blend of easy elegance, attention to detail and ability to deliver pizze, primi and secondi as good as the night, month or year before. Cheeky young waiters are attentive, alert to co-owner Paolo Biscaro’s commands. He runs the floor most nights and his […]

REVIEW This contemporary riverside venue sits on the first floor of a repurposed power station turned performance hub, and delivers much more than its nominal bar status might imply. Sure, there’s ample appeal for drinkers – the bar area floods with theatregoers at interval time and a clipped, aptly Italian-leaning wine list consistently engages. But […]

REVIEW Bacchus’s first trick was becoming a Brisbane hotel restaurant worth frequenting. Five years along, this multi-award winner has risen to far greater heights. While the luxurious design and chestnut colour palette from that late 2012 build might be showing the first signs of age, Bacchus is otherwise old-school in all the right ways. Service […]

REVIEW Fans of the Algerian chef Pierre Khodja will be thrilled to know he’s moved to town from The Flinders Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula, bringing his Turkish delight soufflé with him. It’s just one of many highlights at Camus. Diners are welcomed warmly by gracious black-clad staff and the chef beaming from his open […]

REVIEW With an elevated position and cinematic Story Bridge views, Alchemy offers some of Brisbane’s best riverfront dining. A popular spot for business lunches with nearby Eagle Street’s corporate set, by night it morphs into special-occasion territory, with experienced, amiable staff running the floor. Interiors are sophisticated, decorated in earthy and copper tones, with timber […]

Closing the door on Gastro Park, Grant King looks south for his new guiding star at The Antipodean. And, writes Pat Nourse, the results are most promising.

There’s drama in the look and on the plate at the new Kisumé, but does it all add up to good times? Michael Harden puts it through its paces.

REVIEW Hear that? That’s Bunbury buzzing about this high-paced diner. Cooking over fire might be decidedly trendy – as is the room’s bare brick, exposed timber and Edison-bulb aesthetic – but Market Eating House’s relaxed approach to hospitality is perfectly pitched for its locale. Middle Eastern flavours underscore much of the menu, so skewers of […]

REVIEW Many talented young chefs have cooked at Knee Deep, but there’s something about Baxter Newstead that marks this cellar-door restaurant as one to (re)watch. A CV that includes Noma Australia and Vue de Monde sets expectations high, and the dishes make good on that promise. Australian ingredients star, from marron enriched with a lime-sharpened brown […]

REVIEW Maha is Melbourne’s buzziest Middle Eastern restaurant: a cave-like space splashed in copper and gold that attracts celebrities and celebrating diners in equal measure. Underpinning the atmosphere is the excellent service (credit to the sommeliers for making great wine matches with labels from Chile to Israel) and Shane Delia’s modern take on Middle Eastern […]

Neil Perry’s osteria is a welcome addition to Sydney dining, delivering straight-up Italian food with plenty of sophistication.

Beechworth local Project Forty Nine brings a slice of Italy seasoned with regional Victoria to Collingwood, writes Michael Harden.

Bite for bite, Paper Bird might have the best strike rate of any restaurant to have opened in Sydney in 2017.