Restaurant Reviews

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 Melbourne is a restaurant in the same way that Ferrari is a car.

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 […]

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, […]

After winning fans with sandwiches and pop-ups, Joey Astorga puts down roots and branches out at Paperbark.

Time to open your wine cellar and grab that special bottle: we've narrowed down Sydney's best BYO restaurants.

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.

The Acme team tries its hand at Cambodian food on the former Mr Liquor site; good times, ace value and great booze follow.

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.

With retro style and riffs on classics, Capitano, from the team behind Bar Liberty, isn’t your typical red-sauce joint.

A talented chef makes a convincing case that native Australian ingredients have a place within Southeast Asian tradition.

Handmade, hand-crafted and following the principle of "taste of hand", Sáng by Mabasa has an assured touch, and expands the definition of Korean dining in Sydney.

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 […]

With a newly refreshed look and an updated menu, Bentley consolidates its position as the rare restaurant where wine and food meet on an equal footing.

The boys from Embla have levelled up their offering. The wine bar’s first-floor sister restaurant, Lesa, is gathering fans fast – and for good reason.

A Carlton local gets a winning revamp with the right team in the right place at the right time.

O Tama Carey finally has a permanent site to show off her own brand of Sri Lankan food, and the result is all killer, no filler.

Phil Wood's talents are front and centre at his new fine diner, Laura, part of the impressive Pt Leo Estate sculpture park, cellar door and winery on the Mornington Peninsula.

The tablecloths may be gone, but Quay 2.0 bridges the gap between luxuries old and new like no other fine diner.

A glam new brasserie atop The Newport in Sydney's northern beaches boasts crab worth crossing bridges for.

Restaurant Shik - Peter Jo's first permanent restaurant - fills a gap in Melbourne for smart, switched-on Korean.

We've narrowed down Sydney's best wine bars to a tight list of 12 top spots, as seen in the 2018 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide.

Newtown restaurant Hartsyard 2.0 riffs on its previous form, but with a lighter, more up-tempo rhythm.

Tasmania-bound? Make some time to get out of Hobart and see what the rest of the island has to offer. Between fine-diners and one-starred restaurants, here are the drinking and dining spots worth seeking out, as featured in our 2018 Restaurant Guide.

Whether you're seeking a modern cocktail bar or a good old-fashioned pub, there's something for everyone in the Tasmanian capital. Here are the best bars in Hobart, as featured in our 2018 Restaurant Guide.

With new chef Analiese Gregory at the helm, Hobart’s finest diner is having its moment.

A new CBD pop-up taps classic London style to create the perfectly unpretentious restaurant Sydney has been waiting for.

As seen our 2018 Restaurant Guide.

Marrickville and the CBD are catching up but Surry Hills continues to be ground-zero for Sydney's café scene. Here are our favourites for brews, food and everything in between, as seen in Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

From sleek cocktail bars to spots for the whisky-lover, Melbourne has it all. These are the best of Melbourne's bars, as seen in Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

Between the décor, prime cuts and tableside service, Walter's Steakhouse transports you to the classic steakhouses of Midcentury New York.

It's out with the French, in with the fish as Bistro Vue reopens as Iki-Jime.

Smart operators and chart-topping eats (including more than just pizza) make Harley & Rose good news for West Footscray.

REVIEW Some dining guides have a worth-a-detour category, reserved for good value, local produce-driven regional diners. That’s exactly the speed at the low-frills, double-fronted shop that houses Mullum’s destination-drive wood-fired pizzeria. Don’t expect any ceremony at this locals’ hangout, where the greeting is likely to be, “Hey, what’s happening?” The less-is-more sustainability theme manifests in […]

Sleek, sharp and bayside-casual, Barrio has the best of New Byron squarely on show.

On the Mornington Peninsula, Jackalope Hotel's more casual diner is a standout example of winery dining done right.

The best of Canberra's drinking establishments, coffee hot spots and bars with bites, as seen in Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

The Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale - wherever you find yourself among the vines, good food is never far away with this list in hand. Here are the best restaurants in South Australia's wine regions, as seen in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

Marta marries Rome’s signature dishes and air of joyful chaos to deliver a hit.

Where to get the best coffee, breakfast and pastries in Perth, as seen in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

With classical technique balancing contemporary flair, Melbourne’s Ryne shows that savoir-faire never goes out of fashion.

At Mona’s new restaurant, Faro, the art and the eating come together with a full chorus of brain-bending light shows, pigs’ eyeballs and basil. Strap yourself in for something completely different.

Can’t get into Fred’s? Get a taste of some of Sydney’s most sought-after food at the new Hotel Centennial.

Barangaroo House is big, bold and occasionally beautiful. Could it be a blueprint for the pub of the future?

The best bars in Adelaide, as seen in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017

The combination of party vibe and precise cooking makes Melbourne's latest pan-Asian eatery stand out from the crowd.

The Mayfair brings an air of retro-bistro chic and the food to match to Melbourne's late-night dining scene.

REVIEW Entering this first-floor hideaway feels like tumbling through a wormhole into the Haut-Marais. The room is high-ceilinged, bookended by heritage windows, with timber floors and a sleek comptoir-bar. A sibling venture for Happy Boy, Greenglass reveals similar genes, with affable staff and an infectious verve for wine-friendly fare. By day, it’s a café; at […]

REVIEW This flamboyantly decked-out, first-floor space is so jam-packed with look-at-me patterns, hues and textures, first-time diners could easily fail to notice the extraordinary river and scenic views. Fortunately, the kitchen is adept at grabbing the attention of guests, so you’ll surely recall the well-plated fare. Saffron-laced aïoli and toasty brioche are perfect partners for […]

Paul Wilson returns to the cooking that made Melbourne love him with Prahran's Wilson & Market.

REVIEW Freshly shucked, peak-condition Bateman’s Bay oysters? Sliced to order Spanish, Italian and locally made charcuterie? Or how about gnochetti tossed with slow-cooked lamb, anchovies, green olives and ricotta salata? Wine might get top billing at Bellota, given it’s a wine bar attached and with direct access to the Prince Wine Store and its 3000-plus […]

The best cafés in Hobart, as seen in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

The new Pinbone adventure, Mr Liquor’s Dirty Italian Disco, is here for a good time not a long time, but the times are very good indeed.

Melbourne's best addresses for coffee, snacks and all-day fare, as featured in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

Laneway resident Arlechin heralds a new era of sophistication in late-night bar culture.

REVIEW Michael Bacash is Melbourne’s fish whisperer, the man who sets the local seafood standard. He and Fiona Perkins have been serving top-notch dishes in their charcoal-toned restaurant for 15 years and at Toofey’s before that. It’s a grown-up place (chaps, get out that collared shirt),  but easy and casual, too, with spot-on service. Oysters? […]

REVIEW Sean’s Kitchen is celebration city, embracing the ethos of an eclectic New York-style brasserie. Its high vaulted ceiling, hanging jamon and impressive kitchen flames erupting from the charcoal station create exuberance soaked up by an eager crowd of diners. The casual downstairs bistro space pulls off its amalgam of railway diner-meets-butcher shop chic; upstairs […]

The best cafés in Brisbane's city limits, as seen in the 2018 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide.

REVIEW Spending a few hours at Spicers Tamarind Retreat feels like an escape. Even if you’re not staying the night, you can still enjoy the lush rainforest backdrop from the restaurant and chill out. The Tamarind is driven by warm, friendly service and the dining pavilion takes inspiration from Thailand, with the menu meandering around […]

Chin Chin Sydney’s tune might be familiar, but it still has half the city nodding along.

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 […]