Australian restaurants showcase an astounding range of cuisines and regions, from Mediterranean gems in the Rocks district to pasta palaces on the west coast.
Quay Restaurant, famously located near Sydney’s Opera House, serves classic Australian fare with exquisite presentation. Meanwhile in Brisbane GOMA Restaurant showcases North African and Middle Eastern flavors.
Restaurant Botanic
Restaurant Botanic stands out among Melbourne’s exceptional dining venues by combining romance, botanical cool, contemporary grandeur and an irreverent sense of humour into an exquisite environment. Led by Chef Justin James – former Executive Chef at Vue de Monde with experience at Noma and Eleven Madison Park among others – its dining room provides an unrivalled master class in progressive cooking.
Adelaide Botanic Garden’s kitchen and its gardeners work hand in hand to produce rare herbs like blue quandong, sycamore and Mexican tarragon to spark inspiration in their kitchens and craft 28 tantalising flavour combinations that celebrate Australia’s diverse flora and fauna.
Experience unparalleled dining delights like never before at this high-end, cutler-free restaurant! Discover delights like cured camel hump lardo with duck heart garum and finger lime emulsion or fallen bunya-bunya branch iceblock finished with wattleseed miso! Take the experience home as the perfect gift with one of their many dining gift card amounts available to choose from.
Rick Shores
Rick Shores Beachfront Restaurant on the Gold Coast is one of the most iconic dining experiences. A prime beachfront spot, Rick Shores boasts breathtaking beachfront views that never fail to leave patrons breathless – whether the sun rises over sparkling sea reflections, sets below the horizon casting vibrant colours across the sky, or sets under it for the evening show, sit back and take in all that coastal life has to offer while sipping expertly-crafted glasses of vino!
Food at this spectacular venue is equally beautiful. When former head chef Jake Pregnell and sous chef Simon Hanmer launched it, their focus was Southeast Asian cuisine; star dishes include Moreton Bay bug rolls combining sweet crustacean with buttery brioche and spicy Sriracha mayonnaise mayo. Since then, James Brady from Shannon Bennett’s Vue de monde in Melbourne has taken over and directed their culinary efforts toward wider pan-Asian flavours.
Salty oysters topped with ginger caramel and umeboshi jellyfish are one of the signature items on their menu, while their Thai-influenced slow-braised beef short rib in creamy massaman sauce is another must. Don’t forget to finish off your meal with an Austrian Gruner Veltliner from their extensive wine list; and save room for dessert; they offer an outstanding brulee topped Calamansi Citrus Tart that makes every trip worth while!
Maybe Sammy
Maybe Sammy is a vibrant hotel bar-style cocktail space from the team behind Sydney’s beloved Maybe Frank and Sammy Junior restaurants. This extravagant space feels as though it came straight out of London hotel; think pale-pink dinner jacketed bartenders, gold and brass fittings and plenty of indoor plants!
Mirage, the bar’s latest menu offering, launches this week under creative director Martin Hudak’s watchful eye and may well be its most technically complex list to date. Bartenders were asked to find moments in their lives where something wasn’t as it seemed; then drinks were designed around each moment of mirage that stood out.
One of the cocktails offered at Terra Nova is the Golden Pear, an elegant champagne and whiskey drink served in a glass with its top removed to resemble a cloche; or Infinity made of Ondina gin, Italicus aperitivo, Oscar Rosso vermouth and Grand Marnier served inside a ceramic sea urchin bubble filled with aromatic ice. There are also cocktails without additional accompaniments such as Terra Nova which combine tequila with mezcal.
Bartenders partnered with local artist Clementine to craft eight signature cocktails. Together, the duo sought to create an immersive experience not limited to beverages alone; rather they wanted to tell stories that resonated deeply with consumers while forging deeper relationships.
The Botanics
Melbourneians might prefer staying indoors during winter, but Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens Lightscape is worth braving the cold for. Boasting mesmerising colours and flashing syncopated lighting amidst their beauty and grandeur. Grab a cup of mulled wine or hot chocolate and take in this amazing spectacle as you walk along its tree lined pathways.
The Terrace Cafe at Royal Botanic Gardens just underwent a transformation, becoming a cafe and event space run by Darling Group (Higher Ground, Kettle Black, Stringers). Now under their management is a menu designed to justify visitors coming outdoors – featuring everything from gorgeously presented granola with petals and mint leaves piled high to giant blueberry and ricotta hotcakes that send tables into raptures (cameras in hand, of course) which boast an almost uniform prettiness that attracts social media followers alike!
Start your day right by taking your breakfast on the go and strolling over the gently sloping landscape of the Gardens with feet in the water and eating on the grass! A perfect way to start the day.
