4 of the Best New Australian Restaurants
Akash Arora serves up Australia’s hottest new restaurants.
Sydney, NSW
Food: Chef Adrian Jankuloski (ex Icebergs, North Bondi Italian Food and The Dolphin Hotel) is heading the kitchen at this “spaghetti and spritz bar”, where old-school favourites such as cacio e pepe meet modern dishes like vegan carbonara.
Drinks: There are 50 spritzes to choose from, plus an extensive selection of cocktails, wines and beers.
Space: The high ceiling, blond wood finishes and rose-gold lighting fixtures give an air of elegance to the dining room.
Location: In Sydney’s Surry Hills, right next to Dove & Olive.
G08, 38-52 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills
Perth, WA
Food: The new establisment from Perth duo Michael Forde and Paul Aron (of Mary Street Bakery) is a “liquor emporium” rolled into a restaurant with indoor-outdoor seating. But the real heroes are the woodfired grill and rotisserie and dishes like sticky blood plum glazed beef.
Drinks: There are more than 200 wines on the menu – try them at the emporium, paired with your meal, or take them home.
Space: Terrazzo bar tops, brass features, wood panelling and lots of plants create an eclectic vibe.
Location: In Perth’s CBD.
250 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Sydney, NSW
Food: The Ovolo Woolloomooloo has roped in American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to oversee its plant-based restaurant. There’s lasagne on the menu but not as you know it – layers of zucchini, macadamia ricotta, pistachio pesto and tomato marinara.
Drinks: A decent selection of wines ranging from champagnes to Clare Valley rieslings, plus creative cocktails.
Space: Housed in the hotel’s soaring lobby, with lots of timber, fairy lights and, of course, plants.
Location: On Sydney’s posh Cowper Wharf.
6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo
Melbourne, Vic
Food: The team behind Fancy Hank’s is launching this four-storey venue, including a restaurant inspired by the hawker stalls of Singapore and a rooftop bar with Chinatown views. There’s no gas, stove or oven because everything – skewers, wings et al – is cooked over fire.
Drinks: A concise wine and beer list focusing on Australian producers, plus cocktails using New World spirits such as Paper Lantern gin from Singapore.
Space: Colourful seating and lights plus a lively vibe inspired by the beer gardens of Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
Location: In Melbourne’s CBD, right next to Chinatown.
188 Bourke Street, Melbourne
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