Perched on the edge of NewActon in Civic, the flagship café for the city’s largest specialty roasters Ona Coffee is a place to please even the most serious caffeine nerd. The broad Scandi-styled coffee shop serves the A-Z of bean-based brews - you can even try cascara tea, made with the cherry from the coffee tree – while an all-day brunch menu of comfort-driven classics including avo on toast and hotcakes keeps energy levels pinging. The Canberra coffee diaspora should also put on their radar Ona’s Highroad café in Dickson, plus city centre ARC, Intra in Campbell and Redbrick in Fyshwick for a quality cuppa.

1/1-13 University Avenue, Canberra 

This eatery from chef Sean McConnell (ex Monster Kitchen and Bar) is all salvaged timber, raw concrete and matt black finishes – but the stripped-back interiors contrast with a jam-packed menu. From parmesan and black truffle cannoli to conift duck with fregola, cavolo nero and chestnut, the food is flavoursome, creative and best shared.

23 Marcus Clarke Street, New Acton

The influential restaurant group behind Canberra stalwarts Chairman & Yip and Lanterne Rooms is aiming surprisingly small with its latest salvo, a refined omakase restaurant with seats for just 10 diners at a time around its glossy L-shaped counter. From this stage set, their skilled sushi chefs deftly prepare an 11-course menu that might include delicacies such as Hokkaido scallop brushed with egg yolk sauce and Patagonian toothfish saiko yaki with hazelnut miso and fingerlime.

Constitution Place, 1 Constitution Avenue, Canberra

There’s just a footpath between this elegant pavilion-styled dining room and Lake Burley Griffin. A wraparound deck further exploits the setting but chef John Leverink’s menu does an admirable job of drawing attention back to the plate with his imaginative spin on fine dining: think Daintree barramundi with burnt butter macadamia and baby leek, followed by a mascarpone mousse composed of wattleseed sponge, espresso cremeux and cocoa.

Grevillea Park, Menindee Drive, Barton

At hipper-than-hip hotel Ovolo Nishi, this all-day eatery and bar has become a compelling reason to visit – even when you’re not checking in. Terrazzo-crazy paving, quirky objects d’art and a soundtrack of pop classics are a worthy backdrop to a plant-based menu that showcases seasonal produce, including beetroot tartare, splendid cauliflower shawarma with spiced yoghurt and pickled kohlrabi, and coal-roasted autumn squash served alongside hummus and pomegranate.

Ovolo Nishi, 25 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra

There’s no better spot when you have a hankering for the classics. The aptly named dining hall sports a fit-out worthy of Habsburg royalty – all glossy wainscoting, plush leather banquettes and lighting set to moody – while the menu and wine list are proudly local yet conjure the Old World. The signature pepper steak is the go-to move, while risotto 'poulet en confi', duck à l'orange, and crème caramel will transport you to the other side of the globe.

29 Jardine Street, Kingston

If it feels like an impossible feat to keep little ones contained at a restaurant, head to this popular lakeside spot for lunch or dinner. With its crowd-pleasing menu of crumbed, grilled or battered fish and burgers and chips, as well as outdoor seating, a zero-judgement atmosphere and wine and beer list, everyone can relax.

Mariner Place, Yarralumla

Forget what you think of when you hear the term “food hall”. With magazine-worthy design across its indoor and outdoor seating areas, this gastro emporium opened late last year in the central heritage-listed Sydney Building. Of the six separate kitchens there’s Naples-style woodfired pizza at Pizza Artigiana, Korean soul food at Seoul Chicken, traditional Vietnamese at Petite Saigon and South American fusion at La Cocina Pura. As for drinks? They’re covered at Dear Prudence (wine), Louie Louie (gin), and Brew Nation (beer).

50 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra

Only 15 minutes’ drive from the city centre, this jewel of the ACT’s winery scene has the restaurant to match its vineyard setting. A timber-beamed pavilion frames the bucolic views and the menu follows suit by sticking to the rustic delivery of time-honoured flavour combinations. Quail saddles up with roasted celeriac puree and port, while pecorino, caper berries and truffle make good sense with crumbled Berkshire pork cutlet. 

18 Kallaroo Road, Pialligo

As urban as an urban brewery gets, this shrine to craft beer is in the heart of buzzing Braddon. Pouring up to 18 frothies on any given day – almost all made on site – this brew pub presents you with the challenge of choosing between a Barley Griffin pale ale or the hoppy Sprocket. Family friendly, it has mac-and-cheese balls or chicken and chips for the tykes.

38 Mort Street, Braddon

There’s no crying over spilt milk with the Canberra outpost of the all-conquering gelateria from Orange in NSW, which opened in Dickson at the end of last year. Classic milk bar stylings make the perfect canvas for the all-natural artisan ice cream that see local produce and a whole lot of flair combine in flavour combinations including brown bread and jam, milk and raspberry and the crowd-pleasing salted caramel. One ice cream is never enough, so take your tastebuds on a city-wide whirl to the award winning Pure Gelato in Mitchell and the dairy free-friendly Gelatissimo in the city centre.

Unit 70/2 Cape Street, Dickson 

“This bakery is run by Lachlan Cutting, who’s probably the nicest guy in Canberra. He’s an exceptional chef who developed a passion for Swedish baking after a stint there. His speciality is cardamom and cinnamon (kanelbullar) buns. They are to die for. We use them on our menu as a dessert – we turn the leftovers into a bread and butter pudding. If you can, time it to get to the bakery as soon as the buns come out of the oven – around 10am." – Louis Couttoupes of Onzieme restaurant.

“Chef Lin [Linlin Kearney] was a customer of ours once and then she popped up on my Instagram feed. She makes dumplings and they’re delivered to your door to cook at home. There are about 10 different sorts – things like shiitake, prawn and leek – and you buy them by the dozen. They are fantastic. My first order was a dozen of every single thing she makes.” – Louis Couttoupes of Onzieme restaurant.

“I go for the noodles with salted fish and mustard greens – it’s a big bowl of soup that’s fantastic in winter. One of my favourite things is that the fella who runs it gets around in his high-top Doc Martens, which have bright-purple sparkles. A chef recommended this place to me. It’s tucked away so it’s not easy to find but it’s a top little spot.” – Louis Couttoupes of Onzieme restaurant.

G6/8 Cape Street, Dickson

“When you bite into al dente pasta you know was made that day and it almost bites back… it’s super-delicious. Francesco [Petrillo] is a great chef and Tony [Lo Terzo] at front of house is a consummate host. He’s up for a good chat and likes to share a glass of wine. This eatery in Braddon has a great vibe in that local Italian restaurant way and they do modern takes on some very traditional dishes. They also have a providore next door, with charcuterie, salumi and cheeses. I spend twice as much money in the providore as I do in the restaurant.” – Louis Couttoupes of Onzieme restaurant.

38 Mort Street, Braddon