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Best new restaurants in Sydney
See more in our dedicated list of the best new restaurants and bars in Sydney.
- South End
- Gran Torino
- Young’s Palace
- Vineria Luisa
- Caness
- Corner 75
- Osteria Mucca
- The Grill at The International
Best new restaurants in Melbourne
See more in our dedicated list of Melbourne’s best new restaurants and bars.
- Yiaga
- Saadi
- Zareh
- Harriot
- Suze
- Da Bao, Ho Jiak: Junda’s Playground, and Ho Liao
- Le Splendide
- Kolkata Cricket Club
- Maison Bâtard
Best new restaurants in Brisbane
See more in our dedicated list of the best new restaurants in Brisbane.
- Suum
- Golden Avenue
- Bar Monte
- Clarence
- Winnifred’s
- Evra
- Penelope
- The Fifty Six
Best new restaurants in Adelaide
Esmay
Chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone has found a permanent home for her pop-up concept Esmay. Set to open in November inside the Hackney Hotel in Adelaide, the restaurant will be a continuation of the 2020 endeavour that saw Esmay serve set menus in Noosa for three months, before popping up in locations across Australia in the following years. The move comes after years spent in the Northern Rivers, including Sapwell-Stone’s prolonged stint at The Eltham Hotel.
“From the Hearth Restaurant in Perth to the bustle of Canberra’s wine bars, I learned how the setting shapes the experience — and how important it is to create a sense of belonging, no matter where you are,” Sapwell-Stone said in a statement.A full redesign of the 40-seat dining room will reflect the building’s history and create a blank canvas for the award-winning chef to deliver seasonal and technically refined menus, drawing chiefly on hyper-local South Australian produce. Esmay will fall under the remit of Blanco Horner Hospitality Group (Restaurant Botanic, Botanic Lodge), and is shaping up to be a hot new destination in Adelaide’s dining scene.
Yakisan
In the $300 million 88 O’Connell Street development in North Adelaide, Yakisan is a fire-fuelled rooftop restaurant led by executive chef Adam Liston, formerly of Shōbōsho. Combining Japanese tradition with Korean and French influences, Yakisan guarantees dinner and a show with three open kitchens – a raw and sushi bar, wood-fired grill, and wok kitchen – all surrounded by a curving, green marble counter. Menu highlights include devilled ramen eggs with miso cream, fried leek and kizami nori; a Zinger-style prawn sando with Japanese tartare between Hokkaido milk bread; and Sir Harry 9+ wagyu rib-eye with house mustard, pickled onions and umami cream.
Orleana Restaurant
Boutique accommodation Kingsford The Barossa has announced chef Jake Kellie (Arkhé) is serving as culinary director of Orleana Restaurant. Within the heritage sandstone building, Kellie has reimagined the menu to centre around slow-aged meats and delicately garnished vegetables interacting with fire. Beef intercostal skewers with a burnt chilli glaze are made from thinly sliced local meat marinated in chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander seed, sweet soy and turmeric, then grilled over redgum timber to develop a deep char and smokiness. Handmade brioche buns, split and filled with slow-caramelised Barossa Dairyman bacon and onion, are made even more decadent with a wodge of wagyu fat-spiked butter. Mains may include Southern Rock Lobster from Ferguson Australia, steamed then grilled, with a silky beurre blanc made from house-fermented koji butter, confit roast garlic and a bright splash of kombu vinegar; or Birdwood venison loin crusted in crushed peppercorns then gently grilled with a house-made quince mustard and bitter leaves.
Canopy Bar
Sommelier Henry Bampton has opened a wine bar in Adelaide’s West End. Canopy Bar hones in on high-quality wines more typically enjoyed at haute restaurants, with Bampton keen to offer these drops in a more casual environment. Taking over the former Stem restaurant site, it’s named after the sunlight-harnessing magic of a grape vine canopy. Expect cracking options from local boutique producers like Honey Moon Vineyard and Eperosa alongside global rarities including magnums of Bordeaux from the 1970s and Grand Cru Burgundy selections. While wine is the focus, a concise, Australian-leaning cocktail menu by Lorenzo di Pasquo is also on offer, with a blood orange take on a fluffy Garibaldi, and a cocktail with the intriguing inclusion of Vegemite. Snacking options are as beverage-friendly as you’d hope; think French caviar with crisps, spicy kimchi toasties; salty Gildas with the addition of grilled chorizo; and truffle salami melts with Comté; joined by meat, cheese and pickle platters.
Magill Estate Kitchen
At the foot of the Adelaide Hills, Magill Estate Kitchen has been given a makeover. Nestled within the picturesque and world-renowned Penfolds winery, the reimagined bistro space and its menu are overseen by owner Scott Huggins and group executive chef Rodrigo Santos. The installation of a charcuterie fridge means there’s a new program of dry-aged meats, including a four-month-aged wagyu rump cap with the flavour of tender roast beef; mortadella; two salamis, the first starring pork seasoned with black pepper and rum, and the second made with venison and juniper berry; and a seasonal terrine. Other carnivore pleasers include the hearty grill section of the menu, highlights including Mayura Station rump cap, Gumshire Barossa pork tomahawk and a Monapilla lamb rack, sauced with the likes of zesty salsa verde, an aromatic tawny jus or a classic béarnaise. There’s also a snacky selection of focaccia served with Olasagasti anchovies and smoked hummus; a fish sando; lamb tartare atop a crisp hash brown; and tempura nori with raw tuna seasoned with katsuobushi and house-made zesty ponzu.
That’s Enrico
In the Adelaide Hills, pizzaiolo Enrico Sgarbossa has opened That’s Enrico in Lobethal. With a laser focus on sustainable baking practices, the menu features eight pizzas made from three specialty doughs, alongside biodynamic wines, handmade gelato and tiramisù. With just 20 seats, this intimate pizza palace will occasionally offer pasta and aperitivo snacks, all set amongst Adelaide’s beautiful wine region.
Restaurant Aptos
Former Vue de Monde and Restaurant Botanic chef Justin James will open his own venue in the Adelaide Hills. Following months of research and development, Restaurant Aptos presents the chance for James to take control of the vision as both chef and patron, with the goal of establishing a globally renowned restaurant. True to the reputation he established at Restaurant Botanic (awarded GT Restaurant of the Year in 2022 under his watch), James will hone in on ultra-seasonal produce, pulling from the great food bowl that is the Adelaide Hills. While the space is the former Aptos Cruz Galleries, it began its life 156 years ago as a church, and will now be transformed into a series of forward-thinking dining rooms. A high-concept experience awaits, with guests moving through different spaces throughout the meal. Consequently, James has called upon Williams Burton Leopardi to furnish the space. At this stage, guests can expect a detailed 16- to 20-course fine dining menu.
Restaurant Aptos will open in early 2026.
The Botanic Lodge
Adelaide Botanic Gardens has welcomed another restaurant to its horticultural surroundings with The Botanic Lodge opening behind the acclaimed Restaurant Botanic, and by the same operators. Led by chef Tom Tilbury, the low-key offshoot follows in Restaurant Botanic’s tradition of taking inspiration from the surrounding gardens but with a more casual approach, showing off South Australian produce through a nostalgic lens. Think crumbed tommies in bread and butter with iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise, raw snapper with potato and beach mustard, and Golden Gaytime-inspired soft serves and lamingtons with quandong jam and coconut ice-cream for dessert.
Best new restaurants in Canberra
Lunetta
Miles Jakl’s iconic mid-century dodecagon on Red Hill has been granted a new life with not one, but two new restaurants taking up residence in its space-age looking halls. Seating 82 people, Lunetta is an elevated restaurant on the building’s first floor (with panoramic views of the surrounding city) while 86-seater Lunetta Trattoria, takes over the ground floor as a slightly more relaxed neighbourhood-style bar. Both venues offer a Euro-style menu: think jewel-like tuna on fried polenta to grilled calamari with cavolo nero and pistachio.
With interiors by ACME (responsible for Sydney’s Margaret and Una Mas and Melbourne’s Supernormal and Gimlet), both venues take their cues from Jakl’s futurist form, known locally as “the spaceship”.
lunetta.au
Carlotta
Australia’s capital is the next city on the list for Chris Lucas’s restaurant empire expansion. Carlotta is Lucas Restaurants’ first foray into Canberra and a Mediterranean brief is on the agenda. Hoping to match the buzz of Canberra’s ever-growing dining scene while also bringing decades of restaurant design and ideation experience to the table, Lucas is aiming for a springtime opening for the eatery. It joins the group’s bevy of venues in Melbourne including Society Dining Room, Lillian Brasserie, Chin Chin, Grill Americano and Yakimono; and Chin Chin in Sydney.
carlotta.com.au
Compa and &Sando
In the CBD, Matt Moran is behind a double-hitter venue Compa and &Sando. Complementary but differing concepts see Compa (a slick Italian steakhouse) matched by its casual neighbour &Sando (dishing out deli-style sandwiches). The Moran Family Farm is key to both menus with lamb, beef and pork sourced from the 405-acre farm in the Central Tablelands on show, both on the plate and in between bread. Head chef Nick Mathieson (formerly of Sydney’s Bistecca) has worked with Moran on the menus. At Compa a custom Montague grill fires up steaks on and off the bone, each served with red wine jus, peppercorn, anchovy butter or salsa verde; and tableside mustards. Other items on the menu to pique the interest of Canberrans and visitors alike include a mac and cheese with a cacio e pepe treatment; whole trout sourced from the nearby Snowy River; and salumi made from Moran farm pork. Next door at &Sando you’ll find a hefty steak sambo; baguettes stuffed with ham, egg salad, cheddar and rocket; and ciabatta slices packed with chicken schnitzel, slaw and provolone.
comparistorante.com.au and andsando.com.au
Best new restaurants in Perth
Light Years
The east coast-based team behind Light Years have headed west, opening Light Years in Perth’s CBD. Building upon a string of venues located up the NSW and Queensland coast, including Byron Bay, Noosa, Newcastle and Burleigh Heads, the pan-Asian diner has opened in the heritage-listed Mitchells building in the heart of the CBD.
Culinary director Robbie Oijvall has designed a menu that plays off Light Years hits like kingfish ceviche with coconut, chilli and makrut lime; crisp master stock braised pork belly; and bitey, sweet miso corn ribs. The Perth outpost boasts a more robust dumpling section, including ginger and shallot lobster dumplings; and lemongrass pork shumai. There’s also be steak tartare seasoned with spicy gochujang, pickled pear and umami cream; and lobster noodles with an aromatic laksa bisque. WA vintners take a starring role on the wine list with Logan Bendeich overseeing the selection; and zesty cocktails that play with tropical ingredients get shaken up.
Magic Apple Wholefoods
Cottesloe has received a café-restaurant as bright and beautiful as the azure-blue waters it overlooks. Magic Apple Wholefoods is the new bohemian-spirited waterfront spot from the team behind Gibney and Kailis Fishmarket Café. With a Tame Impala-meets-hippy grocer aesthetic, the venue leans into colourful interiors and meals. Order bright bowls that embrace fermenting traditions of the ‘70s, while still being thoroughly modern and delicious. Bowls include grated veggie fritters with sumac-roasted cauliflower, yoghurt dressing, lemon tahini and rice; steamed miso king salmon with roast eggplant, greens and ginger mayonnaise; and marinated tofu with cabbage, mushrooms, crunchy seeds and vegetable XO mayo. These are joined by a rainbow of juices, smoothies, kombuchas and tonics; alongside Margaret River wines
and cocktails.
magicapplewholefoods.com
Ginza Nana Alley
Perth has welcomed a five-venue precinct inspired by Japan’s lively yokocho (alleyways). Ginza Nana Alley is home to a ramen shop, a tonkatsu restaurant, a yakitori eatery, a café-bar and kappo-inspired restaurant, all joined by neon lights, vending machines and astute Japanese hospitality. Ginza Midai is led by head chef Midai Hatakeyama, who draws on a decade of working in restaurants in Ginza. The kappo-style experience focuses on seasonal ingredients and curated sake pairings. Menu highlights include signature oden (simmered) daikon, egg and ganmodoki (tofu fritters); wagyu steak; and soba. At Yakitori Washokudo you’ll find smoky sticks cooked over coals including tsukune (chicken meatball), chicken thigh with spring onion, wagyu tongue and oyster mushrooms; joined by potato salad, edamame and Japanese pickles. Onomichi Ramen Mitsuya crafts a rich soy broth topped with pork chashu and onsen eggs, while Tonkatsu Kubota specialises in panko-coated chicken and beef hamburger “steaks”. Finally Monkey and Bird celebrates Japan’s retro café and coffee culture.
Best new restaurants in the Gold Coast
Norté and Sueño
The team behind beloved beachfront venue Rick Shores has debuted a new restaurant and bar dubbed Norté and Sueño in Nobby Beach – just north of Burleigh. Chef James Brady visited and stayed in Mexico City’s hip Roma Norte for a month, visiting restaurants and markets as research for Norté’s menu. Brady also flew to Buenos Aires to learn the art of cooking over a parilla, from butchery to barbecuing. This combination of experiences informs much of the menu: think short rib seasoned in the style of Mexico City’s favourite taco, al pastor, joined by aji amarillo and pineapple; and flank steak grilled and served with a native ingredient-spiked chimichurri and caramelised onion.
There’s also a fresh seafood focus, with scallops served with mango, bee pollen, chilli and zesty grapefruit; coral trout with asparagus, kohlrabi and nashi pear; and there’s even a savoury take on a churro, topped with Mooloolaba spanner crab, cucumber, apple and jalapeño. In-demand architecture and interiors firm J.Ar Office took care of interiors (they also did the team’s Brisbane venue, Central, and Gerard’s Bistro), taking cues from the bold modernist architecture of Mexico City in the ’60s and ’70s, which translates into a room punctuated by black slate, brown limestone and woven textiles. Upstairs, Sueño has more of a sun-kissed bar vibe with plenty of wines by the glass and lots of mezcal and tequila-led cocktails. These are joined by a snacky menu of ceviches, skewers and tortillas.
Lars Bar and Grill
In the same precinct, Lars Bar and Grill has opened. Meticulously dry-aged steaks, a creative array of hyper-local seafood and one chef-owner with a two-decades-long resume across some of Brisbane’s best and brightest restaurants are just some of the drawcards. Start small with hand-picked crab and crisp rosti or raw kingfish with blood orange, and make your way up to pan-fried whole Knobby snapper; or pork tomahawk swimming in silky jus gras. The full page of steaks, sauces and sides should be seriously considered.
Best new restaurants in Tasmania
Oirthir
Taking the place of Van Bone in Tassie’s south-east is Oirthir. The Scottish Gaelic for “coast” pronounced along the lines of “oor-heid”, the name nods to the fact both land and sea serve as inspiration for the husband-and-wife duo, Bob Piechniczek and Jillian McInnes. Tasmanian produce and French technique anchor a menu that’s also influenced by their homeland of Scotland. Chefs, owners and Tasmania newcomers, Piechniczek and McInnes are working closely with nearby producers – think Blue Lagoon Oysters from Boomers Bay, Tasmanian flour from Van Diemen’s Stone Flour, Tongola goat’s cheese and Bangor lamb. On the menu, a light dish of goat’s curd, tomatoes and semi-dried tomato oil and consommé; Freycinet-sourced blue lip mussels with a zucchini kimchi and a beurre blanc sauce; or line-caught Port Arthur mackerel, cured and finished over the wood-fire and served with gooseberry chutney and Tasmanian wasabi. The wine- and whisky-focused drinks list nods to Apple Isle producers and the pair’s Scottish heritage.
Best new restaurants in the Northern Territory
Flora’s Temper Mexicantina
In the Top End, Darwin’s Nightcliff is heating up even more than usual thanks to Flora’s Temper Mexicantina. Owner Nicholas Peters has worked in hospitality around the world – most relevantly as co-owner of Mamasita in Melbourne, as well as working across London and Mallorca – before heading to Darwin. To suit the tropical climate, expect fun, fresh Mexican eats: corn with queso, lime and chilli salt; prawn quesadillas; and fresh ceviche made with locally caught saddletail snapper. There are also some fun takes on Tex-Mex and Cali-Mex staples like chilli con carne meatballs; habanero and orange chicken wings; and battered fish tacos with chipotle mayo, cabbage, pico de gallo. Ice-cold cucumber jalapeño Margaritas are a staple on the drinks front, joined by local tins and Mexican cervezas.
Best new restaurants in regional Australia
Papalote
Familiar Newcastle faces Eduardo Molina (The Flotilla), Michael Portley and Stephanie Wells (Humbug) have combined clout to open Mexican restaurant and agave bar Papalote at the former site of The Edwards. Executive chef Portley is serving an “homage to the traditions and flavours of Mexico” on a menu broken into categories of cold and raw dishes, antojitos (tacos, tostadas and tamales), and al carbón proteins from a custom grill and brick pit oven. He’s sourcing Mexican vegetables from Newcastle Greens, and there are plans for an in-house masa program, processing locally grown heirloom corn for tortillas.
Standouts on the menu include pink snapper aguachile with mezcal and sapo melon; king prawn tostadas with pequin pepper and avocado; and cochinita pibil, marinated in achiote and sour orange, from the brick oven. With agave spirits front and centre on the bar menu (and more than 80 in stock), cocktails embrace tequila, mezcal, sotol and raicilla from top Mexican estates, while the wine list focuses on Latin American and Spanish varieties. The Newcastle West venue’s former industrial aesthetic has been replaced by earthy tones and tiling, curved timber booths and murals by Newcastle artist Ruby Laxton, but the palm trees, atrium garden and sunny front terrace – a prime spot for afternoon Palomas – remain in place.
Cibaria Noosa
Alessandro Pavoni (a’Mare, Ormeggio, Postino Osteria) is expanding outside of Sydney for the first time, with his popular beachfront concept Cibaria opening in Noosa in late 2025. Set to open in the revamped Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort, Cibaria Noosa will echo the format of the multi-part Manly outfit (which opened earlier this year) to comprise a trattoria, the poolside Lily Pond Terrazza, and a Hastings Street-facing bar. “This will be a space that embraces the European way of socialising: all day, every day,” said Pavoni in a statement.
Head chef Lucas Bach, who has worked at several venues in Alessandro and wife Anna Pavoni’s Maestro Hospitality group, will oversee the Sunshine Coast kitchen, which will serve an Italian piazza-inspired offering of laid-back, traditional Italian cuisine. The restaurant and bar’s opening in late 2025 comes as part of a wider ongoing transformation of Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort into Elysium Noosa.
Catseye Pool Club
Run by husband-and-wife duo Josh and Julie Niland of Sydney’s acclaimed Saint Peter, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s hottest new restaurant. While Josh is known for his seafood mastery, the menu leans equally into red meat and poultry. Dishes are designed to share, arriving in set combinations rather than traditional à la carte. Think wood-fired pizza bread served with charcuterie, fresh buttermilk ricotta, pickles, olives, grilled peppers and tomato vinaigrette. Naturally, the Nilands have tapped into the local seafood scene, sourcing oysters, crabs and fish from nearby Bowen. Don’t miss the line-caught coral trout, served with finger lime butter sauce, Vadouvan-roasted cauliflower, and warrigal greens. Drinks are just as considered with Sam Cocks, bar director at Saint Peter, designing a Queensland ingredient-focused cocktail menu.
hamiltonisland.com.au/the-sundays/dine
Éthos at Alsahwa Estate
A sprawling 30-acre regenerative farm in Palmwoods, on the Sunshine Coast, is now home to Alsahwa Estate. A field-to-fork ethos drives the Mediterranean-leaning restaurant, Éthos, where local chef Sophie Phipps harvests produce straight from the onsite pesticide-free kitchen gardens, as well as sourcing ingredients from local farmers. Leaning into agritourism to showcase the surrounding grounds, Alsahwa Estate is as much about exploring the farm as it is eating at the restaurant. On the menu you’ll find a daily baked focaccia; oysters topped with prosecco, lemon and dill sorbet; burrata and tomatoes with honey compressed persimmon, balsamic pearls and basil gelato; and eye fillet tartare seasoned with hand-ground mustard, salsa verde, egg yolk and crostini. For mains you can order chicken Maryland accompanied by a savoury pumpkin and saffron cheesecake with capsicum marmalade; a hefty Angus tomahawk with mustard and jus; and a side of tempura mushrooms with caramelised chilli.
Barragunda Dining
Cape Schanck has welcomed Barragunda Dining, an ambitious 40-seat restaurant with circular farming at its core. Tending and harvesting produce from the 1000-acre Barragunda Estate on which it sits, the restaurant is the result of more than four years’ dedicated work. Philanthropist Hayley Morris has worked alongside Mornington Peninsula local and chef Simone Watts to bring regenerative farming to the forefront. A reconditioned former farm shed, the restaurant is polished yet rustic, looking out to the surrounding native gardens, with a vegetable-forward menu joined by estate-reared lamb and beef and locally sourced seafood. Depending on seasonality and availability, this might translate to slices of oxheart tomato with smoked stracciatella and tomato leaf oil; Merguez sausage with pepper leaf and fermented ezme; or black Angus beef with smoked rosa bianca and green fig served with zucchini, kefir and wild fennel. Meanwhile, the estate’s orchard sees apples, pears, quince, peaches, nectarines, cherries, apricots and figs harvested for desserts, preserves and pastries.
Byron Bay Oyster Bar
The Northern Rivers has a new mollusc mecca, Byron Bay Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant. Located within Hotel Marvell and taking cues from oyster bars in New England and New York, the restaurant offers an à la carte menu and live oysters. Freshness is the point of difference thanks to a land-based oyster tank, which houses and purifies 500 dozen oysters at a time. Shucked to order, the bivalves come natural, with mignonette, a Bloody Mary sauce or verjus with pomegranate; or hot, with classic servings like Kilpatrick, mornay and Rockefeller. There’s also a full raw bar, with dishes including a luxe caviar dish of potato rosti, confit egg yolk and chive crème; and tuna carpaccio with tonnato sauce, capers, rocket and native pepper. Alongside this, you’ll find lobster rolls; barbecued Mooloolaba prawns with chermoula and preserved lemon; and confit King Ōra salmon with pomegranate, watercress and verjus. An indoor-outdoor dining room makes the most of Byron’s climate; while ochre walls and sage marble up the wow factor. While it’s an obvious drawcard for Byron holidaymakers, the $3 oyster hour (Tuesday to Saturday) is bound to be a hit with locals, too.
byronbayoysterbar.com.au
The Ducks at Hotel Brunswick
Having made its mark along Australia’s east coast, Three Blue Ducks has found yet another home at Hotel Brunswick in Brunswick Heads. At The Ducks at Hotel Brunswick chefs Darren Robertson and Andy Allen weave together an intuitive coastal sensibility with Southern Californian influences and an Australiana pub ethos. Counter classics like the chicken “parmi” and beer-battered fish and chips get a Ducks redo, while punchy ceviches and tacos star alongside Australian bay lobster rolls; and prawn toast with nahm jim. An expanded wine and cocktail list one-ups the standard pub offering with highlights ranging from Jilly Wines to Japanese Slipper cocktails.
hotelbrunswick.com.au
Bertie’s
In Ballina, Bertie’s is a new café and wine bar. Deli sandwiches are its bread and butter by day – think focaccia loaded with classic fillings, be it a Caprese with high summer heirloom tomatoes, stracciatella, pesto and rocket; or one inspired by classic Aussie bakery rolls, replete with shredded carrot, beetroot, Zuni pickles, sprouts, tomato, salsa verde mayo and provolone. Later on, the olive-green chairs and turquoise-tiled countertop switch into vino mode, with small producer wines and state-focused brews on the agenda. Owners, husband and wife Tim Coleman and Rhianne Contreras, bring with them a background that includes sommelier duties at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar (Coleman); and food styling (Contreras).
bertiesballina.com.au
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