Where to eat in Australia’s power capital
The top 10 eateries in the nation’s capital have been revealed — and the results are definitely surprising. SEE THE FULL LIST
Restaurants & Bars
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There is apparently no accounting for taste when it comes to the national capital’s powerbrokers.
While politicians and their mandarins and quangos love piling into their usual obvious late-night eateries to wheel their deals, almost none of these have made the list of Canberra’s top restaurants.
The first ever delicious. magazine’s list of Canberra’s best venues released today shows a surprising lack of the powerbroker haunts where politicians like to be seen.
And former top Sydney chef Malcolm Hanslow doesn’t mind a bit.
His restaurant Pilot in suburban Ainslie in central Canberra tops the delicious. list as the capital’s finest and Hanslow says it’s always been about the food and atmosphere — not who they serve.
After successful food forays in Sydney (Automata, Ester, Oscillate Wildly) chef Hanslow last year returned to his native Canberra for what delicious critics describe as creating a smart, low-fuss, pretension-free experience, pushing basic ingredients to the next level.
“We are not trying to be overly fussy, we are just a little restaurant at the local shops so there is no point trying to be what we are not,” he said of Pilot, opened in 2018 with partners Dash Rumble and Ross McQuinn.
“Canberra is weird in that not everything is necessarily in the city, most local shops have a little IGA, a quite good restaurant and a good cafe, that’s the vibe — so that suited us rather than going straight into the city. We are not fine dining, we are just trying to be a really good local.”
The 31-year-old Hanslow, who started cooking when he was 17, said one of Australia’s best-known chefs Peter Gilmore was an inspiration; as was Aaron Turner.
The list is released today in delicious. magazine’s 18th birthday edition, along with the first ever national list of the best eateries in all Australia.
Other ACT restaurants making the top of the list include Italian and Sons and Bar Rochford and the Ottoman, one of the few favourites of politicians and political journalists to be included.
CANBERRA’S TOP RESTAURANTS
1. Pilot
2. Italian and Sons (inc Bacaro wine and pizza bar at back)
3. Bar Rochford
4. Monster
5. Aubergine
6. Otis Dining
7. Mezzalira
8. Ottoman Cuisine
9. Raku
10 XO
First ever Delicious national best restaurant guide only in Delicious magazine’s 18th birthday edition, on sale now. Plus see the top 100 in your state here http://www.delicious100.com.au/
Originally published as Where to eat in Australia’s power capital