The best new restaurants in Australia to visit this winter
As the chill settles in, many of us, no doubt, are on the hunt for locales and dining experiences that will keep us warm until the close of winter.
As the chill settles in, many of us, no doubt, are on the hunt for locales and dining experiences that will keep us warm until the close of winter. Anathema Australians may be to the cold, but there’s an undeniable pleasure in sharing a hearty meal with family, or thawing out on a spicy curry or cocktail in the company of friends. This season, a host of new restaurants enter the culinary fray. From yakitori in the country’s capital to Italian fare served along Sydney wharfs and the South Australian coast, we round up the most exciting new eateries across Australia you should visit this season.
Civico 47
Where: Paddington, NSW
Executive chef and culinary consultant Matteo Zamboni, who hails from Sydney institutions such as Pilu at Freshwater, Ormeggio at the Spit and Quay, brings his extensive experience to Paddington’s newest spot for modern Italian. There’s a homeliness to the food at Civico 47 (meaning ‘House Number 47’ in Italian) that grounds the menu’s more contemporary dishes. Winter calls for the hearty warmth of their king prawn and bok choy mafalde, as well as their Angus beef with quince and fioretto, and a side of charred corn and mustard plum.
Wilma
Where: Canberra CBD, ACT
Is there any meal more winter-appropriate than meat roasted on a yakitori grill? Smoking, grilling, charring and roasting — all assume centrestage at Canberra’s Wilma, billed as the capital’s “first ever progressive Asian barbecue”. Headed by James Viles and Brendan Hill — the latter, formerly of Sydney locales Aria and 12-Micron — highlights from Wilma’s menu for the season include char sui pork with peanuts and chilli, a beef short rib, and Balmain bug egg noodles. A mix of small plates, snacks and wok-fried mains means it’s enjoyed best as a group experience. Bring your friends and family on a chilly evening and let the szechuan spices keep you warm.
Warabi
Where: Melbourne, VIC
This year, W Melbourne welcomed Warabi, a new omakase restaurant based on a Kappo (‘cut and cook’ in Japanese) dining experience — a set menu that morphs, depending on the produce and the season, at the discretion of the chef. Expect sashimi, broths and wagyu prepared with utmost precision. Each dish making up the nine-course menu is also accompanied by drink hand-picked by the chef; in this Warabi adheres closely to the Japanese principle of Nihonshu wa ryori wo erabanai, which means that drinks and food should never be in conflict.
Bask
Where: Eumundi, QLD
Chef Jack Madden and interior designer Jess Coolican cleared out the terrace of a Eumundi cottage to make room for Bask, a modern Australian eatery inspired by the atmosphere of long lunches and intimate, romantic dinners. The idea is to take your time, and in the winter chill, you’ll certainly be in no rush to leave. Savour their salted cod croquettes alongside their roasted pork loin and roasted heirloom beets; an olive oil cake eaten with whipped cream and marmalade will conclude your meal on a subtly sweet, fresh note.
Peppina
Where: Hobart, TAS
The trattoria-style dining at Peppina comes to Hobart locals and visitors from chef Massimo Mele, who welcomes his guests into the capital’s newly built Tasman Hotel. Dine on soulful, substantial Italian food — wood-fired meatballs, ricotta cavatelli, chargrilled lamb and beef cut del giorno to name a few highlights — in the shade of the restaurant’s two olive trees and a soaring glass roof.
Lana
Where: Sydney CBD, NSW
The introduction of Quay Quarter in the heart of Sydney city has seen the heritage Hinchcliff House undergo a serious revamp. Lana is one of three culinary hotspots that now occupy the floors of the former wool store, built in the 1870s — Grana, an Italian diner, sits at ground level, while Apollonia, a bar, can be found in the basement. Upstairs, Lana offers visitors a fine dining experience. The dishes are modern Australian with Mediterranean influence. Seafood, such as a Murray cod with red rice miso, a lobster spaghetti and a Coral trout crudo, takes precedence, but leave some room for their delightful cocktails and zesty desserts.
Smith St Bistrot
Where: Collingwood, VIC
Scott Pickett of Thai dining institution Longrain brings his French cuisine chops to Smith St Bistrot, a bricolage of European tastes. This winter, tuck into warming crowd-pleasers such as the smoked ham hock and pea soup, the lamb rump and ratatouille and the tarragon chicken, and consider finishing off the night with a raspberry souffle. Take Masterchef’s Melissa Leong’s word for it: this is an elevated, but unpretentious approach to modern European dining.
Hnly
Where: Adelaide, SA
Hnly takes its name from Adelaide’s Henley Square, which sits beachside so you can dine with a view. Owners Angela Papas, Peter Louca and George Kasimatis have focused on highlighting South Australia’s wealth of seafood in their Mediterranean-inspired menu. Dine on Hnly’s baked oysters, pipi chowder, and prawn risotto while you watch the sun set over the ocean; some might say there’s no better way to spend a winter afternoon or evening.
Uncle Su
Where: Gold Coast, QLD
The Star Gold Coast’s newest addition comes with an abundance of dumplings and Peking duck. With restaurant Uncle Su, executive chef Song Yao Su brings classic Cantonese, Beijing and Szechuan fare to Queensland; feast on har gao, siu mai and pork buns at Yum Cha, offered exclusively at lunchtime, and return in the evening for their dinner menu, which celebrates local seafood including lobster, abalone and king crab.
Will Street
Where: Perth, WA
They call Will Meyrick the ‘Street Food Chef’ for a reason — over the length of his career so far, Meyrick’s travels have taken him from Hong Kong’s Monsoon, seven award-winning restaurants across Indonesia, Sydney’s Longrain, and now, Will Street in Perth, a culinary pastiche of Asian cuisine and classic Western cocktails. The menu changes frequently, but rest assured that whatever dishes are available on the day will be tailored specifically according to the climate and available produce. A roasted marron curry, pork hock and chicken and truffle karaage are just some of the meals that might greet you upon arrival.
Rothwell’s
Where: Brisbane, QLD
‘Eat well, drink well’ is the motto of Rothwell’s, a joint bar-and-grill project from chefs Dan Clark of 1889 Enoteca and Ben Russell of Aria and Est Est Est. Designed for long lunches and an intimate drinks-and-dining experience, Rothwell’s leans into the historic setting of its heritage building. Guests are treated to a menu brimming with English classics; think beef Wellington and lamb roast, peppered here and there with a French duck cassoulet and chicken liver parfait. A cornucopia of wines and champagnes purchased from the cellars of London’s Ritz Casino is also not to be missed.
Viand
Where: Wooloomooloo, NSW
Theatricality comes first at Anita Potter’s Viand, a modern Thai restaurant located in a historic building in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo. If they’re available on the day — the menu is seasonal — warm your hands and heart on the mussel and ginger soup, and follow up with a prawn jungle curry and banana blossom salad.