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Favourite eats

Written by Steph Donse with photography by Will Neill.

There are so many places to eat in Canberra. Every time you look up there's another one. Op! There is another one. This is a small and concise collection of our all time favourites.

Monster kitchen and bar

The lovely beast. Open late, excellent food, excellent wine list and pastries. She is everything. And she's reliable - open every single day of the year.

The Monster sits on the ground floor of the Nishi building. Crumpets for breakfast, bánh mi for lunch and some of everything for dinner.

Type Drink Eat
Where On the ground floor of Hotel Hotel. You can enter via reception at 25 Edinburgh Avenue or up the Grand Stair via Phillip Law street.
Info Book http://monsterkitchen.com.au/book/

Močan and Green Grout

A favourite dinner place in the precinct - sit at the bar next to the open kitchen and tell the chef a good story and they might sneak you a little something something they've been working on.

From their open kitchen they serve up shared plates made from locally sourced produce. It’s at once a café and restaurant and wears both hats thoughtfully and with grace.

Type Eat
Where 1/19 Marcus Clarke St, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://mocanandgreengrout.com

Bar Rochford

We are so glad these guys opened shop. Considered and charming. It's a little noisy so not for the hard of hearing but maybe take someone you want an excuse to nuzzle up to.

It's a tiny bit hard to find (just look for the wine bar sign and go up the stairs) but it is so worth the hunt. We love this place. Inside the beautifully fitted out Melbourne building (designed by John Sulman) - cosy booths to eat bistro style food from, a great bar, and records.

Type Drink Eat
Where 65 London Circuit, Canberra
Info Website http://www.barrochford.com/

Temporada

Another good dinner place. Save room for dessert.

Temporada's menu picks up on tastes from Europe, the Middle East and Asia seamlessly. It's fine dining but on the casual end of the spectrum. The staff are always lovely and the food is always good. You can go for a sit down meal or a snacky winey at the bar.

Type Eat
Where 15 Moore Street, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://www.temporada.com.au/

A. Baker

One of our favourite places for lunch; not least because they usually still have croissants to take away for your arvo coffee.

A.Baker serves European bistro style breakfast and lunch that you can easily share, or not. The menu changes seasonally and ingredients are sourced locally.

Type Eat Shop
Where 15 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://abaker.com.au

Italian and Sons

Good time old time favourites. Best to book as we aren't the only ones with love for this mob. They're open on a Monday (which if you've been in Canberra a while you'll know is like having super powers).

A long time fave - good people, good food and now, more recently, a good little wine bar tucked out the back, Bacaro. These guys serve trattoria style Italian - hand cut pasta, wood fired pizza, and a plate of the day.

Type Drink Eat
Where 7 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://silobakery.com.au/

Lilotang

Because sometimes you crave sashimi. And you want to be able to choose from a list of 25 sakes.

It’s like a formal izakaya. Which is a total contradiction in terms. Modern Japanese and really good quality sake. The chef is Nagasaki-born Shunsuke Ota, formerly of Nobu Melbourne.

Type Eat
Where 1 Burbury Close, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://lilotang.com.au/

XO

These guys are fun. It's in the leafy suburb of Narrabundah, especially beautiful in Autumn. You'll be happy you came.

An Asian street food menu meant for sharing. Good, good food that caters really well for vegos. They also have a mean bar so you can get silly on cocktails.

Type Eat
Where 16 Iluka Street, Narrabundah, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://www.xo-restaurant.com.au/

Sage Dining Rooms

When we visited we had the five-course degustation with the soft wine pairing.

Sage is modern Australian fine dining with a few quirks. Expect menu items like sugar cured ocean trout with wattle seed, saffron and capers; duck breast with pickled grapes, red cabbage and black garlic; and beetroot ice cream with chocolate crumb and ginger marshmallow. The restaurant is set in the historic Gorman House, initially designed to accommodate lower paid public servants in the 1920s.

Type Eat
Where Gorman House Arts Centre, Batman St, Braddon ACT
Info Website http://www.sagerestaurant.net.au/

Barrio Collective Coffee

Another place that we're grateful for. Breakfast and lunch and definitely coffee. From time to time they also do ramen on a Thursday night.

We love this place for breaky, coffee, or lunch. They are coffee mad in a good way, they go the extra mile (like they make their own nut milk) and have a short and simple food offering. 

Type Eat
Where 28 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://www.barriocollective.com/

Aubergine

This is a bit of a special occasion place (you might want to make a little effort clothing wise). The view looks out to Griffith shops (one of our fave leafy south side shops).

Contemporary Australian (with some good old classics) served very well with locally sourced produce. The menu is forever changing (according to what is available) and you order one way only - by going in on the four course menu (you can choose whether you want matched wines as well).

Type Eat
Where 18 Barker Street, Griffith, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Info Website http://www.aubergine.com.au/site/

Silo

It's like a proper French bakery (a really nice one on the 'good side' of the Seine). Favourite for breakfast and brunch.

Canberra’s original bakery where south side locals get their fix of baguettes, croissants and tarts. They have a cheese room! They serve good and simple breakfast and lunch and they don't look at you weird if you order a mid morning wine. Little and busy so go with someone you like the smell of.

Type Eat
Where 36 Giles Street, Kingston
Info Website http://silobakery.com.au/

Eighty Six

This is one to go to with friends who don't mind if it gets a bit loud on a Friday night. The menu is on the European side of things with a few jumps to the USA and a little swim in Asia.

A buzzy vibe in the long dining room, good food and informed service. This place is open for dinner every day.

Type Eat
Where Corner of Elouera and Lonsdale Street, Braddon
Info Website http://www.eightysix.com.au/
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