Top Modern Australian restaurants in Australia

Amaru ★ 4.9

Amaru holds three Good Food Guide hats, Melbourne's highest. Clinton McIver's 34-seat Armadale room runs a single tasting menu built on Australian produce.

Brae ★ 4.9

Brae in Birregurra holds three Good Food Guide hats and features in the World's 50 Best list. Dan Hunter grows most of what the kitchen cooks on the farm.

TipBrae is 90 minutes from Melbourne in the Otway hinterland. An overnight stay in the on-site cottages makes the trip logical.

Vue de Monde ★ 4.8

Vue de Monde holds three Good Food Guide hats 55 floors above Collins Street. Hugh Allen's tasting menu takes Victorian produce with the utmost seriousness.

Attica ★ 4.8

Attica in Ripponlea holds two Good Food Guide hats. Ben Shewry builds menus from native Australian ingredients with research depth few kitchens attempt.

Solander Dining and Bar ★ 4.8

Solander Dining & Bar, at 65 Sussex Street, is a modern Australian all-day restaurant and bar with botanical-inspired cocktails and Will & Co coffee.

TipBreakfast runs 6:30am to 10:30am Monday to Friday and dinner at the bar from 5pm Monday to Saturday; the restaurant is closed on Sunday.

e'cco bistro ★ 4.7

e'cco bistro opened in 1995 and now sits at Haven in Newstead, cooking premium Australian seafood and seasonal produce with wood-fired technique.

Navi ★ 4.7

Navi holds two Good Food Guide hats in a 25-seat Yarraville terrace. Julian Hills' tasting menus make Melbourne's west a serious dining destination.

Bennelong ★ 4.7

Bennelong, in the Sydney Opera House, has a three-course menu in the Restaurant, a la carte at The Counter and Two Hats in the Good Food Guide 2026.

Firedoor ★ 4.7

Firedoor is Lennox Hastie's Surry Hills restaurant, with no gas or electricity: two wood-fired ovens, three grills and a wood burning hearth.

Bar Liberty ★ 4.6

Bar Liberty in Fitzroy holds one Good Food Guide hat: Melbourne's natural-wine bistro of record, with small plates, biodynamic pours and a polished kitchen.

OrderSeasonal raw bar plate and house bread with cultured butter

Ester ★ 4.6

Ester is a licensed restaurant (no BYO) at 46-52 Meagher Street, Chippendale, with an a la carte menu and set menus for lunch and dinner, bookable online.

Cafe Paci ★ 4.6

Cafe Paci is a restaurant at 131 King Street in Newtown, open for dinner Monday to Saturday from 5.30pm to 10pm and for lunch on Saturday from 12pm to 2.30pm.

Etta ★ 4.5

Etta in Brunswick East is Daphne's senior sibling: a considered tasting menu format, produce-led cooking and a wine list that matches the kitchen's drive.

OrderSeasonal tasting menu with matched wines

Bar Liberty Bistro ★ 4.5

Bar Liberty in Fitzroy holds one Good Food Guide hat: Melbourne's best natural-wine bistro with seasonal small plates and a list that rewards exploration.

OrderSeasonal raw oysters and the cheese course

Three Blue Ducks Rosebery ★ 4.5

Three Blue Ducks Rosebery is a heritage-listed warehouse at 85 Dunning Avenue where a wood-fired oven and charcoal pits bring character to each dish.

TipHigh ceilings and flexible layouts suit large groups, and the menu changes regularly with what is available.

Blackbird Bar & Grill ★ 4.4

Blackbird is a riverfront restaurant and bar in the Riverside Centre on Eagle Street, serving modern Australian cuisine with a focus on steaks and seafood.

OrderPremium steaks, Fresh seafood

Blackbird Bar & Grill ★ 4.4

Blackbird is a riverfront restaurant at 123 Eagle Street, open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, with an outdoor terrace and three private dining rooms.

Cumulus Inc. ★ 4.4

Cumulus Inc. on Flinders Lane is the CBD's best all-day operator: raw bar at the counter, whole roasted chicken for the table and a wine list worth exploring.

OrderWhole roasted chicken with seasonal sides

Stokehouse ★ 4.4

Stokehouse sits on the St Kilda beachfront and holds one Good Food Guide hat for a seafood-forward modern Australian menu paired with panoramic bay views.

Rogue Bistro ★ 4.3

Rogue Bistro at 14 Austin Street, Newstead, is known for its rotating degustation menu of five courses, with about a third of the menu changing each month.

TipSeven dietary menus are offered, so almost everyone can enjoy a degustation tailored to their needs.

Carlton Wine Room ★ 4.3

Carlton Wine Room on Faraday Street is the bistro Melbourne dining culture is built on: seasonal cooking, natural wine and a room that always feels right.

OrderPan-fried fish with seasonal vegetables and grains

Carlton Wine Room ★ 4.3

Carlton Wine Room is the neighbourhood bistro Melbourne dining culture is built on: seasonal cooking, natural wine and a room that rewards weekly return.

OrderFish with seasonal grain salad and preserved lemon

Daphne ★ 4.2

Daphne in Brunswick East is the Etta team's public house: seasonal European cooking, a natural wine list and a room that genuinely takes the food seriously.

OrderPork chop with mustard and pickles on the daily specials board

Cumulus Inc. ★ 4.2

Cumulus Inc. on Flinders Lane is Andrew McConnell's all-day room: raw bar to open, share plates to follow and a wine list that earns a return visit.

OrderWhole roasted chicken for the table with grains and seasonal leaves

Daphne ★ 4.2

Daphne is a public house in spirit: seasonal menu, cocktails and a wine list for conversation in a Brunswick East room that became a local anchor fast.

OrderFried cheese with honey and walnuts

Sean's ★ 4.2

Sean's by Sean Moran has served comforting food at Bondi Beach since 1993 from a small 45 seat restaurant at 270 Campbell Parade, with views of the ocean.

Aria ★ 4.1

Aria is a restaurant at 1 Macquarie Street, Sydney, led by Executive Chef Tom Gorringe, with views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.