5 Chef-hatted Venues for Elegant, Refined Dining

As we prepare for the Race that Stops the Nation – the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, November 5 – let's continue on our delicious drive around Chef-hatted dining destinations where elegant, refined meals are guaranteed along with attentive service.

Here are five where creative dishes are the mane event – stop horsing around and head on down for your next celebration:

Dine at height in sophisticated surrounds at Wildflower, occupying COMO The Treasury's rooftop space on Cathedral Avenue in Perth. Upon entering, guests are immersed in a sensory experience of fine dining, seated among elegant decor and offered a stunning view across the Swan River from a table either inside through floor-to-ceiling glass windows, or on the terrace.

 

The menu revolves around an indigenous ethos of six seasons with farmer and forager-driven dishes, including strong organic and sustainable influences in seasonal and tasting menus. Think dishes like line-caught snapper, native lemongrass buttermilk sauce, crispy scales of the fish and young zucchini, along with asparagus, native pesto, anise myrtle and Warrigal greens.

Fine dining with an irreverent attitude is what you’ll find at Nel Restaurant on Wentworth Avenue in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. This Chef-hatted dining destination delivers an ever-changing 11-course degustation theme that intrigues and entices you back for more, all served in a moody ambience of exposed brick, seductive lighting and an open kitchen giving glimpses of the Chefs in action.

 

Currently serving the Great British Menu, snack on a fish finger sandwich, a tikka tart, or be taken to Nelly’s home shire with an Eccles cake; start your journey with cured ocean trout, green apple, dill, rye and elderflower, or kangaroo loin with riberry glaze and sesame Hollandaise. Perhaps anise myrtle bush curry entices with lamb, white and green beans, cauliflower, freekeh and Geraldton wax leaves.

Take in the serenity while admiring native flora and fauna paired with stunning views across the vineyards at The Kitchen at Bec Hardy on Hunt Road in McLaren Vale. One of the most private and peaceful pockets in this iconic SA wine region, dine on the deck with a glass of estate wine in hand, or indoors where rustic surrounds of wine barrels and Edison bulb lighting sets the mood for lingering over lunch with friends.

Choose from two different feed me menus, featuring local, seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients as seen in dishes like Spring peas, smoked pork and onion; before mains to share such as lamb backstrap, leek and kohlrabi, best enjoyed with a glass of Pertaringa ‘Rifle & Hunt’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Pasta lovers opt for housemade cavatelli with mushrooms and silverbeet, paired with a ‘Two Gentleman’s' GSM.

Celebrating Melbourne’s history of Italian immigrants and evolution into a cosmopolitan culinary city, Luci is a contemporary Australian restaurant housed within the grand hall of the Equity Chambers Building on Bourke Street. Its art deco-style dining room – designed by Bates Smart – provides a sophisticated backdrop to the Mod Oz menu with Italian accents; think breakfast plates such as a mushroom and quinoa breakfast bowl with avocado, feta, tomato, poached egg and crispy onion.

 

Dine in the evening over starters like baked scallops, fennel spiced butter, crispy shallots and chervil, or a kangaroo tartare tartlet with anchovy, yuzu and lime caviar; for the main affair, delve into a duo of lamb with farro, Warrigal greens, pistachio and sides of fried kipfler potatoes and grilled broccoli, whipped goats’ curd and fermented honey.

Looking for somewhere 'social'? Social Eating House & Bar by Executive Chef, Matt Jefferson and his team is just the place you're looking for! Located at the base of Broadbeach's Oracle building, this intimately rustic venue delivers another wonderfully reliable dining destination on the Gold Coast.

 

Exposed brick, contemporary furnishings, comfy lounges and low lighting set the mood and the award-winning share plate menu follows suit. Spiced quail, cauliflower, black garlic, hazelnut and Treviso appeal as a starter; while pasta with hand-picked crab, zucchini blossom, tomato butter and roasted chilli oil is a tempting larger plate. Perhaps devour tempura bugs with Malay curry, green mango. Asian herbs and roasted peanuts; those dining in groups may opt for the three-course banquet menu.