Discover Chef Hat Dining at These 5 Stunning Venues

This year’s Chef Hat Awards have uncovered a new world of dining for Aussie foodies to discover from the shores of Hamilton Island in Queensland to the goldfields of Bendigo, there are memorable meals awaiting your taste buds.

Here are five you may not be aware of where the wining and dining is as good as the ambience or views:

Combining the goodness of food with the love of meeting and serving great people, those seeking inspired fare in Bendigo head along View Point to find Alium Dining. Set in the former Royal Bank, this elegant restaurant offers contemporary fine dining alongside a selection of the best of Central Victorian wines in stylish surrounds of green velvet, chandeliers and dark wood tables.

 

Sit and enjoy the view of the historic Alexandria Fountain and Rosalind Park as you choose from à la carte, or Chef's degustation, perhaps starting with honey-glazed lamb ribs and nam jim, or Fremantle octopus, confit kipfler potato, chorizo and chimichurri. Crispy duck leg with bao buns, spiced plum sauce, black vinegar and salted cucumber appeals for something larger, or delve into Roaring Forties lamb backstrap with broccolini, roast pumpkin and French fries on the side.

Take in mesmerising views over the Whitsundays at The Long Pavilion at qualia on Whitsunday Boulevard on Hamilton Island. Delve into a tropical breakfast at this stunning dining destination, enjoy a leisurely lunch overlooking the ocean or watch the sunset with an ice-cold glass of wine in hand as you peruse a Modern Australian menu with a wine and drinks list to match.

 

Choose to snack on white sturgeon caviar with fermented crumpet and cultured yuzu cream, or kangaroo tartare, pickled blackberry, orange gel, puffed wild rice and pistachio crumb; before mains of bay lobster, guanciale, sugarloaf cabbage and green oil. Perhaps duck breast and exotic mushrooms entice, served with duck tortellino, cherry jus and hazelnut, or eye fillet, shallot purée, beef short rib and spring onion.

Inspired by French technique and Australian produce, enjoy fine dining inside the recently restored Ennui restaurant on Pitt Street in Haymarket. Nestled in a heritage building at the heart of Sydney Central, this manse has quietly kept watch over the street, overlooked and passed by until new life was breathed into the premises and it opened its doors to the community again to reveal an elegant, contemporary vibe of banquette seating, blond wood tables and vibrant artwork on the walls.

 

Say merci to entrées of seared scallops with dashi butter and Avruga, or chicken liver parfait, plum jelly and burnt onion, before beef tartare, horseradish and wakame; for the plat principal, think whole flounder with fennel, caper and espelette, or signature duck Ennui with bone sauce, beets, cherry and potato galette on the side.

Discover a harmony of tradition and modernity at Angelo’s Cabarita on Phillips Street. Nestled in Prince Edward Park, this iconic Sydney waterfront dining destination offers a contemporary vibe featuring a marble bar, natural European oak floors, bespoke lighting and a private dining room; while the menu is Italian-inspired and casually Australian with a grill section and bar menu.

 

Dive right in with Hervey Bay scallops, lemon butter, dill and housemade almond meal, or crispy fried calamari, furikake seasoned with sriracha mayo; pasta lovers move onto linguine with clams, garlic, saffron butter and preserved lemon, or delve into miso-marinated salmon, bok choy, yuzu mayo, wasabi peas and roasted sesame dressing. For an indulgent finish, try Angelo’s signature dessert of tiramisu.

At Carnivore on Port Road in Hindmarsh feasting is an art form designed for true indulgence. Signature curated meat platters are expertly grilled over an open flame to highlight the rich, bold flavours at this Adelaide dining destination, which nestles in a quaint brick two-story building with an upstairs verandah and a rustic interior vibe.

 

Ideal for group dining, shared feasts encourage guests to savour a variety of meat while enjoying a sense of communal celebration, complemented by a thoughtfully selected drink menu to enhance the smoky flavours. Start your culinary adventure with roasted split beef marrow, caramelised onion relish, herbs and pane tostato, before a signature 24k gold tomahawk steak, seasoned with red wine sea salt flakes and pink peppercorns, finished with a gold leaf overlay.