Dreamy Desserts Await at These 5 Chef-hatted Restaurants!

The word dessert is derived from the French word ‘desservir’ which means to ‘clear the table’ – an apt meaning as the first desserts were used to wash down the aftertaste of a large meal with something sweet.

These days, desserts may come at the end of dinner but are still the highlight and showstopping moment of a memorable meal; as we continue on our delicious drive around the country, here are five Chef-hatted Restaurants where dreamy desserts await sweet tooths: 

Discerning Sydney diners find a place where creativity is king, culinary inspiration flows, ideas are born and fresh ingredients are transformed at Atelier by Sofitel on Darling Drive. This elegant East Sydney restaurant serves a sensory dining experience inspired by the customs and flavours of South France; in contemporary surrounds of polished wood, walls covered with wine racks and cane table settings.

 

Executive Chef Sam Moore presents a menu using local ingredients and unexpected tastes as seen in desserts like caramelised pear and almond tart with baked vanilla cream, or delve into dark chocolate marquise, coffee cream and chocolate chard; for a retro-inspired dish choose rhubarb bombe Alaska, rhubarb sorbet and vanilla ice cream.

Offering a unique blend of art and food on the Gold Coast, discerning diners head to Palette on Bundall Road in Surfers Paradise for a meal to remember. Nestled in the stunning HOTA Gallery, Palette is a place for celebration and entertaining; whether you are looking for a private dining room or an intimate evening with your someone special.

 

Enjoy the artwork on offer, sip sunset cocktails at sister venue The Exhibitionist Bar and round off your evening with a menu guaranteed to impress; for the final piece of the culinary puzzle, treat yourself to citrus baba for dessert, with yuzu, sudachi and lemon, or native tiramisu with cinnamon myrtle, wattleseed, coffee, mascarpone and macadamia, paired with a glass of Clare Valley Fortified Riesling.

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. 

 

Chef Connor Bishop is known for his sensational sweet treats such as chocolate mousse with zesty mandarin accents of curd, sorbet and sherbet, along with Jerusalem artichoke ice cream with Manjari chocolate mousse, chocolate rocks and artichoke caramel – a dessert which transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.

A sunny waterfront restaurant serving coastal Mediterranean Summer vibes on a private beach at Mosman’s The Spit with views of crystal-clear turquoise waters and luxury yachts…that’s what you’ll find at St Siandra on Lower Parriwi Road. Every day feels like a holiday at this bar, restaurant and events venue emulating the sun-soaked, carefree, fun-loving feeling you get from a trip away.

 

Be transported to the Mediterranean as you sail through a bottle of bubbles and delight in a menu of vibrant seasonal produce and seafood, before indulgent desserts like spiced strawberry pavlova, basil gel and Chantilly cream, or pineapple granita, watermelon, coconut caramel and lemon sorbet.

A sophisticated tropical dining experience awaits at Zinc, on the corner of Macrossan and Davidson Streets in Port Douglas. This well-loved restaurant presents an elegant venue for a romantic dinner, or casual catch-up with friends in sleek surrounds of marble bench tops, wooden counters and glowing pendent lights, creating a chilled-out vibe in keeping with the FNQ lifestyle.

 

Choose from an extensive menu, featuring fresh local seafood and produce, then check out the dessert choices with offerings like Get Tarty – cheesecake tart, compressed pineapple, yuzu and lime jelly and coconut gelato – along with Chocopalooza with milk chocolate brownie, dark chocolate cremeux, white chocolate crumb and raspberry gel.