The 50 Best Restaurants in Australia Right Now, According to OpenTable

Well, we’re well and truly approaching the end of the year, folks. Not only are the Christmas decorations on display, but end-of-year lists have begun rolling out. One particularly interesting example of this is the announcement of OpenTable’s Top 50 Restaurants in Australia for 2023.

To pull together this list, the digital hospitality booking service has surveyed 110,000 OpenTable diner reviews and dining metrics, including ratings, alerts set (for booking availability), and bookings made.

The 50 best eateries that made the list are found in both regional areas as well as in major Australian cities, and although Victoria was home to the majority of venues, a number of different states are represented.

Other interesting trends that emerged from the survey, according to OpenTable, include that Modern Australian was the most popular cuisine, with Italian making a strong impression, also. Additionally, wineries performed rather well this year, making up 14 per cent of the list, OpenTable shared.

Drew Bowering, Senior Director of Sales and Services APAC at OpenTable, shared a statement on the survey data and the trends that emerged alongside it:

“From a rise in solo dining to the increased popularity of 5pm meals, it’s clear that how we eat is changing. We’ve seen savvy restaurants adapt to this in a myriad of ways, from solo-friendly menus to early bird specials. Our data also shows the cuisines Australians love are just as diverse as we are, with Afghan, Scandinavian and Irish cuisines trending on our platform.”

If you’d like to see the list in full, we’ve shared it with you below.

OpenTable’s 50 best restaurants in Australia for 2023

The following venues are not listed in any particular order. Plan your dining journies accordingly.

Best restaurants in Victoria

• Akaiito – Melbourne, VIC
• Brown Brothers Restaurant – Milawa, VIC
• Coombe Yarra Valley – Coldstream, VIC
• Donovans – St Kilda, VIC
• Elm Dining – Bright, VIC
• Enoteca Boccaccio – Balwyn, VIC
• Grazia Restaurant – Glen Iris, VIC
• Il Solito Posto – Melbourne, VIC
• Isabella’s Cocktail Bar – Beechworth, VIC
• Phillip Island Winery – Ventnor, VIC
• Serai Kitchen – Melbourne, VIC
• Sir Loins – Bright, VIC
• Sir Paz Estate Yarra Valley – Wandin East, VIC
• Vue de monde  – Melbourne, VIC
• Wayward Winery – Waubra, VIC
• Wild – Castlemaine, VIC
• Yugen Dining – South Yarra, VIC

Best restaurants in Queensland

• A Touch of Salt – Townsville, QLD
• Amici Restaurant – Caloundra, QLD
• Deer Duck Bistro – Brisbane, QLD
• Essa Restaurant – Fortitude Valley, QLD
• Essen Restaurant – Stanthorpe, QLD
• Etsu Izakaya – Mermaid Beach, QLD
• Humble on Duke – Sunshine Beach, QLD
• Locale Restaurant and Bar – Noosa Heads, QLD
• Lyrebird – Brisbane, QLD
• Palette Restaurant – Surfers Paradise, QLD
• Rick Shores – Burleigh Heads, QLD
• Ricky’s River Bar and Restaurant – Noosa Heads, QLD
• Sails Noosa – Noosa Heads, QLD
• Signature – Emporium Hotel South Bank – South Brisbane, QLD
• Sumi Open Kitchen – Noosa Heads, QLD

Best venues in New South Wales

• Circa 1876 at The Convent Hunter Valley – Pokolbin, NSW
• Clam Bar – Sydney, NSW
• Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels Blue Mountains – Katoomba, NSW
• Ecco Ristorante – Drummoyne, NSW
• Karkalla – Byron Bay, NSW
• Kobo – Sydney, NSW
• Mimosa Wines Restaurant – Murrah, NSW
• Osteria di Russo & Russo – Enmore, NSW
• Pellegrino 2000 – Surry Hills, NSW
• The Apprentice TAFE NSW – Ultimo, NSW
• The Wild Flower Bar & Dining at Bells at Killcare – Killcare Heights, NSW
• Tsuzumi – Barangaroo, NSW
• Valentina – Merimbula, NSW 

Best restaurants in Tasmania

• Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant – Cambridge, TAS
• Landscape Restaurant – Hobart, TAS
• The Point Revolving Restaurant Wrest Point – Sandy Bay, TAS

Best venues in South Australia

• Down The Rabbit Hole Wines – McLaren Vale, SA
• Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant – Crafers, SA

If you’re after more dining content, you can take a peek at our list of the best new venues to hit Australia in 2023. Or, you can get on top of your next date night with the most romantic eateries in Melbourne and Sydney, instead.

Lead Image Credit: Osteria di Russo & Russo, Grazia, Rick Shores, Images supplied