The best (and best-looking) of the rest
VIC Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca
When you visit this spirited Italian in Melbourne’s Fitzroy (roccosbologna. com) – famous for its cult-status sub sandwiches – you feel like you’ve rocked up to Nonna’s house. Rich timbers, curtains and fun typefaces on everything from the menus to the take-out bags adds to the sense of nostalgia. The team worked with designer Ineke Hutter of Studio Co & Co, who also assisted with Rocco’s sister venue, Poodle Bar & Bistro, which earned a swag of awards for its fit-out.
Yūgen
The exquisite elegance of South Yarra omakase restaurant Yūgen (yugendining.com.au) is based on the Japanese concept of godai, the five elements of water, earth, fire, wind and void. You’ll see earth represented in the starkness of the raw materials – natural stone, cracked bluestone paving and concrete – while the fluid chandelier by sculptor Jennifer Conroy
Smith nods to water. On the menu, expect Pacific oysters with yuzu, soy and finger lime and Australian Wagyu.
NSW The Caterpillar Club
A jazz club needs three things: jazz, obviously, either live or on vinyl; the coolest of cocktails along with late-night snacks; and the right look and feel. Sydney’s Caterpillar Club (swillhouse.com) is the latest from the Swillhouse Group – the hospo hustlers behind Restaurant Hubert, Shady Pines Saloon and Le Foote – who utilise the in-house talents of creative director Jordan McDonald and artist Allie Webb to create the distinctive speak-easy aesthetic.
ACT Louis
Luchetti Krelle is one of the east coast’s most well-known hospitality designers; you’ll find the company’s
work inside Rafi and Jane in Sydney, Kyomi on the Gold Coast and even a handful of projects in Japan. One of its latest is Louis (louisdining.com. au), the classic European restaurant inside Canberra’s newly revamped Hotel Realm in Barton, plus the adjoining Terrace bar. Both spaces feel distinctly Parisian: Louis features rich jewel tones and marble and bronze fittings, while the Terrace resembles a leafy garden with chic café-style seating.
QLD
The Sushi Room
The dark interiors of the sultry Sushi Room (sushiroom.com.au) at The Calile Hotel in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley invite diners’ eyes to rest on one place: the spectacular, precisely lit hinoki cypress sushi bar at the centre of the room, where head chef Shimpei Raikuni and his team slice intricate tranches of toro, mackerel and kingfish. But the rest of the space is worth your attention. It’s a study in minimalism with a Brutalist 1960s edge – bold shapes, a dramatic domed ceiling and intriguing textures.
Agnes
Few warehouse conversions are as brilliantly executed as that of the pared-back and industrial Agnes (agnesrestaurant.com.au) in Fortitude Valley. Every surface feels both tough and inviting. The two focal points – the woodfired hearth, grill and oven (which produces dishes such as the signature charcoal-kissed steak and seafood) and the enormous floorto-ceiling wine cellar – dominate the room without overwhelming it. It’s a multilayered temple of industrialism and ingenuity that sets off premium fire-fuelled cooking.
SA
Restaurant Botanic
Transforming a slightly twee botanic garden rotunda into what has become one of the country’s most extraordinary fine-dining restaurants is no small matter. Restaurant Botanic (restaurant botanic.com.au) retains the essence of the building’s heritage features – including cottage-y love-heart cutouts in the ceiling beams – but blends them with contemporary fabrics and fixtures that echo the colours of the Australian bush. The décor pairs seamlessly with chef Justin James’s 20-plus-course exploration of Australian flavours.
Little Ban Ban
Pretty and playful are the words to describe this super-cool Korean fried chicken joint (ban-ban.com.au) in Rundle Mall. It was designed by Adelaide heavyweights Genesin Studio in collaboration with local branding experts Peculiar Familia. Pastel-blue tiles, mint-green chairs and glowing neon artwork make it seem like a futuristic doll’s house. Order a green tea soft serve to match the surroundings.