Treat your tastebuds at Queensland's best hatted restaurants
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By Sarah Bristow
You’ll find no shortage of outstanding restaurants within Queensland’s borders. In fact, the Sunshine State is home to a bounty of venues on par with anything you’d find across the country (and a fair few food festivals too). Thanks to a flurry of innovative kitchens, and the embrace of our bounty of specialty ingredients grown locally, Queensland’s dining scene is going from strength to strength. Get a taste for our state’s best offerings at these Queensland hatted restaurants.
Essen, Stanthorpe
Photo by @essen_eats_
Take your tastebuds on a journey through the rolling hills of the Southern Downs at Essen. The Stanthorpe venue is one of Queensland’s must-do hatted restaurants, serving up homestyle food that highlights the region’s best growers and producers. Nibble on plates of woodfired chicken served on top of white polenta spiked with parmesan, followed by pink lady apple tart tartine, with a dollop of lemon leaf ice cream. It's comfort food taken to the next level.
The Peak (Spicers Peak Lodge), Scenic Rim
Fellow regional resident The Peak sits snuggly within the lush food bowl of the Scenic Rim. This Queensland hatted restaurant is located within luxury lodge Spicers Peak (an overnight stay is here a must) and serves up a fine dining take on modern Australian cuisine with top notch service. Think Red Gum lamb rack and native pepper and white chocolate ganache, enjoyed beside a roaring fire inside the plush lodge or out on the terrace soaking up the rolling green hinterland views.
Agnes, Brisbane
Suave is an understatement at the dimly lit Agnes, tucked into Fortitude Valley. The rising star of the Brisbane restaurant scene is an ode to woodfired food, with an open kitchen for added entertainment. Watch the flames dance while you enjoy baked oysters, with XO and nduja butter, and duck, accompanied by smoked onion, prune and Pedro Ximénez. Post-feast, head upstairs for a cocktail while you take in the city skyline from the rooftop bar.
Gerard's Bistro, Brisbane
Photo by @gerardsbistro
Moreish Middle Eastern bites await you from the laneways behind vibrant James Street where the tiled walls and velvet seating of Gerard’s Bistro sit tucked away - offering diners a tasty reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Fortitude Valley. Indulge in share plates rich in the flavours of Maghreb and Middle East, given a modern twist with local ingredients. The seasonal menu changes frequently but expect flavoursome dishes along the lines of smoked Moreton Bay bug with baba ghanoush and bisque, or melt-in-your-mouth lamb collar with fermented beetroot and garlic yoghurt.
Rick Shores, Gold Coast
Menu and views will both compete for your attention at this Burleigh institution - after all the Pan-Asian establishment sits within arm’s reach of the waves on the beachfront. A Queensland hatted restaurant for good reason, tuck into share plates of yellowtail kingfish, and red curry while you watch the surfers at play. Just don’t forget to order fan favourite, the Moreton Bay bug roll.
The North Room, Gold Coast
Photo by @goldcoastfoodie
Sitting a few streets back from the beach, The North Room is a Mermaid Beach favourite serving up a carefully curated tasting menu in a cosy setting. Kick back and relax on the velvet blue bench seating of the 28-pax establishment while you feast on an ever-changing creations of Australia and European flavours. Pro tip: indulge in the wine pairing too.
Eddy + Wolff, Gold Coast
Photo by @eddyandwolff
Intimate is the most apt description of Eddy + Wolff, the Asian-inspired eatery that is a rather cool addition to suburban Robina. Founders Thao and Vien are Vietnamese-born and Australian-raised, and merge both cultures (and their cuisines) for their innovative menu. Pull up a stool at the bar and devour Korean fried quail with magic sauce, crunchy eggplant smothered in chilli caramel and whipped tofu cheesecake served with Vietnamese coffee syrup.
Nautilus, Port Douglas
Photo by Nautilus Restaurant
Nothing short of a Port Douglas icon, Nautilus has been taking care of visitors (and their tastebuds) to the tropical region for the past 65 years. Nestled under a rainforest canopy, this open-air venue tempts guests with an unforgettable setting, partnered with an upmarket modern Australian menu. The degustation-based delights toast to local ingredients like coral trout and mud crab.
Nu Nu, Palm Cove
Savour the flavours of Tropical North Queensland beneath swaying coconut palms on beachfront Palm Cove at Nu Nu. This innovative Queensland hattest restaurant is not only considered one of the best places to dine in the Sunshine State’s north, but in the whole of Queensland. It’s not hard to see why, with a menu laden in local delicacies like kimchi butter reef fish, and roast pineapple, served with black pepper caramel and coconut sorbet.
Bommie, Hamilton Island
Bommie Deck & Restaurant
The idyllic Whitsundays is a place not only rich in things to do, but places to eat. Especially on Hamilton Island where Bommie resides, nestled within the suave walls of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club. Gaze out onto the neighbouring Whitsunday Islands while you graze on contemporary Australian fare, like Queensland tiger prawns, and kangaroo tartare.
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