Country gems shine in Australia's top 50 restaurants list
More than half the entries are in laidback country locations.
More than half the entries are in laidback country locations.
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Move over World's 50 Best Restaurants. Reservation site and app OpenTable has sifted through more than 110,000 user reviews and ratings to reveal the 50 most amazing restaurants right here on our shores. And the winner is ... regional Australia, with more than half the entries located not in the big smoke but in laidback country towns.
Elm Dining in Bright and Isabella's Cocktail Bar in Beechworth are among the 17 restaurants from Victoria (the winning state) that have made it to the list, along with A Touch of Salt in Queensland's Townsville and Karkalla in Byron Bay, NSW.
Winery restaurants, such as Down the Rabbit Hole Wines in South Australia's McLaren Vale region, made up 14 per cent of the Top 50, while modern Australian proved to be the most popular cuisine. The report also highlights some key trends: solo dining is up 14 per cent year on year; trending cuisines range from Afghan (up 73 per cent) to Scandinavian (up 62 per cent); Tuesday-night dining is seeing the largest growth (up 5 per cent) compared to other days of the week; and 6pm is the most popular time to book. opentable.com.au
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Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.
My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.
Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.
My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.
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