Sharing good times and great food at the Water’s Edge

Posted on 6 November, 2025

It has some of the most iconic views of the city from its lakeside perch near Reconciliation Place on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

It also has its own little pod of dining domes to complement the main restaurant. Now, Water’s Edge has a menu full of different options to tempt you to visit.

While many have known this award-winning restaurant as a destination for a special-occasion meal, or a once-a-year outing, Water’s Edge is mixing things up for the spring and summer seasons ahead. The new menu is doing something different, focusing on share plates to make the dining experience a little friendlier – both in terms of encouraging diners to come as a group – and also, friendlier on the wallet.

Starting off the evening strong with some spring-inspired appetisers.

Of course, you can still book that dining dome for an intimate dinner for two under the stars and do the à la carte menu, but if you want a more relaxed lunch or dinner with colleagues, friends or families, things are a little more laidback and the team is ready to welcome you.

Executive chef Avtar Singh has also created a new warm-weather menu heavy on Australia’s most iconic ingredients: Kangaroo Fillet, Hawkesbury Duck Breast, and White Pyrenees Lamb Backstrap feature among the mains, while a veritable garden of Australian herbs, spices, and greenery adds flavour to the dishes.

A table laden with shared entrees, don’t mind if we do!

Avtar is using finger limes, pepper berry, quandong, and salt bush, among other native ingredients, to elevate his cooking and is suitably proud of the new menu.

His Kangaroo Fillet, with pickled beetroot, pepper berry emulsion, mustard, crispy shallots, and fondant potato is a standout.

Duck breast with stone fruits and a coffee jus.

For those chicken lovers, he presents a magnificent alternative in Achiote Marinated Spatchcock with native pepper berry mayo glaze and gem lettuce.

The Honey Spiced Hawkesbury Duck Breast is served with quince, quandong, grapes, carrot puree and coffee jus.

Vegetarians are catered for with a Stracciatella with pistachio pesto, zucchini, pomegranate glaze and croutons for an entrée, a generous serve of Panfried Haloumi with red wine and honey emulsion, fig, mashed peas, mint and asparagus (if this doesn’t scream spring harvest goodness, we don’t know what does!)

Creamy stracciatella. This one’s a crowd pleaser.

There is also a fish of the day (pan-seared Barramundi in our case) which is served on passionfruit beurre blanc with charred corn, zucchini and capsicum jam. This dish was also a standout at our table of five where we delighted in digging in to try a bit of everything on offer rather than sticking to our usual method of surreptitiously trying to steal little tastes off each other…

While the Waters Edge menu is big on fresh produce, and the expert use of vegetables to showcase the protein makes it feel somewhat wholesome and healthy, desserts are strictly decadent. A Yuzu Mousse combines meringue, raspberry coulis, strawberries, coconut and peppermint ice-cream for those who love their fruit, while a Molten Chocolate Cake with homemade vanilla ice-cream is nothing but oozing powerful chocolatey goodness (and absolutely nothing from the garden!). Delicious.

The array of desserts suited every palate!

Lovers of cheese will not be disappointed in a platter that presents three (or four) sturdy wedges of cheese with seeded crisp bread, apple, dried grapes and quince jam.

With the main restaurant dotted with glass-fronted wine nooks at every turn, the new menu comes with pairings if you choose, but the sizeable wine list is also available if you want to focus on a favourite or discover something new.

Avtar hopes the new menu and sharing options might attract people who may have thought Water’s Edge was too exclusive or fine dining in the past.

“We just want our food to shine for everyone,” he said.

Executive Chef Avtar Singh.

There is also a new option of High Tea Canberra from Wednesday to Sunday between 12 pm – 2 pm. Here is a chance to take time out of a busy day and savour a delightful array of sweet and savoury pastries, dainty ribbon sandwiches, and freshly baked scones served with jam and cream. All served with a generous side of lake views.

So if you have wandered past this iconic location on your lake walks, or sped by on your bike, maybe it’s time to take a fresh and unhurried look at the modern Australian food on offer.

Grab a table at the window or book a dome to watch as the lights sparkle on the lake’s edge while you eat award-winning food. Bring your friends and share the flavours.