Eat your way around the world without leaving Canberra City
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Craving comforting dishes with an international flavour? We show you where to get your fix without leaving Canberra City.
As Canberra starts to cool, so does our appetite for salads and anything remotely ‘light’. Instead, it’s all about comfort – rich, warming, full-of-flavour dishes that feel like they’ve travelled a long way to get to your table.
The best part? You don’t actually have to go anywhere.
From Italy to India to Nepal (with a very important chocolate stop at the end), Canberra City is serving up a global comfort food tour – no passport required.
Here’s how to plan your route.
Stop one: Italy
Briscola’s Pumpkin and ricotta-filled ravioli with burnt sage butter and amaretti biscotti.
We’re starting with a crowd-pleaser. Canberra City punches above its weight when it comes to excellent Italian.
SoLita Pizzeria & Pasta Bar (143 London Circuit) is a pizza-lover’s delight – crisp bases, bubbling cheese, generous toppings. The menu is extensive, serving up everything from classics (Margherita, Pepperoni, Cappriciosa) to inventive combinations you’ve probably never tried before (Pork Belly & Apple, Beef Brisket, N’duja & Bufala). It’s all delicious.
Briscola (60 Alinga Street) and Mama’s Trattoria (Shop 4/45 West Row) bring the ‘la famiglia’ energy – perfect for a long catch-up with friends or family. We can never resist Briscola’s Pumpkin and ricotta-filled ravioli with burnt sage butter and amaretti biscotti – it’s their signature dish for good reason. And at Mama’s, the food is as the name suggests – warm and rustic. The Scaloppine al Limone (Tender veal scaloppine in a tangy lemon, wine, caper and parsley sauce) is to die for.
Mezzalira (55 London Circuit) has been one of Canberra’s best Italian restaurants for decades, but its menu is a Modern Italian delight. Gather your gang and settle in for elegant dishes and heavenly desserts (we dare you to pass up their famed tiramisu).
Stop two: India
Amara’s dosa has to be seen to be believed!
Next, we head to India – where comfort food is basically the entire menu.
At Taj Mahal (39 Northbourne Avenue) and Amara Indian Restaurant (51–53 Northbourne Avenue), expect fragrant curries, buttery naan and dishes that arrive at the table still bubbling.
Taj Mahal has been serving up home-style, authentic Indian cuisine for over 50 years. We love the Tandoori chicken – boneless chicken marinated in tandoori spiced yogurt, lemon juice and roasted in the tandoori oven. So simple but so delicious.
At Amara, the dosa needs to be seen to be believed – an enormous golden roll which you pull apart to dip in dipping sauces. It’s so light and moreish that somehow, before you even know it, you have consumed the entire thing.
Stop three: Asia
Suchi’s Chicken Katsu Curry.
Now for dumplings, noodles and everything that comes in a steaming bowl.
A taste of Nepal first. At Kathmandu Momo House (53 Alinga Street), plates of dumplings land and disappear almost immediately. The KTM Special Platter is a wonderful exploration of traditional Nepalese cuisine – spicy chicken choila, steamed momos, sausages, bhutan, newari bara, pickle, chiura (puffed rice) and aloo tama.
Civic Asian Noodle House (49 Northbourne Avenue) is famed for its laksa – a full flavoured curry softened with a creamy coconut broth and served with hokkien noodles, rice vermicelli and vegetables, garnished with tofu, fried onion and shallots, and your choice of protein. The perfect way to warm up from the inside out.
And for Japan by way of Canberra, Suchi’s (143 London Circuit) inside Bailey’s Arcade brings rich ramen broths, curries, tender toppings and exactly the kind of comfort you want when the weather turns cooler. The katsu curry rice bowl is an absolute flavour bomb (and incredible value at just $14!).
Final stop: Spain
San Churro’s sweet delights.
You didn’t think we were skipping dessert, did you?
At San Churro (Shop 1/23-25 East Row), you’ll find churros fresh from the fryer, rolled in cinnamon sugar and dipped into molten chocolate, alongside loaded hot chocolates, gelato, cakes and more.
What a perfect end to your culinary adventure!
No passport, no problem
The city might look a little different right now, but the venues that make it worth heading in are still open, still welcoming, and still doing what they do best.
Directional signage around construction areas makes navigation straightforward, and there are plenty of options when it comes to parking. View the printable City parking map to check out the most convenient spot to park – or take public transport.
So as the temperature drops, take it as your cue. Book a table, plan your route, and eat your way around the world – one stop at a time.
Just don’t skip dessert.
This article was produced in partnership with Infrastructure Canberra.
