The HerCanberra Team dishes on 2023’s best Canberra food
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The HerCanberra team has eaten a lot of food this year (here to serve the people, always). And now we have compiled our favourite dishes for 2023.
In no particular order, we run down our top picks of Canberra food in 2023. We hope you enjoy these food experiences as much as we have enjoyed discovering them in the first place.
IMPORTANT!
There is only so much food a small team can eat, so we rely on our community to comb Canberra to tell us their favourites! Be sure to consider these recommendations in conjunction with our two reader-nominated Foodie Bucket Lists – read Part 1 and Part 2 for 168 more amazing things to put in your mouth!
Med’s Banquet
Mediterranean food bursting with freshness and absolutely packed with flavour. We love the Herb Tahini Kofte Kebabs; Toum Sardines, Heirloom Tomatoes; and Baklava Ice Cream Sundae. Ben Willis is the master.
1 Burbury Close, Barton | medbarton.com.au
Miss Van’s Banh Mi
Luscious, complex and worth every penny. We’re obsessed with both the Tofu and Lao Sausage versions.
Shop 4, 113-119 Marcus Clarke Street City | missvans.com.au
Monster’s Lavender Creme Brûlée, Banoffee Foam, Apple Crisp
Sweet, creamy and subtle lavender hit.
25 Edinburgh Ave Canberra | ovolohotels.com
OHNO!’s Sesame Prawn Donut
Plump and juicy prawns topped with nutty sesame seeds – oh yes!
13 & 15 Flinders Way, Griffith | oh-no.com.au
Bravo Pizza
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Woodfired pizza from the Fox & Bow team is as good as you would expect. We love the unexpected flavour combinations and weekly specials. Their pasta is also excellent!
Red Hill Shops, Duyfken Place, Red Hill | bravopizza.com.au
Supersweet Cafe Matcha Latte
Because sometimes a perfectly brewed match latte is a transcendental experience.
27 Lonsdale Street Braddon | Facebook/Supersweetpastry
Champi’s Crabmeat Fried Rice
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We love this family-run Asian fusion restaurant which puts love into every dish. They also put plenty of rich crab meat into their fried rice so that’s a bonus!
17 Kennedy Str, Fyshwick | champi.com.au
Beirut Bar’s Fried Cauliflower with Sumac Crème, Bhar Aswad and Chilli
One of our favourite Middle Eastern eateries, everything is good but this simple dish is sublime
25 Garema Place, Civic | barbeirut.com.au
Max Brenner White Chocolate Gelato
There’s a lot of new ice cream in the city, but we love this extremely creamy, mousse-like deliciousness, made exclusively for Canberra.
FG09 Canberra Centre, Bunda St, Civic | maxbrenner.com.au
Barrio Cheese Toastie
For this year and every other, the Barrio cheese toastie is one of the culinary experiences of a lifetime. We said what we said.
59/30 Lonsdale Street,Braddon | barriocollective.com
eightysix North’s Chocolate Bavarian
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A warm gluten-free chocolate cake served with creamy vanilla ice cream. You won’t want to share this, it literally melts in your mouth…
Corner of Eloura & Mode3, Lonsdale Street, Braddon | eightysix.com.au/north
Tacos from Cartel Taqueria
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Cheesy, crunchy and packed full of goodness, these tacos always hit the spot If you’ve been to Cartel, you know what we’re talking about.
Ray Morton Park, 6 Trinculo Place, Queanbeyan East | carteltacos.au
All the things from Capitol Bar and Grill
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Because it was too hard to agree on just one thing from their amazing menu.
1 London Circuit, Canberra City | qthotels.com/canberra
Wildflour’s Biscoff Croissant
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We hardly need to explain ourselves do we. Available only at the Fyshwick flagship store.
8 Townsville St, Fyshwick | wildflour.com.au
Miso Dengaku Eggplant from Akiba
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Served with pepita seeds, puffed rice and nori, this eggplant dish is always a standout.
40 Bunda Street, Canberra City | akiba.com.au
Chilli Scrambled Eggs from A Bite To Eat
Because levelled up scrambled eggs (served with balsamic glaze cherry tomatoes, pickled radish, char-grilled sourdough, chilli sambal and fried enoki mushroom) is always a good idea.
8 Chifley Place, Chifley | abitetoeat.net.au
Inari Sashimi
It’s a big call to label something the best in this city, but we reckon Inari sushi is the finest quality fish in Canberra. Fresh off the plan from the Sydney Fish Markets every other day, this sashmi platter is the perfect seafood experience.
Canberra Centre, 148 Bunda Street | inari.restaurant
Assembly’s Shoe String Fries
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The mix of Jerk spice and chipotle aioli is like crack. Once you start, you can’t stop.
11 Lonsdale Street, Braddon | thepeoplespub.com.au
Lim Peh’s Wonton Noodles’ Wan Tan Mee
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We’re suckers for Lim Peh’s Wonton Noodles’s Wan Tan Mee – it delivers an array of textures and flavours before you even tuck into your noodles — for just $16!
Inside Verity Lane Market, Sydney Building | @limpehs_wn
Canteen’s Classic Daddy or Funguys Ramen
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Canteen (the brick-and-mortar restaurant from the Ramen Daddy team) is so good that you could close your eyes and stab a finger to the menu and you’d strike gold. Ramen, bowls, sandwiches…doesn’t matter, it’ll be delicious.
1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick | eatcanteen.com.au
Baked Hokkaido Cheese Cake’s Matcha and Cheezu Soft Serve
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Soft serve lovers, unite! Matcha lovers will appreciate the low-key sweetness of the matcha swirl while the plain Cheezu flavour (which just tastes like vanilla cheesecake) is sweet, plain and delicious.
Gungahlin Village (in front of Coles), 26 Hibberson Street, Gungahlin | @hokkaidoau
$60 Feed Me Menu at Akiba
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A golden oldie, this Feed Me menu is one of Canberra’s most popular for a reason. Delicious, varied, generous and really affordable at $60 per person, Akiba is the destination of choice when you need a meal where they won’t eff up dietaries.
40 Bunda Street, Civic | akiba.com.au
Grease Monkey’s Continental Pizza
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The perfect twist on a classic Margherita with a staunch red sauce, oodles of ricotta that crisps along the sides of this deep dish wonder and a pop of truffle courtesy of the mushrooms. It’s also bloody massive and even one slice will do you in. Heaven.
City, Woden, Gungahlin (honestly, where aren’t these guys?) | greasys.com.au
Mr Papa’s Chicken Street Empanadas
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Deliciously buttery outsides and tasty insides, Mr Papa’s empanadas are just as delish from the Mr Papa truck at events as they are at their Fyshwick location.
70 Barrier Street, Fyshwick | @mrpapa_au
Roy Jr’s Soft Shell Crab Tacos
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Crunchy, tasty and oh-so-fresh, this is possibly the only decadent work lunch that won’t leave you needing a nap under your desk.
7 London Circuit, Acton | royjr.com.au
Brunello’s Risotto ai Funghi Selvatici
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Carnaroli rice in wild mushrooms stock, foraged mushroom medley, and Kaffir lime gremolata…this decadent meal tastes as good as it looks.
222 City Walk, City | brunello.com.au
Rebel Rebel’s Fior Di Latte, Radicchio, Roasted Grapes and Walnuts
A special work lunch saw three team members moaning about just how good this dish is – sweet, savoury, creamy and crunchy, it’s a symphony for the mouth.
23 Marcus Clarke Street, Acton | rebelrebeldining.com.au
A Brownie from Sandoochie
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Gooey, chocolatety and warm; Sandoochie’s brownies are a surprising standout alongside one of their famous sangas.
No Name Lane, Canberra | sandoochie.com.au
All the things from Mu
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Because when you have a 12-course degustation when each dish is just as amazing as the last, how can you choose?
1 Constitution Avenue, City | chairmangroup.com.au/mu
Emma Macdonald’s Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Okay, you can’t go out and buy this one for yourself, but you can make the recipe and trust us when we say you should. Nominated by our Online Editor, this is honestly one of the best desserts she’s eaten this year.
The Pedlar’s Parmi
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A chicken schnitzel covered with house-made tomato sugo, leg ham and mozzarella with garden salad and fries…this dish is so fresh and flavoursome, dare we say this is one of the best parmis in Canberra?
65 Constitution Avenue, Campbell | thepedlar.com.au
Teddy Picker’s Avo On Toast
Never ones to go past a good avo on toast, this combination of zhoug, crispy chickpeas, lemon, feta, and poached eggs at Teddy Picker’s is refreshing and moreish – perfect for the warmer weather.
53/65 Constitution Avenue, Campbell | teddypickers.com.au
Saint Malo’s Pan Seared Scallops
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Everything on the tapas menu is exceptional but with kumara and ginger puree, coconut emulsion, praline peanuts, it’s hard not to fall love with this seafood dish. Pro tip? Order two serves, you’ll want more than one.
We also love the king prawns in chili and garlic oil – a perfectly simple Mediterranean dish done perfectly.
23 London Circuit, City | saintmalo.com.au
The Marion’s High Tea
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Indulgent and damn delicious, you can’t go past their freshly baked scones with jam and cream (including the GF version).
Barrine Drive, Regatta Point, Commonwealth Park, Parkes | themarion.com.au
Two Before Ten’s House-Made Crepes
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These luscious house-made crepes are stuffed with TBT espresso mascarpone and served with seasonal fruit compote, fresh berries and sweet dukkha. Get them from Twobie’s Constitution Ave cafe.
5 Constitution Avenue, Canberra City | twobeforeten.com.au
Jarochos’ Tacos
While the fully loaded versions certainly have their place on our ‘must eat’ list, we also love the simple authenticity of Jarochos tacos.
Heading to Lonsdale St, Braddon, in the New Year | @instagram.com/jar_ochos
Golden Panda’s Black Golden Lava Buns
These charcoal buns with salted egg yolk custard filling are as delicious as they are gorgeous (we also love the Panda Custard Buns – super cute!)
Tiger Lane, Bunda Street, Canberra City | tigerlane.com.au/golden-panda
Koto’s Eggplant Nasu Dengaku
Maybe HerCanberra has an obsession with eggplant? Or maybe Koto’s crispy covered unctuous eggplant with sweet basil, macadamia and pistachio is so good it deserves due reverence. We at one, then ordered another immediately it is that spectacular.
1 King George Terrace, Parkes | kotodining.com.au
Anita’s Sesame, Halva and Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Gelato
A decadent combination that ticks all of the boxes of sweet and salty, one scoop of this isn’t enough. So thick it’s almost like a mousse, the Dark Chocolate is heavenly, while the Sesame, Halva and Pistachio is lip-smackingly delicious. Don’t blame us if you walk away with a tub to take home…
148 Bunda Street, City | anita-gelato.com
Feature image: Cartel tacos
