This year has undoubtedly been one of Canberra’s biggest years yet for new restaurants, cafés and bars – in fact, it’s almost been a full time job keeping up with them all! As we start to draw the curtain on 2015, we thought it’d be a great time to look back over the last 12 months and see which new hotspots we’ve been eating and drinking at – starting with all the places that opened up in the first half of the year.
Braddon’s transformation into a food-lover’s wet dream showed no signs of slowing down this year, with a whole host of new venues to choose from. Towards the city end, The Schnitzel Haus and Bacaro (Italian & Sons’ wine bar) opened their doors; while further down Lonsdale Street, everyone’s been going bananas for Grease Monkey’s burgers and getting their caffeine fix at Barrio Collective Coffee. Paleo options are a-plenty at Elemental and Paleo Café, while The Hamlet added Binny’s Kathitto, 10” Custom Pizzeria and Little Dreams (by Dream Cuisine) to its lineup.
The Southside has been just as busy this year, perhaps no more so than Patissez and their world-famous lineup of Freakshakes. Elsewhere, Pialligo Estate added the Farmhouse Restaurant to their award-winning smokehouse, Weston Creek welcomed gastropub Meating Room, Manuka’s Kismet re-opened as On Flinders, and Deakin residents said ‘ciao’ to new pizzeria Locale.
As well as hosting BMX Jams, pop-up markets and open mic nights, our new shipping container village at Westside Acton Park plays host to plenty of unique food and drink options. There’s sous-vide rolls from The One Food Van, rooftop drinks at Aviary, Lebanese street food from Habibiz, banh mi and pho from Miss Van’s, vegan and paleo smoothies from O So Smoothie, and even drive through coffee from Damn Fine Roasters.
Over in Belconnen, 54 Benjamin has been making their mark with a range of seductive signature cocktails, while Two Before Ten is leading the re-awakening of the Aranda shops. And not to be left out, the CBD is now home to Kinn Thai, Tupelo Coffee Co and 332 Manhattan.
Stay tuned for Part 2 next week, where we look at all the action from the second half of the year!
