There are so many good food options available in Canberra but there’s just not enough time to get through it all! Obviously I eat out quite a bit but I never seem to make it through my ‘to eat’ list….. I’ve put together a list of some of our favourite Canberra food, food experiences and eateries in 2017. This list also includes favourites as voted by you on our Facebook page!
One of our contributors, Lou, loooooves the Avo on Toast from The Cupping Room! It’s a simple but delicious dish that’s loved by many. Smashed avo is a very popular Aussie brunch option and this one is a little more substantial than most dishes.
Hungry Brown Cows hit the food scene in Canberra this year and have been loved by many, often selling out at the Old Bus Depot Markets on Sundays. They’re super indulgent and sooooo delicious. I love the peanut butter ones but there are a range of flavours to choose from. If you haven’t tried these bad boys yet, add them to your list in 2018!
The Peking Duck Pancakes from Yat Bun Tong are my favourite! You get so much duck and it’s great value. They also do delicious soup dumplings and a range of other dishes and dumplings. They’ve recently opened a second restaurant at Westfield Belconnen so if you don’t want to struggle with parking in Braddon, then visit their Belconnen restaurant!
Canberra’s burger scene has managed to keep up with the worlds love of burgers and there are plenty of amazing burger options in Canberra! I can’t choose my favourite so check out the Must Try Burgers in Canberra article if you haven’t already seen it.
Can you belief that I only visited Temporada for the first time this year?! I can’t believe I waited that long… I was instantly a fan as I knew I would be and can’t wait to return. Their menu changes regularly and is often dependent on the fresh, seasonal produce that’s available. The owner/chef of Aubergine, Ben Willis and chef Chris Darragh are also behind Temporada. Bev Boney shared this pic of the BBQ prawns with us on Facebook and said she loved them so much that they ordered them for entrée and again at the end of their meal!
Brunch at The Truffle Farm was an incredible experience and the food was divine. If you haven’t experienced this yet them make sure you book in early when the Truffle Festival launches in 2018. Tickets sell out really fast!
The food at Trecento in Manuka was beautifully presented and tasted amazing, especially this burrata dish! I’m looking forward to another visit in 2018.
XO Restaurant is one of my favourites in Canberra and the sexy squid is a dish I can’t resist from the menu. It’s a little sweet with a little chilli and it’s perfect if you top it with a squeeze of lime juice!
The Kingfish poke bowl from Lazy Su is so fresh, healthy, delicious, filling and flavoursome! A healthy and tasty dinner or lunch option.
This crispy pata (pork hock) from Kusina was soooo naughty but so damn tasty and seriously cripsy. We dined here with one of my Filipino friends before she left Canberra. Kusina also have an ‘All you can eat’ Monday Madness special and have opened several more Filipino eateries throughout Canberra.
Teddy Picker’s is one of my favourite spots for brunch in Canberra. This is the Brekky Roll – crumbed brisket, red eye mayo, pickled jalapeños, shallots and a fried egg with a yummy hash brown on the side. Their has brown is amazing and they have heaps of different specials including some amazing pikelet dishes. They also make their own pickled vegetables, chilli jam, tomato relish and more that you can buy straight from the shelf.
The Goods Wholefoods is an incredibly healthy and welcome addition to Canberra’s food scene. They have lots of delicious, healthy and reasonably priced options including the beetroot hummus and pumpkin toast that I absolutely looooove.
This potato and Pialligo Estate bacon wrapped egg from Pod Food was absolutely delicious. Their menu is small but there are some great options and you can also get champagne, espresso martinis and bloody mary’s with your breakfast – ahhhmazing! A breakfast degustation is also available and the location is beautiful. You can also dine there for lunch and dinner.
This dish from Rye Cafe was as good as it looks and it was so filling. Avocado and poached eggs on dark rye with broad beans, peas, Danish feta and dukkah.
Other favourite food and restaurants from people on Facebook were the miso eggplant, kingfish sashimi and pork buns from Akiba, Fried olives from Olive at Hawker, Lola and Lola Filipino Eatery (I went for the launch and it was delicious), Pepper Steak from Otis and heaps more. Raku also gets some great reviews and I’m looking forward to trying it in 2018. See the Facebook post to see other dishes that people loved in 2017. What was your favourite Canberra dish, experience or eatery in 2017? Leave a comment!
If you want to discover more about Canberra’s food scene in 2018 then come on an Eat Canberra Food Tour. It’s a great way to try new foods, new places and meet fellow foodies. You can also join the Eat Canberra Food Tribe. The first event will be announced on 2 January!
#sorrynotsorry for adding more food to you ‘to eat’ list! I’m looking forward to more great food in 2018 and creating more amazing food tours and events. Happy New Year beloved Eat Canberra readers and thank you for your continued support in 2017!
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.