By Joseph Steele
Anvers Wines - Kangarilla, SA
Chef: Connor Bishop
Six months into his tenure as Executive Chef, Connor Bishop has already transformed Anvers Wines into one of South Australia’s most compelling fine-dining destinations. Refined, delicate and unapologetically bold, each dish displays an impeccable array of technique, creativity and sophistication that belies the relative youth of his chapter.
Creatively, this is some of the most interesting cuisine being produced in the Adelaide Hills at the moment. From thyme-and-tallow brioche that will forever haunt your dreams to hibachi grilled ox tongue that anchors the menu with depth and precision, Chef Bishop’s dishes are thoughtful and deeply expressive.
Every element feels intentional. Custom ceramics, considered pacing and a narrative that ties food and wine seamlessly together. Founded in 1998 by Wayne and Myriam Keoghan, Anvers has long championed the region’s produce; where Chef Bishop’s vision now brings that philosophy into a sharp culinary focus.
Is it too soon to place Anvers among the upper echelons of South Australian fine-dining? Probably. But some claims are worth making early - and boldly. This is one I’d stake my reputation. The future here is undeniably bright.
Bommie - Hamilton Island, QLD
Chef: Ryan Locke
Bommie is the kind of restaurant that reminds you why destination dining matters. Under the direction of Chef Ryan Locke, the experience is polished, generous and deeply connected to place - delivering a sense of occasion that feels both effortless and enduring.
The menu champions native ingredients and peak-season produce, woven together with confidence and restraint. Dishes are richly flavoured and undeniably moorish, striking a balance between refinement and indulgence that keeps diners fully engaged from start to finish. Chef Locke’s pedigree is evident in the clarity of each plate, where technique serves flavour and never overshadows it.
Set within the sculptural surrounds of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, the dining room itself plays a crucial role in the experience. Framed by reef and sea, Bommie takes its name from the bombora formations that shape the island’s coastline. A fitting reference for a culinary experience that feels grounded in its environment.
A complete sensory journey, Chef Locke and his team deliver on its promise as a true destination restaurant, offering an experience that lingers long after the final course and firmly cements its place among Australia’s most memorable dining rooms.
Lanai Noosa - Noosaville, QLD
Chef: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Lanai captures the spirit of Noosa with remarkable clarity. Translating relaxed coastal sophistication into a dining experience that feels both vibrant and composed. Led by Chef Ryan Fitzpatrick, the menu is fresh, bold and exudes a sense of calm that can only be achieved in such a stunning setting. The invitation here is to settle in and savour the moment.
The cuisine itself leans into seafood, native ingredients and locally procured produce, each presented through a series of shareable plates that encourage exploration. Balanced and expressive, flavours build without excess and leave diners eager for what comes next. Fitzpatrick’s calm approach is evident throughout, lending the menu a delicately quiet sense of refinement.
Set directly on the Noosa River, the location elevates every aspect of the experience. Whether enjoyed over a long, sun-drenched lunch or a polished evening service, the setting and the food work in a seamless harmony.
Lanai is dining that feels effortless and intentional. A restaurant that understands its sense of place and delivers it boldly. It’s Noosa on a plate and one of the region’s most compelling expressions of modern coastal dining.
SUUM - Brisbane, QLD
Chef: Andy Choi
SUUM has quietly but decisively reshaped expectations of Korean fine dining. Intimate, refined and deeply considered, this 16-seat restaurant delivers an experience that feels both contemporary and timeless.
Chef Andy Choi’s omakase-style tasting menu moves with the rhythm of the seasons while drawing on tradition and embracing innovation. Each course is precise and expressive, revealing layers of flavour that unfold with spectacle. The result is a menu that takes you from delicate parcels of Korean tradition, to Blumenthal-esque dishes leaving you in awe for what is to come next.
The space itself is integral to the experience. Dark, ambient and luxuriously restrained, SUUM evokes the calm depths of minimalism accented by understated Korean design elements. Think deep timbers and organic inspired ceramics. From the opening welcome of house-made makgeolli to the final dish, every detail is delivered with purpose.
Meaning "to breathe,” SUUM lives up to its name. It offers a dining experience that is immersive and understated, where you are invited to slow down and engage deeply with the food, the space and the moment.
Wildflower continues to stand as one of Australia’s most culturally resonant fine-dining experiences. Its interpretation of Modern Australian cuisine is grounded in the six seasons of the Noongar calendar, creating a menu that is narrative-driven as it is refined.
Each dish arrives layered with meaning, guided by indigenous knowledge, seasonal availability and a deep respect for Western Australian produce. Native ingredients are used with clarity and purpose, allowing the landscape and its rhythms to shape the dining experience organically.
Located atop COMO The Treasury, the dining room offers a bright, elegant setting with sweeping views across Perth and the Swan River. The sense of elevation is mirrored on the plate, where technique, restraint and storytelling converge perfectly.
Wildflower delivers on more than a culinary experience - it elevates to a cultural one. With an ongoing dialogue between culture, place and season. With menus that evolve alongside the natural world, it continues to set a benchmark for thoughtful and place-driven dining.
What unites these venues is not just the quality of what’s on the plate, but a shared sense of momentum. Each is operating at a level that feels assured yet still ascending — refining identity, deepening narrative and pushing quietly forward. These are restaurants and Chefs who aren’t chasing trends, but shaping their own trajectory. As 2025 draws to a close, they stand not as finished stories, but as ones still being written. If this is the benchmark now, 2026 promises to be a defining year — and these are the names worth watching closely.
