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11 Reasons to Leave the House This Winter

11 Reasons to Leave the House This Winter

by Mireille Kilgour : July 6th, 2015

Find dining locations perfect for the winter weather here.

Winter in Australia can be a great time of year for those heading on holiday. You can ski and snowboard down Victoria's powdered slopes, snorkel in balmy waters in Queensland and four wheel drive across South Australia's Simpson Desert. But for those of us stuck in our everyday lives, winter can be a bit of a downer.

To enjoy winter, you need to hunt for the magic. While that can mean travelling to one of the above locations, it can also mean enjoying the simple pleasures that come with colder days. This can be the curled up moments in front of the fire, the long lie-ins snuggled in bed or the times when you slip on some layers and find a cosy restaurant. Moments like these make winter, so to help you out, we've sourced some of the best winter restaurants around the country, where you can enjoy cosy nooks, delicious food and wine, and great winter entertainment.

Warm Up This Winter with Australia's Best Winter Dining

New South Wales

Pilu at Freshwater

Pilu at Freshwater has one of the most spectacular dining views on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Serving award winning Italian food, the restaurant offers special weekday lunch and dinner menus from just $45 for two courses, with typical Sardinian dishes including pane carasau and roast suckling pig.

Climb the stairs of the grand weatherboard and you'll immediately feel like you're visiting a friend's beach house. Arched windows frame the magnificent view over Freshwater and the intimate dining setting makes it cosy and luxurious.

Ormeggio at the Spit

Mosman's Ormeggio at The Spit offers contemporary Italian cuisine in a picturesque waterside setting overlooking Middle Harbour and Pearl Bay. A hatted restaurant since opening its doors in 2009, Ormeggio at The Spit is headed by Executive Chef Alessandro Pavoni, known for his love of 'pushing the boundaries' when it comes to new food techniques. The best way to appreciate the concept is to try the degustation menu, which includes winter delights such as carnaroli risotto with artichoke, braised venison cheek, bitter chocolate and fennel pollen and charcoal wagyu with pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and black garlic.

Both Pilu at Freshwater and Ormeggio at the Spit will be part of this year's Beach to Bush event, which showcases the beautiful local produce found in the Sydney region. Consisting of three meals (one at Pilu, one at Ormeggio and one at Cook's Co-Op) during July and August, the collaboration between these amazing chefs is not to missed.

El Topo

El Topo is Sydney's most talked about Mexican restaurant, and for good reason. Offering just enough heat to keep the winter chill at bay and vibrant, colourful decor, this authentic Oaxaca restaurant in Bondi Junction serves earthy Mexican staples such as slow cooked lamb shoulder, 12 hours beef short rib and Mexican truffle quesadillas. Visit on a Monday and enjoy $10 Margaritas or keep warm with almost 100 different Mexican white spirits.

Bondi Harvest

Following a hugely successful online TV series, Bondi Harvest has now come to life in the form of a first floor restaurant in The Eastern. It boasts a food philosophy that focuses on using locally sourced produce, cooking seasonally (that means rich, winter flavours) and eating healthy. Open breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can enjoy a breakfast of spiced black beans and poached eggs, a lunch of pulled lamb slowly braised in lemon and oregano, and spatchcock stuffed with ricotta, pistachio, lemon, cranberry and kale for dinner.

Queensland

Bistro On3

Located on the third level of the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, Bistro On3 has a modern and sophisticated decor and an ever-changing French-style menu. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, breakfast comes in buffet style while the nightly a la carte menu includes escargot, mosaic of duck and foie gras, beef and Burgundy pie and chips and organic chicken supreme with parsnip puree.

Room81

Also at the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach you will find Room81, a place where intrigue meets creativity and intimate dining promotes winter warmness. Designed to be shared with friends, their micro seasonal palette plates include market fish, smoked eel, lamb saddle and strip loin, finished with a decadent milk chocolate, raspberry and hazelnut sphere.

127 Bar & Bistro

Serving contemporary Australian cuisine in Brisbane's Mantra Midtown, 127 Bar & Bistro offers a menu of tastes with delicious taste boards, mains of truffle and wild mushroom risotto and sides of heirloom beetroots, ashed goat's curd and candied walnuts. With all-day dining there's always something to be enjoyed, but this winter, why not enjoy Friday ciders and sliders or $6 taste plates on Wednesdays?

Victoria

Customs House

Located on the waterfront in Geelong, Customs House Restaurant and Wine Bar provides a unique ambient experience that's perfect for winter dining. Enjoy their new taverna menu with dishes such as prosciutto wrapped asparagus, roasted field mushrooms and house gnocchi with pork and fennel sausage, take part in the monthly Socratique dinner, or celebrate high tea every third Sunday of the month.

Cafe Fez

Cafe Fez presents a unique atmosphere, a treasure trove of twinkling Moroccan lanterns, silver teapots and colourful woven cushions. The Middle Eastern vibe brings warmth into cooler days and the chilled out atmosphere is perfect to be enjoyed with friends. Open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and for dinner on Friday nights, you can cuddle up on booth-style seating while enjoying an authentic Moroccan banquet.

Burma Lane

Located at the Paris end of Little Collins Street, Burma Lane brings diners an authentic taste of Burmese cuisine with bites such as smashed sweet potato, broad bean and cashew samosas; crispy duck leg with Masala potatoes and shallot relish; and pumpkin, okra, cabbage and potato curry. In July, why not try the Colonial Burma Chef's Dinner, an 8 dish Colonial Burmese Banquet with nostalgic cocktails, beer and wine. Alternatively, head there on a Monday and take your own favourite bottle of wine.

Western Australia

CBD

CBD Restaurant & Bar is just a short stroll from Perth's shopping malls, the Swan River and King's Park Botanic Gardens. Nestled amongst 20th Century architecture, its warm vibe makes it one of the Perth's most exclusive restaurants and the seasonal menu reflects the best produce WA has on offer. Warm up after shopping with potato and leek soup, share a Gambero pizza with friends or tantalise the tastebuds with lemon curd, burnt meringue and lemon sorbet slab. In August, you can even get your blue suede shoes on and dine with Elvis and Marilyn!

Do you know someone who needs a winter pick-me-up? Buy them a Good Food Gift Cardand they can use it at any of the restaurants listed here (plus many more). Now that's a gift that never goes out of season!

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Mireille Kilgour

Mireille Kilgour has been an entrepreneur for 35 years in the hospitality sector. French born, she has been an accomplished business owner and operator for a number of Sydney venues. Leading the industry with high profile institutions such as Lamrock Café Bondi, she has endless passion for the industry, and now has the pleasure of supporting restaurants to fill their tables with the new Good Food Gift Card program.