A Good Food Bucket List for Dining in 2016

2015 was a big year for many partners of the Good Food Gift Card, and 2016 is shaping up to be another great one. If you're lucky enough to find yourself with a Good Food Gift Card or your new year's resolution was to try more new restaurants, check out our 2016 bucket list – designed to give diners the ultimate adventure in good food.

Of course, we couldn't cover all the amazing restaurants of the year here and there are so many more to choose from. When you've taken a look at some of our suggestions, check out the full list of partner restaurants here to see where else the Good Food Gift Card is accepted all across Australia.

VIC

Eat your way through Victoria and you'll find an endless array of eclectic restaurants and cafes serving award-winning food. You can tantalise the senses at inner city pubs, laneway restaurants, hatted dining rooms and homely country hotels.

Highlights include:

Coda

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Coda is nestled in one of Melbourne's iconic laneways, and since opening its doors in 2009, Coda has been a firm favourite among foodies. Named the 10th best Australian restaurant by TripAdvisor members for 2015, it's managed to hold on to its hatted status which it was first awarded soon after opening. Headed by Mykal and Kate Bartholomew and Executive Chef Adam D'Sylva, the Coda team also boasts Sommelier of the Year Travis Howe, who was responsible for Coda's 2013 win of Wine List of the Year.

Visit Coda for Modern Asian food, well known for its balanced flavours, seasonality and innovation.

Grossi Florentino

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The kind of restaurant that opens the door for you, hangs your jacket, pulls out your chair and folds your napkin in your lap is a rare find these days, but that's exactly the kind of service you'll find at Grossi Florentino. Originally opened in 1928, it's recently undergone a contemporary makeover that's led it to become one of Melbourne's most ambient-rich restaurants. The food is where they really turn it on, however, serving dishes such as venison carpaccio, lardo ravioli with honeycomb tripe, suckling pig and roast partridge. It's enough to see Grossi Florentino awarded two coveted hats, and with the wine headed by Mark Protheroe (one of the world's best sommeliers), it's a must visit when in Melbourne.

Bacash

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Bacash is one of Melbourne's most-loved seafood restaurants, offering the finest seafood produce that's executed to perfection. The heart and soul of Bacash is cultivated by Michael and Fiona, whose passion and commitment to their craft is evident from the moment you walk in the door. Bacash has been awarded a chef hat every year since 2005 and its beautiful South Yarra location is a winner in itself.

Cecconi's Flinder's Lane

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Cecconi's Flinders Lane – a creation by Melbourne's Bortolotto family – features a glittering stage of an open kitchen, and is full of dark nooks, luxe timbers and beautiful fabrics. Nonna Olimpia (now in her 70s) still oversees everything, lending her hand to produce exquisite dishes such as kingfish with blood orange vinaigrette and crumbed cotoletta.

Cecconi's carries a one hat status, and is also widely known for its sustainability practices. The team prides itself on returning unused produce back to the ground where it came from, and they weere a 2013 winner of a Banksia Sustainability Award.

Red Spice Road

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Red Spice Road is a unique Southeast Asian-style dining experience in the heart of Melbourne, and was voted The Age Good Food Guide'sPeople's Choice winner for 2016. Flanked by cute boutique shops, heritage-style lampposts and beautiful architecture, it affords a rare spaciousness and communal dining that embodies the spirit of the family unit in Asia. The focus is on share plates that pack a flavoursome punch, and its funky vibe makes for great informal and social dining. Be sure to try their famous pork belly!

NSW

Sydney's food and wine scene is world-class and whether set in the heart of the city or overlooking the glittering Sydney Harbour, you can be sure you'll be met with some outstanding views. Outside of the city there are treats too, with NSW being home to a large range of exciting rural eateries that are certainly worth a trip out of the city for.

Highlights include:

Pilu at Freshwater

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Climb the stairs of this grand weatherboard beauty and you'll immediately realise you're in for something special. Chef Giovanni Pilu handles his Sardinian-inspired menu with expertise and modern flair, serving delights such as crumbed smoked eel balls with baby mussels, tart grapefruit slivers and baby spinach. His lovingly hand-made ravioli is a firm favourite, and his Sardinian beer sorbet makes for an excellent finish for any meal. The outstanding quality of food and service at Pilu's makes it easy to see why it has once again been awarded two chef hats.

Ormeggio at the Spit

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Located at D'Albora Marinas, Ormeggio at the Spit offers contemporary Italian cuisine in a spectacular waterside setting. A hatted restaurant since 2009, it today carries two hats and is famous for its unique techniques of cooking and exceptional produce. Continually pushing the boundaries, Executive Chef Alessandro Pavoni's menu is exciting and innovative. As for the wine, its three glasses in the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide says it all.

Bar H

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A warm, welcoming modern Asian restaurant in Surry Hills, Bar H provides an intimate setting that's perfect for couples and small dining groups. The focus is on share plates, good service and banquet style food, and snacking is something that Bar H excels in. Sommelier Rebecca Lines hits the nail on the head every time with her pairings, so whether you're enjoying a quick lardo and roast garlic on sourdough or a baked petuna ocean trout with soy butter and konbu tsukudani, you can be sure you'll be washing it down with something that's perfectly suited.

Berowra Waters Inn

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(Image http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/kitchen/)

The intimate and private location of the Berowra Waters Inn makes for something special before you've even sat down at your table. Accessible by boat or plane only, it's set in the idyllic Australian bushland and offers contemporary European cuisine and a degustation menu that rivals some of the world's best. Head Chef and owner Brian Geraghty is responsible for the mouthwatering menu, which has seen the restaurant be awarded with two chef hats.

QLD

The sunshine state has come into its own in recent years, carving itself a reputation as a hub for fine food that's a little different to what the rest of Australia has to offer. The focus is on fresh, modern, and flavourful food, and the state's relaxed living results in a friendly approach to dining.

Highlights include:

Esquire

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Recognised as one of the country's best restaurants, Esquire offers a sensory experience like no other. Founded on the philosophy 'take only what you need', the menu evolves daily and offers the very best of local produce executed to absolute perfection. It's no wonder this exciting restaurant carries a three chef hat title, with its enviable position on the banks of the Brisbane River and the skilled team behind its food and wine.

COAST

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Located on the Esplanade and enjoying views over the calm waters of Hervey Bay, COAST is relaxed dining at its best. The menu is designed with sharing in mind, and as a result it's a hit with locals that come to share flavours and time with friends. Awarded one chef hat, COAST serves up dressed down fine dining and dressed up delicious produce.

A Touch of Salt

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Be it a romantic evening, a business lunch or a sophisticated celebration, Townsville's A Touch of Salt is a great option every time. It's ever-evolving fine dining menu sits alongside an exquisite wine list, an uncompromised approach to service and one chef hat. The food is focused on Modern Australian and seafood, and diners can choose between an intimate indoor experience or a night under the stars on the large balcony.

SA

The dining scene in Adelaide is rapidly changing and whether enjoying alfresco dining in summer or cosying up by a log fire in winter, South Australia is quickly becoming a frontrunner in Australia's food and wine scene.

Highlights include:

Georges on Waymouth

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Established in 2002, Georges on Waymouth serves fresh, seasonal produce in a classic European setting. In the heart of Adelaide's CBD, Georges on Waymouth is an undeniable crowd pleaser, so it's little wonder that it was voted Best European Restaurant in the South Australia Savour Australia Awards. Menu favourites include their signature dish of lamb press, pancetta, mustard fruits, grilled apricot, and onion textures, and their handmade linguine is a must.

Cafe Sia

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Cafe Sia was awarded Best New Restaurant in the South Australia Savour Australia Awards, and it's little wonder when you see how far they have come in such a short amount of time. Located in the picturesque town of Gawler, Cafe Sia is a family business that has quickly become one of the most acclaimed eateries in the region. The Mediterranean-inspired menu is diverse, and the dessert menu is something you must see.

With so many restaurants to add to your bucket list this year, there is no time to lose. To help you stick to your restaurant resolutions, why not pick a buddy, purchase your Good Food Gift Cards and commit to trying one restaurant each month together?

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Mireille Kilgour

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.