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  • Unique Dining Experiences in Australia to Add to Your Foodie Bucket List

Unique Dining Experiences in Australia to Add to Your Foodie Bucket List

Promising fabulous feasts in some of the country's most breathtaking landscapes, these are the most unique dining experiences in Australia.

The Ghan Outback Dinner

Enjoying a delicious meal is one thing, enjoying it alongside spectacular scenery is quite another. A breathtaking backdrop can help turn your typical dining affair into a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Luckily, Australia is spoilt with beautiful outlooks playing host to countless restaurants and delicious gourmet events.

So, for the foodies of the group – that’s all of us, right? – we’ve tasted our way across the country to bring you our pick of the most unique dining experiences in Australia to add to your foodie bucket list, pronto. 

Unique Dining Experiences: Melbourne

The Truffle Paddock

Head Out on a Truffle Hunt, Victoria

Surrounded by old indigenous trees and home to more than forty species of native birds, Grantville’s Truffle Paddock is one of only a handful of Australian truffieres producing both the French black winter truffle and the small Italian white bianchetto truffle.

Grab a coffee with Truffle Melbourne founder Nigel Wood before setting out to find those prized black and white gems in the heart of Victoria’s truffle country alongside resident truffle dogs 'Forrest' and 'Comet'. After the hunt, enjoy truffled scrambled eggs, a glass of champagne and truffle talk by the fireside.

Sundays throughout June and July

Glen Alvie Road, Grantville, Victoria

Brae

Eat, Drink, Stay and Play at Brae, Victoria

Fancy a stay at one of the country’s most revered restaurants? The very definition of farm-to-plate, Brae has retained its three chef hats and was awarded Vittoria Restaurant of the Year. Sitting pretty on 30 acres with vegetable plots and an established grove of over 100 trees, Brae uses fresh produce from its own farm as well as that of local producers and growers, to shape its ever-changing menu.

As well as crafting life-changing farm-fresh cuisine, Brae offers six luxury guest suites that are a lesson in effortless, modern chic. Recycled red brick, corrugated iron and pale timber create a setting that’s arrestingly beautiful in its simplicity.

4285 Cape Otway Road, Birregurra, Victoria

Hot Air Ballooning in the Yarra Valley

Go Hot Air Ballooning Over the Yarra Valley Before Breakfast

What do you get when you combine a hot air balloon ride with a Champagne breakfast and an overnight stay at a beautiful winery? An absolutely unforgettable experience, that’s what. And that's exactly what you'll get at Balgownie Estate winery in Victoria’s stunning Yarra Valley. Throughout this magical morning, you’ll float across the sky and over the top of the unique landscapes of Australia's most famous wine region, before finishing your journey with a delicious Champagne breakfast. You’ll literally be floating on cloud nine.

Balgownie Estate, 1309 Melba Highway, Yarra Glen, Victoria

Eureka 89

Dine with Breathtaking Views Over Melbourne

Located on the top floor of Eureka Tower in Southbank Melbourne, dining at Eureka 89 will literally make you feel on top of the world (or at the very least, on top of Melbourne). Sporting what is perhaps the best view in the city, there’s an option to enjoy a five or seven-course degustation menu. The restaurant suggests allowing between 2.5 to 3.5 hours for this dining experience, but with views like this, it’s highly possible you won’t want to leave — ever.

Level 89, Eureka Tower, 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank Victoria

Unique Dining Experiences: Northern Territory

The Ghan

Wine and Dine Your Way Across Australia Aboard The Ghan

Step aboard The Ghan and be transported back to the golden age of travel, when service was always impeccable, and life was as much about the journey as the destination. A quintessentially Australian experience that combines luxury travel with exquisite food and awe-inspiring landscapes, this renowned expedition promises access to parts of the country that remain unspoiled.

Taking you deep into the heart of Australia from Darwin to Adelaide, guests will be equally as inspired by what’s coming out of the kitchen. Rivalling the country’s best restaurants, indulge in sumptuous, regionally inspired cuisine, fine wines, and local delicacies. Settle into the stately dining carriages and enjoy multi-course meals featuring the likes of saltwater barramundi and grilled kangaroo fillet. Passengers can also look forward to dinner beneath the stars at Alice Springs' historic Telegraph Station. Sit back, sip chilled sparking and savour every bite while the stunning landscapes pass you by.

Departures from Darwin and Adelaide

3 Salloo Street, East Arm, Northern Territory

Uluru Sounds of Silence

Dine at Dusk Overlooking Uluru

Forming part of the Australian Tourism Hall of Fame, the Uluru ‘Sounds of Silence’ will transport you into the outback for a magical four-hour dining experience underneath the stars. Start the evening with bubbles and canapés, followed by a three-course bush tucker-inspired buffet, all of which will be accompanied by a live Didgeridoo soundtrack playing softly in the background.

Sit back and listen to the signs of the zodiac with a guided tour of the southern night sky, whilst the iconic sight of Uluru sets the scene as your breathtaking backdrop. If this isn’t one for the foodie bucket list, we don’t know what is.

Ayers Rock Resort, 170 Yulara Drive, Yulara, Northern Territory

Unique Dining Experiences: South Australia

Centennial Cellar (Image Credit: seppeltsfield.com.au)

Taste the wine of your birth year at Centennial Cellar

In South Australia, the Centennial Cellar at Seppeltsfield stands out as a unique gem for locals. It's a bucket list experience, tasting a wine that has patiently matured since your arrival on this planet. Seppeltsfield's commitment to maturing wines for a century creates an unparalleled journey through time. This isn't just your usual tipple; it's a sip of history, a living testament to Australian winemaking. It's a must-visit for those yearning to taste history in every drop.

Barossa Valley, South Australia

Unique Dining Experiences: Sydney

Quay

Dine Overlooking Sydney Harbour

Quintessentially Sydney, dining at Quay is a Sydneysider (or Sydney visit) essential and one of the most unique dining experiences going around. Not only is this restaurant the most awarded in all of Australia, but it's also one of only two Australian restaurants to ever feature in the prestigious S Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 

Peter Gilmore, the Executive Chef, describes the menu at Quay as “food inspired by nature”, with each dish intricately prepared and delicately balanced. And let’s not forget the view, which in itself is hard to beat, thanks to its scenic location offering front-row seats of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks

Orange F.O.O.D Week

Attend Orange F.O.O.D Week

Located just over a three-hour’s drive from Sydney, Orange is home to Orange F.O.O.D Week — Australia’s longest-running regional food festival. The annual food extravaganza is chock-full of delicious offerings and unique happenings, including everything from scenic forage experiences – where you’ll be taken on a 4.1-kilometre stroll through some of Orange’s picturesque vineyards, all while being sustained on your stroll with a degustation menu of local wine and tasting plates – to autumn grazing dinners serving bounteous culinary delights with a side of dancing. 

And then there’s the famous F.O.O.D Week Night Market – a beautiful evening of great local food and wine, along with live music under the stars.

Various venues and locations across Orange 

Le Diner en Blanc

Attend Le Dîner en Blanc in Sydney

Once an intimate Parisian soirée, now a global culinary phenomenon, Le Dîner en Blanc’s annual food gathering is a spectacle of epic proportions and one of the most unique dining experiences in Australia. Each year, thousands of people gather together in secret city locations all over the world – the location is revealed on the day of the event – all dressed in white, to indulge in an extravagant picnic-style communal spread. Guests are invited to throw on their finest white threads and dine alfresco under the stars. 

Food can be served, or you can BYO – the perfect excuse to pop the bubbly. And if previous years are anything to go by, you’ll be treated to front-row seats at some of Sydney’s most iconic locations; past events have been held at the Opera House forecourt, on the sands of Bondi Beach, and Cockatoo Island. 

Date and located TBC.

Govindas

For an offbeat culinary escapade in Sydney, head to Govindas, a plant-based gem thriving in Darlinghurst. This eatery, a local staple for over four decades, dishes out a veg-centric feast that’s as ethical as it is unique. Led by Chef Karana Krishna Das for two hearty decades, their menu boasts standout creations like coriander channa dahl and crispy fried cauliflower pakoras with a kick of chilli chutney. But Govindas offers more than just delectable bites, they add a unique twist to your evening with a bohemian-inspired cinema experience. Post-dinner, you can kick back, take off your shoes, and sink into their comfy cushions while you enjoy a movie. Sweet!

112 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, NSW

Unique Dining Experiences: Queensland

Take a private helicopter over the Great Barrier Reef

Take a Private Helicopter Over the Great Barrier Reef with a Picnic

Take date night up to The Bachelor level by booking a private helicopter tour to a secluded sandy beach on the Great Barrier Reef. Setting off from Cairns, couples will be treated to postcard-worthy views over the iconic Great Barrier Reef, before landing on Vlasoff Cay — a private and pristine sand cay in the middle of the reef.

Here you’ll be left for two hours where you can relax with a gourmet picnic hamper, picnic blanket and cushions, along with sparkling wine or beer. This package also comes with snorkelling gear and a beach umbrella, so everything is covered for your full enjoyment.

Departures from Cairns

Unique Dining Experiences: Tasmania

Guests of Saffire Freycinet can shuck oysters

Eat Oysters Shucked Straight from the Tasmanian Ocean

There’s enjoying fresh oysters, and then there’s dining at an oyster farm shucking them straight from the ocean. This Tasmanian dining experience is offered exclusively to guests staying at the luxury hotel, Saffire Freycinet. Located in the calm waters of the Freycinet Peninsula, visitors will dine in a private table setting floating in the middle of the water, where they’ll learn about the region and how to shuck like a pro, all the while sampling the freshly caught ocean delights – a serving of fresh oysters and delicious steamed mussels.

2532 Coles Bay Road, Coles Bay Tasmania

Dinner in the Sky (dinnerinthesky.com.au)

Dinner in the Sky

When it comes to seeking one of the most unique dining experiences in Tasmania, locals know that Dinner in the Sky is a sky-high culinary adventure not to be missed. This high-flying experience takes dining to new heights – literally! Picture this: you and a lucky crew of 22 are comfortably seated, safely strapped in, suspended up to 50 meters above the ground, rotating gently while you indulge in delicious meals and beverages.

The kicker? You get to choose the backdrop. Whether it's overlooking a vineyard, the coastline, or a stunning golf course, Dinner in the Sky offers an exclusive and picturesque dining setting that's hard to beat.

While this sky-high feast is a rare opportunity globally, Tassie locals get a special treat with a two-week stint in Launceston every December. It's a chance to taste the high life, quite literally. To snag a seat at this extraordinary table, keep an eye on their limited-time offerings or sign up for their email list.

Various locations across Australia

Filled with wanderlust after reading about the most unique dining experiences in Australia? Why not add a winery or fun road trip itinerary to the list, too?

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