Romantic restaurants for the perfect date night in Canberra
Updated 18 Mar 2024
Searching for the perfect romantic dining experience for two? Here are some romantic places to fall in love with across Canberra.
From award-winning fine dining to an international dining experience only minutes from the city centre, Canberra knows how to make your night out special. Start adding these must-dine spots to the bucket list and we guarantee your special someone will be more than impressed.
Such and Such
Canberra’s dining scene is waiting to surprise you, and Such and Such is the perfect marvel to kick things off. This quirky eatery boasted the title of New Restaurant of the Year in the Good Food Awards – across Canberra and New South Wales – in 2023. And if that title alone isn’t enough for you to travel to Canberra for an impressive meal, then we’re not sure what is.
Inka
If you haven’t tried Peruvian Japanese fusion before, now is your chance to indulge at Inka. Prepare to be delighted by the Nikkei concept of this beautiful dining room, which promotes an enticing scope of cocktail styles and flavours from both Japan and South America, combining finesse and balance with the wild and tropical.
Botswana Butchery
Newer to the Canberra dining scene but not to be sniffed at, Botswana Butchery’s ethos of ‘fun dining’ is key to their dining experience, which is plush and wonderfully distinctive but also welcoming. Enjoy a romantic night out over a delicious meal that is all about relaxed dining in a premium atmosphere.
RAKU
You’d be forgiven for thinking a shopping centre isn’t the obvious place to look when you’re seeking romance – but RAKU delivers it in spades. This sleek modern Japanese restaurant is a versatile date-night destination. Sit at the bench and watch the chefs as they slice sashimi and craft dumplings or hole up in one of the sculptural timber booths and ignore the rest of the world. Whichever option you choose, you’re assured of a memorable dining experience.
Pilot
Pilot is fine dining, but not as you’re used to it. A restaurant built on pure hospitality and delicious Australian ingredients, Pilot’s chic fit-out and seven course degustation menu is sure to leave you satisfied, impressed, and deeply comfortable. They boast a smart, low-fuss experience and love hearing the phrase, “just treat us” from their patrons. And treat you, they will.
OHNO!
The OHNO! date night enjoys loud flavours and messing with the classics, flipping what’s expected of Pan-Asian cuisine on its head. Drop by, graze over some share plates, and select from their extensive wine list. Or wander upstairs to the cosy cocktail bar to sip or snack in the company of in-house DJs while you wait for your table to dine.
Rebel Rebel
Relax in the beautiful dining room at Rebel Rebel, framed by angular beams of recycled timber. Offering all-day dining in the heart of the artistic New Acton precinct, this all-purpose dining experience offers not only a sophisticated meal, but an extensive wine list to enjoy alongside your meal or even an on-site bottle shop so you can take a bottle with you to enjoy later.
KOTO
Traditional architecture and dramatic design, the KOTO interior preserves and revitalises the half-a-century old, Japan-heritage architecture of The Lobby; one of the most prominent historical buildings within the National Triangle. Dine under the knowing menu of sushi master, Shinya Nakano, who trained in Kyoto with a fifth-generation sushi master, later working his magic at Australian restaurants where he was awarded two-hats from Good Food Guide for his 18-course omakase style menu. So, while the building alone will astonish you, be sure to prepare for a dining experience that matches its fit-out’s prowess.
Louis
Based within a five-star hotel, Louis is the newest crown jewel of one of Canberra’s most celebrated fine-dining chefs, Ben Willis. It aims at bringing a multi-layered culinary offering right at the heart of the capital, combining a classical European dining experience with sophisticated cocktails. If you’re in the mood for romantic French cuisine with your loved one, Louis is the go – oui oui.
Corella Bar
Corella is an intimate escape away from the grind. This cosy restaurant and bar feels a world away from normal, yet it is right in the centre of the bustling Braddon precinct. The service is polished yet unpretentious, and with a thoughtful wine list and bespoke cocktails, it’s the perfect place for a romantic date night.
Med
Take a holiday overseas without leaving town, at one of the newest exotic eateries to the upscale dining in Canberra: Med. Offering Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, prepare to be inspired by the stunning interiors and the fusion of Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish cuisine, right in the heart of the National Triangle.
Bada Bing
If casual dining meets cosy rat-pack hideaway is the feeling you’re seeking for date night, then Bada Bing Dining Club has you covered. Seamlessly blending retro charm with light-hearted fun, sink into the impeccable style and culinary of old-school Italy at this inner-city eatery. Everything from traditional pastas to woodfired pizza, it’ll definitely be "that's amore” for all involved.
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