Banksia Restaurant, NSW

From the moment you step into Huw and Renee Jones’ elegant dining room you know you are in good hands. The pair, known for hatted Merimbula restaurant Zanzibar, provide old-world hospitality and classic dishes in a historic bank building, with starched white table cloths, dark bentwood chairs and golden walls.

Tetsuya-trained Huw is at the helm in the kitchen offering up deeply layered seasonal flavours, whilst Renee makes sure diners have every need and desire attended to, including the Banksia wine list she and Huw hand-source from boutique wineries around the country.

Recently listed in the 350 restaurant-strong ‘SMH Best Dining in NSW’. The dining room is all pressed tin, wildflowers and ancient timbers. The weekly changing (set) menu features the kind of soul-warming dishes in too-short supply these days. Servings are substantial, especially rotating desserts such as lemon and finger lime drizzle cake with passionfruit curd.