The Yacht Club welcomes winter diners for great views and even better food. Photo: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
When Canberra’s infamously frigid winters roll around, it’s always tempting to stay indoors and chase away the chill at home.
But just because it’s cold doesn’t mean our restaurants close their doors. There are plenty of eateries all across the city and along the lake offering everything from great pub food to café food and all the way up to elevated fine dining.
If there’s anything better than a warm, delicious meal, it’s one served with a view. Read on for some of the best establishments offering dinner with a view across Canberra.
Views of Black Mountain and the water take centre stage at the Yacht Club. Photo: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
Snapper & Co at the Canberra Southern Cross Club
When: Open daily from 11 am to 8 pm; breakfast at Snapper (indoor area) Sundays only, 9 am to 11 am.
Where: Lotus Bay, Mariner Place, Yarralumla.
Canberra’s top spot for lakeside dining and grassy picnics in the sun has pivoted to providing a new menu at Snapper & Co. Diners can also enjoy heated indoor dining on the Yacht Club balcony, where you can marvel at the lakeside view without the outdoor chill.
They’ve also launched a special pop-up winter menu, rotating hearty winter food. The menu is refreshed every two weeks, keeping things fresh.
But if you just can’t bring yourself to leave the comfort of your home, their winter takeaway special gives home-diners a 20 per cent discount off takeaway food from Monday to Friday, 5 pm to 8 pm.
A lake view with a touch of old-fashioned flair at The Marion. Photo: The Marion.
The Marion
When: 10 am to 5 pm, all week
Where: The Marion & Walter Café, Barrine Drive, Regatta Point, Commonwealth Park, Parkes.
Commanding an elevated view of the lake, The Marion is one of Canberra’s best spots to enjoy a fine meal from a curated a la carte menu while looking out over one of the best vistas in town.
Inspired by seasonal, sustainable produce, the team of chefs at Marion create unique menus that embody the best of local Australian producers.
The Marion also offers high tea, with sandwiches, teas, tarts, sweets and savoury treats.
There’s no better spot for afternoon drinks with mates. Photo: The Jetty.
Winter at The Jetty
When: Café open Tuesday to Sunday from 7 am. Weekend beer garden open 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes.
The Jetty gets you about as close to the lake as possible. Visitors can listen to the lapping waves while sinking a few in the beer garden, enjoying the cafe from Tuesday to Sunday or trying some of The Jetty’s woodfired pizza.
So whether you’re after an early morning coffee on a weekday or you can think of no better way to spend a Saturday than getting your mates together for a few pints in the winter sun, The Jetty is the joint for you.
Right on the Kingston Foreshore, Black Salt Dining is a great spot for lakeside views. Photo: Black Salt Dining, Facebook.
Black Salt Dining
When: Open from noon to 3 pm and 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, closed Tuesdays
Where: Opposite Go Boat, 28/6 Trevillian Quay, Kingston
With a broad selection of seafood, meat or vegetarian dishes, Black Salt Dining sources from small suppliers to ensure the integrity of freshness and flavour.
Located on the Kingston foreshore, it offers contemporary Australian food including pizzas and pastas, complemented by a selection of local, regional and global wines.
Looking for lunch with a literary touch? Photo: Bookplate, Facebook.
Bookplate Café
When: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 8 pm; Friday, 8 am to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Where: National Library of Australia, 25 Parkes Place West, Parkes.
The Bookplate Café is set within the beautiful National Library and its seating is bathed in light from Leonard French stained-glass windows.
Dine inside for a serene dining experience, watching multi-coloured light shoot through the windows, or head to the outdoor terrace, Ex Libris, overlooking the lake and the Patrick White lawns.
The Dock’s deals on cocktails are sure to keep you warm during winter. Photo: The Dock.
The Dock
When: Tuesday, 4 pm to 10:30 pm; Wednesday to Thursday, 11:30 am to 11 pm; Friday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 12:30 am; Sunday, 11:30 am to 10:30 pm.
Where: 7/81 Giles Street, Kingston.
Head over to Kingston during those cold, cold nights and let The Dock’s happy hour specials warm you up.
From Tuesday to Friday from 5 pm to 6 pm, the sports pub has pints for schooner prices on all taps, while on Friday and Saturday, it’s two for $25 espresso martinis and margaritas. For something a bit more mellow, the Sunday all-day special is two for $25 spritzes.
Sunset views over the lake don’t get much better than at The Boat House. Photo: The Boat House, Facebook.
The Boat House
When: Open Thursday 6 pm to 8:30 pm; Friday and Saturday noon to 2 pm and 6 pm to 8:30 pm; Sunday noon pm to 2 pm
Where: Grevillea Park, Menindee Drive, Barton.
One of Canberra’s most beloved prestige dining institutions, the Boat House is a rustic yet refined dining experience set along the banks of Lake Burley Griffith.
Enjoy a warm, cozy atmosphere while enjoying award-winning wine, delectable dinners and lunches from a menu put together by experienced chefs with as much passion for making food as their diners have for eating it.
Canberra dining with a euro flavour. Photo: Margot.
Margot Wine & Espresso Bar
When: Monday to Friday from 7 am to 2 pm; weekend noon to evening
Where: West Kiosk, Queen Elizabeth Terrace
Margot Wine and Espresso Bar on Queen Elizabeth Terrace brings great coffee, pastries, toasties, house made pizzas and even a fire pit to the lakeside to warm up diners in winter.
Come by early morning for a coffee, for an evening dinner by the fire pit or head in for weekend drinks in the sun to enjoy a great menu of hand picked, top of the line wines (paired with cheeses if you want to go that extra mile).
Original Article published by John Murtagh on Region Canberra.
