Want a bite-sized bill? From aperitivo hours to bottomless lunches, these deals will give you the full restaurant experience for less.
Australian happy hours and meal deals never used to stray too far from cut- price pints, half-price schnitties and bargain house wine. But as consumer habits shift, venues have been giving it their bite-sized best with more salubrious specials.
Tracking spending over the last year, digital sales portal OpenTable noted a 41 percent increase in demand for what it called ‘experiential dining’, including bottomless packages, special deals, set menus and promotions.
In this cost-savvy setting, hungry diners have swapped dinner for lunch and a la carte for banquets. The Euro art of aperitivo has also found a foothold in our food culture, ideal for diners wanting a snack-sized experience without a full-sized restaurant bill. Call it golden hour, call it aperitivo – happy hour has never looked better.
Here’s a growing list of some of our favourite happy hours and lunch deals around Australia.
The best happy hours and meal deals in Victoria
Alta Trattoria, Fitzroy, Vic: Lunch Set Menu
Proving there’s no duo quite as satisfying as antipasti and pasta, the $55 lunch set at this inner north trattoria pairs bites like zucchini flowers and vitello tonnato with house-made pastas such as garganelle with wild boar, plus dessert.
Ground Floor Rear/274 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
altatrattoria.com
Cameo, Melbourne, Vic: Indulgence Hour
Indulgence Hour at the rarefied Cameo on the 80th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne drops the price on signature cocktails like the carajillo, a Spanish riff on the espresso martini with Archie Rose vodka and cold brew (try pairing it with the honeyed Gorgonzola dip from the bar menu).
Level 80, 650 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
cameobar.com.au
Cumulus Inc., Melbourne, Vic: $2 Oysters
Visit Andrew McConnell’s flagship Cumulus Inc. on weekdays afternoons between 3pm and 6pm, and slurp down $2 Sydney Rock and Pacific Oysters served on ice with mignonette and a wedge of lemon.
45 Flinders Ln, Melbourne
cumulusinc.com.au
Mister Bianco, Kew, Vic: Bianchetto Aperitivo Time
During Aperitivo Time at Bianchetto, Mister Bianco’s atmospheric sister bar adopts the commendable Italian tradition of doling out free snacks (like mini paninis stuffed with mortadella) to anyone buying from the half-priced drinks list.
26-28 Cotham Rd, Kew
misterbianco.com.au
Neighbourhood Wine, Fitzroy North, Vic: Patio Aperitivo
The popular daily Patio Aperitivo at Neighbourhood Wine will roll right on into autumn, with diners sipping drinks on the street-front terrace given gratis bites from 4-6pm each evening.
1 Reid St, Fitzroy North
neighbourhoodwine.com
Omnia Bistro & Bar, South Yarra, Vic: 2 Course Lunch
The $49, two-course lunch set at this striking South Yarra spot lets you pick seasonal plates like Hiramasa kingfish sliced over green tomato and goat’s curd agnolotti. Can’t pick? Upgrade to three courses for $64.
625 Chapel St, South Yarra
omniabistro.com.au
Tombo Den, Windsor, Vic: Cocktail Hour
At Lucas Restaurants izakaya Tombo Den, overlooking Chapel Street, the Cocktail Hour from 5-6pm every Monday to Thursday equals $10 Japanese snacks such as karaage chicken, and $18 signature cocktails.
100a Chapel St, Windsor
tomboden.com.au
The best happy hours and meal deals in New South Wales and the ACT
Byron Bay Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant, Byron Bay, NSW: Oyster Hour
For its daily Oyster Hour, Byron Bay Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant inside Hotel Marvell shells out $3 oysters from its cutting-edge oyster tank with house-favourite hot and cold toppings, including baked miso, bloody Mary and kilpatricks made with Bangalow bacon.
4 Marvell St, Byron Bay
byronbayoysterbar.com.au
Etymon, various locations, Sydney, NSW: $2 Oysters
Oysters are a fixture of high-end happy hours, including at a trilogy of venues from Sydney’s prolific Etymon group: The Charles Brasserie & Bar in the CBD, and Soluna and Poetica Bar & Grill across the bridge in North Sydney. Each venue plates up their molluscs alongside happy hour drinks and other well-priced snackage.
Soluna, Shop 3/168 Walker St, North Sydney
Poetica Bar & Grill, Mezzanine Level/1 Denison St, North Sydney
The Charles Brasserie & Bar, 66 King St, Sydney
etymon.com.au
Fior, Gymea, NSW: Aperitivo Hour
Giving its older sibling bar Jane a run for its money in the aperitivo hall of fame (see below), Aperitivo Hour at relative Shire newcomer Fior offers Italian-inspired bites like crumbed scallops, corn arancini and burrata – plus beer, wine and G&Ts – all for under $10.
756 Kingsway, Gymea
fiorrestaurant.com.au
Jane, Surry Hills, NSW: Australiano Hour
During the popular daily Australiano Hour at this neighbourhood bistro, pair cocktails like the $10 Australiano – with Okar aperitif and beetroot soda – with plates like lamb dumplings topped with crispy saltbush, or the $8 crispy whitebait with salt and native pepper.
478 Bourke St, Surry Hills
janesurryhills.com
Island Radio, Redfern, NSW: Happy Sundays
Already making a name for itself for one of the best-value banquet menus around, coming in at $44.50, this candy-hued Southeast Asian restaurant offers up a plethora of specials, from the all-day Sunday happy hour that lets you add on drinks for $7 a pop, to the $39pp Friday multi-course banquet.
Corner of Cleveland &, Baptist St, Redfern
islandradio.sydney
Maiz, Newtown, NSW: Bottomless Set Banquet
Saturday brings the fiesta to this popular Newtown eatery during the weekly $89pp bottomless lunch, with Mexican street food hits like esquites, chilaquiles and tortas meeting a free-flowing drinks list including margaritas and Yulli’s Corn Lager.
33 Enmore Rd, Newtown
maizmexicanfood.com
Shell House, Sydney, NSW: Golden Hours
Golden Hours at the Sky Bar in the open-air terrace under Shell House’s heritage clock tower delivers $15 margarita and prawn katsu sandos, while, on the ground floor, the Menzies Bar’s Martini Hour offers $10 martinis and lobster rolls.
37 Margaret St, Sydney
shellhouse.com.au
Song Bird, Double Bay, NSW: Lunch Banquet
The new set lunch menu at Neil Perry’s chic Cantonese diner plates up 10 signature Song Bird dishes for $88 a head, offering dishes like the perfectly glazed roast duck with orange and caramel sauce, and dumplings filled with Ben Collison’s superlative reef fish.
24 Bay St, Double Bay
themargaretfamily.com
Such and Such, Canberra, ACT: In and Out Menu
Bookable only at lunch, the In and Out express menu gives you a delicious taste of this effortlessly cool Canberra locale – with snacks, a salad and a main.
220 London Cct, Canberra
andsuchandsuch.com
Tilda, Sydney, NSW: Early Dinner
In the lobby of the transformed Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, visit Tilda for an early dinner – during set hours Monday to Saturday – for a 46 percent right off the top of your bill, including drinks, on everything on the menu and its sophisticated take on Australiana.
61-101 Phillip St, Sydney
tilda.sydney
The best happy hours and meal deals in Queensland
Fiume Rooftop Bar, Brisbane City, Qld: Fridays at Fiume
Aperitivo sessions get a Queensland makeover at riverfront rooftop bar Fiume. The $10 Friday afternoon snack menu includes snacks like Mooloolaba prawn rolls and oysters with a limoncello granita (plus tiramisu for an early dessert), as well as signature spritz and cocktails.
Crystalbrook Vincent, Level 3/5 Boundary St, Brisbane City
crystalbrookcollection.com
Happy Boy, Fortitude Valley, Qld: Weekday Lunch Specials
This Brisbane fixture will make you happy at any time with its popular $50 chef’s banquet, but the lunchtime service on weekdays adds wok-tossed specials like pork belly and eggplant and Chinese BBQ on rice for $21 and under.
East St, Fortitude Valley
happyboy.com.au
Jimmy Wah’s, Burleigh Heads, Qld: Feed Me Menu
Jimmy’s $79 Feed Me banquet is always a good deal, but ask the chefs at this southern Gold Coast fixture to ‘feed you’ lunch on weekdays, and enjoy seven courses from the contemporary Vietnamese menu for $49.
1724 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads
jimmywahs.com.au
Rich & Rare Restaurant, West End, Qld: Power Banquet
The daily power lunch at this West End steak and seafood specialist earns its name, with a nine-course menu for just $54pp, serving up scallops, jamón ibérico, sirloin steak, barramundi doused in miso butter and much more.
97 Boundary St, West End
richandrare.com.au
The best happy hours and meal deals in South Australia
Fino Vino, Adelaide, SA: Aperitivo Happy Hour(s)
The Aperitivo Happy Hour(s) at Fino Vino, the urban outpost of the acclaimed Barossa restaurant, is the next best thing to the its strong set menus – with all drinks, including cocktails, pouring for $12 or less.
82 Flinders St, Adelaide
finovino.net.au
Kiin, Adelaide, SA: Rew Rew Menu
The $59pp lunch-only Rew Rew menu offers three signature snacks, a curry to share, with rice, and a salad from the modern Asian menu. Draw it out, and slide straight on into Kiin’s Golden Hour, with select cocktails from the vibrant cocktail list at $15.
73 Angas St, Adelaide
kiinrestaurant.com.au
Paper Tiger, Adelaide, SA: Bottomless Lunch
If the four-course $78 Feed Me menu hadn’t lured you to this bright Southeast Asian diner in the heart of Adelaide yet, the $89pp Saturday bottomless feast should.
285 Rundle St, Adelaide
papertiger.com.au
The best happy hours and meal deals in Tasmania
Bar Wa Izakaya, Hobart, Tas: Oyster Happy Hour(s)
For two hours every afternoon, Hobart’s favourite izakaya slings half-priced Tasmanian oysters to anyone imbibing, with Sundays bringing extra happy hour bites. For a great-value lunch, don’t miss the daily ramen lunch service, too.
216-218 Elizabeth St, Hobart
barwaizakaya.com
The Black Footed Pig, Hobart, Tas: Express Friday Lunch
At its lunch sitting every Friday, this sleek tapas bar and bistro in the MACq 01 Hotel right on the historic Hobart waterfront offers a muy rapido two-course menu of Spanish-inspired fare.
18 Hunter St, Hobart
theblackfootedpig.com.au
Keep checking back for more deals and updates, and for more details and to book, always confirm with the venue directly.
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