At BARZAARI in Sydney’s Marrickville, former Quay chef Darryl Martin excels at contemporary takes on flavourful Mediterranean fare such as labneh, loukániko (pork sausage) and pickled octopus. Now, Martin and his business partner, Andrew Jordanou, have expanded their empire with Barzaari Chippendale. The 120-seater takes over the former Kensington Street Social space, which connects to the Old Clare Hotel.

Sydney’s Manly is riding the crest of a wave of fine-dining establishments. Rockpool Dining Group has added two venues to the redeveloped Manly Wharf. The sleek Japanese eatery Saké Restaurant & Bar and the playful Tex-Mex venue El Camino Cantina. Whether you’re craving tempura or tacos, chicken karaage or buffalo wings, you can now enjoy them with sweeping harbour views at this new culinary hotspot.

Hiramasa kingfish sashimi, grilled octopus with charred tomato, and slow-roasted lamb shoulder with eggplant are some of the wonderfully eclectic offerings at Adelaide’s Herringbone, a recent arrival to Halifax Street. The inspired venture is the work of three hospo veterans, Quentin Whittle and Paul Tripodi from Stone’s Throw and Ben McLeod of Peel Street. Whittle’s menus are ever-changing, inspiring return visits from locals.

Salt Meats Cheese in Sydney’s Cronulla marks the fifth outing of this Italian-themed eatery from cousins Edoardo Perlo and Stefano De Biasi. This one is notable for inhabiting an arresting Art Deco building, which looks as though it belongs on Ocean Drive, Miami, as opposed to Ocean Grove, Cronulla. With pescatora pizzas, Caprese salads and Riviera spritzes, the 87-seater is a summer magnet.

While there’s lots to admire about Orazio D’Elia’s latest Sydney outing, Matteo Downtown, it’s the tiramisu that takes the cake. Inspired by a caffè corretto, an espresso with a dash of liquor, the chef places a dot of Baileys mousse on the coffee-soaked sponge with light mascarpone and whipped cream parfait. A dolci dream.

In a former mill, Half Acre is an inviting addition to industrial South Melbourne. The airy interior blends a glasshouse eatery, a rustic bar and a cavernous events space. Chef Eitan Doron dishes up Israeli-inspired fare spiced with thyme, dukkah and harissa, and prepared over woodfired coals. Co-owner Adam Wright-Smith is the host with the most impeccable taste; his lighting choices alone are killer.

“It’s meat, but not as you know it,” announces the website for Cheek on Melbourne’s Swanston Street. Chefs Tom Peasnell and Adam Goldblatt riff on American, Chinese and Korean barbecue, with creative dishes including New York strip with bone marrow sauce, aged duck with smoked hoisin, and charred asparagus with black vinegar.

Brisbane native Dan Arnold spent seven years working in revered Michelin-starred restaurants in France before returning home this year to open his namesake restaurant in Fortitude Valley. His three- to five-course menus are an exquisite synthesis of Gallic technique and local produce.

With lofty ceilings, glistening chandeliers and plush furnishings, Brisbane’s Donna Chang has a moneyed ambiance befitting a former bank. Executive chef Jake Nicolson and head chef Jason Margaritis are doing contemporary Cantonese, from scampi toast with seaweed mayo to Xinjiang spiced lamb shoulder.