Classic Restaurants to Dine with Your Significant Other

by OpenTable Team

Updated August 07, 2023

Hungry for a dining experience that's tailor-made for you? We’ve got you covered. Here are our top restaurant picks for your next outing. Bon appétit!

Credit: Kitchens on Kent at The Langham Sydney

Cecconi's Flinders Lane

4.8

4.8 (1187)

$A101 and over

Italian

Melbourne CBD

About the restaurant

"Everything you want from a sophisticated city Italian restaurant is right here: atmosphere, admirable service, a menu long enough to allow for real choice, an expansive drinks list, flattering lighting, carpets and tablecloths to ensure that sound levels are low enough for a proper conversation."
Enjoy signature dishes - Seafood linguine, Veal Cotoletta and signature steaks from the Josper

One Hat – THE AGE GOOD FOOD GUIDE
2006 - 2023

Top review

John

Dined on Dec 6, 2024

Still Melbourne’s best Italian Restaurant, Enjoy!!!

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Experience

3 Course Fixed Price Menu

Donovans

4.7

4.7 (1646)

$A101 and over

Modern Australian

St Kilda

About the restaurant

Welcome to Donovans - our ‘house on the beach’ and home we love to share. Donovans is located on the St.Kilda beach front offering guests a memorable dining experience in Melbourne. With a bay side view, beautiful Mediterranean inspired food and the special relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant, Donovans is where you will feel at home.

Donovans’ exciting menu has been developed our intimate knowledge of modern Mediterranean cooking. The menu is extensive with a modern mix of favourite dishes emphasising the best local produce. Donovans also offers an extensive wine list of Australian and imported wines and an eclectic mix of cocktails.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 2 days ago

I celebrated an early Christmas dinner with my husband to cap off a challenging year. Our waiters and waitresses were uniformly friendly, well-informed and well-trained. It remains a consistent delight to have celebration meals at Donovan's. Well done for maintaining such excellent standards.

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Popular dish

Tiny fish and chips

Popular dish

Old-fashioned chicken pie

Popular dish

Bombe Alaska for two

Meatmaiden

4.7

4.7 (1351)

$A101 and over

Steakhouse

Melbourne CBD

About the restaurant

Meatmaiden is one hell of a steakhouse. Bringing you the best barbecue and grill in Melbourne, our large and energetic basement restaurant and bar and down-to-earth staff make us the perfect CBD venue for intimate dinners, work lunches, special occasions or functions.

We're part steakhouse, part smokehouse - with a unique and eclectic mix of premium steaks and smoked meats. We've been fine-tuning that approach for the last ten years to bring you the best meat around - dry-ageing select local cuts like O'Connor rib eye, tending the fire to smoke grass-fed short ribs over ironbark and pairing with signature dishes like our lobster mac cheese.

Our carefully-curated wine list focuses on some great Australian winemakers, with six taps of craft beer and quirky cocktails completing the line up.

You will find Meatmaiden on Little Collins St - walking distance from Flinders St Station and Parliament Station, the MCG and Rod Laver Arena and entertainment venues s

Top review

Jacquelyn

Dined 1 day ago

My boyfriend and I come here every year for our anniversary, we love it so much. The food is always amazing. The people who work there are so lovely and welcoming. Genuinely the perfect experience.

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Popular dish

LOBSTER MAC CHEESE

Popular dish

GRILLED BREAD BONE MARROW RELISH

Popular dish

GRILLED BREAD COWBOY BUTTER

Kirbie

4.9

4.9 (370)

$A41 to $A100

Bistro

South Melbourne

About the restaurant

KIRBIE Caff' & Bistro

Coming Soon _________________

Top review

Ian

Dined 2 days ago

The food was superb and the efforts by staff to guide us as to the right combinations of dishes to share was really great and helpful. Stand outs were the flathead dish , the scallops, the lamb and galactabourika. Great wines too!

Di Stasio Citta

4.5

4.5 (514)

$A41 to $A100

Italian

Melbourne CBD

About the restaurant

Located on Spring St, opposite the Treasury Gardens, between Collins St and Flinders Lane, there emerges a truly unique space – imagined, created, curated – that lies at the nexus of all the Di Stasio energies that have come before it. Cittá is a culmination of sorts, a vibrant dynamic next step along a continuum of a challenge and of notions Rinaldo has been grappling with all his life. This is not only a commercial venture – though of course, he has never retreated from this aspect – but is also a vehicle to express and bring together all the aspects of Italo-Australian history, culture, place and heritage. It is an opportunity too to bring a long-standing dream to further fruition, celebrating Rinaldo’s influence on the Australian hospitality, cultural and artistic landscape, through a renewed celebration of Melbourne and the CBD where it all began and of his beloved spiritual and familial home, Italy.

Top review

Sally

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

A fabulous dining experience from start to finish for our table of six. The staff were helpful and attentive and everyone enjoyed their choices. We will make a return most definitely.

Di Stasio Carlton

4.5

4.5 (365)

$A40 and under

Italian

Carlton

About the restaurant

The third venue for the high-profile restaurateur couple Rinaldo Di Stasio and Mallory Wall, sits behind the King and Godfree complex on the corner of Lygon and Faraday Streets and has glamorous echoes of their Di Stasio Citta pleasure palace in the city.

Designed by architect Di Ritter of Hassell, also responsible for Citta, the pizzeria has three separate spaces inside, adorned with Reko Rennie artwork and Shaun Gladwell sculptures, and a courtyard bar centred around a fountain imported from the Roman countryside.

Chef Federico Congiu, who has worked with Di Stasio for five years, is making his own jersey milk mozzarella fiore di latte for the pizzas. Congiu has sourced five growers around the Yarra Valley to grow and preserve San Marzano tomatoes for pizza toppings and is having special durum wheat flour milled in Tamworth.

Top review

OpenTable DinerVIP

Dined on Oct 20, 2024

Loved the courtyard in the beautiful Melbourne sun. Food and service was amazing. Cant wait to come back on a hotter day in the summer.

Kokumai - Barangaroo

4.2

4.2 (10)

$A41 to $A100

Sushi

Barangaroo

About the restaurant

Kokumai means “black rice” in Japanese and is a premium sushi bar operated as a new concept of Japanese restaurant operated with an omakase function.

Seating appx. 60 people and serving up premium roll, nigiri, and sashimi with a great selection of wine, sake, and beer.

*Omakase: Authentic Japanese omakase menu is implemented. Menus made with fresh seasonal ingredients are prepared by the head chef in Kokumai.
**Premium sushi bar: We are operating as a premium sushi bar by using seasonal and superior ingredients.

Top review

Ruby

Dined on Feb 24, 2024

The food was fantastic, everything we order was really delicious. It is on the expensive side but it’s really good quality stuff so it’s worth it

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Experience

Lunch Deal

Experience

Sushi & Sashimi Course

Experience

Kokumai Course

The Atlantic Restaurant

4.5

4.5 (1530)

$A41 to $A100

Seafood

Southbank

About the restaurant

When you sit down for a meal at The Atlantic, you can expect nothing short of an impeccable culinary experience from beginning to end. As a waterfront seafood restaurant in Southbank, Crown Casino, we offer an indulgent menu of fresh, wild and sustainably-sourced seafood, unique oyster varieties and pristine shellfish. Reeled in from local waters, our team celebrates the full array of seafood that Australia has to offer.

Whether you choose to pair your culinary experience with the stylish atmosphere of our elegantly modern dining area, or the laidback ambience of our open-air, riverside terrace, you will soon discover why many customers refer to us as the best seafood restaurant in Melbourne CBD.

Top review

Joanne

Dined 1 day ago

Wonderful experience and the staff were so attentive and helpful. Second time visit and still had impeccable service. Would recommend it highly.

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Experience

À La Carte Offering

Osteria Renata

4.8

4.8 (361)

$A41 to $A100

Italian

Prahran

About the restaurant

Osteria Renata is a neighbourhood diner inspired by Italy. Hosting friends, family and colleagues at the dinner table. Headed up by duo Chef / Owner Angus Cadden and Restaurateur / Owner Alex Ghaddab, our menu features inventive and classic pasta dishes, created in our designated pasta lab, as well as a seasonal selection of antipasti, larger plates, side dishes and desserts. Some of our classics include our gnocco fritto with 36 month aged Jamon Iberico, our spaghetti with Live Southern Rock Lobster and brodetto and our Mushroom filled Quadratti with parmagianno Reggiano. The old world bar, fashioned by hand from fine American oak, offers a full selection of artisanal spirits, amari, craft Italian beer, a dialled in cocktail program and a pan euro-Italian slanting wine list, appeasing any discerning palette. Wether it be in our main dining room, a perch at the bar, or an alfresco seat on High St, we look forward to welcoming you!

Top review

RyanVIP

Dined on Sep 21, 2024

Was a great little find. Ambience is very welcoming the staff are great and more importantly the food is great (especially the lamb backstrap)!

Elwood Bathers

4.6

4.6 (1623)

$A41 to $A100

Bistro

Elwood

About the restaurant

Bayside restaurant and event venue open daily from 9:00am for takeaway coffees & pastries, and from 11:30am onwards for dine in. Passionate about friends, family and community.

Top review

Georgia

Dined 1 day ago

We had a lovely end of year dinner, service and food was amazing. can’t wait to come back

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Experience

New Years Eve - Early Bird

Experience

New Years Eve - The Main Event

The Dining Room by James Viles

4.4

4.4 (866)

$A101 and over

Modern Australian

Sydney CBD

About the restaurant

Located right on the edge of Sydney Harbour with the Opera House just beyond your fingertips…it doesn’t get any more Sydney than The Dining Room.

Our produce-driven menu is paired back, sustainable and unmistakably Australian, and shares center stage with unrivalled harbour views. Relaxed and elegant, enjoy the freshest of
seafood, seasonal Australian ingredients, and a selection of fine wines and locally crafted beers and spirits.

Lunch and dinner reservations are highly recommended. Our popular window tables are available at a surcharge when booking and subject to availability. Dress code is smart casual.

Top review

BigJ

Dined on Feb 23, 2024

Experience was generally quite good. Couples should be placed away from family and group tables. We were place inboard having to look over groups commanding the best view. This was despite the groups spending more time inwardly focused with conversation. Being inboard takes away from the ambience and experience. More considered and thoughtful table placement for a couple would have been appreciated. The restaurant had quite a few children in it, which took away from us as a couple having a child free moment. Decor and environment is tasteful and as you would expect for a Hyatt.

Longshore

4.6

4.6 (97)

$A101 and over

Australian

Chippendale

About the restaurant

Inspired by the dynamic Australian coastline, our menu is always on the move—fresh, seasonal, and never predictable. With Executive Chef Jarrod Walsh at the helm, Longshore serves ingredients from sea and land, creating plates that blend skill, creativity, and a steady stream of spontaneity.

It’s a place where no two days are the same. Every visit brings a new mix of energy, taste, and storytelling. Our vibe is laid- back but electric, with service that’s as thoughtful as it is unpretentious. Whether you’re here to grab a bite or stay for the night, Longshore is a space for discovery and connection.

This isn’t your usual hatted restaurant. We’re committed to keeping things real and sustainable, because the coast is more than just a destination—it’s a way of life. It’s where different flavours, ideas, and experiences find a place to belong. If you’re drawn to the unexpected, you belong at Longshore too.

Top review

Emma

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

The most memorable meal we have had in a long time paired with warm and attentive service. It was our anniversary and the staff made our evening particularly special, including by offering us complimentary champagne and wine (both of which were stunning). Thank you and we look forward to returning soon.

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Experience

Chef's Menu-shared style -

4.6

4.6 (316)

$A101 and over

Italian

Woolloomooloo

About the restaurant

OTTO celebrates people, place and la dolce vita. Situated in the spectacular surrounds of the Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo, OTTO has an undeniable reputation as one of Sydney’s most respected dining institutions. At the heart of the restaurant is old world hospitality and long-standing relationships held with a fiercely loyal clientele. Approachable yet refined service greets modern Italian cuisine, alfresco dining and trademark waterside views. OTTO is the quintessential Sydney dining experience and has remained a local favourite for over 17 years.

Top review

Francois

Dined on Nov 28, 2024

Food very refined. Great service. Location always good. We have been customers for years, we will still come back

Zafferano Trattoria Mediterranea

4.6

4.6 (146)

$A41 to $A100

Sicilian

Paddington

About the restaurant

Here at Zafferano, we like to keep things a little old school, from sourcing to serving, our key values remain.
Simone, the Head Chef and co-owner of Zafferano grew up inside the kitchen of his family's restaurant in Porticello, Sicily and brings that passion and authenticity to his food.
We combine local, fresh, seasonal ingredients with passion and tradition, to create a menu that is endlessly devoted to flavour and quality. We have a love for food, for the whole experience. We believe in celebrating just how powerful food can be, from the seed to the plate. Because connection through food is our mission.
Our space is intimate with only 38 seats and the overall vibe of the restaurant really transports you to Sicily with an outdoor courtyard that feels like a traditional Italian piazza.
We have a few signature dishes however the Risotto Marinara & Spaghetti Marinara are definitely at the for front of our menu.

Top review

ThomasVIP

Dined 7 days ago

It was our first visit and it won't be our last! Excellent service and food with a nice wine recommendation to match.

Perspective Dining

5.0

5 (46)

$A101 and over

Farm-to-table

Fortitude Valley

About the restaurant

Perspective dining is a modern gastronomic tasting menu experience, a closed-door 12-seat chef table dining space, our chefs will take you on a unique culinary journey. Perspective Dining will offer cutting-edge tasting menus seasonally from 3 courses to 9 courses, a plant-based menu as well as a protein-based menu. Perspective Dining will be collaborating with local farmers and suppliers to ensure that our vision of uncompromised, no holds barred excellence and sustainability is showcased in our food.
Perspective | Lunch Thursday to Saturday
12:30pm
Food and wine pairing 140
Just the food 80
Perspective Dinner 9 courses
6:30 pm
Food and Wine pairing 300
Just the food 195

Top review

Wendy

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Perfect way to celebrate a special occasion. We booked for lunch and enjoyed all the beautifully presented and tasty dishes. Loved being able to watch our Chef meticulously prepare the dishes and perfectly balance the flavors on each plate. The dining area is intimate (room for 10-12 diners) with Chef's explanation of the source of each dish. Recommend you choose wine pairing to compliment the food. A very enjoyable meal when you're not in a rush and want to experience great food & wine in a lovely private setting

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Experience

Eucalyptus Room: Sweet Symphony, a sugary soirée!

Experience

Perspective Dining: Dinner - choose menu in Add On

Experience

Perspective Dining: Variations share-style lunch

Essa Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (725)

$A41 to $A100

Wine Bar

Fortitude Valley

About the restaurant

ESSA provides a destination to escape the expected.

Just like the raw interiors in which we reside, our work is simple but considered.

The ethos in the kitchen embraces collaboration with local farmers, hunters and providores, promoting an environmentally conscious approach to the menu. Harvest driven dishes provide the creative parameters for our ever evolving dining experience.

ESSA is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm till late and Friday and Sunday lunch from 12pm.

Top review

Lisa

Dined 6 days ago

We had the Sunday Christmas special. It was excellent. Lots of delicious food, great variety. We order two of the garlic bugs which were divine. Could not fit another thing in! Service was efficient and friendly. Had two delicious wines that were recommended. We will definitely be back. Such a lovely day.

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Experience

Five Chefs, Five Plates

Experience

$68 Friday Lunches at ESSA

Experience

Sunday School at Essa

Vintaged Bar and Grill

4.2

4.2 (321)

$A41 to $A100

Steakhouse

Brisbane CBD

About the restaurant

Executive Chef Dario Fiorino brings you a premium range of Australian beef featuring wagyu, in-house dry-aged steaks, and sustainably sourced seafood – all cooked on our open grill and balanced with Mediterranean aromas. A native Milanese, Chef Dario’s menu features Italian, Spanish and French influences, exquisitely complimenting the grill’s naturally infused char, scent and flavour.

Top review

Errol

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

Buffet breakfast was delish. An array of foods to eat and also specially cooked to your liking if you wish. Attendees were obliging and nothing was a bother for them.

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Popular dish

Sirloin

Experience

Vintaged Signature Sharing - 2kg Tomahawk Steak

Experience

Vintaged Signature Sharing - Sharing Banquet

E'cco Bistro

4.6

4.6 (916)

$A41 to $A100

Modern European

Newstead

About the restaurant

Nationally acclaimed and award winning E'cco Bistro was founded in Brisbane in 1995 by one of Australia's most celebrated chefs, Philip Johnson. For the past 25 years, Philip and his team at his landmark bistro have taken a sure yet simple approach by serving unpretentious food to the delight of all diners alike, this has cemented E'cco's reputation in the culinary landscape.
Having relocated from its original location in Brisbane CBD to the fast growing inner-city residential mecca, Newstead, E'cco has been positioned to prosper for the next 25 years and beyond.
As Philip says "We do as little as possible with the best ingredients available."

Top review

LionelM

Dined on Oct 28, 2023

Fabulous service the steak was outstanding as was all the food. Very hard to find anything that could be improved on.

Black Hide Steak & Seafood at Queens Wharf

4.4

4.4 (1539)

$A41 to $A100

Steakhouse

Brisbane CBD

About the restaurant

Black Hide Steak and Seafood by Gambaro at Queens Wharf will enchant and entertain guests by offering world-class Queensland steak as the hero cuisine, and a selection of mouth-watering seafood dishes.

Experience and savour exceptional personalised guest service and a divinely rich atmosphere that can only be delivered by blending intricate and cutting-edge design with worldly charm and sophistication.

Overlooking the Brisbane River and within an easy stroll of the city’s arts and cultural South Bank precinct, this stunning restaurant will be perfectly positioned on level 4, on the terrace of the new extraordinary Queens Wharf

Top review

MarkH

Dined 3 days ago

Vikki always greets us with a smile and accomda

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Popular dish

Steak Tartare

Popular dish

Wagyu MB 5+ Eye Fillet 200gm

Experience

Celebrate Christmas Day at Black Hide Queens Wharf

Palette Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (278)

$A101 and over

Modern Australian

Surfers Paradise

About the restaurant

A unique fine dining experience with a fully curated wine list and locally sourced ingredients. Situated in the stunning HOTA Gallery, Palette offers a unique blend of art and food on the Gold Coast. Dayan and his team in the kitchen will extend your art experience, taking inspiration from artworks on display and major exhibitions to show just how naturally art and food blends.

Top review

Marika

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

Everything about our meal tonight made for a memorable experience. The waiters were exceptional, the food, exquisite and the ambience was very relaxed.

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4.9

4.9 (92)

$A41 to $A100

Australian

Balaclava

About the restaurant

Google Review
*****
This place is an absolute gem. A very intimate experience, the owner Mike and Chefs Mikey and Laurent are gifted people who make you feel at home. Food is absolutely incredible, so much flavour with seasonal ingredients. Amazing local wine pairings. Cannot speak highly enough of this place!

features include:
Open plan kitchen with food prepared directly in front of our guests.
Warm and cozy lounge with fireplace for winter.
Secluded, rear private courtyard.
Engaging and vibrant dinner party setting.
Seasonal set menu.
Wine and beverage pairings.
Private dinners available.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Jun 7, 2024

Always an amazing meal! Food, ambiance, service, everything was fantastic.

Zushi Surry Hills - Omakase

4.7

4.7 (25)

$A101 and over

Japanese Speciality

Surry Hills

About the restaurant

Omakase means, “leave it up to the Chef” so let Chef Han take you on a tantalising journey of 20 courses, using the finest local Australian and Japanese produce.

OMAKASE MENU FEB/MAR 2024
Sweetcorn cold soup, truffle olive oil, paprika
Potata Pave, scallop, sea urchin, kombu
Ika Somen, calamari noodle, ikura, cucumber, bonito jelly
Chawanmushi, paradise prawn, mentaiko, sweetcorn
Abalone Tempura, abalone liver sauce, asparagus, pecorino, sushi rice
JPN A5 Wagyu steak, grilled medium rare, JPN A5 Wagyu Steak, foie gras, leek, wasabi
Sorbet
Omakase Nigiri
Southern calamari (Shark Bay WA)
Konbujime snapper (NZ)
Scallop (JPN)
Akami zuke (SA)
Scampi (WA)
Blue mackerel (Wollongong)
Salmon belly (TAS)
Bluefin tuna O-toro (JPN)
Sea eel (JPN)

Chef’s Signature hand roll +$20
Miso soup
Seasonal Fruit
Genmai Cha

*This menu can change subject to availability of ingredients. Sorry, we are unable to cater for allergies or dietary restrictions.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Jul 18, 2024

The value for the amount of food we received was worth every dollar. $200pp for 20 dishes that tasted great with great vibes all round.

Kitchens on Kent at The Langham Sydney

4.2

4.2 (660)

$A101 and over

Breakfast

Sydney CBD

About the restaurant

Dear valued guests,

Kitchens on Kent will be taking some time to reimagine its future offering, and in the interim will no longer be offering buffet lunch or dinner together with afternoon tea. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause for any plans you had to dine with us.

From Monday 6th November 2023, our offering will change, serving daily breakfast for hotel guests only.
A La Carte lunch will be available on a request basis in our Harbour Room (Monday to Friday) whilst our Observatory Bar will offer A La Carte dinner seven nights per week as well as lunch on weekends.

All bookings that are affected will be fully refundable and our team are in the process of contacting all guests with more details. For any specific issues or requests, please email tlsyd.kitchensonkent@langhamhotels.com

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Jan 1, 2023

Can here for NYD with my mum as a treat to her and we very much enjoyed ourselves and the food. We are looking forward to coming back and eating once again at your lunch buffet. So much on offer and such a good variety of cuisines and drinks included within the price 10/10

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