Restaurants in Byron, Melbourne and Brisbane have made Condé Nast Traveller’s 2026 Hot List – here’s what makes each one worth the trip.
Condé Nast Traveller’s annual Hot List is one of the more credible barometers of where the world’s dining scene is heading. It doesn’t reward longevity or reputation; it looks for what’s genuinely new and exciting. This year, three Australian restaurants made it. Across three cities, three completely different concepts, and three different ways of thinking about what a restaurant can be. Here’s what made the list.
Feu, Byron Bay, NSW
Feu has ditched the menu.
Everything at Feu is cooked over charcoal.
The choc souffle at Feu is a hit.
Diners choose their ingredients at Feu.
Feu , inside Shannon Bennett’s new Belongil precinct, has ditched the menu entirely. Diners choose their key ingredients – anything from bay lobster to flame tail snapper – from a list sourced through a 12-month road trip up the east coast. Those ingredients are represented by hand-crafted ceramic artworks; you place them in front of you in the order you want to eat, and the kitchen takes it from there, cooking everything over yellow box timber burned to charcoal.
Three ingredients are $280, five are $320, and seven are $360. It’s a high-concept premise that could easily feel gimmicky, but the sourcing rigour and the cooking over fire give it real substance.
Where: The Belongil, 33-35 Childe Street, Byron Bay, NSW
Yiaga, Melbourne, Vic
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Sit by Yiaga's floor-to-ceiling windows. (Credit: Jason Loucas)
The set menu is shaped entirely by Australian producers. (Credit: Jason Loucas)
It's a celebration of Australia. (Credit: Jason Loucas)
Yiaga means ‘seek and find’. (Credit: Jason Loucas)
Located inside Fitzroy Gardens, Yiaga opened in 2025 by renowned Australian chef Hugh Allen (Vue de Monde). Yiaga means ‘seek and find’ in the local Wurundjeri language, and it embodies that ethos through its celebration of Australia in its design, produce and craft. The 44-seat restaurant has a custom Vivienne Wong dining table carved from a fallen cypress branch out of the Royal Botanic Gardens, floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto century-old elms and a Tasmanian blackwood timber cellar.
The $320 set menu is shaped entirely by Australian producers.
Where: Fitzroy Gardens, 230-298 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, Vic
Golden Avenue, Brisbane, Qld
Golden Avenue has garden terrace energy. (Credit: Jessie Prince)
The fenugreek chicken shish is a popular dish. (Credit: Jessie Prince)
Enjoy comforting Middle Eastern cuisine at Golden Avenue. (Credit: Jessie Prince)
Golden Avenue believes all great food is meant to be shared. (Credit: Jessie Prince)
From the Anyday group (Agnes, hôntô, Bianca), Golden Avenue brings a woodfire-driven take on Middle Eastern cooking to Brisbane’s Edward Street. Culinary director Ben Williamson and head chef Tim Yates run a share-style menu built around charcoal and housemade breads – Machoui lamb shoulder, fenugreek chicken shish, a rose-pistachio-mochi dessert – with Habibi Funk on the speakers and garden terrace energy throughout.
It’s generous and vivid without losing polish.
Where: 67 Edward Street, Brisbane City, Qld
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
Adventure and refined Luxury combine at the stunning Rangelands Outback Camp.
Iconic Australian red dirt, ancient rocky landscapes and bursts of greenery and wildflowers all make the small town of Winton, and its surrounds, a sight to behold. Escape the ordinary and unwind in the Queensland outback, where ancient landscapes and off-grid luxury await at Rangelands Outback Camp.
Unwind in the ancient outback.
About Rangelands Outback Camp
Unforgettable 360-degree views of this 95-million-year-old land await at Rangelands; bathed in style and positioned on top of a jump-up (or mesa), your tented camp seamlessly blends into its outback setting.
Set on the 53,935-square-kilometre Rangelands Station – a working cattle property – the abundant wildlife are your only neighbours; kangaroos, echidnas, eagles and other birdlife all call Rangelands home.
Bathed in style, your tented camp seamlessly blends into its outback setting. Indulge with carefully curated menus, personalised service and supersized luxury tents that guarantee a private experience. This exclusive camp only has a maximum of 12 guests at a time.
Here, the aim is pampering. From tasty menus to supersized tents with all the creature comforts, to a range of guided tours around the property and beyond.
Guests are transferred from Winton or Longreach by a dedicated Rangelands driver.
Soak in 360-degree views.
Rangelands Outback Camp tours
Join small-group tours and enjoy exclusive access to the ancient Rangelands Rifts with your Rangelands hosts. These incredible rock formations were formed by millions of years of erosion, leaving dramatic channels through the rock. Or explore the surrounds with Rangeland’s touring partner, Red Dirt Tours .
Get sunset birds-eye views over dramatic mesa country in a helicopter, from Queensland’s own Three Sisters to Corey’s Range, stopping at the best lookouts along the way.
Get up close and personal with this rugged land on four wheels, with expert drivers and guides leading guests through famous Bladensburg National Park, visiting Gondwana Stars Observatory and more.
The Winton area is famous for its boulder opals (the second-rarest opal in the world, after black opals), and a stop at the mining community of Opalton sheds a fascinating light on the unique fossicking method used to find them.
A trip to dinosaur country is a must, as this is the place that ramped up Australia’s dino contribution after a fossilised footprint was found in 1962; after more exploration, the discovery of 3300 footprints made it clear this was the world’s only evidence of a dinosaur stampede. Those same footprints are still on display today at Lark Quarry Conservation Park , a 90-minute drive from Winton. Also check out Australia’s largest collection of Australian Dinosaur fossils Australian Age of Dinosaurs, just 30 minutes from Winton. Here, join a tour through a working laboratory, dinosaur canyon and more.
A twice-daily transfer into downtown Winton is offered to guests, where they can explore the Royal Outdoor Theatre, opal shops, Waltzing Matilda Centre and more.
Have an exclusive adventure through the Rangeland Rifts. (Image: TEQ)
Sleeping in luxury
After a day of exploring, return to your tranquil tent for a blissful open shower and uninterrupted views from your private deck.
Designed to integrate guests into the surrounding nature, each tent feels like its own private haven. While being off-grid in the outback (in fact, each tent is powered by its own solar panels, with the added support of a backup generator), guests can also luxuriate in comfortable amenities like air conditioning, a supremely comfortable king-size bed and stylish designer touches.
Guests can stroll to the open-air Sunset Deck for breathtaking panoramic views, or to the main lounge and dining tent, where books, on-demand coffee and drinks make it the perfect place to relax after a day in the outback.
Enjoy plenty of space inside, and stunning views outside.
Rangelands Outback Camp dining
As the sun starts to dip below the horizon, gather for drinks and canapés on the expansive Sunset Deck, watching the sun drench the landscape in pinks and oranges as it sinks below the horizon.
Later, head to The Mahal lounge area and dining tent where mealtime magic happens. Savour a gourmet meal made fresh by Rangeland’s onsite chef. The meals use local produce to elevate classic outback dishes, and don’t worry, dietary requirements are happily accommodated.
Enjoy an open bar filled with an expansive hand-selected list of wines and premium beers, with wine pairings offered by Rangelands hosts come dinner time.
