Last week, we brought you the news that Benn and Mork Ratanakosol, the brothers behind Morks in Kingston and Minima in Yarralumla, had opened a new place at Scullin shops. Yes, that's right, the small shopping strip in the heart of Scullin, which is in the heart of Belconnon.
But this wasn't in any way a departure for these purveyors of elevated Asian food. The brothers were raised by suburban eateries, starting with Sukothai in Yarralumla, then Morks in Florey and Kingston. Coming back to Belconnen is like coming home. And imagine how happy the locals are!
To celebrate another opening in the 'burbs, here's some of our top suburban restaurants - the ones that feel like hidden secrets, just like the shopping strips that suddenly appear in Canberra streets when you round a corner.
You know what they say about local cuisine - if the locals are eating it, it must be good. So the fact that Filipino restaurant Lolo and Lola has the stamp of approval from Canberra's Filipino community means they must be doing something right. Plus, this snappy eatery is constantly packed. If you haven't been yet, it's time!
It's a volatile scene in Canberra's restaurant world, so when a place has been around as long as Rubicon, attention must be paid. Since opening in 2020, this stylish Griffith venue has grown into itself, while showing little interest in trends. Instead, it delivers class and good taste via modern Australian cuisine. It is, as our most recent reviewer described it, "like a pair of perfectly worn-in boots".
Rama's in Pearce is another example of a long-stayer staying true to itself. The Fiji Indian establishment opened more than 35 years ago, in a suburb that would have felt reasonably new back then. Nowadays, both Pearce and Rama's are part of Canberra's diverse landscape, and the food - nuanced takes on what the average diner would consider Indian classics - is as spectacular as ever.
We don't often review restaurants in Tuggeranong, and this reviewer can't see any reason for this, especially when there's a place like Anatolia on offer. If you want good Mediterranean fare, there are plenty of places around the city, but this one stands out for the southern end. The menu is broad, with pasta and pizza and fish and grilled delicacies and sharing platters. As the aforementioned reviewer put it, "Frankly, if you cannot find something here that interests you, you are likely unfit to be eating in a restaurant".
More Mediterranean, but this time due north. Olive is one of Canberra's few true Greek restaurants, with simple decor and solid Greek offerings, the kind you can find yourself really craving in the dead of winter, when all you want is to travel to a Greek island and eat freshly caught fish. Here, you can have octopus and sardines, goat's cheese and moussaka, everything garlicky and lemony. Once again, consider crossing the lake if need be!
