Food and Wine Australia

By John Lethlean

Botanical Thanks to maverick British chef Paul Wilson, this year-and-a-half-old bistro—affectionately known as the Bot—is serving some of the city's most adventurous food. Wilson blends Mediterranean and Japanese ideas with English classics in dishes like his salt cod and celery-root soup with clams. His signature kingfish carpaccio with an oyster panna cotta is one of Melbourne's great dishes. DETAILS 169 Domain Rd., South Yarra; 011-61-3- 9820-7888.

Mr. Wolf Melbourne still doesn't have many places serving thin-crust pizza topped with high-quality ingredients. But the success of Mr. Wolf—co-owned by chef Karen Martini, formerly of Melbourne Wine Room and Sydney's Icebergs—is likely to start a trend. Martini piles the pies with toppings like porcinis and roasted garlic, and pays equal attention to the rest of the menu, which offers Italian braised dishes like rabbit with pancetta and prunes. DETAILS 9-15 Inkerman St., St. Kilda; 011-61-3-9534-0255.

Adelaide

By Anthony Love

barr-Vinum In the Barossa Valley, an hour's drive from Adelaide, chef Sandor Palmai has joined with former St Hallett owner Bob McLean to create a place for local winemakers and wine country visitors to hang out. Palmai's contemporary European dishes—such as roast saddle of rabbit with warm celery root, hazelnut salad and porcini mushrooms—make use of the best local products, and McLean's wine list focuses almost exclusively on the best Barossa labels. DETAILS 6 Washington St., Angaston; 011-61-8-8564-3688.