Verity Lane Market, Canberra, ACT © Verity Lane Market
8 of Canberra's best cheap eats
Alongside Canberra's classic cafés, pubs and restaurants, meet the eateries that mix youthful creativity with small-city friendliness.
By Jennifer Pinkerton
Despite its small size, Canberra enjoys a well-earned reputation as a foodie haven. Fresh produce abounds here, as do award-winning coffee roasters, beer brewers and cool-climate winemakers. Delicious food doesn't need to drain your wallet, however, as this local line-up attests.
Tilley's Devine Cafè Gallery
Where: Lyneham
Tilley's receives big love from Canberra locals. It's hard to find a cosier café and Tilley's unique atmosphere will transport you to another world. Imagine an older-style piano bar with wooden booths, staff dressed in suspenders, Ella Fitzgerald ebbing through the speakers and large indoor plants dotted around scarlet carpets. Breakfasts here are the standout meal, especially the English Lot (cooked breakfast with bacon, sausages, eggs, grilled vegetables and a hash brown), the Vegetarian Lot and the homemade baked beans. Tilley's serves a tempting array of cakes and brews a tasty, strong coffee, too.
Capital Region Farmers Market
Where: Mitchell
There are few places better for tracking down affordable bites than a bustling market, and Canberra's Capital Region Farmers Market is no exception. Enjoy curating your ideal assortment of treats from some of the region's most creative foodies. Sample everything from hearty bagels to fresh gyoza or warming chai, then fill up a bag for the road with fresh local produce.
Verity Lane
Where: City centre
Verity Lane Market is a food hall concept located in the iconic Sydney Building in Canberra. The name of the market is a nod to Verity Hewitt, who opened Canberra’s first bookshop in the 1930s. In addition to breathing new life into the old building, Verity Lane Market has also revitalised the tree-lined rear laneway with the addition of an outdoor seating deck. Choose between emerging independent eateries, local favourites and delicious drinks.
The Old Canberra Inn
Where: Lyneham
For a city that's just over 100 years old, this 150-year-old pub is a prized, rustic local gem. Built in 1857, the Old Canberra Inn started life as a private home before its owners acquired a liquor licence. Today, it's a top spot for sampling gourmet burgers, as well as beers produced from Canberra's rising microbrewery scene – the Indian pale ales and alcoholic "hard" lemonade are highlights. The inn houses vintage furniture, live music, a kids' play area and a dining room clad in kookaburra wallpaper.
Brodburger
Where: locations in Kingston, Phillip and Fyshwick
Transport an American-style diner to Canberra's old-meets-new Kingston Foreshore area and the result is Brodburger – a hip and hugely popular casual eatery. The diner sprung from a single food truck, originally parked on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. Long queues and word-of-mouth hype morphed the van into the institution it has become today. Brodburger's namesake burger, the Brodburger, is a fail-safe pick. It's a flame-grilled beef patty topped with tomato, Spanish onion and homemade aioli, plus a choice of blue, brie, Swiss or cheddar cheese.
Two Before Ten
Where: City centre and Aranda
Local coffee roasting house Two Before Ten resides at a set of revamped suburban shops in the city's inner north. This hipster den serves excellent coffee, and crafts quintessentially "new Canberra" meals: creatively conceived and thoughtfully presented – in this case, on heavy stoneware. Two Before Ten's bubble and squeak dish and black rice pudding are two such examples. The former comprises potato and herb medallions, poached eggs and bacon topped with brown butter hollandaise. The latter blends black rice in coconut milk with banana, lemon and passionfruit syrup.
CBD Dumpling House
Where: City centre
A large, illuminated glass box on the northern side of the Canberra Centre shopping complex, the Dumpling House pulses with people most nights of the week. Sizzling sounds and trails of steam rise from its open kitchen, while ceilings are adorned with hanging lanterns. Service is fast and the food is fresh and simple. Dumplings come served on white plates, undressed with additional extras. Opt for the crispy chilli beef, the prawn and pumpkin dumplings, and for dessert, choose the silken tofu with ginger. Note that this venue can get noisy.
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Lazy Su
Where: Braddon
Enter a world of retro Japanese and Korean pop culture at Lazy Su, situated in Canberra’s inner north. This fast and loud Asian eatery is decked out with neon signs and funky wallpaper, but it’s not the décor that brings the masses. The menu at Lazy Su has managed to introduce out-of-the-ordinary Asian flavours while staying true to the cuisine. Try the likes of Wagyu cheesesteak spring rolls, nori tacos, and “bao-gers” made with fresh and fluffy bao buns. Lazy Su even offers a vegan banquet, making sure that every diet is welcome.