We are looking for a casual eating place handy to the Hyatt, Canberra for a Saturday evening meal. Will have elderly parents with us, so nothing too noisy; Italian would be good - not Chinese or Thai or anything else too spicy.

Any suggestions? Many thanks, Di

There are no shops or restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the Hyatt, so I suggest taking a cab to either the Manuka or Kingston shops, just a short 5-10 minute run. In Manuka, Belluci's Trattoria (corner Franklin and Furneaux Streets) is reliable - not what I'd call dead quiet due to the hard surfaces typical of many modern restaurants, but not too bad.

In Kingston La Rustica (www.larustica.com.au/viewmenu.php?mid=1in) on Kennedy Street is a smaller establishment. Manuka in particular has a wide choice of ethnic cuisines including casual "mod Oz" places and a nice busy ambience.

Vasco's Portuguese restaurant in Giles Street, Kingston, is also good, but as it sounds like your parents have very conservative food tastes it might be best to stick to Italian.

Thanks for those suggestions, Neil. It's not so much my parent's conservative tastes, as my food allergies! Also my parents have hearing problems that make conversation in some restaurants difficult for them.

This will be a family get-together, as well as an occasion for my dad to participate in the Bomber Command event on the Sunday. My sister will be arriving early Sat, so will suggest she investigate your suggestions further, and perhaps do a bit of a drive/walk around Manuka as well. Cheers, Di

Nothing like sending a scout in ahead, Di - good idea. There are also options in Civic (the CBD) which is just up the road from the Hyatt - Tosoloni's springs to mind (cnr London Cct & East Row). I can't be as much use to you as I'd like because when we eat out it's usually, wouldn't you know, Asian.

If you're driving yourself, there are public car parks on London Circuit opposite Tosolini's and also further down near the police station and law courts. Commonwealth Avenue takes you straight across the lake and onto London Circuit - the car parks are to the right and left of the intersection. Don't worry if you miss them - London Circuit is one of those thoroughfares where Canberra's circular roads can be work to your advantage.

You can approach both Kingston and Manuka from Canberra Avenue, which is one of the main roads radiating out from Parliament House. Kingston shouldn't pose a parking problem (it's basically one block of shops and eateries). Manuka, although itself not much more than a single block, is a good deal busier and more of a parking challenge. You can just do blckies until you find something, or there's an undercover car park on Furneaux Street.

in the city--one the other side of the parliment building--there is the melbourne building adn the sydney building--many reastaurants are located on those blocks.

Thanks, youngtom - I wasn't aware of those two buildings, so will check them out. We'll be there for Sat and Sun dinner, so thanks for all the options!

Agree Belluci's should be a safe choice. Rendezvous in Manuka Court is another 'Italian' option (includes a gelato bar 'outside' in the covered 'Court'), in Bougainville Street (parallel to Franklin St, in the same block as Belluci's), but may be too noisy. Other decent (good value for money IMO) Manuka eating places include the popular My Cafe in Franklin Street (inside and on the footpath) and Mecca Bah (inside and out and perhaps the least noisy, but Moroccan emphasis may not suit) off Flinders Way, above Coles supermarket. Can't miss My Cafe, but the others can be a bit difficult to find if you are not familiar with the area, even though compact.

BTW, the Australian War Memorial is having an open day on Sunday 24th (12-4pm) at its Mitchell (north Canberra industrial suburb) large artefacts repository - http://www.awm.gov.au/

PS - For even closer casual eating you might check out the restaurant at the Southern Cross Yacht Club, just along the lake foreshore from the back of the hotel.

Further on the Sydney and Melbourne buildings - these have been Canberra landmarks for many years and are almost impossible to miss, as they sit on each side of Northbourne Avenue at its intersection with London Circuit - the point at which Northbourne Ave becomes Commonwealth Ave. They're distinctive 1920s-style white colonnaded structures.

If you enter Canberra from the Federal Highway you will perforce find yourself on Northbourne. To find the Hyatt, simply cross London Circuit - you'll cross Lake Burley Griffin and see Parliament House directly ahead. Stay in the RH lane and about 1 km along you'll see the (low-rise) Hyatt on your right; turn right at the lights on the Hyatt's corner, then right again to enter the hotel's rear and side parking areas.

On the side road you'll pass the resplendent and unmistakeable Chinese Embassy, with its permanent encampment of Falun Gong demonstrators opposite.

Thanks for all those extra suggestions, farrermog . . . now I feel as thought we'll be spoilt for choices!
Thanks also for the tip about the open day at the War Memorial - pity we won't be there until the next weekend.
Thanks Neil for the clarification of the two buildings; every little bit helps when you're in unfamiliar territory. Di

di - if you do make it into Civic it would be remiss of me not to also mention Mama's Trattoria in Garema Square and, in the new section of the Canberra Centre (shopping and cinema complex), nearby on Bunda Street, Cream and also Kingsley's Steak and Crabhouse (can report very positive reasonably recent dining experiences at all three - Mama's should be ideal for your party, but make sure to book; Cream was very impressive, but may be too noisy).

For general reference should also mention in passing that across the road in the side street (Genge St) next to Cream is the Blu Ginger Indian Restaurant which is either an offshoot or transplant from the restaurant of the same name in McMahon's Point in Sydney.

Again, for general reference having in mind the post title -

'up market' dining either on the lakeshore or nearby the Hyatt - furthest away, the Boathouse, on the north shore of East Basin (esp dinner in the warmer months with spectacular sunset views across the lake); Axis Restaurant at the National Museum across the lake (west)from the Hyatt; The Ottoman Restaurant at Barton; The Water's Edge, on the lakeshore between the National Library and the National Portrait Gallery; The Ginger Room at Old Parliament House; and, closest to the Hyatt, across the main road (Commonwealth Avenue) and along King George Terrace just past the Treasury/ Finance buildings and before Old Parliament House, is another Canberra institution, The Lobby Restaurant.

And don't forget the Hyatt itself, especially 'casual' dining in its very pleasant Promenade Cafe.

For good casual lunches in the immediate area of the Hyatt and Parliamentary Triangle, there is the National Library's Bookplate Cafe (reopening mid June after refurbishment), the cafe at the new National Portrait Gallery, and Cafe in the House at Old Parliament House.

If that's not enough, there is also a great choice in the suburbs, many within 5-15 minutes of the main tourist/ bureaucracy/ business hubs, but requiring shall we say a little more advanced navigational confidence (which I'm sure Neil, I, or others can assist with if required).

We have had our weekend sojourn in Canberra; the gods were kind to us and managed to keep the rain showers away whilst we were outdoors!

The commemorative ceremony at the War Memorial for Bomber Command was very moving and beautifully conducted. We returned to the site in the evening for my dad to see the memorial lit up, and I was amazed at the number of wreaths and flower bunches that had been laid during the day.

The cold weather made us very inclined to stay in the luxurious surroundings of the Hyatt; they certainly know the meaning of 'good service'. So we dined in each evening - once in the Promenade Cafe, and once in the open lounge area.
For Sunday lunch we discovered Tongue and Groove (cnr Bunda & Genge St, City) - a delightful experience for food, ambience and price.

Hope this helps anyone else travelling to Canberra. Di

Good to hear your Canberra weekend went well and thanks for the Tongue and Groove tip.

Back to our 'central Canberra' dining list -

modern Asian - Chairman and Yip in Bunda St Civic (a long term Canberra favourite of many and high on the Trip Advisor list)

Chinese - Portia's Place, Kennedy St Kingston (spot the politician when Parliament is sitting)

Japanese - Iori Japanese in East Row, Civic (another high flyer on Trip Advisor)

in the Diamant Hotel/ New Acton precinct (city/ Civic west near Rydges Lakeside Canberra Hotel) - Parlour Wine Room ('up market' tapas and specialty wines, very well reviewed in Canberra Times this week); Flint Dining Room and Bar (recall well reviewed)

other 'upmarket' with spectacular views - Onred, on Red Hill (a fairly recent and apparently promising reincarnation at the Red Hill Lookout restaurant site) ; Alto, at the Black Mountain Tower (but check reviews)

FWIW, an update - 'top 20' and recent reviews

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...food-and-wine/

Thanks for that farrermog!

Mind you, the tenor of the comments to the above link and in a following article by a CT staff writer is that the contemporary Canberra dining experience tends to be rather 'average' and over-priced.

For those who crave the simple pleasure of decent bread and the decadent delights of good pastries and cakes, Canberra bakery/ patisserie institutions include -

Bruno's, at Mawson (also for his chocolates)

Silo, at Kingston

Croissant D'or, in Civic

Cornucopia, at Braddon (near Civic)

Wild mushrooms - definitely NOT to be consumed -

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-0...64?section=act

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...y/2410556.aspx