Concealed in the ubercool Nishi Building, Monster is one of Canberra's more versatile dining spots. Hotel guests, New Acton locals and politicians alike check their Instagram feeds over breakfast. Shared plates with a subtle Middle Eastern influence get everyone talking during lunch and dinner. At night it morphs into a bar (and is a good place to overhear political gossip).

There's good seating by the large fires but a separate dining room overlooks the lake for some of the city's best views.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Canberra attractions

1. National Film & Sound Archive

0.16 MILES

Set in a delightful art-deco building (look for the stained-glass platypus in the foyer dome), this archive preserves Australian moving-picture and sound…

2. National Museum of Australia

0.52 MILES

As well as telling Australia's national story, this museum hosts blockbuster touring exhibitions (admission prices vary), which often outpoint the…

3. Canberra Museum & Art Gallery

0.55 MILES

This local museum is worth it for the Sidney Nolan paintings alone – 141 works, including canvases from his Ned Kelly series and Burke and Wills…

4. Drill Hall Gallery

0.59 MILES

The Australian National University's main gallery displays specials exhibitions and items from the ANU's art collection. On permanent display is the…

5. Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet

0.61 MILES

Built in 1970 to mark the bicentenary of British explorer James Cook's landfall, this memorial near Regatta Point consists of a 6-tonne column of water…

6. National Capital Exhibition

0.61 MILES

This small but fascinating museum tells the story of how Canberra came to be Australia's capital. Displays include reproductions of the drawings entered…

7. Nerang Pool

0.7 MILES

This lovely pool is a serene spot in Commonwealth Park, with an abundance of bird life and some beautiful landscaped gardens.

8. Australian of the Year Walk

0.75 MILES

The signs along this stretch of pathway pay tribute to those selected annually as Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian…