Shelbourne Hotel

This inner-city institution (built 1902) completed a smart, minor renovation in September, and while the bistro menu has again been updated, the kitchen (and the prices) had already moved up a notch. The grilled haloumi salad with roasted vegetables, baby spinach and reduced balsamic dressing is a delight, as is the Thai green curry chicken, flavoured nicely by fragrant Thai basil. The el cheapo steaks on mash have been replaced (except on Mondays) by a grain-fed rump with chips and salad or eye fillet with potato roesti, wilted spinach, aged balsamic and cabernet jus, and at $22.50 is sharp pricing anywhere.