Let's face it, Canberra often gets a bad rap thanks to those infamous Year Six school excursions that haunted students from Sydney to Melbourne. But behind the capital’s political facade is a thriving food and drink scene that, dare we say, rivals Sydney and Melbourne.
You’ll soon have even more reason to visit the land of politicians and public servants, as celebrated chef and restaurateur Matt Moran (Aria, North Bondi Fish, Chiswick, Chophouse) today announced that he will open his first-ever restaurant in Canberra this autumn. And he’s not holding back – launching not just one, but two dining destinations.
Kicking off the dynamic duo is Compa – Moran’s 116-seater Italian steakhouse that will showcase local ACT produce, alongside meat from the Moran Family Farm. Black Angus beef and charcuterie cuts from the farm’s Berkshire pigs will be cooked on the custom Montague grill and served alongside seasonal pasta and sides, including cacio e pepe mac and cheese, sweet peas and Moran’s famous mash.
Just next door, &Sando will be Moran’s first-ever sandwich bar, serving up deli-style sangas filled with all the classics, like salami, mortadella, ham, provolone, pickles and veg. Despite being separated from Compa at birth, &Sando shares the same DNA as all of its sister venues, focusing on Moran’s signature paddock-to-plate philosophy.