How to get the Best of the 2018-19 Canberra Entertainment Book Dining

The 2018-2019 Canberra Entertainment Book has arrived and there’s over a year to enjoy the two for one and 25% discount dining. But there is so much to pick from, where do you start. Here are the Food and Travel Secrets best picks for every occasion. I’m adding them to my ‘Don’t Miss’ List. 

Why not buy a digital or hardcopy Canberra Entertainment Book as a present for yourself or someone you know and support the Delhi Girls Project at the same time.

My Top Tips to Make the Most of the 2018-2019 Canberra Entertainment Book

If you’ve bought the hardcopy:

• Activate your gold card to get new bonus offers as they come out
• Keep the gold card in your wallet.
• Keep your hardcopy in your glovebox so it’s always handy.
• Download the Entertainment Australia App for your iPhone or Android device by searching for “Entertainment Australia” in the App Store or on Google play on your smartphone. Even if you don’t have the digital version, the app gives you valuable information about venues.

Read the Rules of Use so you know what to expect.

• You can use the discounts for specials and set menus, but sometimes not for already discounted meals so it pays to double check this with the business.
• You can use up to three vouchers together for a table as long as you have four people for two vouchers or six people for three vouchers. Do check when you book though that the business will be happy to do that for you.
• Often you can’t use a voucher on Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, but it’s worth asking as sometimes you can.

These asterisked restaurants (*) can be booked through Dimmi which is a great idea. Create yourself a Dimmi account and book and rate your experience five times to claim a $20 voucher to use when dining out.  You can use this for a whole meal when dining alone or as a discount off a group bill. (There’s also plenty of other Entertainment Book Restaurants that can be booked through Dimmi, not just those on my top picks list – so do always check). A the moment my favourite Dimmi rewards redemption is Raku Japanese Restaurant in the City.

Some eateries also offer their discounts on takeaway meals that you can use for entertaining at home. Just replate them and serve with a large salad for an easy meal. Some entertaining at home meals using takeaway orders that I’ve seen work well are Thai, Indian and Turkish.

Discounts are 25% off the total bill (up to a limit) unless I’ve mentioned it’s two for one. When a complimentary main is offered, it’s the less expensive meal that is deducted from the bill.

Do double check my recommendations as prices and opening times change. My posts will give you an idea of what to expect.

Check out my Facebook and Instagram posts for ordering ideas, waist-line friendly tips, budget tips and my menus for groups.

Save this page to your phone as a PDF so you’re never short of an idea. But do check back here for updates to the list.

Good for Weekend Brunch

Penny University (Kingston) 

Coffee and Beans (Red Hill Lookout) (no. 90 on card Bonus Offer)

A Bite to Eat (Chifley)  – Two for One

Little Oink (Cook) – Two for One – open daily

Yarraumla Oaks Brasserie (Yarralumla) – good for dogs

Gryphons (Griffith) – two for one – open daily

Wheat & Oats (Phillip) – Saturday only

Bean and Table – (Kingston Foreshore)

Da Nunzio (Gunghalin)

Trevs (Dickson)

Lonsdale Street Cafe (Braddon) – Two for One

Baked on Mort (Braddon) – Two for One

Casey Jones (Casey)

Riverbank (Queanbeyan) 

Cork Street Cafe (Gundaroo)

Soul Cartel Farr Side Cafe (Isaacs) – two for one –  Southern USA

Good for Sunday Lunch 

*Kokomos (City)

Coffee and Beans (Red Hill Lookout) (no. 90 on card Bonus Offer)

A Bite to Eat (Chifley)  – Two for One

Little Oink (Cook) – Two for One – open daily 

Penny University (Kingston)

Saffron Room Persian Restaurant – (Gungahalin) – BYO

Yarraumla Oaks Brasserie (Yarralumla)

Gryphons (Griffith) – two for one – open daily

Soul Cartel Farr Side Cafe (Isaacs) – two for one –  Southern USA

Bean and Table  (Kingston Foreshore)

Debarcle (Braddon)

Lonsdale Street Cafe (Braddon) – two for one

Da Nunzio (Gunghalin)

Red Chilli Canberra Shop (City) BYO – open daily

Casey Jones (Casey)

Lerida Estate (Lake George) – wine tasting too

Riverbank (Queanbeyan)

Cork Street Cafe (Gundaroo) BYO 

Good for Thai

Baan Latsamy (Manuka) – don’t miss the Chicken and Prawn Stuffed Eggplant Starter and Duck Hot Pot – BYO

*Two Sisters Lao (City) – BYO

Thai Chiang Rai (Kingston) – BYO

Good for Indian

Binnys’ Kathitto (Braddon) – BYO

*Copper Chimney (City) – BYO

Dum Dickson (Dickosn) – BYO ($10 corkage) – great $5 Kachumber Salad and $21 Salmon fillet for those who prefer to eat light.

Blu Ginger (City) – BYO – has a great salad to go with Indian dishes

The Gan-jeez (Bruce) – not BYO

*7 by the Lake (Kingston Foreshore) – BYO ($10 corkage)

Flavours of India (Woden) 

Taj Agra (Dickson) BYO

Good for Chinese

Red Chilli Canberra Shop (City) BYO – open daily

Spicy Ginger (City) BYO

Natural Nine (Casino in City)

China Tea Club (North Lyneham)  – BYO, soft furnishings

Good for Filipino

Lolo & Lola

Good for Malaysian

Malaysian Chapter (Belconnen) BYO

Good for Nepalese

The Hungry Buddha (Belconnen) BYO

Good for Ethiopian

Ethiopia Down Under (Pearce) – BYO

Good for Persian

Saffron Room Persian Restaurant – (Gungahalin) – BYO

Good for Italian

Bellucis (Woden and Manuka) – great weekday lunch specials

Locale Pizzeria (Deakin)

Da Nunzio (Gunghalin)

*Bicicletta (New Acton)

Salatto (Kingston) BYO

Vapiano (City) – Two for one

Good for a Tapas/Pub Meal 

Momoda (City) – bonus offer – has happy hour

Kokomo (City) – two for one – open daily 

Gryphons (Griffith) – two for one – open daily

Sanya Bar (Braddon)

Highgate House (Kingston) has weekday specials – bonus offer

Hale & Mary (Kingston) – two for one – open daily

Michael’s at Walshes (Queanbeyan) – two for one

Soul Cartel Farr Side Cafe (Isaacs) – two for one –  southern USA

P.J. O’Reilly’s (City) – two for one

Debarcle (Braddon)

Good for Weekday Lunch

Penny University (Kingston)

A Bite to Eat (Chifley)  – two for one

Little Oink (Cook) – two for One – open daily

Remedy Lonsdale Roasters (Kingston Foreshore) – two for one – open daily 

*Belluci’s (Manuka/Woden) – $22 wine/beer & lunch special – good salads

*Buvette (Barton) – $26 wine & lunch special – great atmosphere 

Chifley Bar & Grill (Barton) – good salads – great atmosphere

The Kingston Collective (Kingston Foreshore) – open daily

Soul Cartel Farr Side Cafe (Isaacs) – two for one –  southern USA

Wheat & Oats (Phillip)

*The Dock (Kingston Foreshore) – good sitting outside in nice weather

Beef and Barley (Kingston Foreshore) – good salads

Bean and Table – (Kingston Foreshore)

The Courtyard (City)

Xchange on London (City)

Hale & Mary (Kingston) – good salads – two for one

Good for a Special Occasion

*The Boathouse (Lake) – BYO $25 per bottle – fixed 4 course menu $80, great views

*Pod Food (Pialligo)

*Wild Duck (Kingston Foreshore)

Grazing (Gundaroo)

Les Bistronomies (Braddon) – French

Good for a Take-away 

Crust Pizza (Braddon/Kingston) – two for one

The Gelato Place (Weston) – two for one

Gelatissimo Gelato (City/Manuka/Belconnen) – two for one

Roll’d – two for one bao or pho

Sushi Sushi – two for one sushi

Good for Atmosphere

*The Boathouse (Lake) – BYO $25 per bottle – fixed 4 course menu $80, great views

*Pod Food (Pialligo)

*Buvette (Barton) – $26 wine & lunch special – great atmosphere

Chifley Bar & Grill (Barton) – good salads – great atmosphere

Grazing (Gundaroo)

Yarraumla Oaks Brasserie (Yarralumla)

*Kokomos (City)

Lerida Estate (Lake George)

Cork Street Gallery Cafe (Gundaroo)