Public Dining Room

If you’ve made it to Balmoral Baths, then you’ve pretty much got the location sorted. Tick one for Public Dining Room.

The focus here is on casual fine food – supporting Australian ingredients, suppliers and sustainable seafood wherever possible. Open for lunch and dinner, options might range from grilled South Australian king prawns to spaghetti vongole and a fish of the day with hand-cut chips. Apron-adorned waiters flit here and there, refilling water glasses discreetly and providing knowledgeable service with a smile.

Designers Hecker, Phelan & Guthrie have imbued the venue with Scandi-meets-beachside aesthetic that keeps design smooth, clean and simple. Light timber floors echo driftwood and are complemented by blond wood tables and white Eames chairs, with an elegant white marble bar for the cocktail hour.

Huge dome lights punctuate the open space, floor-to-ceiling windows open right up in balmy weather, and there’s uninterrupted flow from the airy indoor space to the protected deck area (heated for cool times). And the picture perfect view (out over the baths, which date to 1898) is just part of the winning combination – no matter the weather.