Welcome to The Australian Financial Review’s first-ever dining guide, Fin Dining & Wine. It will be published on afr.com during this week and will appear in print as a special supplement in Fin Magazine, inside this Saturday’s AFR Weekend.

The aim of Fin Dining & Wine is to connect you with the 50 best places to dine across Australia. These are restaurants at the top of their food game, that also understand the particular needs of those doing business over lunch or entertaining over dinner.

That’s quite a brief; one that has led us to harbourside glamour spots and basement bistros, to old favourites and new discoveries. The toughest part – and possibly the most controversial – was to narrow the list to 50 restaurants, so we did what the Financial Review always does. We followed the money.

Our choices have been guided by a select group of 50-odd highly invested Financial Review readers who are out there on the business lunch coalface day after day. Thank you, your counsel has been invaluable.

We’ve noted the return of the Friday lunch (take that, WFH), and shared the dishes we think are non-negotiable, while drinks editor Max Allen has analysed the wine offerings of each restaurant with a view to maximising your returns.

Restaurants are listed by state in no particular order. Above each entry you’ll see our suggestions on the types of occasions for which the restaurant is best suited, whether that’s a business lunch, team get-together, or somewhere special to take an important guest from overseas. And because we like a work/life balance, we note the best places to dine with partners or pals. Private dining rooms – love or loathe them – are also listed.

Dining out for this guide for the past few months has brought home to me what a valuable partner the right restaurants are for one’s business. They share the same values with their commitment to quality, professional but personalised service and deep sense of hospitality – which is simply the art of looking after people.

Reviewers: Jill Dupleix, Matthew Drummond, Lauren Sams, Max Allen, Max Veenhuyzen (WA), Nigel Hopkins (SA). Restaurants were visited over the four months to April 2024, with writers paying their own way.

Key

• Business lunch
  When you have things to discuss. Great food, comfortable, attentive, not too noisy.
• Somewhere special
  When you need a wow factor to impress, celebrate, or say a big thank-you.
• Team lunch
  The focus is on fun, food and sharing. The price is right and the vibe casual.
• Partner or pal
  The best places for the best people in your life.
• PDR
  Private dining room

The winter issue of Fin Magazine – plus the Fin Dining & Wine special – is out on Saturday, May 11 inside AFR Weekend.