Concealed in the ubercool Nishi Building, Monster is one of Canberra's more versatile dining spots. Hotel guests, New Acton locals and politicians alike check their Instagram feeds over breakfast. Shared plates with a subtle Middle Eastern influence get everyone talking during lunch and dinner. At night it morphs into a bar (and is a good place to overhear political gossip).
There's good seating by the large fires but a separate dining room overlooks the lake for some of the city's best views.