Med Barton — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

The atmosphere and location were lovely- super close to the Realm and the Barton offices. Internally, the decor is calming and obviously planned to be cohesive and polished without excessive details. Food was a little mixed - we chose the banquet, which was perhaps a little less "together" than could be hoped. The bread was excellent, and dips were good without being "special" though the falafel was full of crunch and flavour. The lamb was tasty, but the chicken really didn't stand out at all, and the accompanying side of rice and lentils really was disappointing visually and taste wise. It was a bowl of grey-green, very heavy on the cinnamon and dry. A little yogurt might have added moisture as well visual appeal.

Dessert - we appreciated the revision for an allergy, but the baklava was a bit heavy on pastry, with no honey or rosewater to unite it. The stack of pastry, passionfruit, Swiss meringue and almond cream was interesting and might have benefited from a drizzle of honey or a syrup to finish it. Cocktail options were quite inventive, and the Turkish Delight was very sweet (fine by me). On the service side, we did feel a little pressured to order next rounds of drinks - there were frequent stops from several of the service team to check in, which went a notch too high on service; becoming a bit intrusive rather than supportive.

Overall- is on the not great, not terrible side - finding a rhythm for service for the evening can take a moment to click and we were in the early seating. A lovely venue and...

My family have visited Med twice now, with the first time being outstanding, and the second time being the total opposite, leaving us wondering if we would ever return.

The venue is immaculately presented, and the food is delicious. But the service when we visited the second time was uncomfortable and bizarre. We had an early dinner booking, so the restaurant wasn’t very busy for majority of our meal, so that might be why the waiter (an older gentleman) was at our table for what felt like the entire meal. He kept trying to clear plates when we were still eating, and even walked past multiple times and ran his hands across our table without stopping to speak. It was very strange.

He also told us there was only 1 mocktail on the menu, and when we mentioned we had previously visited and had lots of options he got pushy and said there was only one. It seems other staff overheard this because they came over and told us we could order any kind of drink in a mocktail, which we did.

The music was also extremely loud and a strange choice for this type of restaurant. I don’t think “The Spins” by Mac Miller is really the vibe of a mediterranean restaurant as it’s extremely explicit.

I might return because the food is great, but I’m definitely in no rush. Hopefully they sort these issues out because Med has...

The moment we walked in, we knew we were in for a treat. The atmosphere at Med is warm, inviting, and effortlessly elegant - filled with earthly tones and a gentle glow. The staff were welcoming, friendly and professional and during our dinner the room filled and music matched the changing energy of the space.

We began with warm, pillowy pita bread, served alongside a velvety hummus that was rich, garlicky, and perfectly balanced. The grilled halloumi was firm, with a chewy texture and savoury served with a drizzle of olive oil and a hint of lemon.

The kingfish was a standout starter: served as a light entrée, delicately sliced and wonderfully fresh.

For mains, the lamb was fall-off-the-bone tender, infused with warm spices and paired with chickpeas and ricotta. The barramundi, meanwhile, was cooked to perfection-crispy-skinned and soft inside, accompanied by a vibrant herb salsa. And just when we thought we couldn't eat another bite, the baklava sundae arrived—delightful layers of flaky pastry, toasted nuts, and honey, topped with creamy ice cream. So satisfying.

Med Barton is a must-visit for foodies and anyone looking to celebrate a...