Nando's Canberra Centre — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

Nando’s at City Center on Bunda Street, Canberra, is a delightful destination for anyone craving bold, zesty flavours in a relaxed yet energetic setting. Conveniently located at the heart of Canberra’s bustling retail district, this Nando’s branch impresses not only with its iconic flame-grilled peri-peri chicken but also with an increasingly creative and flavourful array of sides and starters that elevate the overall dining experience.

Our recent visit to this location turned out to be a deeply satisfying gastronomic outing. The ambiance was upbeat yet casual, offering clean seating arrangements and friendly, fast-paced service. The staff were helpful, well-informed about the menu, and attentive without being intrusive — a hallmark of good hospitality.

The Hero – Peri-Peri Chicken (2 Whole Large Chickens with Peri Fries)

The star of the meal was undeniably the peri-peri chicken, served in two full, large portions. True to Nando’s global reputation, the chicken was flame-grilled to perfection. The skin had that perfect charred crispness while sealing in the succulence of the meat underneath. Each bite carried the unmistakable kick of the peri-peri marinade, rich with smoky undertones, chilli warmth, and a subtle citrus tang. We opted for medium spice, which offered a lively punch without overpowering the natural flavour of the chicken. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender — juicy, moist, and infused throughout with the marinade, showing how well the seasoning had penetrated.

Complementing the chicken were peri fries — crispy golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside, generously seasoned with Nando’s signature peri salt. The fries alone were addictive and made even better with dips like the classic perinaise, a creamy, zesty blend that added both richness and spice.

Roasted Broccoli with Peri-Crackle – The Unexpected Star

A surprising highlight of the meal was the Roasted Broccoli with Peri-Crackle. This side dish is a testament to how vegetables, when prepared thoughtfully, can easily steal the spotlight. The broccoli was roasted to an ideal tenderness — slightly charred at the edges yet retaining a pleasant crunch at the stalk. The peri-crackle topping added a fantastic texture — crispy, savoury bits that exploded with umami. What made this dish memorable was its bold and balanced flavour. The natural earthiness of the broccoli was elevated by the punchy peri-spice and the delicate hint of smokiness. It’s a dish vegetarians and meat-lovers alike would appreciate.

Halloumi Sticks with Dip – A Salty Delight

The halloumi sticks with dip were another winning starter. Perfectly grilled, the sticks had a beautiful golden crust while remaining firm and chewy inside — everything halloumi lovers expect. The accompanying dip added a cooling, creamy contrast to the saltiness of the cheese, making this dish a delightful warm-up for the main course.

Supremo Wrap – A Balanced Feast in Itself

The Supremo wrap offered a handheld version of the classic Nando’s experience. Packed with flame-grilled chicken, fresh lettuce, tomato, and perinaise sauce, wrapped in a soft tortilla — the wrap was fresh, flavourful, and satisfying. It struck the right balance between spice and creaminess, texture and bite. A perfect option for those wanting a quick, mess-free yet delicious meal.

Garlic Bread – Comforting and Fragrant

To round off the meal, the garlic bread offered a welcome dose of comfort. Thick-cut and nicely toasted, it was buttery and aromatic with a generous spread of garlic and herbs. Served warm, it was ideal for scooping up sauces and cleaning up leftover dips.

Final Verdict

Nando’s on Bunda Street delivers a well-rounded and consistently enjoyable...

BAD QUALITY AND SERVICE! I had previously made an elaborate 5-star review for this place a few years ago because back then, it was really good. Nowadays, under new management, this restaurant has gone to the dogs.

I have been a long-time loyal customer to Nando's for so many years, but now I'm extremely disappointed in how the quality and service is going there nowadays. I've had Nando's food since I was a kid, so I definitely know what kind of quality I should be expecting for every menu item on every occasion. It is extremely sad to say that the quality of food being served at Nando's Canberra Centre these days is a great shame to the Nando's brand. On numerous occasions in the past year alone, I've been quite shocked to experience things like: • Bad quality of food: Peri-peri chips with no peri-peri salt at all in them, ridiculously thin pieces of chicken, food poisoning • Little amounts of food: In the past year alone, I've received tiny portions of food in items that used to and should have a good portion to what you've paid for. The paella is not worth the money anymore. I've sent a couple of complaints to the HQ with photos attached and they've agreed as well that the portions seem very little. Even after these efforts, nothing has changed. I've asked one employee in the restaurant and he said that this is the amount they are TOLD to put. So in essence, they are being told to be stingy these days. You can get an idea of the stinginess from the photo I've attached to this review...that is a takeaway box of paella grande that is supposed to be filled to the top, but instead is only served half full because this is what they are told to put...and this box costs $20! • Rudeness

Being the last remaining Nando's in Canberra after other restaurants in Belconnen and Woden closed down, you would think they should be doing their best. I don't want to speculate but I really think that ever since this new management stepped in, the quality has dropped drastically. I've very recently gotten to see who claimed to be the manager for Nando's Canberra Centre and from her rudeness I'm not surprised why this place is now so bad. I've even heard and read reviews on Nando's Canberra Centre from others about the poor quality and rudeness...I can confirm it is all true. There are a few employees there who are really polite and are on their toes all the time to assist, but that really amounts to nothing if they are being told to serve inferior quality and be stingy.

Don't waste your money ordering at this place. I won't be surprised if this place closes down as well like the other Nando's places did in Canberra. The cost is just too much as compared to the dismal quality of food and service right now, so much that many people will say it's NOT WORTH IT. It's quite easy to make many of those menu items at home and you can prepare superior quality (and low cost) peri peri food than the food being served at...

We are frequent visitors at the Canberra Centre Nando’s, and time and again, we’ve had terrible experiences—but today was, without a doubt, the worst experience of our lives.

We placed a dine-in order through the app and patiently waited for 20 minutes, only to find out at the kitchen counter that they hadn’t even received our order. After checking their system, the staff discovered our order—sitting idle with 20 others in the queue. No one bothered to process it.

After another 15 minutes, we were served chips, broccoli, and pita bread—with NO CHICKEN! Another 20 minutes passed, and when I confronted the kitchen staff, instead of an apology, I was met with sheer arrogance. The staff member rudely told me to “take a refund if you can’t wait” because other customers had already been waiting for 45 minutes. This level of dismissiveness was infuriating. When I rightfully expressed my frustration, they had the audacity to threaten to call security on me—for demanding the food I had paid for!

This place is an absolute disgrace. The incompetence, lack of respect for customers’ time, and utter disregard for basic service standards are beyond unacceptable. Instead of taking accountability, they choose to silence frustrated customers with threats. It’s shameful, unprofessional, and downright pathetic.

Avoid this place at all costs unless you want to be treated like an inconvenience rather than a...