Vellore Restaurant

You're heading down Sydney Road towards the river, past the Georgian terraces, when you stumble into the Macdonald Bath Spa—and honestly, it's easy to underestimate what's happening in their restaurant. Vellore does proper South Indian cooking, which means dosas that actually crackle, coconut-based curries that taste like someone cared, and sambar that's balanced rather than just hot. It's hotel dining, yes, but the kind that doesn't feel like you're eating in a corporate bubble. The dining room has a refined, understated feel—there's a confidence to it that comes from knowing exactly what it does well.