FYR Grill at North Lakes Hotel

Head out towards Ullswater Road and you'll find yourself in FYR, a restaurant that takes the whole fire-cooking thing seriously without making a song and dance about it. The open kitchen setup means you can watch the action unfold as chefs work the charcoal grills, and there's something genuinely compelling about watching your dinner char and develop proper colour. It's the kind of place where you go because you actually want proper food cooked properly, not because you're ticking boxes. The North Lakes Hotel location gives it a slightly removed-from-town feel, but that works in its favour—you're getting a proper destination restaurant vibe without leaving Penrith.