Features

cafes sydney

The 3 best cafes in Sydney right now (February 2024 Edition)

Remember when Devon Cafe and Three William Street were helping Sydney compete quite fiercely with Melbourne’s famously progressive cafe scene? All of the sudden laneway bars started to pop up over the city to take care of the night owls (at least until the lockout-law-mandated-cessation-of-service). But by day, these increasingly creative cities were taken good…

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MIFF: Where to eat during the 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival

The Melbour1ne International Film Festival is in full swing, and with multiple sessions across different cinemas in the city, it can be tough to fit all the movies we want to see in and remember to eat. While I spent last weekend running around the city, surviving on quick dashes to various fast food establishments,…

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ST. ALi & The Queen opens in Melbourne’s CBD

ST. ALi represents the cornerstone of coffee culture in Melbourne. With the main roastery and restaurant situated in South Melbourne, the iconic Melbourne brand has taken up residence in the CBD, in the new retail section of the Queen Victoria Markets. Located in Therry Street, you can grab a coffee, pastries and fresh focaccias all…

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Brisbane-born mimosa in a can (mYmosa) wins accolades at World Drink Awards

A true success story out of ideas born from the lockdown, Brisbane-based mYmosa – the first classic mimosa in a can – has been awarded Bronze for taste and Silver for design at the 2023 World Drink Awards, judged in London, UK. Designed for convenience and a good time, the brainchild of founders Bec Pini…

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Dining Destinations: Huihui (Maui, Hawaii) – Kā’anapali Beach Hotel’s beachfront restaurant

In our new series “Dining Destinations”, we take you to some of the best and most unique dining experiences you’ll find around the world. We start in Hawai’i, on the island of Maui, where over the pandemic an inspired new restaurant popped up at one of the region’s most iconic hotels, fusing Hawaiian flavours with…

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What on earth is a Beer Spa? (And why it’s good for your health!)

Opening last year in the residential Five Points area of Denver, following the renovation of a building with more than a century of history, and a few delays thanks to Covid, The Beer Spa brought a slowly spreading experience of the same name to the Colorado city for the first time. So what is a…

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A guide to drinking rosé in winter, from the experts at Brown Brothers

Picture this: it’s a gloomy night, rain is thundering against the window, and it’s cold – by Australian standards, at least. What sort of drink would you be craving? Let me guess: a red wine or perhaps a whiskey? That certainly would be the usual. But according to the wine connoisseurs at Brown Brothers, we…

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Disney’s Space 220 Restaurant: What is it, is it worth the visit, and how do you get a seat?

While Disney try to figure out what went wrong with their highly anticipated, but seemingly disappointing Star Wars Hotel, they are also celebrating a similar concept they have very much gotten right: Space 220. Located at Disney’s Epcot in Orlando, and built above the long running Mission: SPACE attraction that gives guests the experience of…

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The Bands That Made The Beer: Casey’s Brewery

In our new series, we’re taking a dive into local independent breweries and doing our best impression of being a Cicerone, by matching the brewery’s beers with a band. We’ll be taste testing the best a brewery has to offer and teaming tipples with tracks, all to make that drinking experience even more special. This…

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Disney’s California Adventure Food & Wine Festival brings the spirit of EPCOT to the West Coast

At the end of the 1980s, Walt Disney World in Orlando was booming; overtaking the swampland they acquired for “The Florida Project” while founder Walt Disney was still alive with no less than three parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and what is now known as Hollywood Studios (on its opening in 1989, it was the Disney-MGM…

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The AU Review’s Christmas food & drink guide 2021

We’ve already let you know our top picks for gifts this Christmas, but that isn’t all that you’ve got to fork out for when it comes to bringing the festive cheer to your home. Food & drink is always going to be a big part of the big day, so we’ve rounded up some of…

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The AU Review’s Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide 2021: From tech and grooming, to kitchen and design

2021 has been tough for Aussies, and it seems that quite possibly things are going to be… complicated… for months to come. There’s still a lot of gloom about despite many cities now enjoying life out of lockdown, which is why the upcoming Christmas holidays just may be the most important ones yet. There’s no…

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These are the 3 best Sydney restaurants with live music

Restaurants are back. As Sydney keeps on opening up, more and more people are flocking back to their old and new favourite spots to make up for lost time when it comes to eating well, drinking even better, and catching up with friends. Throw some live music in the mix from talented local bands, from…

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4 things you should know about French gin to help you broaden your cocktail horizons

I don’t know what it is about gin, but it’s a pretty divisive spirit. Vodka is a cocktail classic, whiskey we tend to get around, but when you ask a room full of people about this robust spirit named gin, some very mixed opinions often erupt. For the superfans among us, you’ll know it’s officially…

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Five spots to book next week now that “Freedom Day” is upon Sydney

Not that it should be grotesquely touted as “freedom day” like it’s a signal to the ongoing pandemic is over, but October 11th has now been confirmed as the day when the fully vaccinated will be able to once again start enjoying fewer restrictions in Sydney. That means that we’re now able to book in…

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Father’s Day Gift Guide 2021: Wines, Spirits & Beers To Get Dad This Sunday

You know what’s coming around this Sunday 5th September, and by now you should know what kind of last-minute gift you want to pick up for the old man. Yep, Father’s Day is going to be an important one this year. If he’s like most people in Australia right now, Dad is locking down amongst…

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How to Prepare Healthy Meals for the Family When You Work Full-Time

Balancing a family and a full-time job is no easy task. It can often leave you feeling frazzled, exhausted, stressed and just plain frustrated. You get home after a busy day at work, everyone is starving and wants dinner, but likely the last thing you feel like doing is making a big, huge meal. This…

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Polish Club

Polish Club’s David Novak gives us his favourite burgers in Sydney

On Friday, Sydney rockers Polish Club will release their latest album, Now We’re Cookin’. They’ve teased out some singles in the past few months including “Stop for a Minute”, “Just Talking” and the sweet ballad “No Heaven”, so it’s exciting to having the full audio smorgasbord about to drop. It’s always good to hear David…

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Bite Size: 5 bits of Australian food news you should know for August 2021

Looking to switch up that shopping cart? Every so often the AU will be looking to 5 quick news bites we think Aussies should be across, whether that’s something as small as a new supermarket essential or a city-specific needt-to-know to keep you eating you eating well each day of the week. Kit Kat Teams…

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What is Georgian Cuisine? 5 Mouth-Watering Dishes To Eat Before You Die (And How!)

The Republic of Georgia is a land nestled within the gorgeous Caucasian mountain range and is home to many things – friendly faces, rich history, beautiful scenery and, of course, food to die for. If you’ve never tried Georgian cuisine, let me sum it up into two simple words: cheese and wine. Food plays an essential part…

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Sydney Solstice: 6 highlights of the new winter festival

Sydney isn’t about to let the postponement of Vivid get in the way of a good winter festival. Although our two major winter events – Sydney Film Festival and Vivid Sydney – have both been rescheduled and shifted to later this year, a new two-week replacement will more than fill the need for all that…

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soulara pesto

Soulara: Plant-based microwave meals are a life-saver for the health-conscious worker

Walk into any supermarket now and I’d be surprised if you couldn’t find the ready-to-heat meal section. If any part of your local has seen more variety in the past year, it’s this sector. Yes, microwaveable meals have been around forever, but a recent swell in interest, and a wider push towards portion control, is…

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De’Longhi PrimaDonna Soul Review: Wow factor guaranteed

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Soul is a very expensive fully automatic coffee machine, but it continues the brand’s very solid reputation of putting out class-leading devices designed for hard-to-please coffee enthusiasts. Experimentation sits at the heart of the enormous $2,799 machine, which requires quite a bit of counter space and is perhaps a bit too large…

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Top 5 Meat Pie Delivery Services in Australia 2021

Meat pies are an absolute Australian classic. They come in different shapes and sizes. Not to mention several flavor combinations, like chicken and mushroom, lamb and mash, beef cheek and stout — the list is endless.  Of course, location matters largely when it comes to estimating the perfect food experience. And there’s no better place…

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The best Christmas gifts in Australia for 2020

Christmas is almost here, and given the year we’ve just had, it’s go hard or go home. This holiday season is – pending none of 2020’s indulgent curve-balls – going to have a lot riding on it. It’ll be like cannoning-balling into that perfectly temperature controller pool after trudging through the Sahara, and hearing those…

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Atomic Beer Project is Redfern’s latest microbrewery, workspace and restaurant

Western Australia’s Gage Roads Brewing Co is opening its very first venue in Sydney. Situated in the heart of Redfern, Atomic Beer Project brings an innovative concept to the hospitality scene with a microbrewery, workspace and restaurant. Set in in a contemporary warehouse and visually setting the scene with giant stainless-steel tanks of fresh beer,…

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Five new drinks you need in your life right now

As we move away from winter and into spring, those who love a good, hard spirit are looking for something a bit more vibrant on the palate. Although given that we haven’t quite left the erratic weather behind, something mature and full of enough fire to keep the chest cosy at night. That’s a delicate…

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Interview: MasterChef alumni Matt Sinclair shares his tips and techniques on all things beef

As warmer weather approaches, what better way to celebrate spring than a good old fashioned BBQ or cooking up a Sunday roast? The AU Review spoke with MasterChef finalist and restaurant owner of Sum Yung Guys, Matt Sinclair, who enlightened us with his knowledge of the best beef cuts and cooking techniques. From slow braising,…

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The AU’s Father’s Day drinks guide 2020: Spirits, Wines, and Beers

The pandemic may have shut down more than a few 2020 plans, but that doesn’t mean some of Australia’s finest distilleries, breweries and wineries have stopped pushing their liquid gold onto shelves around the country. We’re willing to bet that dad is going to need a good drink or two come Father’s Day, at least…

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Vanto is Sydney’s hidden gem of Naples-style pizza

Whether it’s traditional Naples-style pizza, classic pasta dishes or their iconic wood-fired sandwiches, Vanto restaurant is the place to be when it comes to authentic Italian cuisine. Nestled on the first floor of the Queen Victoria Building, the hidden gem pays homage to traditional and modern Neapolitan cooking. Noted as Ospitalità Italiana certified (which is…

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