News

Din Tai Fung has launched an online ordering site, with many of the products they use available for home delivery. While winter slowly approaches and isolation remains, you can stock up on some frozen goods supplied by the venue so you can try recreate their delicious dumplings and other dishes at home. Delivering an assortment…

Although Justin Hemmes had announced the closure of his considerable restaurants and bars due to COVID-19 just a few weeks ago, his Merivale empire is now switching to delivery with the of launch a “Merivale at Home” platform. This will allow diners to take advantage of a new at-home dining service that delivers some of…

There has been much discussion about ways we can help support struggling small businesses across the hospitality and retail sectors in the face of COVID-19. Now that the government has, necessarily, shuttered all non-essential venues, cash flow has all but frozen for Australia’s favourite restaurants, cafes, florists, hairdressers and the like. How do we support…

Although they’ve shut doors for now, Glebe’s stalwart Toxteth Hotel is making the most of the situation by using their bottle shop delivery service in the best way possible. That, of course, means kegs filled with their reliable espresso martinis are doing the rounds. Though it’s not just espresso martini on the menu. Kegs of…

Sydney cheese lovers need not go without one of Salt Meat Cheese’s epic 1 kilo brie spaghetti cheese wheels. The Drummoyne store has now jumped on the delivery chain, adapting to the current COVID-19 situation and current Government restrictions by making the indulgent meal available for anyone to consume in their own home. From every…

It seems like just yesterday world renowned brewery BrewDog opened an ambitious brewpub in Brisbane. The multinational, Scotland-born brewery has since become one of the city’s most attractive haunts, but recent developments with Covid-19 has shuttered the opportunity to actually go soak up the atmosphere. That’s why the team have decided to introduce a completely…

Totti’s has become somewhat of a phenomenon for Merivale, swiftly rising to become a dining institution thanks largely to their famously charred woodfired flatbread. Now, Totti’s has joined the chorus of restaurants around the world cutting dine-in options to adapt to social distancing measures. The beloved Bondi local will be doing takeaway from The Bottle…

It’s been weeks of pure shock, for everyone (okay, maybe except for this absolute dickhead). The hospitality industry has especially suffered a critical blow, as scenes around the world have been hit tremendously hard with the impact of COVID-19. In Australia, some of our favourite venues are scrambling to adapt or shut their doors. This…

Lo-Fi Wine directors James Audas (former Noma and Silvereye sommelier) and Tom Sheer (former Love Tilly Divine and Oscillate Wildly sommelier) have officially launched The Borough Box. Available for Sydney and Melbourne, it’s a continuously evolving monthly subscription service that will focus on delivering sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines to Aussies in this time of…

As the restaurants, cafes and bars concerned with the health and safety of their staff and customers start to adapt to social distancing, online restaurant booking platform TheFork has made some necessary changes. In response to the ongoing threat from COVID-19, the platform has introduced a search function filtering restaurants that are now offering pick-up…

As local businesses start to adapt to the current situation with Covid, chicken chain Chargrill Charlie’s has joined in by implemented a new “contactless” ordering system. Ensuring they can still serve their local communities despite the need for social distancing, Chargrill Charlie’s has introduced a “Eat Contactless with Charlie’s” addition to their smartphone app. This…

The team at BWS are launching a debut ‘Art n Crafts’ event in Sydney this week, putting their own little spin on the “paint and sip” trend that has been sweeping the globe. Taking the traditional craft beer tasting and adding a whole lot of creativity, the class will welcome anyone over the age of…

In some of the least expected news of the week, beloved chocolate and malt powder MILO has announced a plant-based alternative. Simply titled MILO Plant Based, the new powder has been created in response to more Aussies turning to dairy alternatives. Using the same core ingredients as the original MILO, those being malt, barley and…

Matt Preston has come on board in collaboration with Tanqueray and Marley Spoon to curate a limited edition home delivery dining box, elevating the ready-to-make dinner party concept with fine ingredients and inventive recipes. A first of it’s kind, the dinner box will be available in two exclusive menu variations, sticking to creative interpretations of…

If you’ve ever joined the long queue of hungry locals and tourists aching for their chance to try jiggly soufflé pancake at Gram Café & Pancakes in Japan then you’ll know that their Australian debut is a big deal. How big? Certainly bigger than the towering triple-stack of wobbly pancakes the chain has been pumping…

Stalwart Sydney steakhouse The Cut has added a little more meat to its bones. Mainly it’s bar. The restaurant, dipping into a suave space in the city’s historic The Rocks area, has refocused its offering by placing a larger emphasis on it’s considerable bar. Accompanied by a sweeping menu makeover (don’t worry, the signature slow-cooked,…

The mighty Meatstock, one of Sydney’s most popular food festivals, is entering into its fifth year as it plans a massive return to Sydney Showgrounds. The annual carnivore carnival, now stretched to three days of bottomless BBQ, bands and booze, has a few new changes in store as well. In addition to the now classic…

Lifestyle hotel and local haunt W Brisbane is set to flip the idea of an open-air cinema throughout March when it launches its own take on the popular night out. As part of a new “Float in Cinema” series, the property will be using their famous WET Deck as they transform the space into a…

Historic Melbourne pub The Albert Park Hotel will finally enter its new phase next month when it reopens after an extensive transformation that has been in the works ever since it was purchased by Colonial Leisure Group in 2014. The venue, which dates back to 1883 and is widely considered the beating heart of the…

With the launch of Acre Farm & Eatery in December of last year, Melbourne’s Burwood Brickworks brought to life an urban, sustainable rooftop farm accompanied by farm-to-table dining experiences at Glasshouse Café and Farmhouse Restaurant. Now, Acre is taking things to another level with acreLand, a program of events utilising their rooftop farm. Beginning 1st…

Influential New York cocktail bar Death & Co. is the latest institution from the states to plan an Aussie visit, announcing a pop-up tour that will leap across late January and early February at some of the country’s best bars. Brought down in partnership with Australian Venue Co. and Aviation Gin, the pioneering speakeasy-style bar…

Fast becoming an institution in Bondi, Totti’s is clearly one of Sydney’s most in-demand Italian eateries and continues to build a cult following thanks to the fresh ideas of chefs Mike Eggert and Jake Ahrens. Now an energetic spin-off has opened, and this time it’s much closer to the CBD. Taking up residence at ivy,…

They say good things come to those who wait, and Melbourne is officially done waiting, as the highly anticipated opening of Sydney-born brand Mary’s is finally around the corner. After ubiquitous success in Sydney – from the Newtown original to the more upmarket Mary’s Underground – the crew behind Mary’s are done teasing Melbourne with…

On Sunday 12th January, some of Sydney’s most highly regarded hospitality heavyweights will collaborate for a #cookforthebush event in support of the country’s ongoing bushfire crisis. Spearheaded by the team at NOMAD, the supergroup will be staging three culinary events through the day, including a rooftop lunch, a good old fashioned bake sale, and a…

Spent big over the Christmas holiday? January (and early Feb) doesn’t have to be a month of not eating out at Australia’s best restaurants due to tight budgets. A new festival, which debuted earlier this year to great reception, is making it (a lot) cheaper to eat out by recruiting hundreds of restaurants across the…

South Australia’s Adelaide Hills is one of the premier winemaking regions in the country and has been supplying Australians with fine quality drops for decades. Unfortunately the region has come under crises within the past few days, with many wineries obliterated by the unstoppable bushfires. With holiday season always being a busy wine-buying period across…

South Australia has long been regarded as a playground of sorts for discerning gourmands and wine enthusiasts the world over. Alongside the plentiful key regions of Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, the capital of Adelaide maintains its reputation for compact travel, artisan outlets, world-class restaurants (bolstered by the iconic Adelaide Central Market), and…

Hyde Hacienda Sydney Bar + Lounge is Sydney’s answer to a hybrid dinner, drinks and dancing venue. The South American-inspired vista bar is opening its third Australian location, in the former Hacienda venue within Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour. It’s an exciting new iteration for one of Sydney’s most iconic harbourfront bars. While the brand…

Novelty things are happening around Sydney all the time, as restaurants – the creative ones at least – strive to compete in a fickle scene. Take, the recently launched Parlour Cucina for example. When they first opened, the team behind it made the wise choice to let nonnas eat for free – it’s obviously an…

Merivale’s Coogee Pavilion has been a tremendous success over the past few years, but there’s always been one giant chunk of the beachside venue missing. The middle floor of this multifaceted venue always felt like a lull when making the short climb to that gorgeous rooftop – no more. No stranger to ambition, Justin Hemmes…