Set to open up in Orlando on 22nd May 2025, Epic Universe is the most hotly anticipated new theme park in decades. The third gate for the Universal Orlando Resort will be themed around a number of IPs, including Nintendo, Harry Potter and How To Train Your Dragon. And today we got out first look…
Hobart is a city of stories, so it makes sense that you’ll find different storytelling techniques in the Tassie capital. I realised that at Dark Mofo one year, running around the epic Winter Feast and asking a tonne of questions to all the local artisans. Everyone here has a fascinating history and knows exactly how…
The genteel ladies presiding at Lisa McGuigan’s former Swiss finishing school might well be astonished at the Down Under product of their endeavours, far away now in the Australian wine growing region of the Hunter Valley. Displaying a heavy goth influence, McGuigan has created the arresting Vamp Wine Rooms and an eponymous cellar door in…
Located in the charismatic James Hotel, Scarpetta holds court as one of Manhattan’s most reliable Italian restaurants, shouldering plenty of acclaim despite consistent competition from the likes of Torissi and the great Emilio’s Ballato. The restaurant opened in 2008 in the Meatpacking District to instant acclaim, glowing from a three-star review in The New York…
“There are 200 million sandwiches eaten a day in America”, according to Australia’s Ben Gollan. One might say he’s a sandwich aficionado, and he’s not shy to admit it, remarking on a beautiful New York autumn afternoon, “the Sandwich is a global dish that beings people together, which is why I do this tour and…
We’ve talked at length about how Downtown L.A. has become one of the most exciting precincts in the Californian city – a long overdue rebirth of this historic hub. But when you’ve got just 24 hours to spend here, where should you go? Where should you stay? What should you see? And perhaps most importantly:…
Do you love a good drop? I certainly do, so I was shocked to hear during the recent launch event for NSW Wine Month how little local produce us Sydneysiders drink. Steve Cox, the CEO of Destination NSW, was on hand for the event and revealed to the gathered press that only 12% of the…
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to enjoy an incredible night at the Californian tiki bar Strong Water. Just a stones throw from Disneyland in Anaheim – where so much of the modern tiki bar aesthetic was popularised – this James Beard Award semi-finalist is now one of the hottest destinations in the city….
Last month I was lucky enough to visit Buffalo, New York for the first time since 2019. A lot has changed in this city since my last visit, but today I want to talk about a restaurant that opened up in August 2023 – Southern Junction. From the outside it looks like a typical Texan…
If you’re going to have a restaurant in one of the most highly contested areas of Manhattan, you’re going to need a strong offering. Thankfully, Fasano Restaurant is well up-to-task with spritely, classic service and a sense of grandeur that’s a little bit of Rome and 90s New York rolled into one. The thing you’ll…
We’ve seen some pretty strange things from behemoth spirit labels before, but this one takes the stream of alcoholic cinnamon bombs. The fun-loving folks at Fireball Whisky have introduced an actual Fireball Bubbler to celebrate Footy Finals season. Yes, you read that right. It’s just like those bubblers that you never drank from in high…
Coming from Australia, it’s always fascinating to see just how different hospitality concepts are in the USA. Particularly New York City. I always return with ideas on how to change a city like Sydney and make it much more the world-class destination it pretends to be (it’s getting there, just not there yet). That said,…
Opening on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood earlier in the year, the new Power Up Cafe is a companion to Super Nintendo World in the theme park’s lower lot. The “cafe” sits in the New York strip, taking inspiration from the “real life” Mario universe you saw featured in the billion-dollar making Super…
When you think about where to get yourself some great Chinese dumplings and Dim Sum, it’s fair to say that the American desert doesn’t immediately come to mind. Nonetheless, Las Vegas in Nevada proves to hold a secret treasure trove of some of the best dumplings in North America, with plenty of options on the…
Three of the USA’s biggest and brightest cities, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, each have their own unique style of pizza. Yes, you read that correctly. Los Angeles has a signature pizza style, and it’s only now gaining traction outside of The Golden State. The classic New York slice is so ubiquitous that you’d…
Outside of their locations in Hong Kong and Shanghai, one doesn’t think of dumplings when planning a trip out to Disneyland. But this all changes this week as one of the world’s best, Michelin star winning, dumpling spots Din Tai Fung opens at Downtown Disney in California. With the soft launch taking place earlier this…
Welcome to ‘Dining Icons’ where our writers take a look at some of the world’s most iconic food and drink experiences – both reputable and under-the-radar – and report back to answer the simple question: is it worth it?. For our first edition, we’re taking a look at Giorgio Baldi, an Italian restaurant just outside…
Things are heating up in the kitchen, with just two weeks to go till the Home Cooking Show and Cake, Bake, and Sweets Show come to Melbourne for a weekend of workshops, recipes, demonstrations, hands-on experiences and, of course, plenty of food and drink. The show will run from July 5th to 7th at the…
Honolulu’s Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort (which I reviewed earlier this year) has recently undergone a more than US$80 million renovation. It’s seen the iconic resort (with its origins dating back to the 1950s) reimagined with updated rooms, facilities and the addition of the much lauded Monkeypod Kitchen restaurant – now the fourth location in the…
We discovered recently that renowned US-based healthy beverage brand, Liquid Death, is now available in Australia. Known for their engaging taglines such as “Murder Your Thirst” and “Death To Plastic, the brand has grabbed the attention of celebrities such as Tony Hawk and Travis Barker who both recently collaborated with them. Travis Barker released a…
Following on from the success of the previous few years, and in the wake of several other festivals scaling back, postponing or closing, it’s heartening to see the Beer and BBQ Festival back in full swing for 2024. Headlining the music will be Aussie music legends The Australian Rock Collective, Bad//Dreems & Friends and Peter…
If you’re travelling through San Francisco Airport in California anytime soon and have at least a few hours in a stopover, chances are you’ll have enough time to head to the nearby In-N-Out Burger. Which, in my humble opinion, remains the best burger under $5 in the world. So how can you fit it in?…
Back in mid-December, the newest luxury hotel to hit the Las Vegas Strip finally enjoyed its grand opening – Fontainebleau Las Vegas. I had a chance to stay at the resort at the start of February, and got a taste of the hotel, rooms and the food and drink that’s on offer. So with 18…
Have you tried the new menu at Jana? Picked through the fresh seafood at Thermidor, had a nightcap at Vecina, or experienced the just-as-good-as-Totti’s offering at Alfies? If you’ve eaten your way around Sydney’s big-ticket restaurants, it’s time to get the drive on up to Newcastle. Because this sunny seaside town, fast climbing the ranks…
Sydneysiders, I know what’s on your mind when you book into The Gidley’s moody bar area. You want that superlative signature burger. You know, the one with such a strong cult following that the popular steakhouse sells around 500 of them each week. That winning combination hasn’t changed over the years. A classic bun with…
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…
The Herb & Chilli Festival is gearing up to return to the Yarra Valley next month. Returning for its 12th year, the annual celebration brings a weekend of live music, entertainment, beautiful local food and, of course, mouth-burning chilli experiences you can’t get anywhere else. Set inside the Lovely Nursery in the gorgeous Yarra Valley,…
With the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas playing host to this weekend’s Super Bowl (for American Football fans) and next month’s NRL Telstra Premiership season kick off match (for Australian Football fans), “Sin City” is fast becoming America’s newest “Sports City”. But long has it been a destination for foodies, with restaurateurs from all…
Altos Tequila will be embarking on a month-long party by shouting 20,000 margaritas at selected venues down the east coast of Australia. The authentic Mexican brand will also giving away a free trip back to the motherland. Celebrated as the best tequila for the traditional margarita, Altos Tequila are hoping for a Mexican Wave of…
For the past few years, the fine folk behind QT Hotels have been posting up a bit of a Christmas day for families and friends who want to eat and drink very, very well. A taste of absolute decadence is packed into the group’s QT At Home boxes, gifting merry-makers a one-stop-shop of deliciousness so…
