Food & Drink

It looks like the rebirth of the quintessential American burger experience is here to stay, with the launch of flagship burger joint Royal Stacks at 470 Collins Street in Melbourne. The venue evokes a cross between the grandeur of a New York style lobby, but with a decidedly Melbourne twist, with the fit out including…

Cheekyburger, once a Paddington-only exclusive, has opened up shop a little closer to the CBD locale. You can check out their fresh new look at The Chippendale Hotel, located a stone’s throw from Broadway. One can get nice and cosy in the dimly lit interior of the pub or make like my friends and I…

The team behind popular Glebe joint Thievery are bringing a new concept to Surry Hills, planning a hybrid sneaker bar and eatery titled Butter to be opening up this month, described as a “street meets luxury mash-up.” Inspired by New York’s hip-hop culture and designed by Alex Zabotto-Bentley of AZB Creative (Pink Salt, Casablanca), the…

Surry Hills staple Bishop Sessa are focusing on shared-feasts this February, with a special weekly dinner named Whole Duck Wednesdays kicking off tomorrow, February 3rd. The idea should be obvious from the name; it’s all about plump, juicy, roasted duck served up with all the necessary trimmings as the main course in a two-course sharing…

Just under four hours outside of Sydney lies the Mudgee region, where you’ll find a unique food and wine scene that lends perfectly to a weekend away. The most famous wine destination in NSW has long been the Hunter Valley but in recent years areas like Mudgee have been steady gaining more and more attention,…

Little is done in half measures at Coco Cubano. The Cuban restaurant with locations across Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle sprang from the Surry Hills institution which has sat on Taylor Square for decades. Perhaps reflecting the country’s love of a good time excess is the order of the day with this satisfying Cuban fare. The…

Sydney-based catering company, Fresh Catering, is set to open a new restaurant at 10 Macquarie Street in the Sydney CBD. Named No. 10 BISTRO, it will open on February 3rd and follows their recent news of acquiring new business from The Mint and Justice and Police Museum. Fresh Catering will also operate the ground floor…

Iconic and entertaining Darlinghurst venue Tatler now includes new hotspot, 169 Darlinghurst, situated above the popular Sydney haunt. Tim Clark, who established Tatler, was also behind this new venture. Overlooking one of the city’s most eclectic neighbourhoods, 169 Darlinghurst, a café, bar and nightclub, showcases a menu full of seasonal Australian produce with strong Japanese,…

Fast food chain Carl’s Jr has finally made the decision to expand to Australia to compete with already established brands like Hungry Jacks and Mc’Donald’s, with their first ever store in this country opening tomorrow 2nd February at Bateau Bay near popular getaway destination The Entrance. The popular American chain, known for their big burgers…

Many thought the ridiculously good burger pop-up by Pub Life Kitchen and Barrio Chino at Camperdown’s Deus Ex Machina would sadly come to an end this past weekend, with the culinary collaboration originally scheduled until to end of January. However, sometimes things just work, ya know? And the burger lords are certainly in our favour…

Acclaimed bay-side restaurant Manta in Woolloomooloo has announced that throughout this month of February, the kitchen will be hosting “Oyster Appreciation Month”, showcasing fresh local oysters with a new summer menu, and a bunch of tasting events. Bringing in all the pacific coastline has to offer, Manta has put together quite the program to best…

Restaurant booking and review network Dimmi have revealed a massive, comprehensive look at Australia’s top 100 restaurants for 2015, collated with the help of up to 500,000 diners in a People’s Choice format. Ranked with an algorithm that considers the number of reviews in the past 12 months, ratings in various categories (best service, best…

The Gold Coast is in the midst of great change in the lead-up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games, motivating the city to truly match it’s beautiful landscape and famously stunning weather with modern, attractive restaurants, cafes, and bars, putting it in the perfect position for the expected increase in tourism. The iconic Jupiters Casino is…

Head-turning product LongLeaf Tea Vodka has already had quite the impressive run at competitions around the globe, particularly at the San Fransisco World Spirits Competition last year where it was named best tea vodka in the world. Distilled in the Hunter Valley region, this Sydney-based brand which launched in 2013, has gone on to become…

There’s no shortage of interesting things to do around Sydney this weekend, nor is there a lack of new restaurants and bars to help you keep your plans flowing along nicely. Here are five things to throw on your to-do list for this Friday 29th Jan to Sunday 31st Jan, from the highest silent disco…

In partnership with Electrolux, the annual Taste of Sydney will once again take over The Brazilian Fields in Centennial Parklands for four delicious days of exclusive dishes, masterclasses, and more. From Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th March, the hugely popular food and drink festival will attempt to top last year’s record turn out of 24,000…

Famed dumpling chain Din Tai Fung will be celebrating The Year of the Monkey in the most adorable way possible next month, offering specially created Monkey Buns along with new additions to their comprehensive menu. Available throughout February in Sydney and Melbourne, these steamed bao monkey buns will come filled with a creamy mix of…

The team at Surry Hills staple The Carrington are readying their b-boy stances, preparing to turn the venue into The Hip Hop Chicken Shop from 5pm every Saturday throughout February with a specially designed chicken shop inspired menu backed by an equally delicious soundtrack of nothing but hip hop. While the venue’s boomin’ system is…

Sydney brewery Rocks Brewing Co. really nailed flavour-rich beers last year when they started experimenting with tastes like passionfruit, lychee, cherry, and pomegranate, with their Passion Fruit Wheat Beer going on to become one of their most popular limited edition brews. The team are obviously keen to keep this ball rolling on 2016, just recently…

René Redzepi’s hotly anticipated Noma Australia is finally here, popping up in Barangaroo on Australia Day for a sold-out, ten-week residency that runs until April 2nd. The arrival of Noma has been met with so much speculation, given Redzepi’s dedication to local produce and the team’s singular level of creativity in the kitchen; they all…

Australia has spoken! The ‘other’, more delicious Hottest 100 list has been unveiled, looking at the ever-growing craft beer industry across the country and helping rank the best of the best brews of 2015. Since 2008 the poll, started by The Local Taphouse, has sifted through barrels and barrels of creative brews to give us…

A big slice of Woollahra history has risen back up from the ashes with beloved venue The Phoenix Hotel being transformed by Greek-Australia brothers William, Alex, and Andrew Cooney into the simply named Phoenix. After more than a year of just sitting there empty after Champagne Bar One Moncur closed for business, the space seems…

As a special treat during Lunar New Year in 2016, lofty CBD restaurant Lotus, The Galeries has brought in Sam Yeo from Sydney dessert staple Black Star Pastry to help newly appointed Lotus Head Chef Tiffany Jones (Four in Hand, Banc Restaurant) create an exclusive dessert degustation, exploring both the various textures and tastes of…

Sydney brand Piccolo Me are known for their indulgent savoury and sweet creations, delivering everything from Nerdtella Bombs to Cheeseburger Crossaints. They are best known for their playful, quirky creations and reliable cups of coffee, but now they are looking to be recognised for one of the country’s most ridiculously over-the-top, and highly tempting, desserts:…

Ice cream brand Streets have been real busy in Sydney as of late. They’ve already brought us the world’s best jumping castle and now it seems they want to let loose an actual samurai in Wynyard Park this Thursday. As part of a state-wide tour for their Fruttare truck, Streets have trained up a Fruttare…

It’s no secret that there’s plenty of places to get your Mexican fix in Sydney. From chain restaurants to independent eateries, you have a vast array of options depending on where you are, how much you’ve got in your pocket, and whether you want to spend the entire night with a tacky plastic sombrero on…

Westfield Sydney will celebrate the start of the Chinese (or Lunar) New Year, the Year of the Monkey, by hosting a range of in-centre activities. From 28th January onwards, shoppers and visitors alike will be able to get a taste of Chinese culture by participating in beautiful events such as the Chinese Calligraphy demonstration or…

Orange F.O.O.D (Food or Orange District) week is celebrating 25 years in 2016, making in Australia’s longest running regional food festival, once again paying homage to the substantial food and culture scene of the renowned New South Wale’s region. From 8th to 17th of April, the ten-day festival will bring a diverse program to the…

The trend of low-carb options where canned beer is concerned has seen quite a few successful brews, focusing on session-worthy drinks while appealing to increasingly health conscious public who can’t exactly stand the thought of cutting out their favourite beers and/or ciders completely. Irish Brand Magners have added to the market here, pushing a new…

Award winning South-East Asian restaurant Red Spice Road has reopened following stage one of their $1 million renovation, bringing some major changes to the look and feel of the restaurant with updated furnishings, new look interior and exterior, a new kitchen, and a brand new menu. The centrally located Melbourne dining experience recently picked up…