Travel & Lifestyle

Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group has officially confirmed an exclusive master franchise agreement with Five Guys. This will involve the iconic US burger chain opening stores across Australia and New Zealand, starting with multiple venues in Sydney CBD. “Our commitment is to open approx. 20 stores nationwide in the right locations and with the right staff,”…

Some of Sydney’s top restaurants have come together under the “Plates For Good” initiative, established to help industry staff who have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Eight of the city’s favourite eateries have committed to donating the purchase price of every Westholme Wagyu dish ordered to that venue’s staff who have lost income…

As truffle season is here, it’s no surprise that our favourite restaurants have begun showcasing the winter fungus on their menus. As New Shanghai returns with their new winter truffle menu, the AU Review caught up with New Shanghai’s Head Chef Sam Wu, who spoke about all things truffle and the inspiration behind the new…

Boba fans should be heading to their nearest Gelatissimo store this week to indulge in the chain’s latest limited edition flavour, “Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea”. Popping the flavour of natural brown sugar pearls into milk tea gelato, the new flavour gives a heady nod to the global bubble tea phenomenon. The profile is made…

Comfort food has never been more important during waves on (necessary) lockdown this year. And the gelato gods at Messina have been up to task over these past few months, with eye watering mash ups like Nutella Cookie Pie. Now, the cult ice creamery has doubled-down on the love of franken-food with a new ‘Fairy…

In the final episode of the season for our podcast series Jetlag: An Industry Grounded, we talk to Immanuel Debeer from the website Flight Hacks to talk about what the Covid-19 pandemic has meant for the airline industry, and the future of frequent flyer programs. You may also be surprised to learn that it remains possible to find…

The historic music city of Memphis isn’t just a beacon for artist’s the world over. The home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll also boasts a soulful food and drink scene that’s as much about lip-smacking comfort food as it is fresh seafood with a worldly outlook. Bluff City does boast…

That New South Wales has some of the best accommodation in the world has never been a secret. What, with the kind of landscapes that people save for their entire lives to come and see? You’d expect no less: seriously bucket list resorts sketching indulgence onto rugged scenery, relentlessly charming boutique hotels you’d dream of…

After many months of self-isolation and not being able to see friends and family, what better way to reconnect than a classic dinner party (in states that allow it, of course)?. And who better to help you plan the finest feast than food critic and former Masterchef judge Matt Preston? The AU Review spoke with…

Penguin Biscuits have long been considered the United Kingdom’s competitor to Australia’s fiercely beloved Arnott’s Tim Tam. Whether or not they are better is the topic of hot debate amongst expats, but Penguins do at least have the claim of predating the dynamic Aussie treat by more than three decades. Now more Aussie locals will…

Fast food fans are going to have a field day today as McDonalds had added a genuine KitKat McFlurry to the dessert menu. And it’s really as simple as it sounds, taking crunched-up flecks of KitKat and imbibing it into the classic Maccas ice cream dessert, then capping it with a wave of hot chocolate…

When Merivale launched its at-home dining business “Merivale At Home” earlier this year, it gave locked-down Sydneysiders the opportunity to experience some of the city’s best venues without leaving their house. Now it seems the delivery platform has given the juggernaut hospitality group a somewhat modular in design, allowing Justin Hemmes to expand his empire…

Sydney has never wanted for good, full-throated Middle Eastern food. Efendy, Stanbuli, Barzaari, Nour, Anason, Kepos Street Kitchen, Tayim, Thievery, Cubby’s Kitchen, Shenkin, Emma’s Snack Bar, El Jannah – need I go on? It’s one of the most reliable and diverse cuisines sutured into the very belly of the city’s multicultural fabric. Evidently, the promise…

You might not be able to take an actual bite out of Australia’s grizzly landscapes and boundless plains, but you can at least have a taste. Swallowing Australia is even more tempting now that popular artisan chocolatier Koko Black has traversed the many native flavours of Australia for its new collection. The “Australian Native Collection”…

Lockdown has made a comeback in Melbourne, meaning more time at home and less time sunning ourselves on a secluded tropical island. While our social lives may be on hold, at least we don’t have to wave goodbye to delicious Melbourne food. Though dining out isn’t an option right now, plenty of our favourite venues…

It’s tough to be in VIC right now, with COVID-19 cases soaring and Melbourne returning to tight lockdown measures. Some of Australia’s biggest casual restaurants are doing their best to help out. We’ve already seen Grill’d offer Victorians 2-for-1 burgers to ease them back into the order-in state of mind. Now it seems Mexican favourite…

With so many beef options out in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the perfect primal cut for the right occasion. Luckily for you, The AU Review consulted with expert butcher Doug Piper at Australian Beef, who has given us the lowdown on picking the best cut. From the most popular BBQ cuts,…

Masterchef contestant and beloved fan favourite, Khanh Ong has released his debut cookbook, A Gay Guy’s Guide to Life, Love and Food. After competing in the 2018 series and returning a second time this year for ‘MasterChef Australia: Back To Win’, he is ecstatic to release an innovative cookbook that showcases his vibrant personality. Rather…

We all know Singapore is lionised when it comes to food. Though while dining through the city-state is definitely something every gourmand needs to do at least seven times in their life, it’d be a big mistake to gloss over the incredibly diverse and creative cocktail scene coursing in between all those hawker markets and…

Nike’s move towards sustainable solutions will see a substantial leap forward when the highly anticipated Nike Air VaporMax 2020 Flyknit makes its way to Australia next month. The new release is touted as being one of the brand’s most sustainable shoes to date, with at least 50 per cent recycled content by weight. Representing a…

Fancy a little cocktail bottle hunt? Both QT Sydney and QT Bondi, two hotels cut from the same highly eccentric cloth, have teamed up with cocktail delivery service Cocktail Porter to stock their rooms with premium handcrafted bottled concoctions. But that’s not the most exciting part – although it’s pretty damn enticing enough. To celebrate…

As demand for domestic flights continue to rise, Qantas has announced several important changes to its frequent flyer program to make it easier for customers to use points on domestic and, potentially, Trans-Tasman flights. For the remainder of this year, Qantas Frequent Flyer will be boosting the availability of Classic Flight Reward seats by up…

Students from the University of Sydney and robotics engineers have created the bartenders for the city’s first ever “zero-contact bar”. Located in Darlinghurst, the Heineken Zero0.0 Contact Bar will make use of two robotic arms – named “Heidi” and “Ken” – to serve up the bar’s namesake (alcohol-free) beer, in-line with the need for physical…

Weekend snags are set to return as Bunnings stores across Australia bring back the ridiculously popular sausage sizzle tradition. Though it’s been an identity-forming food staple since the 90s, Bunnings hit the pause button on sausage sizzles nationwide mid-March due to COVID-19. Now, the hardware chain has promised that they will be resuming the spirited…

Matt Moran’s acclaimed Aria has announced the reopening of its doors on 14th July, with a massive change to part of the restaurant. Although things haven’t quite started off on the right foot for their 20th anniversary year, for obvious reasons, part of the dining institution will be transformed into a dedicated, 1700-bottle wine bar…

Right up until 11:59pm on Thursday 16th July, ubiquitous burger chain Grill’d is offering freebies to Victorians facing a return to lockdown. It’s tough to be in Victoria right now. With cases of COVID-19 quickly rising in Melbourne, and the always ever-threat of it spreading significantly outside of the city, those in Australia’s second largest…

Deliveroo has announced that, in response to Melbourne being thrown back into stage-three lockdown, the food-delivery service will be offering a 20% discount to all customers who order from a local restaurant between Monday and Thursday, for at least the next two weeks. This offer will be available across 5,000 metro Melbourne restaurants on all…

Celebrated your birthday in iso? If so, head on over to your local Krispy Kreme store today, show some proof, and the doughnut lords will give you a dozen Original Glazed for free. As part of the latest giveaway, Krispy Kreme expect to give away over 350,000 of their signature doughnuts today, to anyone whose…

The almost sickeningly rich thirst trap that is Dare Iced Coffee has been broken down, reimagined and distilled by the team at Arnott’s, the result slapped between two dark chocolate biscuits. While Australia has no shortage of master-minded blends of supermarket favourites, the undisputed snack kings have certainly surprised with their latest collaboration. Newly launched…

Wine rightfully slinks into the starring role in any at-home survival kit, as has been exemplified this year with lockdown. That’s hardly a surprise. For millennia, the drink has been as much as source of comfort as it is symbol of cultures around the world. Perhaps that’s most demonstrated in France than anywhere else, with…