Travel & Lifestyle

Two years on and food lovers across Sydney are still reeling over the closure of Surry Hills’ treasured Pizza Mario. The highly celebrated pizzeria was long-established as one of the very best this city has ever seen, and its unfortunate closure in 2015 was a huge hit to the otherwise rich and consistent Italian dining…

After much hype Concept Burger has finally opened in Wolli Creek, bringing the suburb its very own contender in the very, very competitive scene of gourmet burgers in Sydney. This one’s got a neat little twist though, and with culinary adviser Tomislav Martinovic, the famous chef who helped make North Sydney’s Five Points Burgers a…

Throughout the month of August food and drink precinct Barangaroo is celebrating the tail-end of winter with a series of exclusive events, all spread across various restaurants, bars and diners including 12-Micron, Bel & Brio, Born by Tapavino, and Zushi. The collection of venues, officially dubbed “The Streets of Barangaroo” will be offering a range…

“Oh, rustic,” I murmured as I entered my room at The Farmer’s Daughter on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. The room is indeed rustic. A twin share, the room has more in common with an old world cabin than it does an upmarket hotel room. Nevertheless, the luxuries are there even if they aren’t apparent…

Guests staying at Singapore’s Mandarin Orchard, located in the heart of the city’s famous shopping district, now have something more to look forward to. Forget expensive rentals and clogging up storage on personal devices with films, as the iconic Singapore hotel are going to be the among the first in the country to provide their…

The stunning Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel is preparing a true gift for those planning to Cape Town in October and an elegant homage to Nelson Mandela, timed to celebrate the release of Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years – the long-awaited second volume of Mandela’s memoirs. This is channeled in their recently announced “Memories of…

2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the federation of Canada, and much as they did in 1967 when Expo came to town, the 150th birthday celebrations have been enjoyed far and wide across the entire country. Canada 150 flags can be seen everywhere, and special events are popping up from coast-to-coast to ensure this birthday…

Tucked away behind tinted windows is a seductive new cafe made of something a little more than just your average building materials. What makes House of Lulu White just that little bit special is the unique history behind both the name and the cafe’s location. The site at 4 Yarra Street now takes inspiration from…

It seems the 2016 arrival of a spin-off restaurant, imposing Rushcutters Bay warehouse restaurant Bar Machiavelli, has sparked a new flame under Sydney’s long-standing Machiavelli Ristorante, a stalwart dining destination that has been standing since 1988. There’s a real “if these walls could talk” kind of history behind this famed Italian restaurant, a sprawling space…

It’s National Ice-Cream Sandwich Day today. Well at least that’s what we’ve just been told by dessert slinger Mister Fitz who, for one day only, is offering pretty much the biggest, most ridiculous, world-destroying ice cream sandwich known to humankind. Given their usual flair with ice-cream sandwiches we’re expecting this one to actually taste pretty…

The iconic Waikiki Beach Resort – Hilton Hawaiian Village – will be holding a massive sale for just 72 hours, with hotel suites (including, possibly, the one that Elvis and Michael Jackson once stayed in) being offered up to 50 percent off. The sale kicks off at 8 am Monday 7 August (Hawaii local time),…

Returning for its 5th year, the Morrison’s Oyster Festival returns to The Morrison Bar & Oyster Room to highlight the hero of the oyster for novices and aficionados alike. The month-long celebration will feature a unique menu curated by Sean Connolly that will see oysters sourced from over 50 regions across Australia to allow those…

Since its opening earlier this year, Seoulja Boy has managed to maintain a large and steady hype across social media. And with a menu full of affordable, photogenic cocktails, bright neon signs, and an in-house DJ spinning a mix of current and old-school hip-hop and R&B music, it’s easy to see why the Korean fusion…

Bringing a taste of Bavaria to the South West Rocks, The Seabreeze Beach Hotel is planing on throwing one massive 11-day German festival, brought back for its fifth year following massive success in the past. Kicking off at 24th August and lasting until 3rd September, the stunning seaside hotspot will be celebrating all things readily…

In moving his beloved Popolo to the city in 2018, Flavio Carnevale has announced that he’ll be returning to his Roman hospitality roots with new restaurant Marta, a traditional cucina Romana that taps into the spirited streets of Rome to create a true neighbourhood osteria. It will be a move away from the formality of…

The Italian Wine & Food Festival Sydney is back and celebrating five years of festivities in a new venue: the Cutaway at Barangaroo Reserve. The festival starts Sunday August 27th with a marketplace full of Italian specialties and local produce as well as a wine garden and Italian entertainment. Sydney’s best Italian chefs will be…

Ricky & Pinky are celebrating their first birthday by launching a lunchtime Yum Cha menu. Starting Saturday August 5th dim sim fans will have their lunchtimes covered from Friday through Sunday. Head Chef ArChan Chan will serve up traditional staples baby gai lan with oyster sauce and sesame prawn toast but you won’t order off…

From now until the 26th August Bistro Rex in Potts Point will play host to a very special cookie dessert pop-up, a collaboration between Byron Bay Cookies and dessert diva Christine Manfield. Brought to life to celebrate the brand’s new Ginger Spice Cream Cookie (ginger biscuits sandwiched with a nutmeg spiced fruirt mince cream), the…

If you are catching the last of this year’s ski season and want to break up the long drive, have a night stopover in the capital city. QT Canberra, a boutique hotel in the heart of the city, have a hotel package going for $179 per night, meaning you can get a great night sleep…

Most hotels have some kind of unifying design manifesto that ties the entire place together. Hotel Indigo in a departure from the Golden Age Of Hollywood aesthetic that has become so common in LA hotels, is all about the history of the Downtown district in which it is located. Found on Francisco Street, and (at…

Wine enthusiasts have long known that specialised distributors are the way to go, a gateway to experiencing some of the best drops that local bar or restaurant may not have on the menu, while also taking away the painful hours of research (and the ever-stressful opportunity cost) that comes with trying to find the best…

Matt Moran’s Paddo Inn Bar & Grill has whipped Sydney’s iconic Paddington Inn into shape. The celebrated celebrity chef has always been reliable when it comes to a good ol’ fashioned pub refurb, so his re-focus from the venue’s up-scale pub grub to a more casual grill has unsurprisingly been a hit with the locals….

Dumpling favourite Din Tai Fung has announced two exclusive one-night-only degustation menus for August, both on the same date with one being in Sydney and the other being in Melbourne. The set menus will feature a whopping 18 courses for guests, including various new dishes never seen on Din Tai Fung menus before, sitting alongside…

After selling out in a matter of the days when it was first released in October of last year, the multi award-winning Bundaberg Rum Solera is back. Australia’s famed Bundaberg Distilling Company announced earlier this month that they have heard the waves of demand both nationally and abroad, lifting the cover on the anticipated second…

In the wildest Australian collaboration yet Arnott’s have teamed up with Peters on a range of ice creams which take some of the former brand’s most iconic biscuits and turns them into indulgent ice creams. While we’re not quite at the level of Pizza Shape ice cream yet, four or Arnott’s other most famous expressions…

Ever the creative footwear connoisseur emcee Tyler, the Creator, who is fresh off the release of his new album Flower Boy, is now part of the Converse family. The first expression of this new collaboration is part of the brand’s famed “One Star” silhouette, giving the suede sneaker’s a substantial twist with a limited-edition light…

Japanese culture will be front and centre as Auburn’s Japanese Botanic Gardens host the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival in August. Set to be the biggest Japanese Festival in Australia, the spectacular surrounds will be filled with two weeks of Japanese food, drink, music, garden shows, art, anime, cosplay, and even a special sumo competition. From…

As more and more attention is being brought to the cultural scenes outside of Sydney CBD and the inner-west it seems that Liverpool will be the next suburb to receive a lush new modern cultural and community hub, reshaping the area’s industrial past to bring new life to The Paper Mill. Previous restorations of historical…

We were ready to write this one off as a “nope” until we found out who was behind it and what it was for. Burger lord Jimmy Hurlston of Jimmy’s Burgers, Easey’s, Guilty and a whole host of other top-notch burger joints has teamed up with Deliveroo and The Salvation Army for a special exclusive…

As of earlier this month Alexandria has its very own entry into Sydney’s contentious gourmet burger scene, welcoming hip-hop oriented joint 4 Ounces Burger Co which is pushing a strong commitment to sustainability and local produce. The new business comes from Michelin trained chef Rory Donnelly (ex-Cafe Del Mar) and childhood friend and experienced bar…