Australia’s wine industry came together to celebrate the top young Australian winemakers, and the future of the industry looks bright. Young Gun of Wine, the premier wine show for new trailblazing winemakers in Australia, recently announced the winners of its coveted 2017 awards.
Nomada Cafe y Tapas is already acclaimed as one of Melbourne's top cafes by the Good Food Guide; but it also doubles as a stunning tapas joint at night. The World Loves Melbourne was invited to Nomada to sample the tapas menu and we were highly impressed. We're always excited for something new and distinctive in a sea of Melbourne copy cats. The team here resembles an all-star line up, signalling that this is a foodie savvy cafe with plenty to offer.
Melbourne’s prestigious Collins Street welcomed a new social-dining destination, The George on Collins, an all-day restaurant and bar where guests are invited to graze from morning until late into the night on Head Chef Tom Brockbank’s (Estelle, Pollen Street Social, No. 8) socially conscious and European influenced menu. The World Loves Melbourne was invited to the launch party for The George on Collins, a convivial affair, with it being one of the best restaurants in Melbourne for a modern chic experience.
Australian Bacon Week is one of the most popular events on the calendar, and being a prime consumer of Australian bacon ourselves, The World Loves Melbourne was delighted to celebrate the launch and presentations event at Quay restaurant in Sydney. Everyone has their favourite way to enjoy the magical meat, from savoury to sweet, breakfast to dessert, and Victoria’s best Aussie bacon has just been revealed.
Best winery dishes of Victoria is a tall order to select. We had to visit numerous wineries in our quest. Someone has to do it. Our belief is that food at a winery shouldn't just be basic options that appeal to the broadest amount of people; there should be some savvy. Share plates are a great way to go as winery dining is mostly geared around relaxing and informal dining where friends can connect.
Bircher muesli? Granola? Looking for that perfect start to the day? We love an oats fix in the mornings, although we see many brunch style dishes on Melbourne menus as all day items. Bircher goes back to the last century with the Swiss, and was more "mushy" than some of the drier types we see today, but still with the power of fruit. Bircher revolves around oats that are baked, often with nuts, seeds and fruit. Here are some of our favourites in Melbourne.
Recently launched in Richmond (a burger belt in Melbourne), Benny Burger is a revelation. This burger house, the brainchild of legendary Australian chef and businessman Shannon Bennett, looks to shake things up in "burgerland" and it succeeds in doing so. "The Ethical Burger" is a big claim but Shannon delivers at so many levels, and the emphasis on sustainable and organic produce is groundbreaking for a burger house. You won't want to go back to over processed burgers after having visited Benny Burger. Benny Burger is also a celebration of Shannon's father who ostensibly loved a burger or two. Benny Burger comes across as a labour of love (a trend has been to describe new restaurants by restaurateurs as "love childs"). The World Loves Melbourne was invited to the launch of Benny Burger and was highly impressed by the offering.
Where to go in Winter? Southgate is the place to be with a plethora of attractive dining and bar options! You can move from place to place as we did on our media progressive dinner to experience the highlights of Southgate.
The 2017 Australian truffle season officially kicks-off this weekend (Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th June) with the Truffle Melbourne Festival at the Queen Victoria Market.
World Gin day was celebrated in Melbourne with gusto and The World Loves Melbourne was invited to a special event; the Melbourne Gin Company takeover of Mountain Goat Brewery in Richmond. One of the best things to do in Melbourne is visit our distilleries and breweries.
The good ol’ Aussie pie. Is there anything better? Chefs Matt Wilkinson (Pope Joan) and Steve Rogers (ex Circa, Movida) have opened The Pie Shop – a new pastry-filled paradise – at 75 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick and The World Loves Melbourne was invited along soon after the launch . The verdict - worth a drive across town.
The World Loves Melbourne was privileged to have a coffee with iconic food photographer and chef Dean Cambray and talk about his new book EatDrink; A Visual Feast.
The World Loves Melbourne jumped at a bus trip with media to Yarra Valley Caviar organised by Wendy Hargreaves followed by a visit to Four Pillars Distillery. This was the first time I'd met the boys at Yarra Valley Caviar and the news is they’re not just producing their own salmon roe… they’re now importing European caviar as well.
