Tennis fans and champagne lovers alike can enjoy a glass of cuvée poured at the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Bar located on Rod Laver Arena Terrace, as well as at licensed outlets across the precinct including the Beach House and The Atrium. Piper-Heidsieck Crew Ambassadors include Miss Universe Australia 2020 Maria Thattil and Actress and Model Olympia Valance.
Canadian Club Racquet Club is returning to Birrarung Marr for the 2022 Australian Open. The sporting event of the year is back, and Canadian Club (C.C.) is ready to swing into action with two unmissable clubhouses popping up throughout Australian Open 2022 (AO).
Black Star Pastry, every cake lover's and instagram lover's best friend, recently launched a new flagship Melbourne store at Chadstone Shopping Centre. We were invited along on the day of launch to experience the new store and imbibe some of the magical cakes.
Brunch is a mainstay of Melbourne culture. Here are 5 hot Melbourne brunch spots in 2022.
Yakimono is a stunning addition to the Melbourne culinary scene with it's flame-fired Japanese-inspired cooking and sensory experience. Yakimono is located in the luxe 80 Collins precinct, with a spectacular neon sign out the front in Collins St, and a journey up the stairs to Melbourne's largest kitchen bar (also with two levels of restaurant).
Giro D'Italia in St Kilda Rd Melbourne is a popular Italian restaurant with local creatives and corporates, serving up the best of Italian cuisine, in taking you on a journey of regional Italian fare (just like the famous bike race). Notably Dom's dish Spaghetti allo Scoglio has to be one of the most popular dishes with corporates in Melbourne (they sell many covers of this dish each day).
Fable Melbourne is a new hotspot in the Melbourne CBD and has launched as the city's highest rooftop bar. From prolific Melbourne hospitality personality Gehan Rajapakse (Sofitel, Hyde Bar, Rah Bar, Club 23, Crown Casino) comes a new Mediterranean rooftop bar atop the Greek Community Building at Level 13, 168 Lonsdale St. Owned and designed by Gehan, Fable Melbourne boasts exceptional views from the East End of the city all the way to the Arts Centre, Marvel Stadium and the Bolte Bridge. We were invited along to experience this new Melbourne bar destination. We enjoyed the gin experience on the terrace with Citadelle Gin and oysters, as well as a few dishes from the kitchen.
A slice of Italy in Melbourne, Pietro Gallus Estate Warrandyte is a revelation, adding to its prolific offerings with a new dedicated Grappa Tasting Bar, serving up it's award-winning Australian Grappa. Grappa is famous in Italy (made from grape skins) and the fact there is a Grappa Distillery in Warrandyte is a real coup, bringing the best of Italy to the people. We were invited to enjoy a fabulous day of tasting at the new Grappa Tasting Bar, a tour of the Grappa distillery, and a sublime lunch in next door Olivgna. The views from the Grappa Tasting Bar are stunning and the Grappa is smooth (maybe unlike that home made brew from your Italian uncle). In terms of things to do in Melbourne, this is a premium experience.
Taking gastropub dining to the next level, Cinder at iconic Fitzroy North’s Terminus Hotel has made a huge impression since it launched with its culinary finesse, cooking over fire (as the name Cinder suggests), and touch of class. While steaks are the headline act (for which locals are grateful) we appreciated the array of dishes across the menu, and were highly impressed with our Chef's Table selection. Come for the steaks, and stay for the seafood. With head chef Jake Furst taking in the 150 year history of the pub, he has elevated the historical dining experience, and has clearly been given a freedom to create.
Fishpot Melbourne has launched on the corner of Little Lonsdale and Little Bourke St (former Dragon Boat location) as a premium hot pot destination in Melbourne's Chinatown. We were invited along to experience this new hot pot destination and were highly impressed. The secret of a premier hot pot restaurant is in the quality ingredients and in the soup base.
Baketico Bakeri & Larder has recently expanded into Brunswick East and Brighton, delighting Melburnians with its superb range of Melbourne-made Wonderpies, desserts, freshly baked bread, home-made jams and more. We were privileged to be sent a box of treats to celebrate the opening of the new stores. We've been a fan of Wonderpies since the beginning, taking Australia's love for pies to the next level.
Celebrate New Year's and welcome in 2022 in Melbourne at these iconic restaurant and hospitality venues.
The Distiller is an exciting new Melbourne bar launching in Northcote, in the trendy Welcome to Thornbury precinct. The Distiller will not only offer a delicious range of cocktails and drinks but masterclasses, tastings and other events.
Melbourne’s favourite late-night pizza hole-in-the-wall, Connie’s Pizzeria has just announced that it will be slinging its famous pizzas and more, from a new and larger home in the space above Heartbreaker (one of our favourite bars), from January 2022.
Named after owner Michael Madrusan’s beloved Nonna Connie, the New York-inspired slice joint launched in 2017 within Made in the Shade’s iconic rock ‘n’ roll bar, Heartbreaker.
Red Pepper Indian Restaurant was thrilled to be recently awarded an Open Table Diners' Choice Award 2021. This award demonstrates the popularity of Red Pepper as a premier Indian restaurant in the Melbourne CBD. Located in leafy Bourke St, near Parliament House, Red Pepper has become an Indian food favourite for Melbourne diners since 2006, with Chef/Owner Jagjeet Kaur at the helm. The award comes on the back of their recent Lord Mayor's Commendation recognition for dining services in the City of Melbourne. It's great to see longstanding Melbourne restaurants such as Red Pepper receiving the recognition they deserve.
In Matt Preston’s World of Flavour, beloved Australian food journalist, radio presenter and international TV personality Matt Preston gives us a surprising history lesson on Australia’s most-searched-for dishes, busting the myths in their origin stories to set the culinary record straight. If you think spaghetti bolognese comes from Italy, pavlova was dreamt up in New Zealand or that tuna mornay travelled from the United States. . . you’d be wrong. All three popped up in Australia first. We were privileged to receive a copy of Matt Preston's latest book, and we're highly impressed with the fascinating stories and myth-busting around famous foods, the quality and approachability of the recipes, the overall depth and detail of the book, and the sheer entertainment and playfulness factor that makes this book an ideal gift as we approach Christmas. Not to mention the great value of World of Flavour. This isn't one of those cookbooks you might "shelve away for show", but World of Flavour is a book you are likely to dip into for the family-friendly recipes (generally serve 4) and fascinating read. It's a point of difference in a sea of cookbooks.
NOMAD Group, which owns and operates NOMAD restaurant in Sydney, will open its Mediterranean inspired restaurant and bar, NOMAD on Flinders Lane, for dinner on Monday 15 November. Having visited their Surry Hills restaurant, it's much anticipated for us, not to mention the rest of the Melbourne culinary scene.
NOMAD is located on the lower ground floor of the Adelphi Hotel (187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne). Owners Rebecca and Al Yazbek’s ambition is to create a restaurant with a focus on locality through both produce and place.
Set against the backdrop of luxury yachts at Marina Martha Cove, Martha’s Table is a unique Mediterranean-inspired culinary destination, just a short drive from the picturesque Mornington Peninsula wine region.
After extended Covid lockdowns Martha’s Table will reopen its doors late October and just in time for Summer.
With trackside events being capped, we'll be celebrating Spring Racing a little differently this year. Whether it's having guests at home, or a dolled up picnic lunch, Crown has three impressive offer, from Nobu, Conservatory and Bistro Guillaume, that take the stress out of entertaining:
In celebration of International Seafood Day (Tuesday, October 19) the 2021 Great Australian Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), have launched, marking the start of the search for the country’s best fish and chip businesses.
“In every town, across every state and territory, people spruik their fish & chips as number one, so let’s put them to the test and crown Australia’s best fish & chippers,” SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta said.
It's exciting news that Great Ocean Road Gin has opened a restaurant – The Gin Kitchen – as part of their offering alongside their Tasting Room on the Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet. Great for the region and great for those of us from Melbourne keen to visit this foodie destination.