Lauren Dinse

Melburnians certainly know how to ride the wave of a good food trend, but one phase that has stuck around is our collective love and appreciation for the humble sandwich. And for that, we are thankful. Arguably the most versatile food, you can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and the possibilities for fillings and combinations are endless. Start your day with a breaky sanga filled with ooey-gooey eggs, bacon and cheese, munch on a meatball sub for lunch, and get a lil' fancy with a croque monsieur for dinner. However you take yours, it seems the sandwich trend is not going anywhere for a while, so work your way through our round-up of the best sangas in town.  Looking to change up your usual sandwich routine? Check out the best bahn mi in Melbourne. Wash it all down with the best ice cream and gelato around town. 

October 2023: Melbourne’s dining scene is full of movers and shakers this year, while certain time-honoured institutions are still commanding reign over the city. Whether you’re looking for an experience that’s old and trusty or new and exciting, the following list covers the most impressive restaurants to turn our heads in recent months – from full-blown fine diners to region-focused trattorias, bistros and neighbourhood gems. Check it out. The continually evolving and expanding dining scene in Melbourne is both a blessing and a curse: how do you choose between so many incredible restaurants? Well, that's where we come in. Stop endlessly scrolling, and commit to making your way through Time Out’s list of the best restaurants in the state right now. Our always-hungry local experts and editors have curated 2023's most delicious and divine, innovative and imaginative, comforting and familiar, memorable and magical dining experiences right here at your fingertips. From old favourites and culinary institutions such as Attica, Stokehouse and Flower Drum, to emerging standouts and instant icons such as Serai, Gimlet, Amaru and Reine and La Rue, we've got it all covered here.  Get out, and get eating! You have a lot to get through!  Prefer a tipple-focused adventure? These are the best bars in Melbourne. Looking for a knock-out dining experience that won't break the bank. Look no further than our list of Melbourne's best cheap eats.

There are situations in life where only a bowl of carbs will do. There’s comfort in a plate of pasta that goes well beyond the slippery strands themselves. And so while the dishes here aren’t strictly the city’s finest examples of pasta work, you haven’t done Melbourne till you’ve sought succour at these institutions. There's more pasta at Melbourne's best Italian restaurants. And if you think Lygon Street is all about Italian food, think again and check out the best Lygon Street restaurants. 

Perhaps you just can't face the kitchen this Christmas, or maybe you don't have somewhere to go for a festive lunch? It could be that Christmas simply isn't for you and you're just looking for somewhere to hang out on December 25. Melbourne can sometimes feel like a ghost town on the most merry day of the year, but we've rounded up a selection of restaurants and cafés that will be open and sharing in the Yuletide spirit. If you are looking for other great ways to spend the day, these are the best things to do in Melbourne if you don't celebrate Christmas. 

Some things just go together: Batman and Robin, death and taxes, and our personal favourite, fish and chips. It doesn't matter how you take them; we can all agree that fish and chips are the ultimate dynamic duo. With Melbourne's prime location as a coastal city, it's no wonder we're serving up some decent parcels. From old-school chippies to the more bougie newcomers, we've rounded up our top 14, so you can spend your time doing more important things – like working your way through all of them.  Need somewhere to eat your fish and chips? These are the best beaches in Melbourne. Want to take things up a notch? These are the best beachside restaurants in Melbourne. 

Everyone knows that scent works in tandem with taste. However, sight and environment play equally significant roles. So what better way to improve your dining experience than grazing with a view, accompanied by the smell of fresh, salty sea air in the background? The days are getting warmer and longer, making it the perfect time to consider the scenery when picking your next restaurant. And nothing screams vista like Melbourne's lovely coastline, so whether you're into takeaway fish and chips on the sand, or fine dining with a panorama, we've got you covered with the city's best beachside restaurants.  Searching for more finger-licking goodness? Check out Melbourne's best fish and chips here. 

It's no surprise that Melbourne is obsessed with Italian food. We're a sister city to Milan, we're home to the restaurant that judged several years in a row to make the world's best pizza, and Italians make up the second-largest ethnic group in greater Melbourne. So it's only natural that we have an affinity for carbs, continental-style. In 1995, the World Pasta Congress – er, can we join? – introduced World Pasta Day to celebrate the global passion for silky, saucy spaghetti, ravishing ragu, luscious slabs of lasagne and every other shape that comes under the pasta umbrella.  This year, it will be held on Wednesday, October 25. Here's our round-up of eats, deals and fun activities you can do in Melbourne on the day to celebrate. Want more? We've rounded up the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne. If you're only scouting for a perfect slice of 'za, check out this pizza guide instead.

There's a lot to love about Melbourne's world-class café scene. Wickedly good coffee. Creative brunch dishes that taste as good as they look, fresh from the minds of some of the city's top talent. And of course, the vibes. Discovering hot new cafés is almost a competitive sport in a city with AM dining of this calibre, so we've scoured Melbourne to bring you a guide to the best of the best. Looking for dessert that masquerades as breakfast? Check out the best doughnuts in Melbourne. Prefer a healthier feed? Try our pick of the best healthy lunch eats in the CBD.

In typical Melbourne behaviour, the sun that’s blessed the city the entire week disappears on the day I head to Stokehouse. A chaotic wind tunnel blows me into the St Kilda restaurant, where I’ve come to chat to executive chef Jason Staudt and congratulate his team on winning the Time Out Legend Award for 2023.  The inclement weather turns out to be a lucky coincidence, my previously neat hair be damned. Staudt assures me we would have found it difficult to carve out a nook for the interview in the restaurant had it been the day before.  “We were rammed. But I like chaos,” he says with a smile. “It’s when I see clearly, you know?” I’m reminded of an animal getting ready for the hunt, vision sharpened, senses heightened. An ex-snowboarder who once hit the slopes by day and cooked up a storm in kitchens by night, he’s a man who’s no stranger to adrenaline. But the analogy makes him laugh. “I don’t know, it’s weird. Like, you can foreshadow mistakes happening and you can jump on it before it happens.” In contrast to his alertness on the floor, he’s disarmingly laid-back in conversation with a light Canadian accent. Of working in the kitchen, he tells me he loves it.  “Different cultures. Different people. No two days are the same.” After more than a decade of working as a head chef in established Sydney restaurants like Aria and Barangaroo House, jobs he describes as “intense”, I ask him why joining Stokehouse in 2019 seemed like the right next step. “When I met Frank [the owne

Australia’s got a hard-earned rep for producing some of the best beef in the world. Unfortunately, our track record at cooking the stuff hasn’t been quite as golden, with “grilled to within an inch of its life” a common approach in the past. Thankfully, Melbourne’s restaurants are catching on to what many have known for years – that when it comes to premium cuts, fresh is not always best. Dry-ageing, the longer the better, has finally taken off, and the result is tender steaks packed with meaty flavour, worthy of the noble beasts from whence they came. If you’re appetite tends toward the more carnivorous side, here’s our list of ten of the best places in Melbourne to taste meat at its best. These are by no means the only places in town throwing a rump on the grill, but they’re our go-to for every budget and occasion. Not sure exactly what you want? Here are the 50 best restaurants in Melbourne. And for dessert? The best places for ice cream and gelato. Just want something fun? Try one of Melbourne's best teppanyaki restaurants.

Here's your ultimate guide to Melbourne's most exciting new restaurant and bar openings, updated every month for your reading (and tasting) pleasure. With this list on hand, you'll be the first to know where to find the hottest new brunch spot or buzziest new fine diner. Ready to make a booking somewhere spesh? Read on.

Trying to choose the 50 best pubs in Melbourne is like trying to choose the 50 best taco stands in Guadalajara or the 50 best sushi joints in Tokyo. That is, it’s near impossible because there are just so many damn good ones. From the casual local boozers to the world-class gastropubs to the rocking live music venues, we believe that our great city boasts some of the best pub culture in the world outside the British Isles (you win Dublin, we guess), and we’ll gladly die on that hill.  What makes each of these pubs great is variable - perhaps it is located in a historic building, offers entertainment such as live music and trivia, and serves up quality food that you want to keep coming back for. Perhaps it has a stellar selection of beers on tap, great service and a community feel, or maybe it is welcoming to your four-legged furry friends or kids. No matter what the reason, these 50 pubs are the ones that we rely on, that we depend on like a close mate, that we keep coming back to again and again for just one more frothy, and that we are so thankful to have in our neighbourhoods.  Take your drinking to new heights at the best rooftop bars in Melbourne, or explore the best beer gardens across the city.  

Summer calls for opulent seafood feasts and special occasions shared with friends. It's time to gather a crew, get your hands dirty and dig into the best of the catch! Australia's native crabs – mud crabs or 'muddies' as they're affectionately called – are now in season, and so Crown's home to regional Chinese fare Spice Temple is getting in on all the action with their luxurious $99 live mud crab feasts. Crabs are one of the most revered ingredients in Chinese cooking and the centrepiece of many a hero dish in Spice Temple's banquet-style menu. Executive chef Andy Evans ensures they're steamed to retain their sweet, tender texture. The crustaceans are sourced from Queensland, fresh out of the net, and kept alive right until hitting the pans on order. The food world knows that mud crabs are currently at their best, their flesh delicate and irresistibly succulent, but the Spice Temple team is taking things up a notch by bathing them in their flavour-packed array of authentic sauces.  Take your pick from five different dressings, including the red-hot Four Chillies, punchy and savoury Salted Olive and Black Bean, sharp and pungent Black Bean and Salted Chilli, rich and spicy XO Sauce or the classic Ginger and Shallot. Each dish carries a $99 price tag until Sunday, December 31 – a great excuse to round up a group for a shared feast as the summer and holiday festivities rev up in the weeks ahead. Head to the website for more details.  Keen to hop aboard a sushi train? Check out

Ever wanted to learn more about wine, minus the snobbery and big egos that come with so many elevated tasting events? You’re in luck. The brand new team at Good Booze Blind are offering a series of guided journeys, designed to welcome you into the world of wine (even if you're a complete newbie) and help you become more confident in your vino preferences.  Each event (taking place on Barkly Street, Brunswick) is hosted by owner, creator and resident ‘cork dork’ Nathan Doyle (Heart Attack and Vine, Sunhands), and categorised by the type of wine you’d like to explore. Coming up, pick from Red Wine Only, Old World Wine and New World Wine premium tasting events, with plenty more set to be added to the schedule next year.  The red wine session on Saturday, October 28, will take you through the rainbow of your fave crimson sips – from pale purple to ruby red and every shade in between. If you’d like to go beyond the reds, treat yourself to a ticket to either the New World or Old World tastings that will be held in November. Old World wines cover the European gamut – Italian, Spanish, French and German – and this session will go into their rich historic winemaking traditions, important wine terms around tannins and acid, and cultural significance. New World wines refer to contemporary bottles from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the US, so this session’s your ticket if you’d like to sample sips that are a bit closer to home and spotlight today’s drinking innovations.  Even

When Parcs announced it was closing indefinitely, hearts around Melbourne broke. The sustainability-first wine bar and restaurant had long enthralled its loyal flock of fans with inventive culinary takes on up-cycling and fermentation, one of the first to do so boldly in Melbourne. That’s why it’s music to our ears that, as of October 2023, this wintry period of closure is now over. Parcs is back! The key ethics remain, but there’s been a few important changes. Damien Neylon is now at the helm, diving deeper into innovative farming practices, organics and hyper seasonality. The renowned chef has been tending to a small organic veggie garden he hopes will eventually sustain the restaurant – similar to how restaurants like O.My, and the newly opened Julie, are operating.  ‘Friends of Parcs’ is also a key initiative, drawing friends of Damien into the fold to contribute their diverse brands of panache on the pans. Since Damien also brings to the table strong fine dining pedigree (you’ll spot stints at Royal Mail and Brae on his resume), expect an elevated menu glow-up with a renewed focus on the relationship between food and land. The restaurant rotates four to five courses based on when each ingredient is in its prime, with 50-70% of the menu consisting of up-cycled produce. But don’t worry about wading into too swanky – or wanky – of an experience. You can anticipate the same simplicity and sense of fun that Parcs has always mastered, with the focus less on fuss or formality,

Here's a round of drinks you can feel good about. The world's most awarded tequila fam, 1800 Tequila, has partnered with Botanic Gardens of Sydney (BGS) to create a series of pop-up bars across Melbourne and Sydney. The three-day events educate drinkers on Australia's precarious biodiversity while showcasing the complex flavours native plants can add to cocktails. All proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the Rainforest Seed Conservation Project. Sadly, Australia is facing a significant biodiversity decline, with high rates of extinction and more species facing growing threats every day. The scientists at the helm of this BGS-funded research are devoted to reversing the damage and preserving the environment for future generations. The Greenhouse Bar is an insightful (and delicious) way to support their work. The Melbourne edition takes place over the weekend from Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29 at the Clifton Street Pop Up in Prahran, a calming space that's just like a breath of rainforest-fresh air, with vibrant greenery, moody lighting and unique botanic displays. While you sip on a selection of 1800 Tequila cocktails crafted with Aussie native ingredients, you'll learn all about the breadth and beauty of our natural world.  A $25 ticket gets you into the enchanting bar for a 90-minute experience that includes four half-serve cocktails that hero the distinct flavours of Aussie flora, light snacks, a cheese platter and fascinating insights into Australia's won

On November 19, East Malvern's leafy Central Park will be packed with stalls selling exquisite Victorian wines and artisan goods at the sixth annual East Malvern Food and Wine Festival. The highly anticipated event has returned to its traditional format, meaning public entry to the festival is free – yippee! The festivities kick off at 11am, and attendees can stroll through the open green spaces to wine, dine and recline in the picturesque surroundings. Expect to taste a vast range of vinos from wineries including Balgownie Estate, Linnaea Vineyards and Petronio Wines, and meet the makers behind some of your favourite drops. For those who prefer their booze in a pint glass, local craft breweries Hop Hen Brewing, Grand Ridge Brewery and Two Doors Brewing will be on hand, with Mornington Peninsula distiller Great Ocean Road Gin also making an appearance. Peckish? The festival's set to be a globally inspired food truck paradise thanks to Nepal Dining, Bigger Than Texas, Spanish Paella, The Famous Sandwich, 400 Gradi and more. Sweets include ice cream from Billy Van Creamy and Luvlee, and unique Danish treats from Jamm'd.  And throughout the day, you can also throw back fresh oysters and chablis at a pop-up bar by Riserva and Grand Cru Wines. Of course, there's tons of tequila and world-class whisky, too, all set to a back-drop of great live music and kids' entertainment.  When you're all tuckered out and it's time to make your way out, be sure to stock up on locally produced che

Update October 23, 2023: Woot! The full line-up of food vendors has just been announced. Scroll to the bottom of this article to see who'll be serving up your dumpling feasts when the market opens next month. Birrarung Marr will transform into a fragrant hawker-style market this November, providing Melburnians with the perfect opportunity to gather with friends outdoors, get amongst the bustle and most importantly – eat!  Across the sea of vendors that will set up shop over the 18-night foodie fest, visitors can expect truckloads of authentic Asian delicacies like skewers, zesty salads, loaded bao, oodles of noodles and, of course, dumplings. And lots of 'em, too.  All your faves will be in high supply, like xiao long bao, gyoza, won tons, xiu mai and loads more. The market promises to look after a range of tastes and dietary requirements so that all are welcome to partake in the festivities.  “I’ve enjoyed many delicious dumpling dinners over the years I lived in Melbourne and I can’t wait to contribute to that custom," says the market's program director Elena Kirschbaum. "We’re working hard to create an incredible food festival that will hopefully become a much-loved annual event and can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store that’s sure to surprise and delight.” With clever cocktails and even a dedicated sake bar to wash all that spicy, salty, savoury goodness down, Downtown Dumpling Market is set to be one of the hottest foodie destinations in the city this spri

Budburst is the annual celebration of the Macedon Ranges’ best family-owned and small-batch wineries, giving festival-goers the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in Australia’s coolest wine region. Budburst kicks off on Friday, November 17 with an exciting program of local tastings and events. What will follow is a weekend of wine tastings, local food, art shows, sculptor walks and live music, happening from across Saturday and Sunday, featuring over 25 Macedon Ranges winemakers across 18 Budburst sites. It'll be a maze of fun, frivolity and lush lubations.  From 10am to 5pm, swirl and swill your fave drops at each winery and explore the region's foodie offerings that celebrate local produce. Various venues around the region will be offering Budburst specials across the weekend, including a bottomless brunch at Cleveland Winery in Lancefield; a winemaker’s dinner at Miss M’s Lounge in Kyneton; wine and cheese flights at Daylesford based Winespeake, plus more.   And if you want to kick on after your tastings and events, you're in luck. Popular drinking venues such as Farmer’s Arms in Daylesford, Animus Distillery and Piper Street Wine Company in Kyneton, Woodend Cellar & Bar and Trentham’s Cosmopolitan Hotel will be pouring Budburst wines all weekend long.     But what if you don't have a designated driver? While you can choose to explore. the quaint roads of the region at your own pace, there's also the option to jump on one of the five designated Budburs

Melbourne’s brimming with fabulous high tea experiences, but now there’s a new one you need to add to your rotation. Call your nan, your girlfriends, or whoever else it is you ferry along with you to fulfil your highest high tea fantasies, and get your names on the list right away. The Melbourne Marriott Hotel on the corner of Exhibition and Lonsdale Street has announced an exquisite New York style high tea, designed to delight and bedazzle your taste buds all afternoon long. Perfect for two, the three-tied stand is offering a selection of cold and warm dishes, plus handmade pastries and desserts.  The high tea will take place daily from noon to 3pm until the end of the year at the hotel’s signature restaurant, The Essence. Inspired by the hotel’s American roots, Marriott Melbourne’s head chef Swami Nanden is bringing Big Apple classics to the table and infusing them with a local Melbourne twist. Think traditional baked raspberry cheesecake, mac and cheese croquettes with sweet mustard pickle, mustard mayo, and mouthwatering pastrami and sauerkraut bagels. Swami has worked in some of the world’s most famous restaurants, Michelin-starred Benares Mayfair, Noma and Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s.  “It’s about creating delicious morsels that look and taste amazing,” Swami said. “So many people eat with their eyes – plus, we live in an Instagram age – which is why we’ve paid particular attention to detail and the aesthetic appearance of these dishes.” Forget about exxy flights to NY

If you haven't checked out Arbory Afloat's colourful Viva Mexico theme this season, pencil it in for November 2. The epic floating bar will be hosting a pumping Day of the Dead party to celebrate the famous Mexican holiday, with tons of fun food, drinks and entertainment all evening long to amp up the sizzling vibes.  Roaming tacos and pizza will keep you and your buddies well-fed from 6-8pm, and your ticket includes a summery welcome drink on arrival. The rest of the night's festivities include a mariachi band alongside Aztec warriors, lucha libre and shaman performers, tequila rituals and an impressive range of different Margaritas to keep the good vibes flowing. DJ Hans will also be spinning tunes on the decks. Woot! Masks and calavera face painting will be available at the bar, or if you'd rather put your own make-up artistry skills to the test, you're encouraged to come decked out in classic Día De Los Muertos mode. If the judges reckon you're one of the best dressed, you'll go into the running to win an epic prize package valued at $1,000. It includes a three-hour fiesta in one of the bar's most coveted DJ cabanas (with room for up to ten guests!), pink gin Spritzes, a shared selection of Afloat's best Mexican-style eats, a 750ml bottle of Don Julio tequila (plus mixers) and Balter's Mexican-style lager beer. Can a summer evening get any more special than that? We think not. Though Day of the Dead is a holiday when Mexican folks traditionally remember their deceased anc

 To question Gimlet’s beauty is like pondering out loud whether the sky is blue. One foot through the door into the Trader House team’s almighty fine diner and you’re swept into an era of astonishingly impressive 1920s glamour. The handsome, plush curved booths invite you to settle in and share a bottle of Champers with a friend, uniformed staff skate around the floor with ease, and warm light dances off the grand chandeliers overhead. It’s undeniably fabulous, but also cosy at the same time – less ostentatious ‘razzle-dazzle’ and more hearth-y and heartwarming somehow, even in all its magnificence. Tonight, my friend and I are seated at the perimeter of the amphitheatre-like dining room, affording us generous views of both the sparkling hubbub of Russell Street at dusk and the swish centrepiece bar down the steps. Every dish that hovers by only serves to build that feeling of wistful anticipation, for while Gimlet is precious to look at (and sit in), our senses are set firmly on the food.  Of course, a Gimlet cocktail is the first thing you should start off with at Gimlet. And there is no better take on that juicy gin and lime invention in Melbourne than the classic one you can drink here. Refreshing and expertly balanced with moscato and a touch of Geraldton wax, it’s pure sophistication in a glass. We also knock back a Punch, a playful concoction of Jamaican rum, pomegranate wine falernum, hibiscus tea and pomegranate yoghurt. It’s a sublime start to the evening. One need

Get up close and personal with the world’s sexiest grape variety at this year’s Pinot Palooza festival, an event dedicated to – you guessed it – pinot noir. After an 18-month hiatus, the annual festival's back to its original springtime calendar slot with an exciting line-up of pinot producers from Australia and New Zealand. This time round, there'll be multiple sessions staggered across the weekend to cater for the overwhelming demand (we Melburnians sure adore our pinot) – with rivers of vino, music, chats and snacks galore.  Now in its eleventh year, Festival Founder Dan Sims confirms his OG mission for Pinot Palooza hasn't changed: to revel in the diversity of pinot noir and have bucketloads (bottleloads?) of fun doing it. 2023 homes in on only the most impressive and interesting Aussie and New Zealand pinot on the market right now – from organic and biodynamic to vegan, low-intervention and everything in between. Talk about a juicy vibe! Highlights of the lineup include Burn Cottage (NZ), Small Island (Tas), Charteris (NZ), Murdoch Hill (SA), M&J Becker (NSW), Moondarra (Vic) and Ghost Rock (TAS) alongside People’s Choice 2022 winners and Tasmanian pioneers Meadowbank (TAS) who will return to each city in this year’s lineup. Last year, more than 70 winemakers made an appearance and it's slated that this year there'll be just as huge and diverse a turn out.  Anticipate a buzzing hive of pop-up bars, food stalls and interactive activities designed to put your note-taking

When you first step into the stylish airlock entrance at Stokehouse, the transportation to another world is immediate. Suspended in the liminal space, the door behind you closes and the noisy buzz of St Kilda’s busy streets fades to a calming hum. A journey begins. Up the stairs, we head to the first floor where the magic awaits. The host is attentive and charming from the outset, offering to take our coats and guiding us to our seats before introducing the other service staff who’ll be taking care of us for the night. But while impressed, we’re not really surprised. This is Stokehouse, after all, a bastion of traditional hospitality and serene comfort since the early 1990s. But I want to know – after all this time, does the food and drink still stack up to the restaurant’s lofty reputation?  Let’s find out. During the day, Stokehouse’s broad, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the glistening beach, flooding the dining space with rays of sun. At night, however, it’s a moodier setting, with warm lamps and designer chandeliers elevating the interior decor – a theatre for food and sea under the moonlight.  On this chilly  evening, the beach is roaring as loudly as the wind is howling, and my partner and I are feeling cosy and romantic by the window. The only word for it is cinematic. After placing our orders, we’re paid a visit by the sommelier. He’s got drink suggestions to pair with our menu choices if we’re interested – of course, we are. A dry Tasmanian brut and a bright Vene

A fresh cupcake is good. A fresh cupcake in as much time as it takes to push a button? Even better. But if you're worried a cupcake from a vending machine would taste like those sad, stale, unloved creations you spot on the counters of corporate office cafés around the CBD, think again. A collection of vending machines filled with sweet treats from none other than Cake Creations by Kate (the beloved local bakery renowned for its drool-worthy, hand-crafted goodies) have popped up around Melbourne. Since launching in 2015, the business has become a cult hit on social media thanks to Kate's mini cupcakes, chunky melt-in-your-mouth cookies and A-grade macarons.  So how do the cupcake vending machines work? Each morning, a fresh new batch is placed into the machines, which feature state-of-the-art technology and are imported from Italy. You can choose from boxes of four, six and 12 mini cupcakes, in a variety of flavours such as Biscoff, cookies and cream, lemon and vanilla rainbow. Each box ranges from $13 to $30 (depending on how many cupcakes you want to fill up on), perfect for sharing with friends and family, or gifting on the go! 25-year-old baker Kate (who learned all her baking skills from her grandmother) says it's an easy way to keep up with soaring demand for cakes from her flagship store in Point Cook and other pop-up locations.  "We wanted to make things easier for our customers, as some travel over an hour just to visit our stores," she said. "We have hired more bake

Keen for some good, thirsty news to lift your spirits? The 2023 International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) just went down in London Town, and Australia's very own gin hero Four Pillars won International Gin Producer of the Year for the third time. That's right, Four Pillars produces the Best Gin on Earth. We're pretty chuffed.  While this alone is a huge deal in itself, the rocking distillery and gin brand also broke some records on the night. It's the first time any gin producer from around the globe has won the award three times, with Four Pillars having beaten out all other contestants in 2019 and 2020 prior to this year's event. The IWSC is the world's largest and most prestigious spirits competition and attracted more than 4,000 entries from international distilleries, with gin being the biggest category of them all. "Back in 2013, we set out with the ambition to make world-class gin, so to win this award three times is simply mind-blowing," said co-founder and distiller Cameron Mackenzie, who was in London to accept the award. "I kind of knew we had a chance when two of our gins scored 98 points but kept it on the lowdown until last week when I dusted off the kilt! It’s a massive thrill for our team back at home and for the Australian spirits industry overall, and even sweeter that Four Pillars celebrates 10 years of making gin this December". The two gins that scored 98 out of 100 points were Four Pillars' Bloody Underhill Vineyard Shiraz Gin 2022 and Single Bar

Need a good excuse for a foodie road trip? In partnership with Visit Victoria, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival has launched a 10-day regional program jam-packed with eating and drinking experiences all over Victoria from November 10 to November 19, 2023. Start your engines – it’s going to be a rocking start to the summer.  If a fresh ocean breeze is calling your name, the Gippsland Seaside Weekender will keep you entertained with the ever-popular Village Feast, which rolls into the picturesque town of Inverloch on November 18 with Adam Liaw at the helm. He’s joined forces with Thi Le (Anchovy, Jeow, Ca Com), while plenty of other big hospo teams will be there on the day to partake in the flavour-filled fun. Clink glasses, enjoy the live music – that is, ARIA winner Alex Lloyd of ‘Amazing’ fame, plus several other local musicians – and break bread with old and new friends from lunch until sunset. There’ll be free drink tastings, a kids’ zone, and of course, an abundance of food. Tickets to The Village Feast are $35 for adults, with free entry for children aged 12 and under.  Perhaps the biggest signature event on the program is the World’s Longest Lunch, which will be hosted in two locations this year. More than 150 people will dine together in the Yarra Valley at Hubert Estate and in Ballarat at The Goods Shed. “Victoria’s produce and culinary talent is world class – and what better way to celebrate this essential part of our culture than heading out to our regions to sa

How many times have you visited an Italian restaurant, taken a squiz at the menu and thought: “Do I even know how to pronounce this word?” While most of us feel fairly confident with popular words like ‘spaghetti’ and ‘macaroni’, an interesting new study shows that many of us still get it wrong.  Preply, a language e-learning platform and app, scoured through Google search data to discover which pasta names non-Italians around the globe are routinely butchering, and ‘spaghetti’ and ‘macaroni’ actually made the list, along with 38 others that proved to be total tongue twisters. ‘Gnocchi’ was the most mispronounced name, with the majority of people calling the popular pasta type ‘NOTCH-ee’ or ‘G-KNOCK-ee’ instead of its correct pronunciation, ‘NYOHK-ee’.  Preply research revealed that a whopping 153,000 people search Google for pronunciation guidance on gnocchi each year. ‘Spaghetti’ and ‘penne’ followed in second and third place with 101,460 and 33,890 searches respectively each year from people looking for pronunciation tips. The study also picked up on the history of how each type of pasta came to be named. For example, did you know that ‘vermicelli’ means ‘little worms’ and that ‘linguine’ means ‘little tongues’?  With World Pasta Day coming up on October 25, there’s no better time to polish your pronunciation skills (and your smarts on different pasta types) – especially if you plan on ordering your fave plate at one of these Melbourne venues hosting special deals and even

Here's some good news to lift your spirits (see what we did there?). On October 19, the 2023 International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) was held in London, with Victoria's very own gin hero Four Pillars winning International Gin Producer of the Year for the third time.  While this alone is a huge deal in itself, the Healesville-based distillery and gin brand also broke some records on the night. It's the first time any gin producer from around the globe has won the award three times, with Four Pillars having beaten out all other contestants in 2019 and 2020 prior to this year's event. The IWSC is the world's largest and most prestigious spirits competition and attracted more than 4,000 entries from international distilleries, with gin being the biggest category of them all. "Back in 2013, we set out with the ambition to make world-class gin, so to win this award three times is simply mind-blowing," said co-founder and distiller Cameron Mackenzie, who was in London to accept the award. "I kind of knew we had a chance when two of our gins scored 98 points but kept it on the lowdown until last week when I dusted off the kilt! It’s a massive thrill for our team back at home and for the Australian spirits industry overall, and even sweeter that Four Pillars celebrates 10 years of making gin this December". The two gins that scored 98 out of 100 points were Four Pillars' Bloody Underhill Vineyard Shiraz Gin 2022 and Single Barrel S36 Gin. Mackenzie and fellow distiller Sarah

For the global bar scene, the annual World's 50 Best Bars round-up is considered one of the biggest industry events of the year. Since its launch in 2009, cities across the globe await the results with bated breath to find out if one of their beloved bars has made the cut. So how did Melbourne fare this year?  While the top 50 for 2023 is still yet to be announced, ahead of the actual event on October 17 the judges have revealed the bars that crept into the 51 to 100 list. And one of Melbourne’s very own has taken out 61st place, the only Aussie venue to make an appearance (so far). Byrdi is a small cocktail bar in Melbourne Central’s food and drinks precinct, serving up sustainable cocktails and small plates inspired by the seasons. The bar rocketed up to 23 in the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2018, number 30 in 2019, number 56 in 2021, and was recently awarded Australian Cocktail Bar of the Year by the Australian Bartender Magazine Awards.  Whether any other Melbourne bars make it to the top 50 or not is still yet to be known, so make sure you tune in on October 17 to see the final list. In the meantime, check out the full 51 to 100 list below, along with some FAQs: How does the voting system for the World’s 50 Best Bars work? The bars have been voted for by a gender-balanced pool of more than 650 drink experts from across the world. The panel remains anonymous, and votes are cast confidentially. Where and when will the World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 awards ceremony be held? The li

In delightful news for fans of the famous Italian treat, 1000 free cannoli will be up for grabs at Queen Victoria Market this Thursday, October 5.  Thanks to the folks at Cannoleria who are celebrating the launch of their new permanent store in the Dairy Hall, the cannoli will be available between 10am and 12pm or until sold out. Bring a friend and join in the toothsome festivities! Cannoleria is renowned in Melbourne for its traditional and modern versions of the Sicilian dessert, with addictive That's Amore ricotta filling and authentic delicate pastry shells. And now you get to indulge in a taste, completely free of charge. Photograph: Supplied/Cannoleria “Opening a store at Queen Victoria Market has always been on the bucket list,” says Dario Di Clerico, co-founder of Cannoleria. “QVM is such an iconic establishment in Melbourne and we have always been huge fans of the heritage space. Cannoleria has been a part of the Wednesday Night Market for a number of years and it just made sense to have a permanent space there. We are so honoured that the QVM team has welcomed us to open our store and be amongst the other great producers that call the Market home.” The very first Cannoleria store opened as at South Melbourne Market in 2019, and pop-ups have since been seen at Preston Market, Grazeland and other popular foodie havens. For more information, visit the website. Craving something sweet? Check out Melbourne's best patisseries. Or grab a fancy doughnut from this cute new

Excusez-moi? Now here's a bizarre promotion. ABE'S Bagels is offering you the chance to get a year's worth of free brioche bagels... but only if you take a free DNA to prove you're more than 15 per cent French.  Recent research has found that 16 per cent of our citizens have no idea about their family heritage, yet three in five are curious to find out. The same research also found that despite only 8 per cent of Aussies speaking French, around 1.2 million of us can actually trace our roots back to France. Mon Dieu! We knew there was a reason we're so obsessed with Lune's croissants. “Launching our French-inspired brioche bagel has been fun! While proud of our heritage, thanks to our new brioche bagels we've now got a little bit of French in us too," said Catherine Parlane, ABE’S Bagels head of growth. "We hope our brioche bagels provide a delicious culinary experience where we mix a bit of brioche Frenchness into Aussies' breakfasts and ignite curiosity about their heritage. Personally, I can’t wait to dive in and find out if my own heritage has a little ‘Oui Oui’ in there – who knows!” Photograph: Unsplash/An_Vision Whether you want to know why you're such a Francophile, or you're simply a sucker for a good French-inspired brioche bagel, this offer seems too good to be true. But the folks at ABE'S Bagels are serious. All you need to do is head to the Instagram post here and follow the instructions to put your name down to get a free DNA test. Then, simply await the resul

Here's some good news worth drinking to: nearly half the prizes in a prestigious wine competition have gone to bottles priced under $40. If you needed an excuse to indulge in a wallet-friendly quaffer tonight, this is it.  The swanky Sydney Royal Wine Show dates all the way back to 1826, and this year draws more than 2500 entries from 350 wines across the nation. So which Aussie reds, whites, rosés and sparklings were winners? After a rigorous process of multiple blind tastings, the judges have named the best of the lot. Margaret River winery Evans and Tate waltzed off with the grandest victory of the night for its 2021 Redbrook Estate chardonnay. This liquid gold won Best in Show with a whopping 97 points and also nabbed the trophies for Best Chardonnay and Best White.  Montalto's 2022 Pennon Hill pinot noir from the Mornington Peninsula took home bragging rights as Australia’s Best Red, while another Victorian winery gained a trophy for Best Fortified. Its old premium muscat won the JCM Fornachon Memorial award. Tasmania’s House of Arras claimed the crown for Best Sparkling with its 2015 grand vintage, and rounding up the awards for best value wine was the $25 Millbrook 2022 regional grenache shiraz mourvèdre. A gold-class wine for $25? Now that's worth toasting to. Recommended: Searching for a top vino experience? Check out one of the best wine bars in Melbourne Prefer a crafty ale? Here's a round-up of Melbourne's best beer gardens And here are the 50 best restaurants we'

It’s been a smashing slice of a year for Victoria in the food competition arena. In the last year alone, we’ve won Australia’s best pie, Australia’s best pizza, and now, in excellent news for those with a sweet tooth – Australia’s best vanilla slice.   The award winner is North End Bakehouse in Shepparton, which beat out some fierce national competition in the annual Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph contest in Merbein last weekend. Posting a photo of its epic slice, the bakery shared on Facebook, “We did it!”  Baker Matt Aylett credits his success to 17 years of solid practice making the silkiest, yummiest, most decadent vanilla slice possible. From the pastry to the custard and icing, the judges could clearly taste the passion and dedication in Aylett’s recipe, key factors that won his bakery first place. It’s not the first time North End Bakehouse has garnered national attention. In 2021 and 2022, the team were awarded Australia’s Best Hot Cross Bun titles, while the bakery’s walls are lined with various trophies and awards for other products like their pies and sausage rolls. But making the perfect vanilla slice has been Aylett’s greatest focus since he started a baking apprenticeship in 2006.  Another Victorian bakery took out second place at the vanilla slice competition, Sharps Bakery in Birchip, while Adelaide’s Banana Boogie Bakery took out third. Congrats, pastry wizards! RECOMMENDED: Would you pay $1000 for this decadent cocktail on Collins Street? Look o

There are basic Champagne cocktails and then there are goddess levels of Champagne cocktails. Inspired by ACMI’s ‘Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion’ exhibition, the Atrium Bar at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins is slinging glasses of the latter at $1000 per pair. You can't buy just one separately so you'll need to bring a special someone. Aptly christened ‘Aphrodite’, she’s expensive no doubt, but not for the reasons you might think. So what rare and pricey ingredients could be mixed in such a cocktail to justify the $1K price? Beluga caviar? Ambergris? Milk from a unicorn's teat? Well, it turns out in this case, just good ol’ 100-year-old Grand Marnier Centenaire, Remy Martin Louis 13 Cognac and Armand de Brignac’s Ace of Spades Champagne, finished off with bitters and a sugar cube. The clincher is that your cocktail comes served with a side of 24-karat gold bullion (complete with certification) and a gold-plated bottle of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Champagne. Okay, now this makes sense. Served in two beautifully handcrafted swan-shaped Odette glasses by Martin Jakobsen (that you'll also get to take home), it’s a modern twist on the classic Champagne cocktail and is available only for a limited time. Ah, to know how the other half live. Whether you choose to invest in this exquisitely opulent libation or you’d rather spend your hard-earned dosh on channelling your inner goddess some other way (I mean, there's always a $2 cucumber peel-off face mask from Priceline), there’

In news that could make the nonnas of Melbourne clutch their pearls in despair, a gourmet pizza vending machine has been installed at the CBD's Southern Cross Station. The odd new contraption can be found in front of a closed health foods store on the station's top floor, where it mysteriously popped up on August 3 between two temporary hoarding walls.  It’s not fully operational just yet, but much to the delight of hungry travellers in need of a hot meal in a pinch, you’ll be able to buy from it as early as August 14. You only need to wait four minutes for your tasty slice to be ready, and the machine can make four of these bad boys at once. We can’t wait to taste what a futuristic pizza-making robot can cook up! The automated retail company behind the pop-up vending machine, Me Group, has installed 600 of them across Europe and Japan. Melbourne is the first Australian city lucky enough to score one.  Photograph: Unsplash/Brenna Huff Several more never-before-seen vending machines are set to come next, including a Japanese toy machine, a Monster beverages machine, and one that sells Pokémon, NBA and Marvel cards. Another one-of-a-kind vending machine selling dog treats from Aussie brand Chewy Chews has already popped up in front of a closed pharmacy at the station. Is this the future? Not exactly. We’re told the machines are only temporary pop-ups while the station looks for new, more permanent retail tenants to take over the space.  So what are you waiting for? Go grab th