Halloween has been and gone for 2024, but Australia isn't done with peering at pumpkins yet. One of the most stunning sights to see in the country right now, and on an ongoing basis, is a giant gourd that stands five metres tall. The fact that it's yellow and black, and also covered in polka dots, explains why this is such a spectacular piece of art: it's one of Yayoi Kusama's famous pumpkin sculptures. Back in April, Melbourne's NGV International promised that the end of 2024 and beginning of 2025 would be filled with spots and gourds when it announced Yayoi Kusama, its big summer blockbuster exhibition. Featuring 180-plus works from the Japanese artist, the retrospective opens on Sunday, December 15, displaying until Monday, April 21. Ahead of that launch, however, Dancing Pumpkin has already arrived — and been unveiled for gallery visitors to enjoy. Open to the public since Saturday, November 8, 2024 in NGV International's Federation Court, the 2020 piece is making its Australian debut. Until now, only two editions of it had been seen anywhere on the planet, initially in 2021 at the New York Botanical Garden and then in 2022–3 at the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar. Yayoi Kusama itself is also a first, as a world-premiere that Aussie art lovers can only check out in the Victorian capital. Gourds and dots are among Kusama's trademarks, with Dancing Pumpkin combining the two in one of her biggest pumpkin sculptures of her career. Its towering height and legs in various poses — hence the name — means that visitors literally look up at the artwork. You can also wander beneath it. While checking out not just Dancing Pumpkin but the Yayoi Kusama exhibition overall is a summer must, the former is sticking around, with the piece acquired by the NGV. "We're delighted to unveil Yayoi Kusama's breathtaking Dancing Pumpkin sculpture ahead of our major exhibition surveying the artist's groundbreaking career. The newly acquired work, supported through the generosity of the Loti & Victor Smorgon Fund, will leave a defining impact on the NGV Collection and will be available for all Victorians to enjoy for many years to come," said NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM. When we say that this Kusama showcase, is big, we mean it. While the Japanese artist's work is no stranger to Aussie shores — and was the focus of a comprehensive showcase at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art back in 2017–18 — NGV International's ode to the iconic talent is the largest that the country has ever seen. Among its highlights is another of Kusama's usual fascinations: kaleidoscopic reflections. Visitors will also be able to scope out the world-premiere showing of a brand-new infinity mirror. The NGV has curated Yayoi Kusama with input from Kusama, with the end result stepping through the 95-year-old artist's eight decades of making art via a thematic chronology. Some pieces hail from her childhood. Some are recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s: they'll all appear. Half of the exhibition is devoted to the past four decades — so, pumpkins galore; giant paintings; and an impressive and expansive range of room installations, complete with her very first infinity room from 1965, plus creative interpretations since from the 80s onwards. Again, this is a hefty exhibition. It's one of the most-comprehensive Kusama retrospectives ever staged globally (and the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving Australia). Basically, wherever you look across NGV International's ground level, Kusama works will be waiting, spanning paintings, installations, sketches, drawings, collages and sculptures, as well as videos and clothing. For the first time in the country, 2019's THE HOPE OF THE POLKA DOTS BURIED IN INFINITY WILL ETERNALLY COVER THE UNIVERSE will unleash its six-metre-high tentacles — as also speckled with yellow-and-black polka dots. One section of the gallery will replicate Kusama's New York studio. Over 20 experimental fashion designs by the artist will also demand attention. Infinity Net paintings from the 50s and 60s, Accumulation sculptures and textiles from the 60s and 70s, and a Kusama for Kids offshoot with all-ages interactivity (fingers crossed for an obliteration room) are also on their way. Almost six decades since first debuting at 1966's Venice Biennale — unofficially — Narcissus Garden will be a part of Yayoi Kusama, too, in a new version made of 1400 30-centimetre-diameter stainless silver balls. Now that's how you open an exhibition, as this will. NGV's Waterwall is also scoring a Kusama artwork specific to the space, while the Great Hall will be filled with the giant balloons of Dots Obsession floating overhead. [caption id="attachment_950480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] Dancing Pumpkin is on display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne until Monday, April 21, 2025. Yayoi Kusama runs from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Images: Yayoi Kusama's Dancing Pumpkin 2020 now on display for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Sean Fennessy.
Send in the terrifying clown: that's what Stephen King did when he penned IT back in 1986, as did a 1990 miniseries adaptation of his horror novel, then the hit 2017 IT movie and its 2019 sequel IT: Chapter Two. A prequel to those two recent films, IT: Welcome to Derry is doing the same. Pennywise is back, and Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu) in the part, in a small-screen return to the franchise that's premiering in October 2025. If you've read much of King's work, then you would've agreed with some of the first words spoken in the initial teaser trailer for HBO's new IT series: "anywhere but Derry". That's a great motto if you're keen to avoid unnerving and supernatural events, which have frequented the fictional town's streets in the author's pages for decades — and in their leaps to the screen, too. The just-dropped second sneak peek at the show keeps demonstrating why the Maine locale isn't an ideal place to live. "Things are certainly different here" is quite the understatement, in fact, as is "things do happen from time to time". King's go-to setting is clearly at the heart of the series, which steps through Derry's scares before the terror that viewers have already seen and experienced. Alongside the transdimensional evil entity known as Pennywise, there's a spate of missing children, more kids seeking answers, a new family moving in, uncaring police, violence in the streets, a curfew, eerie smiles and cackles, voices in the pipes and a crimson balloon — as per the two teasers so far. If you've somehow missed all things IT until now, it follows the exploits of that maniacal clown, as well as the folks that he's rather fond of terrorising. IT: Welcome to Derry's cast includes Taylour Paige (Brothers), Jovan Adepo (3 Body Problem), Chris Chalk (Feud), James Remar (Megalopolis), Stephen Rider (What Lies Under the Tree), Madeleine Stowe (Soundtrack) and Rudy Mancuso (The Flash). Returning to oversee the show is filmmaker Andy Muschietti, who helmed the most-recent two IT movies and last directed DC Extended Universe flick The Flash. He's also behind the camera here on multiple episodes, expanding his Derry-set vision from his two features. And yes, HBO and its streaming service HBO Max are in franchise mode of late, adding The Penguin to the world of The Batman, expanding the Game of Thrones realm with not only House of the Dragon but also the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, announcing a new drama series set in The Conjuring universe and locking in a Harry Potter series that readapts the books. IT: Welcome to Derry falls into the same camp. Watch the latest IT: Welcome to Derry teaser trailer below: IT: Welcome to Derry is set to stream via HBO Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from sometime in October 2025 — we'll update you with an exact release date when it is announced. Images: HBO.
With a couple of self-proclaimed boneheads at the helm, this indie brewery makes its home within a former mechanics workshop in the heart of Kensington. The laidback, 80-person capacity taproom rocks an industrial aesthetic, with high-top tables, plants hung from the soaring steel rafters and eight shiny stainless steel beer fermenters standing proudly visible in one corner. It's dog-friendly inside and out, and there's a healthy dose of colour from the sprawling wall murals, created by local artists during live painting events. The latest beauty from Lynn Bremner was also replicated as can art for one of Bonehead's recent brew releases. The brewery's signature beer offering champions balance and approachability, with the 12-strong tap list pouring a mix of core drops and seasonal releases — from the Revered red ale and the Mum's pilsner, to a Belgian-style wit bier they've dubbed the Half-Wit Hero. There are fun, inventive new brews dropping regularly, so you can expect to try something different every time you visit. A handful of Victorian wines and a couple of boilermaker curations round out the drinks lineup. The matching food situation is a simple one, with a trio of beer-friendly jaffles featuring fillings like prosciutto and pesto with smoked mozzarella. Though there's also a rotation of food trucks swinging past on the regular, including local legends like Nicolosi Pizzeria and Brother Trucker.
After a cocktail next door, don't be surprised if you find yourself on the doorstep of San Telmo, succumbing to the enticing pull of the Argentinean grill. Inside, carnivores congregate around the Parilla (the imported Argentine charcoal grill, pronounced par-ee-sha) — feasting on slabs of tender, smokey charred meat. Order by cut: short ribs, flank, rib eye and all the steaks of rump are on offer here. The menu is designed to share, which means that our vegetarian friends needn't miss out. The sweet-burnt carrots with thyme and goats cheese, provolone, charcoal roasted cabbage salad, or brussel sprouts with parsnip and chestnut puree will appease the non-animal eaters, while desserts like the dulce de leche creme caramel with salted peanut praline will have both tribes fighting over the fork. From the grill try the chorizo and morcilla to start, while the pasture fed lamp rump marinated in garlic thyme and rosemary is the perfect dish for the main event. Pair it with a bottle of 2017 Colome Altura Maxima Malbec for a truly unforgettable Argentinian experience at San Telmo.
In Patricia Piccinini's mind, bulbous creatures float through the sky. In her imagination, automobiles may as well be animals, and the line between humans and other critters is razor thin. It all sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie (or several), but the Australian artist's output isn't just confined to a screen. Across a variety of media, Piccinini explores the way that nature and technology, people and animals, and the unusual and the sublime all combine — and, more than that, she finds ways to make their weird and wonderful blend appear, feel and seem real. With Piccinini's body of work spanning from figures that look so naturalistic you'll expect them to start moving, to looping short film installations that bring strange beings to life, to paintings and sculptures made with actual human hair, wandering through her creations is like wandering into another realm. At Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until August 5, that's exactly what's on offer. Taking over the entire ground floor of the building — and filling the place with more than 70 sculptures, photographs, videos, drawings and large-scale installations, including both exisiting favourites and newly commissioned pieces — Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection transforms GOMA into a pleasingly intriguing playground. Indeed, if Piccinini's famous animal-shaped hot air balloon, The Skywhale, literally unleashed her unique sensibilities out into the world, then Curious Affection does the opposite: it invites everyone into the acclaimed artist's mind and lets them roam around. Inside, visitors get a peek at not-quite-human lovers cosying up in a caravan, walls filled with alien-like mushrooms, and a vast array of peculiar yet beautiful creatures. And, in an exhibition designed to make you ponder what it means to be human, that's just a fraction of its treasures. In short: entering the otherworldly showcase is an experience like few others, crafted by an artist who has taken her visibly distinctive sensibilities everywhere from the Venice Biennale to Japan's skies to galleries around the world over the past two decades. Discovering exactly what her imagination has brought forth is part of the fun, but here are five things to look out for along the way — and, whether you're a Brisbanite keen on an arty staycation or you're travelling from interstate to see the exhibition, we've found you somewhere to stay as well. [caption id="attachment_667357" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Installation view 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, 2018, featuring The Field 2018. Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] WANDER THROUGH A FIELD OF OTHERWORLDLY FLOWERS The Field isn't the first thing you'll see at Curious Affection, but this darkened room will stay with you long after you've left GOMA. It's the exhibition's main attraction for a very good reason: there's nothing quite like walking into a cavernous hall filled with more than 3000 flower-like sculptures, lightly bouncing along the spring-loaded floors and finding out that nothing's really as it seems. Each individual stem is a feat of astonishing artistry that'll make you think about the real meaning of beauty, not to mention the kind of creations that sci-fi filmmakers like Ridley Scott (Alien) and David Cronenberg (The Fly) would be proud of. When you're not staring into their hypnotic expanse, the four larger-scale sculptures — two of mothers with children, two of curious creatures — scattered around the gallery are just entrancing, not to mention perfectly on-theme. [caption id="attachment_667360" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Patricia Piccinini, Australia VIC. b.1965. Pneutopia 2018. Ripstop nylon, shed, air. Courtesy the artist, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney; and Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco.[/caption] ENTER A GARDEN SHED — AND LOOK UP Maybe you saw The Skywhale float through the sky back earlier this decade. Maybe you just wished you did. Either way, if you ever wondered what it looked like inside, then inflatable installation Pneutopia almost has the answer. It's not Skywhale 2.0, but this custom-built blow-up creation comes close — just confined within GOMA's huge two-storey hallway rather than roving free on the wind. Roam around either the ground or second level, and you can feast your eyes on the outside of this billowing orange and pink structure. Enter the ordinary-looking garden shed underneath, however, and you'll peer through a window into the heart of the balloon. [caption id="attachment_664391" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Installation view 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, 2018, featuring The Young Family 2002. Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH CURIOUS CREATURES In one corner, a girl sits with an owl flapping over her shoulder. At several other points around the exhibition's first few rooms, kids reach out to strange critters, or cradle them in their arms, or find them laying on their backs. On a leather platform, a pig-human chimera feedings her suckling offspring. In a life-sized bed, a toddler stands shoulder-to-shoulder with a creature that could've stepped out of her dreams (or nightmares). There's more where they came from, representing some of Piccinini's best-known sculptures, and they really are the best introduction to the artist's work that you can get. Each attention-grabbing piece makes a statement, whether about natural evolution, genetic experimentation, the open mind that comes with child-like wonder, or the fine line between horror and empathy. As the exhibition's explanatory text describes, it's a collection that's "startling but rarely fearsome". [caption id="attachment_664396" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Installation view 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, 2018. Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] MOSEY THROUGH A STRANGE PATCH OF GREENERY In the last corner of the exhibition, GOMA becomes a forest — but you don't usually see creatures called 'tyre lions' and 'butthole penguins' in a standard patch of greenery. Yes, that's their actual name, and they're bizarre but delightful, like figures from an offbeat animation you now definitely wish existed. Piccinini arranges these pieces as if she's arranging a display in a natural history museum, which only adds to their uncanny allure. It's the final piece in a gallery-wide puzzle that presents an assortment of seemingly familiar figures, animals, scenes and objects, but shows that they really couldn't be less ordinary. [caption id="attachment_667355" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Installation view 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, 2018. Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE SCREENS As well as Piccinini's eye-catching sculptures, installations and other pieces, GOMA's walls are lined with multiple screens playing her video works. Each runs on a loop, ranging from 90 seconds to a couple of minutes in duration — and if you're keen to dive even deeper in the artist's mind, they're all well worth your time. Gaze at Ghost, aka a hairy chicken-like creation hanging from the ceiling, for example, then watch In Bocca Al Lupo, a mesmerising short film filled with similar critters. If you only make time for one, however, then head to an adorably odd effort called The Seedling's Dance. It runs for less than three minutes, and it's playing on a cinema-sized screen that you you really won't be able to miss. COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN OR INTERSTATE? Can't get enough art? Not quite ready to re-enter reality after wandering through Piccinini's intriguing creations? Heading in from out-of-town and looking for a suitably creative place to stay? Brisbane's Art Series Hotel The Johnson fills its walls, halls, rooms and suites with abstract works from its namesake artist, Michael Johnson, offering the closest thing you'll find to sleeping in a gallery. And, for the duration of Curious Affection, the boutique hotel has a stay-and-see deal that includes one night's accommodation and two tickets to the GOMA exhibition. When you're not marvelling at Piccinini's work, you can look through the in-house art library, watch the dedicated in-room art channel, or get a dose of outdoor splendour while you're taking a splash with a view in the 50-metre pool or lazing around on the luxe deck. Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection exhibits at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until August 5, and includes a film screening series and Friday night art parties throughout June and July. For more information, head to the gallery website. Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection images: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.
On one of Jason Jones' trips to Paris, he stumbled upon three rules of Parisian dining worth abiding by. Keep it simple. Serve it till late. Never shirk on the fries. And so was born Entrecôte. Jones' famed restaurant is modelled closely on the Parisian restaurant L'Entrecôte. It was originally located on Domain Road in South Yarra, but moved to a new digs in Prahran in 2021. Fortunately, fans of this beloved French restaurant in Melbourne can rest assured that, while it has made a big move, little has changed on the Entrecôte menu. The signature dish, steak frites, remains and hasn't lost any of its lustre. Steak and fries with a side of salad in vinaigrette may not seem like the most complex of meals, but good quality products will get you pretty far in this world and Entrecôte ensures that you're getting high quality sirloin worthy of the concept. Favourites like the escargot and beef tartare continue in the Prahran site, too — starring alongside a lineup of new and returning seasonal creations. The bar and patio menu has some special pieces on offer as well, while glasses of Mumm champagne and oysters on the terrace make for a luxury summer afternoon, before a late night of playing Parisian. You'll even find an onsite store stocked with signature items like the herb butter sauce and the restaurant's French dressing, as well as other French groceries, takeaway coffee, pastries and sandwiches to-go. That means you can take a little bit of Entrecôte's dining experience home with you — next step is just to master the art of cooking the perfect steak yourself. Lillie Thompson. Appears in: The Best French Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
Melbourne hospitality folk are getting better and better at finding weird and wonderful locations for bars, and Goldilocks is no exception. This particular watering hole is found four levels above a Chinese restaurant at the top end of Swanston Street. Enter via the restaurant, fend off the eager wait staff and take the elevator up. As you step out, it's a world apart from the bustle of below. Calm, dark, sophisticated. Something about it, just like its namesake nursery rhyme would have us believe, is just right. The team is headed up by bar manager Lou Dare (ex Amelia Shaw, New Gold Mountain, Double Happiness and briefly Kodiak Club) and, only weeks after opening, they are seemingly on top of the small, yet considered, menu that is all about local produce (they make exceptions for things like Bourbon — but who wouldn't?) The cocktail offering features an ever-changing selection of six cocktails. And, like most venues, they'll whip you up something else if nothing takes your fancy. Try the Drunken Chicken Sazerac, with Hennesey VS, Peychaud's bitters and chicken fat-washed ginger syrup ($18) or, for something with less poultry, go for the Tea Time — a mix of West Winds Gin, St Germaine elderflower, 'Gone Surfin' Tea Syrup', lemon, grapefruit and floral bitters ($20). The wine and beer list stick to the small side as well. For bubbles go for the Bottega Prosecco ($11 glass) or, for white, try the Tomich Hill Pinot Grigio ($10 glass). The Hedonist Shiraz ($13 glass) is one serious red and a whole lot of woman, and beer drinkers can go Australian with the Mountain Goat Hightail Ale ($10) or the Murray's 'Dark Knight' Porter ($10). The food menu is picnic themed and offers small bites and sharing platters. Bites might see truffle butter popcorn ($8) or three little pig sliders ($15), while the sharing platters offer larger dishes like Chicken Little — Katie's Fried Chicken with dill pickles and three bear sauce ($18) — and Miss Muffet's Curd cheese selection (p.o.a). Goldilocks was fussy, but she sure knew when something was just so right.
With a neon lamb flashing at you above the entrance of an assuming corner shop, which looks like a cross between a butcher and a fish and chip joint, Lamb on Chapel is a no-frills kebab joint serving up delicious chargrilled Greek meals with a friendly smile Monday through Saturday. The menu here is simple and delightful, with small bites including dolmades, spicy grilled sausages, grilled calamari and traditional Greek salads. There is also a heap of house-made dips like tzatziki, eggplant, hummus and a spicy capsicum concoction not for the weak of heart. Come picnic season, these are an easy addition to the hamper. Other traditional Greek dishes include stuffed peppers, cabbage rolls and moussaka, while the meat container is a mix of lamb and chicken. There are also lamb and chicken gyros — the Hawaiian version comes with pineapple, the Mexican version adds jalapeños while the classic Mediterranean options come with lettuce, tomato and onions. The Aussie souvlaki is a also fun take on Aussie Greek culture — think lamb or chicken gyros served with bacon and eggs, cheese and barbecue sauce. Lamb on Chapel is busy throughout the day and week, but do expect lines on a Friday or Saturday night when the shop is open till 5am, serving the drunk Chapel Street crowds. Images: Tran Nguyen
Park Street Pasta & Wine is an absolute banger of a neighbourhood Italian diner — with pasta made in-house and a heavy focus on head chef Bartoli's Tuscan roots. The venue itself is elegant and understated, on a beautiful corner terrace on Park Street, South Melbourne. With a minimalist approach and carefully curated artwork, the food is the star here and is presented with style. As is in the name, handmade pasta is the star of the show, with a seasonal selection of truly outstanding dishes up for grabs. The cacio e pepe is a knock-out dish, incredibly rich and creamy, and the pappardelle with slow-cooked wild boar is a must for any cold night in Melbourne. Alternatively, if you're after something on the fresher side, opt for the smoked ricotta ravioli with semi-dried roasted tomato sauce, caperberries, lemon zest and mint. You could simply come and order a few bowls of pasta to share — pairing it all with some vino — and be very content. But those after a long lunch or dinnertime feast should also sample a few cheeky starters. The crudo kingfish sashimi with parsley sauce and smoked oyster mayo, and the burrata with Sicilian caponata are both made for summertime spritz sip-and-snack sessions. And the deep-fried buffalo mozzarella carrozza with salsa verde and anchovies is a must-order. First off, who doesn't love fried cheese? Secondly, it's top-grade buffalo mozzarella which is stunning as it is. And thirdly, the seasonal toppings tend to have a good kick of salt and spice that bring the dish to a whole other level. When it comes to bevs, the team takes great care in sourcing local and Italian wines, offering 14 by the glass and a huge selection by the bottle. Classic cocktails and signature sips are also available alongside beers, mocktails, aperitifs and digestifs. The few seats inside are great for those wanting a cosy night out, but we are all about nabbing a street-side table when the sun is shining. Park St Pasta is easily one of Melbourne's top Italian restaurants and home to some of the city's best pasta. Top image: Roberto Pettinau.
More and more of Melbourne's top hotels are opening up their luxury pools to the public — like W Melbourne, which runs bottomless food and drink deals poolside every Sunday. And the latest to join the fold is Melbourne Marriot Docklands. Yes, access to its pool will cost you considerably more than your usual public pool (it's $50 for the whole day), but you get to truly escape the crowds and enjoy sweeping views across the city. But you don't just get access to the stunning outdoor infinity pool, which is always heated to a comfortable 28 degrees. During your visit, you also get use of a complimentary towel, plus access to the sauna and rooftop lounge bar. And if you come as a duo, you can grab the Pool Day Pass package for $120, which includes pool access, a large pizza to share and two cocktails. There's even a great happy hour deal running daily from 4–6pm, with the team slinging $12 Aperol Spritzes throughout the two-hour window. There are certainly worse places to be on a hot summer's day. But do note this deal is only available on weekdays — we recommend you time this visit with a little annual leave.
Melbourne's Il Mercato Centrale is finally here. This huge Italian food hall and market — the first of its kind in Australia — was first announced back in 2022 and was expected to open late in the same year. Unfortunately, the highly ambitious venture encountered a heap of issues that pushed the opening back a couple of years. But all those woes are now in the past, as the team officially opened the 546 Collins Street site in September 2024. The first thing you'll notice when wandering into Melbourne's Il Mercato Centrale is that it is truly enormous. The 3500-square-metre space, spread across three stories, is definitely worthy of a few visits just to make sure nothing is missed. The first floor has a market feel but with more flash, fun and tech. Each of the vendors is slinging their own specialty goods, with none competing with the other. Here, you can find fresh produce to take home or have them cook it up for you on the spot. Then, up one floor, you'll find a fine-diner, gelateria, distillery, wine bar, cocktail bar, and a smattering of other food vendors. Head up another staircase to then find a multi-purpose space for holding big events and regular workshops and masterclasses — hosted by Il Mercato Centrale's vendors. There's a lot going on, and it's best to explore in person, but to help you start planning your visit, we've put together this quick guide to all the vendors who've set up shop on Collins Street's huge drinking and dining destination. What's more, you won't need to spend all your time running around from stall to stall when dining here — simply scan a QR code and order from a selection of these spots in one transaction, and have them ready to pick up or be delivered to your table (wherever that may be in the food hall) within a few minutes. Il Forno Damian Malone's Il Forno bakery sits right at the entrance of Il Mercato Centrale, showing just how important good bread is to Italians. The team here is milling its own flour, making it into handmade loaves of bread and pastries. Quickly pop in before work for a cheeky croissant, or stop by after a day in the office to take some fresh bread home. Il Caffe No Italian food and drink destination is complete without standout coffee. And Il Mercato Centrale has enlisted the help of Jerry Lee to bring it to life on the ground floor. Locally roasted Mosaic by Lavazza coffee is being used in espresso shots, and it's served in quintessentially Italian in style. That means you're not going to find your bougie filter coffees or Melbourne magics here. It is simple and to the point. But for fun, the team is selling its playful coffee caviar. Before you get turned off, there's no fish product in it — simply espresso that's had a little science intervention that transforms it into tiny balls that pop in your mouth. La Pasta Fresca It's almost impossible to find fresh pasta in the CBD that you can take home. That is until right now, thanks to Angelo Sperlinga, who is running this spot. He's been selling pasta for over 27 years now and has absolutely nailed the art. You'll find a stack of different kinds of pasta here, varying in shape, size and regional origins. Stop by to take these away, or order them with your choice of sauces for lunch or dinner at the new Il Mercato Centrale in Melbourne. La Pasticceria Neapolitan pastries are championed at this pastry stall, run by Alessandro Grillo and Vincenzo Marino. Yes, that means you'll be filling up on sfogliatella, baba, zeppole, and all sorts of cakes and biscotti. Grab a few with your coffee when dining in, or box up a bunch of your faves to take back to the office. La Pizza al Taglio Traditional Roman pizza al taglio is championed at this stall, which is run by Nicoló Conenna who — like many of the traders here — hails from Italy. Here, you'll find thick-ish crust pizza, fat foccacia sandwiches loaded with meat, veg and cheese, plus some morish arancini — some of which come stuffed with different kinds of pasta rather than rice. Cheese is heavily used here, so be sure to pop a Lactese tablet if you and dairy aren't the best of friends. La Frutta e la Verdura Bivano & Sons is running the fruit and veg tall at Il Mercat Centrale, selling locally grown produce as well as fresh juices. Even though this is sitting in the back corner of the ground floor, you won't miss it thanks to the brightly coloured fruit draped all over the front of the stall. La Carne e i Salumi This butcher and steakhouse has one of the sexiest stalls in the market — that is, if you're a meat eater. There's a large glass display right out front with large cuts of meat slowly spinning around on hooks. Drop by for legendary eats like capocollo di calabria and bistecca alla fiorentina, cooked over the grill to order. Prefer to take some of the raw steaks home? Too easy. They'll wrap them up, give you cooking tips and send you on your way. I Calamari Fritti Out of all the stalls at Melbourne's Il Mercato Centrale, this one is the most specialised. Here, Paula and Gary Harding are almost exclusively selling freshly fried calamari. Yeah, there are a few little salads also up for grabs, but it is all about the salt and pepper calamari, and Italian crumbed calamari — a recipe passed down from their Sicilian nonna. If we can nab a seat outside on Collins Street, this is what we'll be ordering to go with our many rounds of Aperol spritz. La Mozzarella Like it says in the name, La Mozarella (run by the That's Amore crew) is where you get your cheese — specifically, buffalo mozzarella. Traditional Italian methods and recipes are at the heart of the team's practices, preserving the ancient art of cheese-making with patience, dedication and love. But mozzarella isn't the only cheese sold here. You've also got fresh ricotta, burrata, caciovalla and provolone, among many others — either served to eat there or taken home for cooking. We'll likely be ordering a few burrata balls while sipping on Italian wines upstairs at the Enoteca. Il Pesce Wild-caught and farmed seafood seafood can be found down the back of the ground floor market section, run by George Milonas. His diverse range includes a variety of Australian seafood such as fish, shellfish, mollusks, and oysters, which can all be cooked onsite or taken away. Strangely, the team is even selling sushi here — clearly, they know just how much Melburnians love their lunchtime sushi rolls. Il Cioccolato This isn't your average chocolate shop. Alessandro Luppolo has brought some next-level bean-to-bar creations to Il Mercato Centrale that look just as good as they taste. Its collection includes single-origin dark and milk chocolates, plus a smattering of innovatively crafted bonbons — the flavours of which change semi-regularly. L'Enoteca Just as coffee is an Italian essential in the morning, wine is just as important from the afternoon onward. Nailing the vino was always going to be important at Il Mercato Centrale, and they've done a bang-up job by getting Marco and Michelle Singarella to run the wine bar. You'll find an impressive range of artisanal wines from Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and France, plus a few tap wines from local and Italian producers. Sit at the bar and order some drops by the glass, or run in to take some bottles home. We highly recommend nabbing a table up here, ordering some fresh oysters and arancini to go with your sip-and-snack session. I Connoli La Canolleria is another well-known artistan setting up shop in Melbourne's Il Mercato Centrale. These guys can already be found at Queen Vic Market, South Melbourne Market and their bricks-and-mortar shop on Lygon Street, where they make some of the city's finest cannoli. These are made the traditional way, with fresh ricotta, and come with a heap of different classic flavours. Il Bar Centrale This ground-floor bar is pumping out all your usual suspects, from local and Italian beers and wines to simple cocktails and mixed drinks. Order these from your table or with the team themselves, drinking late into the night. La Distilleria Yes, Melbourne's Il Mercato Centrale has its own gin distillery. Because, why not? Australian Distilling Co. is in charge here, making and serving its wide range of gins, which the team will help you pair with whatever food you've ordered from the other vendors. You'll soon be able to participate in gin masterclasses here as well, making and bottling up your own gin to take home. Il Gelato Rovena Xeba is serving up brilliant artisanal gelato, gelato cakes, waffles and crepes from her small stall upstairs. She uses organic milk, fresh fruits, vanilla beans, organic eggs and butter to create a range of products that embody the quality and tradition of Italian gelato making. A particular highlight has got to be her signature Spaghetti Ice Cream — a playful twist on classic gelato. First off, the gelato is made with organic milk and vanilla beans, which is pressed through machinery to resemble spaghetti. It's topped with homemade strawberry coulis — simulating tomato sauce — and finished with white chocolate shavings as grated cheese. It's fun, but far from being naff. It still tastes damn good. I Cocktail The food hall and market's own bar has taken up prime position on the second floor, right in front of the stunning windows overlooking Collins Street. Here, bartenders are mixing up all your usual Italian cocktails, plus a few signature sips with plenty of flair. Sit up here and watch the theatrical cocktail-making, or simply have the bevs delivered to whatever part of Il Mercato Centrale you've set yourselves up at. La Pizza Napoletana This is one of the stalls we were most looking forward to visiting, for Valerio Violetti is running the show. He's known for creating some of the best pizza in Australia — and has plenty of awards to prove it — and the pizzas he's making here are no joke. Il Mercato Centrale worked hard to get him here, and we are all too grateful for their perseverance. Here, he and his team are plating up sensational Napoletana pizza, cooked up in one of the two huge puma-shaped pizza ovens. This is a must-visit spot at the new CBD food hall. La Pasta Fatta in Casa Annapaola D'Alessio's pasta stall — located right next to La Pizza Napoletana — is yet another standout spot. Here, D'Alessio and her team are making handmade pasta for the masses, without losing out on quality. You can take this home, but it would be an absolute shame not to try their cooked pasta dishes. They'll change seasonally, so be sure to pop by regularly for some of Melbourne's best pasta. Lo Smash Burger For us, this is one of the more surprising stalls. We never knew smash burgers were particularly Italian, but we certainly aren't upset to find them at Il Mercato Centrale. Its signature smash burger features a patty made from a blend of angus brisket and chuck beef, smashed onto a hot griddle to create a crispy crust and juicy interior. Topped with melted cheddar, lettuce, and pickles, this burger will satisfy even the fussiest eaters out there. Il Riso Restaurants get risotto wrong all the time. It is a true labour of love that needs to be precisely prepared and cooked. And risotteria crushes it. The risotto is super creamy but still has just the right amount of bite. The team also plates up a bunch of other rice-based eats— perfect for the coeliacs out there. You'll be surprised with just how good the crew's rice-based pasta tastes, while the arancini are beyond perfect. Il Ristorante Chef Jerry Kim is running the fine-dining restaurant here at Il Mercato Centrale, which is currently still under works. Sadly, a lot of its furniture wasn't delivered in time, so this space feels a little underwhelming right now. Still, once it is done, you'll be visiting Il Ristorante for contemporary takes on classic Italian cuisine — served in a more formal setting. La Piadina Piadina, a traditional Italian flatbread, is heroed at this small stall up on the second level. These come stuffed with all kinds of classic fillings like ham and cheese, salmon or — our fave — eggplant parmigiana. These bites really transport you to Europe, as the seemingly simple ingredients are so damn good that not much needs to be done to them. Biting into these will make you feel like you've gone to your mate's nonna's place for lunch. Il Mercato Centrale Melbourne can be found at 546 Collins Street, Melbourne. The Italian market and food hub is open 7am–10pm from Sunday–Thursday, and 7am–midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. For more details, you can visit the venue's website.
Each winter, inside a brick-walled suburban garage, hundreds of families brave the cold for the start of the salami season. All hands young and old, are on deck to clean and clear space, so that hundreds of kilos of meat, can be turned into neatly packed parcels of pork. For Frank Bressi, co-owner of North Melbourne's Saluministi, this is bigger than tradition. Salumi making is an art form — an epicurean labour of love. And as anyone who grew up in and around these garages would know, these recipes have origins deeply rooted in necessity. As Frank explains, the difference between a homemade and store-bought salami is starter culture. "All commercially made salami needs a starter culture," he says. "It's illegal to sell without it." But it's this starter culture that increases the acidity in the meat, causing it to change flavour and sometimes become tangy. Alternatively, the people making it without the culture have had to show that their process is equal, if not more effective than what a commercial starter culture might be able to do. This process is reliant on moisture instead of acidity, and depending on the variety, homemade salami may have to reduce in weight by half before it’s safe to eat. The result is a salami with a much more complex and delicate flavour profile. These days, homemade salami isn't an activity just for Italian families; with companies such as Home Make It selling specialist equipment to those new to the process, there's clearly a new wave of salami makers looking to try their hand at the homemade stuff. And this weekend's Melbourne Salami Festa (now in its fourth year), will be showcasing just how good homemade salami can be. The amateur salumi-making competition sees a wide range of entrants vying for the title of best salami maker — and with team Saluministi having placed in the top three two years running, we caught up with Frank to learn more about why people are so passionate about homemade salumi, and to get some tips on making your own. BREAKING DOWN THE PIG In the old days, a salami would’ve never been made in isolation. A whole pig would be broken down into its different parts and used to make prosciutto, porchetta and a range of other cuts. "Everything else, all the other bits of meat and fat, were chopped up, ground and turned into salami," says Frank. There are eight main cuts of pork used in the Italian school of curing, and each has a traditional purpose. A salami is ground meat, so it can come from any part of the pig — but female pork is a must. Male pigs will produce a 'boar' taste, which is undesirable in cured meat. "Once you get a cut of meat, it can be hard to tell whether it's male or female," he says. "But a female pig should smell perfectly clean." If you're not game enough to tackle an entire pig, find a butcher that you trust and go from there. According to Frank it's the shoulder, due to its sweetness and good, lean meat-to-fat ratio, that's the cut of choice for many. However, it all comes down to what you like. "Everyone has ideas about what part of the pig produces the best salami," Frank says. "But ultimately, as long as the meat is fresh, it's personal preference after that." THE EQUIPMENT For the best chance of getting your salami working, Frank recommends a good mincer. But if you can't afford one, there are definitely ways around it. Mincing by hand is still an option. It's also a good idea to sterilise and wash your tools, then stick them in the freezer before you use them. That means your bowls, knives and anything else that will come into contact with the meat. They should be so cold you shouldn’t be able to touch them. You'll need gloves. Good temperature control is what stops your salami from going bad. If you're mincing by hand, try to work quickly to limit the time the meat is out of the fridge. Although Frank has a trick: "Stack a steel bowl on top another bowl filled with ice," he says. "That way, whatever goes in is always going to stay cold until you can get it back in the fridge." If you're serious about your salami and want to buy some proper equipment, Home Make It is a good place to start. THE RECIPE The main ingredient in salami is salt. In fact, in the old days, salt and pepper would be nearly all you'd use. As both an ingredient, and as a core part of the curing process, it's important to use a good-quality (non-iodised) salt. You'll need to use 3% of the total weight of meat, but no more, as the salami begins to become too salty. With very fresh meat and a very clean process, lower dosages may work — but anything closer to 2.5% starts to become risky, and may not be salty enough for the salami to cure. Popular additions include chilli flakes, paprika and red wine. Fennel is the traditional ingredient of northern Italians, while pepper sauce (a wet, capsicum-based sauce), is more popular among southerners. But that’s not to say there aren’t younger salumi makers breaking trends and blurring lines. THE CASINGS While the sausage casing you choose won't impart much in flavour, your choice will have an impact on the process. There are both natural casings, which come from the hog, and artificial casings, which are made of a natural collagen. If you're hoping to make a very large-sized salami, you may have no choice but to choose an artificial casing, as hog casings lose up to anywhere between 30-50% of the weight in the curing process. Plus, artificial casings come pre-formed and pre-tied on one end — a real convenience if you're hanging several hundred kilograms of meat at a time. But if you're looking to let in more of the outside world — such as smoke or an aromatic profile from your curing room — the natural casing will absorb this better. Otherwise, stick to using them for your smaller sized salamis. DRYING TIMES Drying times will depend on your meat-to-fat ratio. For a homemade salami with a fat ratio of 20-30%, you will need to lose 30% of the total weight before it should be safe to eat. It's also dependant on the diameter of the salami, as it will take much longer for a thicker salami to cure. So how do you keep track of the shrinking? "If you have two or three different sizes to hang: take one of each, weigh them and start a diary," Frank says. From there, monitor their progress regularly — and once your salami has reached that 30% weight loss goal, it should be safe to eat. For a firmer salami, continue drying until it's reached a 40-50% reduction in weight. On the opposite end of the scale, 'nduja, which is a spreadable fermented sausage, only needs to lose 15-20% of its weight. Due to its 50-60% fat ratio, it requires little drying time and is normally cured in two weeks. As a rough guide, a small, cacciatore-sized salami may take three to four weeks, while a larger salami may take six to eight. If you're still curious, book yourself into one of the salami making courses at the festival. They're being held in a pop-up garage, with DIY salami specialists Home Make It, whose Team BGS were crowned the winners of the first Salami Festa (pictured above). STORING YOUR SALAMI If stored in the right environment, a salami can last indefinitely. Frank admits that the right conditions are hard to come by, so "unless you’ve got that, or a cave in the middle of the sea, the best way around it is to vacuum pack them." Vacuum sealing machines are relatively common and pretty affordable. By vacuum packing your salami, it can easily last for a year in the refrigerator. Unless, of course, you eat it. For those who seek instant gratification, this year's Salami Festa will also play host to a Salumi Market and a range of pop-up food stalls. You may fill your baskets with a range of cured meats from around the country, and fill your bellies with the best of D.O.C., Ombra Salumi Bar and Frank's own baby, Saluministi. Espresso will be served by none other than St. Ali, and sweet treats will be courtesy of Gelato Messina. View the full program at the Salami Festa website. Top and third images: Dollar Photo Club. Second and fourth images: Home Make It. Final image: Saluministi.
Located within Hotel Fitzroy, Ichi Ni Nana Izakaya is the kind of Japanese restaurant where the food, which is exceptional, isn't the only star. The restaurant itself is huge, with the stunning courtyard being the jewel in the crown. In summer, there is nowhere better to sit and soak up the ambience over a plate of sashimi with a Japanese beer, while in winter or rainy weather, the glass retractable ceiling spreads across, and the leafy ambience is just as potent. On busy nights, which is most, the place is absolutely humming, but with all its little nooks and crannies, they'll manage to seat you somewhere with an element of intimacy and privacy. The service here is friendly and professional, and you'll never feel hurried along. To start, we recommend the spicy cauliflower covered with homemade hot sauce or some of the crispy Japanese-style tacos — think fillings like lobster salad, slow-cooked pork and salmon tartare. If you're more into baos, look no further than the slow-cooked pork bao served with light and tangy coleslaw. For a main, share a sushi and sashimi platter that comes jam-packed with all the variations you can imagine or get on the freshly grilled yakitori. Wash it all down with a Japanese beer, a few cheeky glasses of sake, or a Japanese-inspired cocktail to make the most of your trip to Fitzroy's Ichi Ni Nana Izakaya. Purely traditional Japanese cuisine this is not. Yeah, the sushi — some of the best in Melbourne — is kept classic, but most of the options err on the side of contemporary. The chefs at Ichi Ni Nana Izakaya (of which there are always many buzzing around the kitchen) play around with unusual flavour combos and mix and match cuisines to create real crowd-pleasing dishes. And while the restaurant is technically only on the ground floor, when the main dining rooms book out, the team sometimes opens up the secret rooftop terrace. This mostly just happens on weekends, so be sure to ask about the rooftop when booking. It is a true Melbourne hidden gem. Appears in: The Best Sushi in Melbourne
While so many hospo businesses have been playing it safe in 2024, Mamas Dining Group (Hochi Mama, Straight Outta Saigon, Kiss and Tell) has been executing its growth plans at a rapid rate. In June, the crew opened Windsor Wine Room on Chapel Street, bringing a contemporary sip and snack wine bar to the strip. And then one month later, Mamas opened two-storey Chinese restaurant Suzie Q on the Prahran stretch of Chapel Street. The 150-seat site is the team's biggest venture to date, and it includes not only an enormous main dining room and bar with double vaulted ceilings, but also a private mezzanine level and karaoke room. Suzie Q takes its cues from an underground Chinese restaurant in San Francisco in the 1980s that went by the same name — and everything here is inspired by that very diner. Mitchell and Eades (Beverly, Grill Americano, Hawker Hall) was tasked with designing the space, which the team says embodies "the hedonism and rebellion of the underground nightlife scene in the 80s, re-imagined through a modern lens". Expect plenty of red accents, exposed brickwork, plush booths, laza susan-topped tables, retro furniture, and a striking black marble-topped bar with green leather stools that you can park yourself on for a long boozy feed. Within these retro surrounds, punters will dine on nostalgic Chinese eats inspired by the food served at the original Suzie Q. Head Chef Michael Stolley (ex-Ish Restaurant, Eazy Peazy) is executing this all with playful contemporary flair, just as he has done with Windsor Wine Room's new menu. At Suzie Q, this kicks off with a bunch of yum cha bites, including its huge candied pork buns, a fun twist on prawn toast and a selection of dumplings — be sure to get a round of the xiaolongbao. With 12 options available on this side of the menu, you can easily build a sharing feast just out of these. But it would be a shame to miss larger dishes like Suzie Q's mapo tofu, roast duck, crispy egg noodles with mixed seafood, and fried rice packed with sausages, prawns and spring onions. A few different banquets are also up for grabs, which we've got to say easily make our list of the best set menus in Melbourne. For a very reasonable $49 per person, you get two yum cha dishes, two larger dishes and a side to share between two people. The portions in the set menu are super generous, and you'll be glad to know the crew will give you plastic containers for the inevitable leftovers. On the drinks side, you'll find signature cocktails (that are also really reasonably priced), beers on tap, an Australian-leaning wine program and a sizeable back bar that includes a solid selection of sake. It's clear that the Mamas crew is having plenty of fun with Suzie Q, bringing the San Francisco diner back to life, but this time on Melbourne's own Chapel Street. If you haven't been already, add it to your Melbourne restaurant hit list.
Northcote's High Street is in no short supply of great bars and restaurants, but Ruckers Hill stands out as one of its greatest — not for being all showy and full of theatrics, but for providing a proper local neighbourhood drinking and dining experience that is both polished and casual. David Murphy (ex-Bistro Thierry, Bar Nonno, 1800 Lasagne and PM24) opened the wine bar and bistro in mid-2023 taking inspiration from the Parisian 'bistronomy' movement, which emerged in the '90s as an antidote to the posh, Michelin world of French haute cuisine. Bistronomy is more about the vibe: a combination of bistro atmosphere and fine-dining techniques, at a price to suit the average wallet. And that's exactly what you get here. Murphy plates up fairly classic French fare — with a sprinkling of local and international influences — in quite a timeless style. He makes it look easy and relaxed, but the quality of what comes over the pass can only be achieved with real skill and passion. Few can whip up a Bordelaise quite as silky and rich as the one that comes with the steak, and he somehow manages to make the Jerusalem artichoke and gruyere cheese souffle pack a proper punch without it being sickeningly cheesy and overly salted. It might sound simple, but few spots nail these kinds of things quite like Murphy. The scallops with cauliflower, pancetta and caramelised champagne vinegar, and the local snapper served with green peas and sauce Américaine are also bangers, while his signature pork belly with ginger, apple and dry sherry is a must-order. Regulars won't let Murphy take this one off the menu, so you'll likely find it year-round (even if a few elements change here and there as the seasons change). Old-world vinos are also championed here — rather than the natty wines we see at most new wine bars — and can either be sampled in the front wine bar or in the bistro out back. The wine list focuses on regionality, offering a well-curated (and easily navigated) exploration of European vintages, while its cocktails feature both classics and more innovative creations made by the bar team. Ruckers Hill is certainly built for long dinners (especially when you order the brilliant $79 five-course set menu), but its top-tier wines and an impressive selection of snacks also make it a proper sip-and-snack destination. Not only would we call this one of Melbourne's best French restaurants, but also one of the city's top wine bars. And with such reasonable prices, it's hard not to become a regular.
Walking into Conservatory in Melbourne's Southbank is almost akin to walking into the famous dining rooms at the grand railway stations of Paris. It's luxurious. It's intimidating. And you'll be left wondering what the hell you did to deserve being there. If opulence isn't your thing, dig your heels into the lavish white carpet, spin yourself around and head right on out before you catch a glimpse of the chocolate fountains. But if it does, you've found your place. Conservatory opens its marble archways for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving up an all-you-can-eat buffet throughout. And it isn't just your average cheap, all-you-can-eat kind of experience. This Melbourne buffet is luxe. For lunch, look towards wild-caught Queensland tiger prawns, Sydney rock oysters and blue swimmer crabs marinated in a sweet chilli dressing. Yes, you can pile your plate high with as much fresh seafood as you can manage. Alternatively from the land, you'll find dishes like grilled beef rump with lemon olive oil, roast chicken with field mushrooms and penne with pork fennel sausage and chunky tomato sauce. Pair it with a curried mussel and potato salad and you've got yourself a feast to suit your surroundings. From the dinner menu, expect to see dishes akin to crispy roasted pork loin, lamb leg roasted with honey mustard, thyme and parsley roasted pasture-fed beef rib eye or a selection of assorted sushi. Move around the buffet to also find a heap of curries and naan bread that comes straight out of the tandoor oven — be sure to watch on as the chefs make this fresh to order. For sweets, head straight to the dessert bar which is always manned by one of the chefs. Here, you'll find chocolate cheesecakes, custard vanilla and rum chouquettes, coffee opera cakes and those famous chocolate fountains. If you're lucky, the chefs will also be toasting creme brulees to order. It can be mighty difficult to pace yourself when hitting a buffet like this, but these desserts are definitely worth saving room for. You've also got an impressive (but still accessible) wine list that best be perused after you've made it over to the buffet for your first round of nibbles. Cocktails include house inventions such as a Rusty Toolbox with scotch, Grand Marnier, apricot brandy and sprite as well as all your classics. Crown's Conservatory is a classy joint (with a strict dress code), but it is also an all-you-can-eat buffet where you can truly pig out, working hard to get your money's worth.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, you can't go on a holiday (locally or overseas). But, you can start dreaming. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. Winter is (almost) here. You could sit about, piling on jumpers, moaning and crying into your hot chocolate. Or you could calmly pack your bubble bath and your pyjamas, then drive to an irresistibly cosy winter cabin to soak in a spa bath and drink your favourite bottle of wine by an open fireplace. Ultimately, the choice is yours. But just in case you're opting for the latter, here are seven getaways that will have you daydreaming about frosty mornings and reading books by the fire. We've got an an off-grid log cabin, a dog-friendly tiny house and a farmstay with donkeys for petting — all of which offer a soaking tub and/or a fireplace. Is that the sound of you collecting your things? Go on. [caption id="attachment_717175" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kirk Richards[/caption] HEE HAW HUT, GOULBURN VALLEY, VICTORIA Located in remote farmland just two hours northeast of Melbourne, Hee Haw Hut is a rustic one bedroom cabin built from upcycled materials. Its homey interior features a wood-burning fireplace and a fully equipped kitchen. Outside, there's a deck and double hammock overlooking the barbecue and outdoor fire pit area. If the winter weather gets especially blustery while you're here, there are plenty of board games, books and videos to keep you occupied while you keep warm by the blazing fire. Plus, you have the added (and rare) benefit of snuggling up with the many donkeys that are raised on the adjacent Hee Haw Farm. How much? From $180 a night. [caption id="attachment_717178" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alexandra Adoncello[/caption] KOOKAWOOD FARM, BLUE MOUNTAINS, NSW This 200-acre property in Rydal offers breathtaking views of the Blue Mountains. Kookawood Farm is a stone farmhouse that took ten years to build, and its interiors house antiques from years gone by. The space boasts both a large open fireplace inside and a fire pit outside, so you'll never feel the winter chill here. If the temperature isn't too low, you can even enjoy a hot bath in the outdoor bathtub, which offers views aplenty. Plus, the indoor bathroom features underfloor heating and yet another claw-foot tub for soaking in. And, as it's a two bedroom cabin, this getaway is suitable for groups, too. It's on the expensive end, but, if you've got it, so worth the extra cash. How much? From $390 a night. FOREST VIEW BUSH CABINS, CRADLE MOUNTAIN, TASMANIA Highlanders Cottages offers self-contained cabins right smack in the middle of Cradle Mountain National Park — which is, coincidentally, where one of the ten Australian mountains you should climb at least once in you life is located. Each Forest View cabin has been hand-built using local Tasmania timber. It offers two bedrooms, den lounges and a log fireplace, plus a private deck and a fully stocked kitchen. The bathroom features both a soaking tub and a shower, too. It's an ideal spot to unwind after your gruelling 13-kilometre hike up to the pristine views at Cradle Mountain Lake. How much? From $215 a night. MOONBAH HUT, SNOWY MOUNTAINS, NSW This requires some extra driving, but the stunning rewards are well worth it. Moonbah Hut is located on private frontage on the Moonbah River, the Snowy Mountains' cleanest, most unspoilt home for trout. Give your fishing muscle a flex from your front doorstep, while keeping an eye out for wildlife, from wombats to deer to brumbies. Or bunker down inside, with a huge, open stone fireplace for company. Previous guests have taken the experience next level and even invited personal chefs along for an evening. How much? From $245 a night. [caption id="attachment_717182" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cameron Watts[/caption] THE SIMPLE LIFE CABIN, MOUNT TOOLEBEWONG, VICTORIA This off-grid log cabin is as rustic as it gets — and it's a great budget option, too. At The Simple Life Cabin, there's no television or wifi to speak of. Instead, expect an old-school record player and vinyl collection, a wood-fire heater to keep you warm and a cast iron bath to while your afternoons away in. The cabin was created as a ceramicist's studio and remnants of this past life can be seen in the kitchen tableware and the polished concrete workbench that's been converted into a dining table. Set within four-aces of forest, the cabin is completely secluded and lets you forget all the woes of that cold, wintery city life — for a few days, anyway. How much? From $130 a night. THE BOWER, SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND, QUEENSLAND It might not get that cold in Queensland, but this little wood-panelled cabin in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland will have you hoping for chilly days and nights. That's because The Bower — located near the little township of Maleny, about an hour north of Brisbane — has lots of wintry amenities that you'll most definitely want to make the most of. Like the antique claw food bath, the fireplace and the fairy light-lit deck that's prime for stargazing with a glass of wine and a blanket. It's secluded and surrounded by trees — in other words, it's the perfect Queensland winter escape. How much? From $120 per night. CABN, KANGAROO VALLEY, NSW Sydney locals have their own off-grid retreat to look forward to, and it's luxurious as. Despite some of the connotations the term 'off-grid' may have, Cabn is a far cry from roughing it. This solar-powered tiny house sits on 140-acres of bushland, on the site of a former dairy farm in the Cambewarra Range, just a 15-minute drive from Kangaroo Valley and about three hours south of Sydney. The secluded location is perched high above the valley and overlooks a sea of endless clouds on the right day. The cleverly designed timber fit-out includes a loft with king bed, a fully stocked kitchen and indoor gas heater. A big wintertime draw is the glass-walled, 'outdoor' soaking tub, which is set in the bush adjacent to the house and offers a rare occasion to (sort of) bathe in the great outdoors — with all of the warmth of bathing inside. Outdoor amenities include a gas barbecue and picnic area, as well as an adjacent fire pit. And it's dog-friendly to boot. How much? From $289 a night.
So long, Bedford St. The Collingwood bar and cafe owned by Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters underwent a facelift some years ago — and a fairly drastic one at that. Gone are the mac and cheese pancakes, fried chicken and toasted Wagon Wheel pies, now replaced with healthy food options less likely to clog up your arteries along with a seriously souped-up coffee menu. Known as Terror Twilight, the venue is now run by the crew behind Convoy, Hi-Fi and Tinker. These folks are big players in Melbourne's breakfast game, so you can expect big things here. Standout brekkie dishes include the chai spiced Greek yoghurt with ruby grapefruit, walnut praline, coconut chia pudding and a chai honey glaze as well as the capsicum and roast tomato peperonata served on a cheesy polenta slice with green olives, basil, poached eggs and paprika salt. Later in the day, diners can customise their own bowls, choosing from bases like steamed brown rice or sautéed broccoli and cauliflower, sides like spring greens with salsa verde or grilled haloumi, and proteins like lemon and garlic prawns or Sichuan marinated tofu. Alternatively, you can opt for one of its warming broths. Get one of these bad boys delivered to your home when you feel a little under the weather — it'll fix you right up. There are also options to upgrade your coffee with nootropic supplements and natural health-boosters, such as chaga mushrooms and MCT oil. If that's not your thing, you can grab a refreshing smoothie, a cold press juice or a Bloody Maria cocktail made with tequila, Martini Rosso, TT pickle juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, TT hot sauce, celery salt, black chilli salt, and tomato juice. Terror Twilight is showing Melbourne how healthy food can also be wildly delicious. Images: My Friend Tom Appears in: The Best Cafes in Melbourne The Best Breakfast in Melbourne
If you plan to head to Shira Nui, be sure to book ahead, as this place often has a waiting list a month in advance. Opened twenty years ago by chef and owner Hiro Nishikura, Shira Nui is the type of restaurant where looks can be deceiving. Consistently considered in the top two or three Japanese restaurants in all of Melbourne, the humble interior of the restaurant serves to highlight the quality of the food while not overwhelming it. This place is serious about food yet fun and charming, with chef Hiro the life of the party. It's famous for its grilled oysters, and the bento boxes are favourites among locals, but you really can't go past the sushi and sashimi. The sushi selection includes salad rolls for vegetarians, California rolls, pan-fried salmon and even oyster sushi on request. But if you're after something more substantial, try the seared salmons served with a powerful shichimi powder, which is only lightly seared so the middle is still raw. Alternatively, the yakiniku beef with rice, scallions, and sauce is a delight. Be sure to follow the soya or no soya rules here, as the chefs have put a lot of thought into how the meals should be eaten, and remember each piece of sashimi is cut just to size to be the perfect mouthful. Pair it all with a few rounds of sake, and you'll be in for a delightful night out at Shira Nui — that is if you can get a seat. You can only book by phone so make sure you plan accordingly.
The simplest way to describe Kisumé may be this: three storeys of considered grandeur. Its design is impressive — a Chablis bar, a Kisumé Winewall, avant-garde art — and considered attention to detail travels throughout the three levels, from the menu down to the nifty coin-sized refreshment towels that entertainingly expand when you open them. The space, conceived by Australian firm Wood Marsh, unites sophisticated clean lines and a monochromatic palette of buffed metal and leather banquettes. The design of Kisumé doesn't scream Japanese restaurant, just cleverly hints at it, from the touches of red to Nobuyoshi Araki's provocative photographs of Japanese women. Raw fish dishes are all elegant and mostly restrained, allowing the quality of the (well-sourced) produce to speak for itself. But some border on over-the-top, with gold leaves and teaspoons of caviar. The raw dishes' vivid flavours would imaginably hit a fair few diners with the realisation of "wow, this is what tuna really tastes like". Unlike a slew of Melbourne restaurants, that have stepped away from reservations for walk-ins only, Kisumé takes reservations for all group sizes. You can also pick your location from the private room, the Chablis Bar, the sushi bar, the restaurant and the Table — a 12-person dinner. The restaurant has a mix of incredibly passionate waitstaff, with impressive knowledge of the menu, making exploring the long menu all too easy. Expect to pay handsomely for your night out at Kisumé, but rest assured it's well and truly worth it.
Here, in a buzzy pocket of the Mornington Peninsula, Hotel Sorrento has sat for nearly 150 years boasting enviable bay vistas. Now, the historic sandstone building is welcoming an overhauled food and drink offering helmed by George Calombaris as part of the first stage of its redevelopment, including modern Cantonese diner Shihuishi. Shihuishi is the newest addition to the Hotel Sorrento family, nestled in the original, grand Hotel Sorrento ballroom. Head chef Junlin (Jerry) Yi (ex-Red Spice Road) is unafraid to stray from tradition, from prawn crackers paired with crème fraîche; to spanakopita dumplings that marry whipped feta and dill. Deeper into the menu, patrons will discover Australian-Canto cuisine that nods to the Chinese restaurant that stood onsite back in the 1980s. A prawn, lap cheong and onion stir-fry is a crowd-pleaser, along with duck pancakes and black pepper beef, served on a sizzling plate. Other classics run to the likes of steamed barra with soy, ginger and spring onion, or the ever-popular pork and prawn shumai. A generous list of cocktails, wine as well as beer and mocktails completes the offering. Don't miss the Dynasty Margarita, a playful mixture of tequila, green tea, honey, lime, jalapeños, Szechuan and rosemary salt. Images: supplied.
The Harbour City doesn't lack art highlights all year, every year, but every two years the New South Wales capital plays host to the Biennale of Sydney. 2024 is one such year, with a hefty lineup taking over the city from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 under the theme Ten Thousand Suns. White Bay Power Station is opening to the public for the first time in over a century for the Biennale, which is a huge highlight of the program. Of course, so are the 96 artists and collectives contributing 400-plus pieces across the event. Australia is represented, naturally, as is everywhere from Aotearoa New Zealand, Indonesia, India and Japan to Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, the UK and the US. International talents include Andrew Thomas Huang, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Pacific Sisters, Martin Wong, Frank Moore, Maru Yacco and Anne Samat. Among the Aussies: Gordon Hookey, Tracey Moffatt, Serwah Attafuah, William Yang, VNS Matrix, Kirtika Kain, Joel Sherwood Spring and Juan Davila. Also, 14 First Nations artists have been commissioned by Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, one of the Biennale's partners, to make new works just for the event: Mangala Bai Maravi, Doreen Chapman, Megan Cope, Cristina Flores Pescorán, Freddy Mamani and Dylan Mooney, as well as Orquideas Barrileteras, John Pule, Eric-Paul Riege, Darrell Sibosado, Kaylene Whiskey, Yangamini, and Nikau Hindin in collaboration with Ebonie Fifita-Laufilitoga-Maka, Hina Puamohala Kneubuhl, Hinatea Colombani, Kesaia Biuvanua and Rongomai Gbric-Hoskins. [caption id="attachment_945078" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Citra Sasmita, Timur Merah Project X: Bedtime Story, 2023, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from the Australia-Indonesia Institute. Timur Merah Project IV: Tales of Nowhere, 2020, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by UOB for Children Art Space MACAN Museum Jakarta, Indonesia 2020. Courtesy the artist and Yeo Workshop, Singapore. Photo by David James.[/caption] Expect to enjoy Mooney's mural tribute to Malcolm Cole, the queer queer First Nations dancer and activist who created history by leading the first-ever Aboriginal float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in 1988 — and also Sibosado's riji (aka pearl shell) designs in neon. Both feature at White Bay Power Station, as does VNS Matrix's exploration of women and technology via banners. Chau Chak Wing Museum joins the Biennale of Sydney footprint for the first time, which is where Mangala Bai Maravi and Wong have pieces — one continuing to preserve tattooing patterns used by her people, India's Baiga group; the other being celebrated posthumously with nine paintings that focus on queer sexuality, as well ethnic and racial identities. At White Bay Power Station and Artspace, Indigenous weaving and jewellery making are in the spotlight via Riege. Also at the latter venue, Gbadebo is displaying new ceramic works that continue her interrogation of her family's past and America's history of slavery. And over at the Art Gallery of NSW, Hookey and Yacco will have works on offer. The lineup also spreads over to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, which is where pieces by Moore and Kain feature — and to UNSW Galleries, where Sherwood and Elyas Alavi will be found. Whoever is showcased where, they're pondering heat, power, light, summer, joy, strength, the changing climate and everything else that the sun brings to mind. And, they're part of a lineup that also includes artist talks, art tours, workshops, music and more. [caption id="attachment_945080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Top images:Installation view, Ten Thousand Suns, 24th Biennale of Sydney 2024, Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring art by Pacific Sisters (foreground) and Robert Gabris (wall) photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee // Daniel Boud.
Au79 is the symbol (and atomic number) for gold on the periodic table, and it's the name of Abbotsford's much-loved cafe. When you name your cafe after such a covetable metal, you're making quite the statement — and the team behind this ambitious eatery have certainly gone for gold in every aspect of its production. It makes sense; owners Maggie Li and Julia Hou have a trail of café experience between them, with a pedigree that includes Addict Food and Coffee, Sir Charles, Liar Liar and Prospect Espresso. Au79 is bigger than Ben Hur. You walk in the door and it just goes back and back, and then it goes back some more. Previously an auto mechanic's garage, the 200-seat space has been radically transformed by Mim Design and now feels more like a large-scale conservatory or botanical garden fern house — it's loft and bright and filled with greenery. Despite its size, it isn't overly loud, and conversation doesn't compete with the excellent playlist coming from the well-placed Sonos sound system. The menu reflects an imaginative approach to food. Au79's take on the classic eggs royale strays from tradition, swapping out smoked salmon for butter poached prawns. You still get the classic poached eggs and a rich and creamy hollandaise, but the classic muffins are replaced with a charcoal brioche bun and a side of kipfler potato chips. Other standout dishes include the mango waffle with lime jelly, mango mousse, passionfruit curd, fresh blueberries and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and the super rich seafood linguine with seafood bisque, scallops, clams, mussel, prawns, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and basil. In addition to the kitchen there's also a bakery and patisserie run by ex-Rustica head baker Isaac Kane, and a roastery that looks after all their Au79 coffee. So, you know that the cakes, tarts and breads are made in-house, as is the 24K house blend of beans from Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala. The team behind AU79 has clearly planned every detail of this mini village cafe. Neighbourhood cafes — and, more pertinently, good neighbourhood cafes — require an essential gold ingredient to survive, and that is damn good hospitality (with all that that the term encompasses). From a true welcome as you walk in, through to the setting, the produce and the food, Au79 has that substance in spades. Appears in: The Best Cafes in Melbourne Where to Find the Best Coffee in Melbourne
If you've ever wondered what would happen if two ex-Attica young guns teamed up with the guys behind Rockwell and Sons to open their own wine bar, well, you need not ponder any longer. That's exactly the situation at Johnston Street's Bar Liberty — and it's been working a treat since launching in 2016. The boys took over a lo-fi corner joint, tidied up the exterior just a little and worked their magic inside. The space is contemporary, but unaffectedly so; they've kept the glitz to a minimum, the banquette seating sans cushions, and the floors concrete. Sure, it's not the cosiest spot in Fitzroy, but the food and booze offering shines. This is a destination for flavour lovers who aren't afraid to try a few new things. Sure, you could stick with your favourite rosé and some charcuterie and leave (very) happy, but creativity reigns supreme on both the menu and drinks list, so it's well worth digging in a little deeper. Sommelier Banjo Harris Plane will wheel around his old-school globe bar trolley to tempt you with the evening's pouring wines. You might end up sipping a fortified wine made in collaboration with Beechworth's Pennyweight Winery or even something featuring the house-made vermouth. After that, you'll probably find yourself sharing a bottle from the hefty range of Chenin Blanc, or maybe one of the well-represented skin contact whites. Seasoned beer fans will appreciate the brew selection, which is heavy on the local craft beers — like the great plum ale by Wildflower Brewing St — and full of share-friendly bottles upwards of 750mL. A few classic cocktails are also on offer —from martinis and negronis to spritzes and a retro Japanese slipper. Drinks offerings are altogether vast, but very clean. You won't be getting anything too sweet or heavy on this list. Meanwhile, the food menu is geared towards clever grazing, with shareable small and medium dishes the stars of the show. The menu changes all the time, but expect delicately plated dishes like the grilled lamb tongue skewer served drenched in a sweet and sour apple and garum (fishy sauce) glaze and the cured venison with beets and bone marrow. More stodgy dishes also stream across the pass — think cheese and potato pierogis and the bread and miso noodles covered in a thick pecorino sauce. These will soak up all the booze your sure to down during your Bar Liberty session. Image: Brook James. Appears in: The Best Bars in Melbourne The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne
Another lane, another Melbourne hotspot. And yet these places continue to suck us in, with their low-lit entrances, fun-loving menus and bold attitudes. It's also hard to ignore the whispers that go out around town like wildfire. But this particular whisper — the news that Lucy Liu was opening up in place of the now-retired PM24 — was like music to my ears. Or like succulent wagyu to my tastebuds, even. Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar — not to be confused with the Charlie's Angel — is a modern Asian delight of a venue. This here is something worthy of its newbie hype. Reservations are accepted (huzzah!), but if you prefer to wing it and rock up unannounced, you might possibly get the best seat in the house: at the counter overlooking the kitchen. It's a well-oiled machine, I can tell you. And as a machine that's been running for less than a month, it's an impressive one. The service is efficient, if not ever-so-slightly imposing — but that's really no bother when the food is this good. An exciting menu is on show at Lucy Liu. Tempura soft shell crab ($16), kingfish sashimi ($18) and rare breed sticky pork belly ($20) are 'small bites' standouts, while the dumpling menu features fillings such as Peking duck, steamed pork and chestnut, and barramundi and scampi. Salads and sides are there, but don't really get a look in with so much other stuff worth ordering. Larger plates are still to come, and the hero here is definitely the wagyu beef with yakiniku dipping sauce and hot mustard horseradish ($38). It's likely that the menu will have your eyes glazing over with anticipation, and if that's the case, just sit back and let 'let Lucy choose' five or seven of her finest plates for you ($55 and $65 respectively). Letting a tender slice of wagyu melt in your mouth (quite literally) while you sip a glass of Lucy's Red and overlook the kitchen superstars calmly plate up some beautiful food, you could be anywhere in the world (and the middle of Manhattan might indeed spring to mind). But by the same token, at Lucy's, there's nowhere else you'd rather be.
Three years after Society was first announced, the much-anticipated venture from Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Grill Americano, Kisume and Yakimono) finally made its home within the 80 Collins dining precinct in 2021. It's sporting a timeless (and dramatic) aesthetic fusing elements of art deco, mid-century, art nouveau and brutalist sensibilities across its two restaurants — Society Dining Room and Lillian, plus the upmarket Society Lounge bar. Here, a considered menu offers a choose-your-own-adventure scenario, with dishes boasting a level of precision inspired by ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging. At Society Dining Room, you're in for refined creations like scallops matched with green peas, capers and marigold; toothfish with artichokes, grapefruit and roasted chicken sauce; and an angus tenderloin starring fermented Sugarloaf cabbage and black garlic puree. Keen for dessert? Simply ask for the luxe dessert trolley to be carted over so you can choose from a huge variety of freshly made cakes, puddings and pastries. Our favourite? It's got to be the Paris-brest or lemon meringue pie. Meanwhile, the Lillian menu is spiked with European influences, running to plates like the John Dory roasted on the bone and topped with sauce vierge and a banging spanner crab linguine served with a rich lobster oil. Society's sharp drinks offering features an impressive wine curation by Loic Avril (ex-Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston), complete with two pouring lists, Dom Perignon by the glass and cellar displays you can browse before you order. The wine offerings are so impressive that The World of Fine Wine named it the global winner of Best New Wine List in 2023. If you are a bit of a wine snob — and have plenty of cash to throw around — this is the place to really indulge. More top-notch drinking can also be found at Society Lounge, where a cocktail list by World Class Bartender of the Year Orlando Marzo stars a huge selection of martins plus a few house signature creations that regularly change.
If you're spending a night in a hotel for a romantic evening away from your own sheets, W Brisbane wants to give your next visit to the riverside spot a buzz. Because it's that time of year where everyone's thinking about love and lust (like that's not happening everyday anyway), the inner-city hotel is transforming its suites into sexual wellness havens. And as well as nabbing access to an in-room lingerie selection, you'll also get to play with a mini bar filled with sex toys. Whether you're enjoying a Brissie staycation or you're in town from further afield, you you can book into the hotel chain's new 'love your buzz' package, which is on offer in partnership with Lovehoney Australia. It's available from Monday, February 14 (of course) up until Thursday, March 31 — and while it doesn't come cheap, with prices starting at $1569, hopefully you and your partner will be coming into quite the pleasurable stay. As well as that $800-plus mini bar filled with sex toys and the Lovehoney lingerie — both complimentary — the room includes access to a 'sexologist concierge' service, which lets you book in a free phone consultation through sexologist Chantelle Otten's clinic. You'll also be able to watch a dedicated on-demand streaming service filled with educational sexual wellness videos (so no one will be blushing over in-room movie rental charges), and listen to playlists that've been curated by sexologists and sex coaches to get you in the mood. The package features champagne on arrival as well, plus breakfast for two in your room and a bath soak — because you'll be staying in one of W Brisbane's luxury suites, which has a tub. If you do celebrate Valentine's Day, this is quite the way to do it. And if you're after something slightly less pricey, there's also a 'what the buzz' package from $969 (yes, we meant it when we said slightly cheaper) that comes with a night in a luxury suite, champers upon arrival, a bubble bath, in-room brekkie for two and a Lovehoney couples sex toy kit. For more information about W Brisbane's 'love your buzz' and 'what the buzz' packages, or to book a room before Thursday, March 31, head to the hotel's website.
Lobster lovers, brace yourselves. After six years on Bourke Street, Pinchy's, the neon-pink temple of lobster rolls and champagne has announced its closing its doors. Born from a series of vibrant pop-ups that captured attention across the city, the restaurant opened a permanent location in 2019, giving fans of its signature lobster rolls and tapas-style cuisine a permanent spot to get a bite. Decked out with a candy-coloured eatery and a sun-drenched terrace perched above the CBD, it proved a bustling destination for fun-loving encounters and easygoing seafood delights. Launched with a fully pescatarian and vegan menu, a bold concept for the time, the venue established a cult following for its buzzing atmosphere and intimate dining experience. Yet the good times must wind up eventually, with Pinchy's closure described as "deeply emotional" by Co-Founder Samara Schnick. "We poured our hearts into creating a space that celebrated great food, genuine hospitality and moments of joy ... Unfortunately, the reality is that we can no longer make the restaurant work sustainably in today's economic climate and at this location." Amid a challenging time for hospo venues across the country, Samara explained Pinchy's faced numerous hurdles, from the cost of living and high CBD rents to a lack of post-COVID government support, making it impossible for the business to succeed in the current climate. "Though this chapter is coming to an end, we are filled with gratitude and immense pride, and we carry with us beautiful memories and lifelong friendships," she adds. Likewise, Co-Founder Jeremy Schinck was proud of the business for putting lobster rolls on the map in Melbourne alongside vegan-friendly tasting menus — a rare offering in seafood-focused fine dining. "While this chapter is ending, our passion for hospitality remains strong. We're taking time to reflect and recharge, and though I'm not sure what's next, we're staying hopeful and looking forward to creating something special again in the future," says Jeremy. Pinchy's will remain open for the next month, with the team inviting guests to join them one last time to raise a glass and bite into a lobster roll. The doors are set to close on Sunday, July 20, so schedule a final visit with the crew to relish its buttery flavours and pink oasis. Says Jeremy: "We're endlessly grateful to every guest, team member, supplier and supporter who has been part of the journey. This is not goodbye forever — just goodbye for now." Located at Level 1/200 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Pinchy's closes its doors on Sunday, July 20. Head to the website for more information.
Suzanne Collins is entering the arena again. She's also stepping back into Panem and The Hunger Games' past, and into the tale of a well-known character from her initial three books in the dystopian franchise. After first going down the prequel route with 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the author has announced that Sunrise on the Reaping is on its way. The fifth novel in the series will arrive in 2025. This news isn't just about a fresh opportunity to explore all things The Hunger Games on the page, however. It took three years for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to become a movie, but Sunrise on the Reaping will hit the big screen just a year after the book makes its way shelves. So, also mark 2026 in your diary — because the odds of spending more time in The Hunger Games' world are definitely in your favour thanks to the saga's sixth flick. As a novel, Sunrise on the Reaping has a Tuesday, March 18, 2025 release date, including Down Under. As a film, it'll get flickering in picture palaces on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 in Australia and New Zealand. Both versions will tell a tale set around the Second Quarter Quell, presumably pushing Haymitch Abernathy to the fore as he won those games — the 50th, which took place 24 years before Abernathy met Katniss Everdeen in the first The Hunger Games book. Sunrise on the Reaping's narrative will start on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. "With Sunrise on the Reaping, I was inspired by David Hume's idea of implicit submission and, in his words, 'the easiness with which the many are governed by the few'," said Collins in a statement announcing the new novel in the franchise that she started with the initial 2008–10 trilogy. "The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question 'real or not real?' seems more pressing to me every day." In 2012–15 movies The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II, Woody Harrelson (Suncoast) played Haymitch. There's no word yet who'll slip into the character's shoes in his younger years in the Sunrise on the Reaping film, which has been named The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. It's also far too early for any other casting details, or news on who'll be directing the flick that's following The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to the screen. That movie gave Coriolanus Snow an origin story, charting his life before he became President of Panem and kept having encounters with Katniss, when he was an 18-year-old Capitol resident tasked with mentoring District 12's female tribute. Set 64 years prior to the first The Hunger Games, it enlisted Tom Blyth (Billy the Kid) to do his best to become a young Donald Sutherland (Lawmen: Bass Reeves), with Rachel Zegler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods), Peter Dinklage (Unfrosted), Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Viola Davis (Air) and Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) co-starring. There's obviously no trailer yet for trailer for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but you can check out the trailer for all of the past Hunger Games movies below: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit bookstores on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will reach cinemas on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 Down Under. We'll update you with more details when they're announced. Images: Murray Close.
Top-notch restaurants, bars, cafes and wellbeing facilities live side by side at St Kilda's legendary sea baths. The storied history of the beachfront landmark is as colourful as its home suburb, with the current iteration opening in 2001. It was modelled off the Spanish-Moorish design of the 1931 complex that sat on the same site. The Sea Baths are a hive of activity on just about any day of the year, whether punters are unwinding with a drink by the beach at watering holes like Captain Baxter, or getting in laps at the heated, indoor, 25-metre seawater pool. The on-site health club — these are sea baths, after all — also boasts a hydrotherapy spa pool and steam room, while offering club, group or private swimming lessons for all ages. Feeling adventurous? St Kilda Sea Baths is also home to Kite Republic, which offers lessons and equipment hire for stand-up paddleboarding, kiteboarding, windsurfing and hydrofoiling. Images: Julia Sansone
A CBD joint that provides those living room vibes when your own home is too full of empty pizza boxes and you need to clear the grey matter from your brain. Venture down a street (Little Lonsdale) and scurry down a lane (Hardware) and hop up a level (one) to La La Land, where a lavishness of brown Chesterfield-style couches awaits. Inside this neighbourhood haunt, the Brooklyn warehouse-esque windows provide the light, and around you, a motley of suits, casuals and dates are a spatter. A good place to bring a mate or just a book for a boozy read. The drinks menu is vast and colourful, with beers available on tap and in the fridge by the pint or jug. Wines cover every end of the spectrum, with red, white, rosé and sparkling varietals from Australia and France all appearing. Cocktails come in signature and classic forms. The former includes Bounty, which recreates the chocolate bar we all know and some of us love, with 1800 Coconut and Joseph Carton Creme de Cacao, and Who Shot Tom Collins, which sells itself as a Bloody Shiraz spin on the classic. There are also some nifty drink specials for the thrifty, with beers and wines for $6 and spirits prices down to $15 from 4–6pm. Better yet, between 6 and 7pm, you can get two classic cocktails for just $30. Settle in, order a grazing board and enjoy the space however you please. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen.
in early 2024, Grazeland Director John Forman teamed up with El Taco's Neven Hayek and Sandrow Yalda to create two huge new Mexican bars and restaurants. The first of the two venues Bar Mexico opened in Preston that June, and Yarraville's Hotel Mexico launched at the beginning of October. The two venues are similar — as they are both Mexican-inspired — but Hotel Mexico has more of a pub vibe, plus a large sun-soaked rooftop deck and beer garden. We anticipate this will be a must-visit spot out west through summer, where you can spend a whole day sipping on margaritas while downing tacos. But don't worry if margaritas aren't your jam, for the Hotel Mexico crew is also slinging a bunch of other Mexican-inspired sips like its yuzu paloma, Oaxaca old fashioned with tequila and mezcal, and a tequila espresso martini. As with the team's Bar Mexico, you'll also find a stacked lineup of agave-based spirits — including tequila, mezcal and raicilla. The drinks lineup is rounded out by an extensive list of Aussie and international beers on tap, and plenty of canned and bottled Mexican brews, plus a few wines, mocktails and sodas. For food, you can expect snacks like loaded nachos, jalapeño poppers with chipotle mayo, beef and chicken flautas, elote (Mexican street-style corn), and papas fritas. These are fab, but it's really all about the tacos here — an unsurprising fact considering El Taco's Neven Hayek and Sandrow Yalda are running the kitchen. Seven varieties are on offer, including slow-cooked pulled pork, adobo-marinated chicken, tempura battered prawns and birria tacos — which are having a huge moment in Melbourne right now. There's even the option to grab a build-your-own taco kit to share with the table. Not in a taco mood? Opt for some quesadillas, a healthier burrito bowl or the Mexican parmigiana. It's proper crowd-pleasing comfort food that few people will find issues with. Beyond the food and bevs, the Hotel Mexico crew is also promising big party energy. Every Friday and Saturday, the team is hosting DJs until 2am, followed by a Sunday afternoon session. It's even got a dedicated games zone, fully equipped with air hockey tables, basketball hoops, old-school Daytona racing, and massive versions of Jenga and Connect 4. Hotel Mexico is tailor-made for group hangs and long drinking and eating sessions out in Melbourne's inner-west.
Melbourne is obsessed with Japanese food and has been for many decades. The city is absolutely packed with sushi joints, omakase fine-diners, ramen dens and izakayas, as well as more contemporary Japanese fusion eateries. You'll find them in the CBD and scattered all over the burbs. We're spoilt for choice. But that makes finding the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne a mighty hard task. Thankfully, our crew of writers and editors has spent many years eating and drinking around town to uncover the 25 greatest. Find them all here, ranked. Recommended reads: The Best Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Thai Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Italian Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Restaurants in Melbourne's CBD
Guillermo del Toro will be the first to tell anyone, as he did at Neflix's annual Tudum event for 2025, that he's long had an obsession with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, that he's been weaving that affection for it into his work since he first hopped behind the camera and that making his own adaptation of the gothic-horror masterpiece is a dream come true. "This is, for me, the culmination of a journey that has occupied most of my life," the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water filmmaker told the crowd on Sunday, June 1, 2025 Down Under. "I first read Mary Shelley's book as a kid, and saw Boris Karloff in what became, for me, an almost-religious stage," he continued while onstage, accompanied by Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight) and Mia Goth (MaXXXine). "Monsters have become my personal belief system. There are strands of Frankenstein throughout my films — Cronos, Blade, Hellboy, big time on Pinocchio, and a long, long [list], et cetera." It's alive, then: del Toro's version of Frankenstein, that is. Audiences will be able to watch the Netflix film from sometime in November 2025, with an exact release date not yet confirmed. Zapped into existence already, however, is the first teaser trailer for the movie, which demonstrates how much its writer/director adores Shelley's now 207-year-old text, all of the love and care that he has taken with bringing it to life, and how well he has cast its characters. Isaac portrays the feature's namesake, aka Victor Frankenstein, the scientist driven by tragedy to attempt to conquer the line between life and what exists beyond it. As the trailer notes, "only monsters play god". As Victor advises himself, "in seeking life, I created death". Also uttered in the movie's first sneak peek, reinforcing its theme: "what manner of creature is that? What manner of devil made him?". Goth is Elizabeth, Victor's fiancée. From there, Christoph Waltz (Old Guy), Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu), Charles Dance (The Day of the Jackal), Lars Mikkelsen (Dalloway) and del Toro regular Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Pinocchio) are also part of the cast. One of the film's biggest names belongs to the actor portraying Victor's creation, however, with Jacob Elordi taking on the role after already adding The Narrow Road to the Deep North to his resume this year. Frankenstein will never stop entrancing filmmakers, as it has James Whale back in 1931 when Karloff played the monster, Mel Brooks (Dracula: Dead and Loving It) with 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein, Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) on his 1994 take, Danny Boyle (Yesterday) with his stage adaptation, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) via Frankenweenie and Yorgis Lanthimos (Kinds of Kindness) in Poor Things, plus Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) with 2026's The Bride!, just to name a few examples. But, based on the first trailer, seeing del Toro take on Shelley's work looks set to dazzle. Check out the initial teaser trailer for Frankenstein below: Frankenstein will release via Netflix sometime in November 2025 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. Images: Netflix.
Saint Haven opened its exclusive Collingwood wellness club in May 2023 and had sold all of its memberships before it even had the chance to open its doors. This meant that anyone wanting entry to the private club had to go on the very long waiting list — there are 15,000 people still on it. But if those still wanting a membership are happy to commute, they can now try to get access to Saint Haven's upcoming sites in Toorak and South Yarra. First off, there's the 1600sqm Toorak club, located in the recently completed St Germain building, which will house much of the same facilities found in Collingwood. There are thermal pools, a hammam, saunas, coworking spaces, a restaurant, studios hosting fitness classes, and a regular barber and hairdresser on site. Toorak members will have their own personal lockers featuring their favourite fragrances, overnight washing service and a luxe Bentley chauffeur to and from Melbourne airport. One of the biggest perks is their access to Saint Haven's wellness practitioners who run a stacked lineup of treatments. It feels very Black Mirror, with the city's mega-rich getting anti-ageing procedures (it has hyperbaric oxygen chambers and cryotherapy equipment), full body scans, diet programs, DNA testing and more. Unfortunately, most memberships have already been bought for the Toorak wellness club, with only 45 spots left, which will be held back for opening later in the year. The South Yarra site, on the other hand, is still open for pre-registration. It will have the same luxury facilities as the other two clubs, and will be located in Capitol Gran building. Saint Haven South Yarra is slated to open in August this year, and the Toorak location will open sometime in spring. For more information and to try and get a membership, head to the club's website.
This South Yarra cocktail bar has a quirky library theme, elegant wood panelling and a general vibe which doesn't make you feel like you're smack bang in the middle of Chapel Street. Katuk has been mixing and shaking cocktails for locals and visitors since 2007, becoming a go-to option for those looking for a function space for a special occasion, somewhere to sip wine while overlooking the famous shopping strip, and the site of many after work drink and gossip sessions. Designed to help you finish off the working week with ease, Katuk's Friday happy hour from 5–9pm includes half price tap beer, $5 house wines and $12 house cocktails, which is about as laidback as it comes for your wallet. Give the 'Katuk's Passion' a red hot go: vodka, passionfruit, apple guava and elderflower. If you live or work locally, make sure to ask the staff about a membership card to secure yourself 25 percent off drinks.
Get ready to do more bargain hunting, as TK Maxx has just revealed its first Australian flagship store. Launching in the heart of Melbourne CBD, the ribbon for this brand-new Bourke Street location was cut at 9am on Thursday, October 16, giving shoppers plenty more reason to delve into this bustling part of town. While there are already dozens of TK Maxx locations around Australia, more than a few things set this landmark storefront apart. For instance, TK Maxx Bourke Street is the brand's first two-level retail experience in Australia, offering customers an even greater selection of well-known brands at discount prices. Perhaps more importantly, TK Maxx Bourke Street is also Australia's top store for attention-grabbing Gold Find products. Spanning men's and women's apparel alongside footwear and beauty goods, these sought-after deals feature products from high-end designer brands stripped of the sky-high price tag. "The team are busy helping to ensure this will be our best opening yet with plenty of Gold Finds and big brands at small prices to discover. We can't wait to welcome both new and existing shoppers into our biggest store in Australia," says TK Maxx Australia spokesperson Tony Dunseath. Having become a leading name in off-price retail since TK Maxx launched in the UK over 30 years ago, its department stores have become much-loved for their assortment of leading brands and up-and-coming labels. Thanks to proudly opportunistic buying and a no-frills shopping experience, customers can expect to walk out with hefty savings. Since launching in Australia in 2017, the brand has expanded around the country, now offering 80 stores nationwide. Yet this flagship arrival might be its most major opening to date. TK Maxx Bourke Street is now open Monday–Saturday from 9am–9pm and Sunday from 9am–7pm at 235 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Head to the website for more information.
From today, the launch of Reservations by DoorDash gives you exclusive access to tables at your favourite restaurants across Sydney and Melbourne — even when they are fully booked. This innovative new feature means that your go-to app for dining in can now be used for dining out. DoorDash Vice President APAC, Simon Rossi, says, "The launch of Reservations marks an exciting evolution for DoorDash in Australia. We're not just delivering meals, we're helping diners connect with some of the most sought-after restaurants. Whether it's securing a table at a hatted venue or discovering a hidden local gem, this feature makes it easier than ever to enjoy unforgettable dining experiences. For our restaurant partners, Reservations is another way we're helping them showcase their venues, attract new guests, and foster lasting relationships through exceptional hospitality." The Reservations system is being rolled out across two major cities now, with further launches coming soon. And it's stupidly simple. All you need to do is locate the Reservations icon in the DoorDash app, browse what's available, and confirm your booking, all in the one app. DashPass members will also have access to exclusive tables held especially for them during busy days and time slots. And the best part is that booking through this system allows you to earn redeemable credits that can be used for future orders. Prestigious restaurants across Melbourne and Sydney have embraced this new booking system, including Bar Julius, Di Stasio, Embla, Harriot and Lottie. James Bradey, founder of Liquid & Larder, says, "Bar Julius is proud to be part of DoorDash's Reservations debut. We're excited to welcome more guests from the greater network into our little corner of Redfern and provide the welcoming, detail-driven experience that's become a hallmark of Bar Julius and the Liquid & Larder family." "The DoorDash partnership will open the doors to a diverse bunch of potential new regulars that we might not otherwise have been able to reach. We're always on the lookout for more people who have been searching for a place like ours, and being on the platform will help us to continue to grow as we start our second decade in business," says Christian McCabe, General Manager at Embla in Melbourne. Images: George Roske. Reservations on DoorDash rolls out across Melbourne and Sydney from November 20. If you're looking for ideas of where to dine, check out the best restaurants in Sydney, and the best restaurants in Melbourne.
Young dudes on their way to find a steady job. Frustrated teachers between classes. Older sisters taking their younger brothers to football training. You've met so many story-filled faces on the streets of NYC through Brandon Stanton's insanely popular site Humans of New York. Now the neighbourhood's getting a little more global, with HONY heading out of the five burroughs. Street photography can often stand on its own wordless feet, but photographer Stanton uses just one quote to give a skerrick of insight into lives you had no comprehension of. Strolling through the streets of New York City, Stanton takes unbelievably poignant shots of strangers paired with one excerpt from a conversation he's had with them on the spot. The result is heartwrencher after heartwrencher of wonderfully joyous, sad, excited, in love, grieving, human stories. Now, with a number one New York Times best-selling book, over 1.5 million Instagram followers and nine million Facebook fans behind him, Stanton has left the streets of Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens behind for a more worldwide neighbourhood. Sponsored by the UN, Stanton is taking a 50-day world tour of war zones and areas in conflict. The UN hopes to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals, which aim for "human dignity, equality, and equity". Iraq, Jordan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been visited so far, next for Stanton are Haiti, Ukraine and South Sudan. "Those are the places that have the most extreme headlines coming out," Mr. Stanton told the New York Times from Jerusalem. "Those are the places most skewed in people’s heads. The work has a very humanising effect in places that are misunderstood or feared." "It's always been my dream to have a successful business. I'd like one day to open more stores, and maybe even expand into the provinces. But the conditions are very difficult to start a business. Taxes are very high and services are very limited. The electricity was out for eleven days last month, but I still had to pay for thirty days. And when I try to use a generator, the costs are so high that the customers stop coming. It's very difficult." (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo) "She said she'd let me take her photo if I bought some peanuts from her. Afterward, I asked if she could remember the saddest moment of her life. She laughed, and said: 'You're going to need to buy some more peanuts.'"(Kasangulu, Democratic Republic of Congo) "I get way too sensitive when I get attached to someone. I can detect the slightest change in the tone of their voice, and suddenly I'm spending all day trying to figure out what I did wrong." (Amman, Jordan) "He runs to me every time I come home. It makes me very happy, and it reminds me of the times when I used to run to my father." (Al-Salt, Jordan) "Back in Syria, I sold antiques and Orientals. I had all sorts of things in my shop: glass vases, old stamps, coins from the Roman and Ottoman empire, valuable laces, antique furniture. But they beat me with rifles and knocked out my teeth. Then they burned my store to the ground." (Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan) "I want to discover the cure for Ebola." (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo) "We told her to sit with us so we could share her sadness." (Dohuk, Iraq) "I'm studying law. My dream is to be a judge one day. Too many people in this country are only in prison because they were too poor to defend themselves. When I'm a judge, I'll look only at the facts, and not at the person." (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo) "We're trying to get to Grandma's." (Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan) Check out the whole series at Humans of New York, on Instagram or Facebook. Via New York Times and Fast Company. All images Brandon Stanton.
This month, The Lakes Festival celebrates its tenth birthday. The festival is designed in homage to the Central Coast's lakes, waterways and community with a stellar program of 30-plus events dotted along the coast. The majority of the program is free to enjoy, too. Each year, it brings a smack of music, colour and culture to the Central Coast. From November 7–16, we're all invited to head north and make the most of the lineup. The highlight of the festival takes place on Saturday, November 8 with Light Up the Lake. Headlined by Ruby Fields, she'll share the stage with Dear Sunday, Dizzy Days, Chloe Parché, and Elaskia. As the sun sets, the sky will erupt with fireworks to, as the name suggests, light up the lake. Away from the main stage, food trucks and local restaurants will be serving hungry festival goers between sets. Aside from great music, The Lakes Festival is about honouring the waterways through sustainability. Naturally, that means everyone's favourite gardener, Costa Georgiadis, will be making an appearance. You can catch him and Lottie Dalziel (NSW Young Australian of the Year) at the Sustainable Future Festival at The Entrance on Saturday, November 15. Over the ten days, make the trip north and you'll be able to experience everything from floating yoga to artisan markets. There's something for everyone at the festival—even Pelican Time. Join a free talk with local volunteers who rescue and care for the area's beloved pelicans. Or, join a cooking class and learn to cook with native ingredients like pepperberry and saltbush. Stop by The Entrance Artisan Markets for local artwork and homemade scones. Spend a day following the Soundscapes Story Trail throughout the Central Coast where local writers and creators have written stories with the coast as the muse. Drive up to Canton Beach for a day at Sea Food Fest and devour fresh prawns in the sunshine. You can even operate an underwater drone or rover to scope out underwater habitats in Tuggerah Lake. Or, head down to Avoca Beach and join a free surf lesson or group surf. Carve out some space in your November, The Lakes Festival is sounding like summer's place to be. Check out the full digital program here. Lead Image: The Lakes Festival
These days, there are plenty of venues plating up cheesy dishes and elaborate cheese boards — but there's nothing quite like selecting a few quality wedges of fromage, freshly sliced charcuterie and a matching bottle of wine to dig into with friends. Home to some of the largest cheese selections in the country, Melbourne cheese shops and fromageries are defined by passionate owners, an appreciation for top Australian-made products and some exceptional cheese offerings. From long-running operations at the Queen Vic Market to small neighbourhood retailers with cabinets full of dairy-based wares, we've put together a list of the best shops to sate your appetite for cheese. Whether you're sourcing a serve of your go-to favourite or hunting for something fancy and new, these spots have as gouda selection of cheesy delights as you'll find anywhere in Melbourne.
When head chef and co-owner Harry Dhanjal teamed up with business partner Brij Patel to create Atta in Albert Park in 2015, they set out to reframe Indian dining in Melbourne. Now, ten years later, Atta celebrates achieving their goal of being instrumental to redefining Indian cuisine and opening Melburnian's eyes to the complexities of Indian cuisine. With an elegant and sophisticated interior, featuring polished cement floors and large arched windows, Atta is the kind of Indian restaurant to enjoy fine dining without the posturing of stuffy waiters and an intimidating menu. As they say themselves, they combine fun with fine, while not slacking off on either front. Combining centuries-old recipes from all corners of India, they add subtle yet modern twists that set the place apart from the more traditional Indian restaurants that are common around Australia. There are the essentials, of course, such as tandoori chicken and pappadums, samosas and korma, but the menu is also dotted with less expected ingredients that elevate the experience. There's slow-cooked black lentils with cashew gravy and coriander butter, and a smoked tandoori cottage cheese with asparagus, daikon and wild Australian tomato gels. To celebrate the 10-year milestone, the chefs have created a special à la carte menu that showcases signature dishes from the past decade, which will be availble until December. You'll get to taste Harry's take on butter chicken with a saffron-infused cashew gravy, samosas with sweet yoghurt and tamarind chutney, lamb sous vide for eight hours, and cottage cheese dumplings finished with carrot oil, cream and almonds. The menu will also feature new celebratory dishes, including a sous vide duck with smoked cauliflower puree and tempura zucchini flower, and chicken mince seekh kebabs. With a creative wine list highlighting local Victorian drops and a fitting selection of beers, a stylish interior, and a classic yet modern menu, Atta is a true highlight among the burgeoning Indian dining scene in Melbourne. "We are all slaves to the clock," says Harry, "but at Atta, we want people to enjoy the moment — to remove the boundaries and forget about time." Images: Supplied.
The dots are stunning. The pumpkins, too. Her use of bold colours and shapes is also dazzling. There's another reason that Yayoi Kusama's art is so beloved, however: whether via mirrored infinity rooms, oversized tentacles or getting exhibition attendees putting stickers everywhere, she wholeheartedly embraces immersing her audience. It's true of Dancing Pumpkin, one of her famous gourd sculptures, which is on display in Melbourne right now — and when NGV International's massive Yayoi Kusama exhibition opens in December, it'll prove true again and again, breaking a world record in the process. Since April, the NGV has ben promising that its summer blockbuster exhibition — an Australian-exclusive as well — will be big. Across Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025, it will feature 180-plus works from the acclaimed Japanese artist, in the largest Kusama retrospective that the country has ever seen. Now, the gallery has also revealed that it'll boast ten of the talent's immersive installations, which is the most that has ever been assembled in a single location before. [caption id="attachment_950475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Chandelier of Grief 2016/18, Tate Modern, London. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts and Victoria Miro. © YAYOI KUSAMA.[/caption] One is a brand-new piece that's world-premiering in Melbourne, so when visitors enter Infinity Mirrored Room–My Heart is Filled to the Brim with Sparkling Light, they'll be among the first people on the planet to experience the work. Inside, the space appears to open into an infinite celestial universe. Kusama's latest creation adds to her ongoing fascination with infinity mirror rooms, which she has been creating since the 60s. See also: 2016's Chandelier of Grief, which features baroque-style chandelier spinning within a hexagon of mirrors; 2013's Love Is Calling, where tentacles in different colours spring from both the floor and the ceiling; and 2017's The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens, which gets viewers peering at glowing pumpkins as far as the eye can see through a small peephole. [caption id="attachment_981012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Dots Obsession 1996/2015 at Kusama's solo exhibition YAYOI KUSAMA: IN INFINITY, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. YAYOI KUSAMA Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts © YAYOI KUSAMA.[/caption] Also relying upon mirrors heavily: the newest version of Dots Obsession, a room where the walls are reflective and biomorphic inflatables lurk. And yes, it's meant to inspire existential thoughts — and also feel as if the space goes on forever. Then, in Invisible Life, convex mirrors line a twisting and multi-hued corridor. With its six-metre-tall tendrils — which are covered in polka dots, naturally — the yellow-and-black The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe from 2019 is striking without using a looking glass (or several), and will make its Australian premiere. Prefer flowers instead? Set within a dotted space, All My Love for the Tulips, I Pray Forever from 2013 sees a trio of giant tulips loom over audiences. [caption id="attachment_950473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama's The Obliteration Room 2002–present. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: N Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] If you went to the comprehensive Kusama showcase at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art back in 2017–18, or to the same site when it has also hosted the artist's The Obliteration Room at other times, then you'll know all about this sticker-fuelled experience. Even if you haven't taken part before, you've likely seen photos of it on social media. In Melbourne as in the other places that it has popped up, this artwork gets you popping coloured dots everywhere — 'obliterating' it, as Kusama calls it — to cover an apartment interior that's completely white otherwise. The idea is to fill every single millimetre with stickers over time. It's an all-ages (and free) part of the exhibition, displaying in the NGV's children's gallery, but expect as many adults there as kids. Flower Obsession is another participatory piece, returning from the 2017 NGV Triennial. Again, you're asked to add to the work. This time, though, red flowers are applied to a domestic space — and again, obliterating it is the mission. [caption id="attachment_950474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Flower Obsession 2017 on display in NGV Triennial from 15 December 2017 – 15 April 2018 at NGV International Melbourne. © YAYOI KUSAMA Image courtesy of NGVImage courtesy of NGV.[/caption] Alongside the ten immersive installations — plus the five-metre-tall Dancing Pumpkin in NGV International's Federation Court — Yayoi Kusama will step through the 95-year-old artist's eight decades of making art via a thematic chronology. Some pieces hail from her childhood. Some are recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s: they'll all appear. Half of the exhibition is devoted to the past four decades — so, pumpkins galore, giant paintings and more. Again, this is a hefty exhibition overall, complete with a new version of Narcissus Garden made of 1400 30-centimetre-diameter stainless silver balls, a Kusama artwork specific to NGV's Waterwall, over 20 experimental fashion designs by the artist, Infinity Net paintings from the 50s and 60s, Accumulation sculptures and textiles from the 60s and 70s, and a recreation of her New York studio. It's one of the most-comprehensive Kusama retrospectives ever staged globally, in fact — and the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving Australia. [caption id="attachment_979066" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama's Dancing Pumpkin 2020 now on display for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Sean Fennessy.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_979065" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama's Dancing Pumpkin 2020 now on display for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Sean Fennessy.[/caption] Yayoi Kusama displays at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Top image: Yayoi Kusama, The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe 2019 at Kusama's solo exhibition Yayoi Kusama: All About Love Speaks Forever at Fosun Foundation, Shanghai. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts © YAYOI KUSAMA.
In its very first moments, House of the Dragon's opening episode delivers exactly what its name promises: here be dragons indeed. Within ten minutes, the Iron Throne, that sprawling metal seat that all of Westeros loves fighting about, also makes its initial appearance. By the time the 20-minute mark arrives, bloody violence of the appendage-, limb- and head-lopping kind fills the show's frames as well. And, before the debut instalment of this Game of Thrones prequel about House Targaryen's history even hits its halfway mark, a brothel scene with nudity and sex is sighted, too. Between all of the above, the usual GoT family dramas, squabbles over successors and power struggles pop up. Of course they do. Kicking off on Monday, August 22 Down Under — via Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand — House of the Dragon was always going to check all of the above boxes. None of this can constitute spoilers, either, because none of it can come as a surprise. Game of Thrones' fame and influence have become that pervasive, as have its hallmarks and trademarks. Everyone knows what GoT is known for, even if you've somehow never seen this page-to-screen franchise yet or read the George RR Martin-penned books that it's based on. Also, everyone knows that Game of Thrones was the most-talked about and obsessed-over show on television between 2011–19, and that it didn't exactly go out with a bang when it wrapped up its eighth and final season three years back. Accordingly, trying to recapture past glories was bound to be HBO's main aim in its first step back into this fantasy world, rather than daring to tread new territory. House of the Dragon happily sticks to the saga's basics, so much so that everything you think will happen does — and making a drinking game around it is as easy as spotting feuds, orgies, incest, gore and fraying bonds of blood in the Seven Kingdoms. After green-lighting a different prequel to pilot stage, scrapping it, then picking this one to run with instead — and also making plans to bring novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg to TV, working on an animated GoT show, exploring other potential prequels and forging ahead a Jon Snow-focused sequel series — House of the Dragon is the first Game of Thrones successor to arrive in streaming queues. Its focus: the Targaryen crew 172 years before the birth of Daenerys and her whole dragon-flying, nephew-dating, power-seeking story. Cue silky silver locks aplenty, of course, including cascading from King Viserys I's (Paddy Considine, The Third Day) head as he takes to the Iron Throne over his cousin Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best, Nurse Jackie). She had a better claim to the spiky chair, but is also female. New show, same male-dominated hierarchy and accompanying bullshit. History repeats itself several times over, with Viserys' leap to power just the starting point. House of the Dragon is concerned with the same fights about the throne, but over whether the king's dragon-riding daughter Princess Rhaenyra (Upright's Milly Alcock, then Mothering Sunday's Emma D'Arcy) becomes his heir, or the future son he's desperate to have, or his headstrong younger brother Prince Daemon (Matt Smith, Morbius). No one wants the latter, and everyone around Viserys has an angle. It isn't out of kindness that Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans, The King's Man) tells his own daughter Alicent (The Lost Girls' Emily Carey, then Slow Horses' Olivia Cooke) to cosy up to their ruler at his loneliest. And when Rhaenys' husband Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint, It's a Sin) suggests an option, it's all about tying his Valyrian bloodline with the Targaryens. Even if the word "succession" wasn't uttered every couple of minutes — and it is — it'd be clear that another HBO series has left an imprint on showrunners Miguel Sapochnik (an Emmy-winner for directing Game of Thrones' 'Battle of The Bastards') and Ryan Condal (Colony). If House of the Dragon's key pair had written both GoT's and Succession's main characters and narrative beats on post-its, stuck them on a wall, then rearranged the lot to create a slightly different story, this would easily be the end result. That familiarity and formula is exactly what HBO want, too. Sitting down with House of the Dragon is meant to feel like slipping back into an old favourite like no time has passed, and it does. Seeing recognisable places, spying already-explored character dynamics, revisiting how difficult it is to be a woman in Westeros, hearing names such as Lannister and Baratheon get a mention: that's all part of the comfortable design. Some prequels evoke their predecessors perfectly, while also evolving into their own spaces. One of the absolute best examples, Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul, just finished up its run. From the first six episodes in its ten-chapter debut season, House of the Dragon is content with the initial part of that equation, flapping the same wings and getting the same reaction as GoT — doing what HBO knows will work, and endeavouring to put Game of Thrones' lacklustre ending in its slipstream. Thanks to its visibly hefty budget, as seen in what makes it on-screen (dragons and all), it easily and instantly looks the part; however, House of the Dragon's biggest strength in achieving its main aim springs from its packed cast. New show, similar story, more dragons, thrilling performances: that's also the blueprint — and when it works, it works. Considine, Smith, Alcock, D'Arcy, Carey, Cooke and company navigate been-there-done-that tales, but ensure this prequel do-over never plays like a mere and rote rehash. Considine can bring depth to any part he takes on, including House of the Dragon's Ned Stark equivalent, while Smith ranks alongside Ben Mendelsohn as one of the most compelling actors at playing shady and shifty that's working today. This isn't really Viserys and Daemon's story, though. It's Rhaenyra and Alicent's, and Alcock and D'Arcy, plus Carey and Cooke, are up to that task. Here be dragons, and here be the women forced to deal with more and worse, including their own complicated relationship. Yes, as sure as winter is coming, this is a Game of Thrones spinoff. Check out the full House of the Dragon trailer below: House of the Dragon airs and streams from Monday, August 22 Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.
A four-layer slice of Italian flavour and sophistication, the multi-storey Stella is Ali Mousavi's contemporary Aussie take on the classic Italian trattoria. An elegant fitout by Projects of Imagination and SUM Design Studio has lent each space its own identity while tying it back in seamlessly to the rest of the building. First, you've got the historic bluestone walls and back-lit cabinets of cellared vino gracing the subterranean private dining room. [caption id="attachment_872163" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Pascoe[/caption] Up on the ground floor, a light-filled restaurant space makes a statement of the kitchen's impressive Golden Onyx Marana Forni pizza oven; while above sits a moodier lounge bar lined with emerald banquettes and sporting a hand-crafted light installation hung with hundreds of glass bottles. One floor further is the openair rooftop terrace, with its lush vertical garden and vistas across the inner-south. It's a choose-your-own-adventure situation with a food offering — by Executive Chef John Park (Vue de Monde, 400 Gradi) — to match. Sipping and snacking types will be particularly happy lounging in the bar or kicking back on the rooftop, over salumi boards, mushroom arancini and beef tartare on toasted schiacciata. House-made pasta proves a highlight, with options like lamb ragu tagliatelle with orange pangrattato, truffle mascarpone-laced pappardelle funghi and blue swimmer crab tagliolini elevated with a prawn bisque. Meanwhile, pizzas come laden with classic toppings such as pork sausage, fennel and hot salami; or marinated prawns and cherry tomatoes. [caption id="attachment_872169" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] Primed for rooftop knock-offs, Stella's drinks offering is headlined by a mix of Italian wines and local varietals curated by sommelier Myron Kloppers (Omnia, Ike Jime). Of course, the Mediterranean-leaning cocktail lineup has plenty of terrace-worthy inclusions of its own — including the blackberry and hibiscus Stella Royale spritz; and the Violetta's sophisticated blend of tequila, Cointreau, lavender bitters and house-made lavender tea. [caption id="attachment_872171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] [caption id="attachment_872167" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] Images: Parker Blain and Kate Pascoe
Kirk's Wine Bar is almost unfortunately placed. Everyday city-goers and tourists waltz down down Hardware Lane, hassled by waiters trying to lure people into their restaurants. But on the corner is Kirk's. No one stands outside with a menu board, which is exactly why you should walk in. Glancing at the peeling paint exterior takes you back in time a little. Upon entering, you're almost transcended to a Florentine wine bar. The space is sprinkled with small, round timber tables, really only big enough to seat two. Which is fine with us, because, honestly, who wants to share a bottle of wine with more than one other person? Nice thinking Kirk's — you're onto us. Why is it called Kirk's anyway? Isn't that the creaming soda guy? Well, it was also the name of the wine bar's previous tenants. One of the city's first ever pubs, Kirk's Bazaar Hotel, who first occupied the space in the 1860s. Naturally, the wine selection has been carefully curated, including a nebbiolo from Piedmont, Italy and a French muscadet from Domaine de la Pepiere. And don't worry, your Australian wines haven't been forgotten — there's a few of them in there too. A spiralled staircase reveals a wine cellar with a 12-seater table, great for a large group of friends. You could probably spend hours down there — an CBD bunker filled with wine and imported cheeses, tucked away from all the noise? Perfect. Image: Brook James.
In addition to its laidback house-party energy and sweeping city views, Collingwood rooftop bar Slowpoke Lounge & Lookout is giving guests more reasons to settle into one of its plush leather banquettes with the launch of its new kitchen. And, in keeping with the playfully cheeky spirit of the venue, the food is flipping the script when it comes to bar menus — there's not a slice of focaccia or kingfish crudo in sight. Instead, you'll find a thoughtful selection of refined comfort classics on a menu that takes its cues from old-school American diners. The tight menu — designed by Slowpoke Co-Founder and Head Chef Bradley Wynne — will always feature three hearty mains, as well as a seasonally rotating list of specials that riff on fast food classics, sans nasties. That means that instead of focaccia, you'll find hash brown fries: golden savoury churro-style sticks served with a secret sauce. And in place of the ubiquitous steak tartare, you'll be able tuck into the Slowpoke Cheeseburger: a grown-up take on the Maccas classic featuring two smashed beef patties encased in a soft bun. And for dessert? What else but a slice of apple pie, served with your choice of cream or ice cream. Slowpoke's eschewal from the typical small-plates-and-pâté wine bar formula that Melbourne knows all too well is very much in keeping with the ethos of the venue. Says Wynne: "The kitchen is a natural evolution of our vision to create a space that invites people into our lounge room — a place where they can relax, connect, and enjoy familiar tastes elevated to something truly special." The kitchen's launch also sets the stage for guest chef collabs and one-off events with some of Melbourne's most creative culinary minds — itself a nod to the venue's broader ambitions as a community space and creative playground. The food is also a clever complement to the equally fun but serious cocktail program, which showcases fresh produce and surprising combinations, as well as considered booze-free options like house-brewed iced tea and homemade lemonade. Slowpoke's kitchen is open Wednesday–Friday from 5–10pm, Saturday from 2–10pm and Sunday from 2–9pm. Find it at Level 4, 50 Gipps Street, Collingwood. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: Chege Mbuthi.
