North Sydney's old-school Aussie pub, the Rag & Famish, has an entire bar dedicated to live sports. This means you can count on watching the game without interruption — in the company of other hardcore fans. Expect the sound to be turned up to the max. All codes and championships are broadcast live — from the World Cup and the State of Origin to the NRL and AFL. For a good feed, the Rag's famous Crispy Lid Pies are hard to go past ($15) — they're served with salad, mash, peas and gravy or chips.
Now, before you get us all wrong, this is a guide to hotels where you can swing back and forth on actual swings and hammocks. It's not for the other kind of swingers. These hotels have swings on the beach, by the pool, at the bar and in the rooms — on which you can gleefully rock back and forth and take in spectacular views in total comfort. Read on to find our favouriting swinging spots. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Hotels in Melbourne The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Australia SHINTA MANI, CAMBODIA You'll rethink your kitchen chairs after a stay at Shinta Mani, where the streetside Kroya restaurant boasts dreamy swings on a breezy terrace. The idea of swings and food might sound messy, but you'll soon get the hang of things in no time. Plus, these swings are huge — you really shouldn't be falling off them. The excellent Cambodian dining options available will also make practice a pleasure rather than a chore (perhaps only the steady-handed should order crab bouillabaisse). American architect and interiors whizz Bill Bensley styled the hotel and added in all the swinging details. NALADHU PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT, MALDIVES Why doesn't every hotel have beach hammocks and in-room swing chairs? Naladhu Private Island Resort, set between a lagoon and the sea, boasts both. That's not all it has, either: each of the 19 intimate beach houses comes with its own private pool and romantic semi-outdoor glass-sided bath and shower. With all this in your villa, don't be surprised if you never reach the main pool, flanked by inviting sun loungers and overlooking the lagoon. When you want to have both feet planted firmly on the ground, head to the Living Room, a thatched-roof restaurant with an openair hardwood deck, to feast on local seafood as the sun sets over the water. COQUI COQUI COBA, MEXICO This luxury Mexican resort is a swinger's paradise. Within the Coqui Coqui Coba suites and villas, you'll find hammocks hanging in the centre of rooms, wooden swings in the bathrooms and hammocks simply used as decorations on the walls. You can even head down to the pool located by the lagoon and surrounded by Mayan-inspired towers to swing about on one of the outdoor hammocks all day long. Order some food and cocktails from its restaurant and swing here while watching the sun set over the mountains. THE GRAY, ITALY The swinging scene at Milan's The Gray revolves around the lobby, where a giant fuchsia-upholstered swing with lipstick-red cords drops from the ceiling: a memorable first impression, regardless of whether you're bold enough to go and sit on it. If you take the swing as a promise of the unexpected, you won't be let down. The rooms have ivory-silk curtains that whoosh open at the touch of a button; there are Jacuzzis in bathrooms; the restaurant has black-velvet chairs, grass-topped tables and spoons and forks suspended from light fittings. It's all over the top and we love it. SAL SALIS, AUSTRALIA A little closer to home, this swingers accommodation is set right on the Ningaloo Reef, where the desert meets the sea — an extraordinary and unique part of Australia that should be on all travel bucket lists. The 16 off-grid wilderness tents are located right on the beach, surrounded by little else but untamed nature. Swing in your hammock all day long, gazing into your stupid-beautiful views with an ice-cold beer at hand, or get out on a sea kayak to explore the nearby reefs full of colourful sea life. Not only is this one of the best accommodations for swingers, it's also one of the best glamping spots in Australia. COMO COCOA ISLAND, MALDIVES COMO Cocoa Island is your quintessential luxury Maldives resort that's home to villas hovering on stilts above clear blue waters. It's the kind of place you see in honeymoon brochures and would expect to be the next location of The White Lotus. It is pure luxury. It's also where swingers can hop from beachside hammock to beachside hammock throughout a long sunny day. When you grow tired of your own private pool and the waters full of turtles and dolphins, you can hit up some of the swings dotted about the island. Bring a good book and a few beers with you and spend your holiday swinging by the sea. RUSCHMEYER'S, UNITED STATES This grown-up, summer camp-style boutique hotel in the Hamptons is home to 19 detached rooms surrounding a large swath of grass that provides a back-to-basics luxury — with swings, a tepee and lawn chairs aplenty. Swingers will even find hammocks in some of the Ruchmeyer's bedrooms. And come night-time, the lawns host summer parties and outdoor cinemas. This means you can swing here all day and all night long. GAYANA MARINE RESORT, MALAYSIA At Gayana Eco Resort, you can take swinging to whole new heights: this eco-luxe hideaway has jungle paths with a canopy walk and zip line, so you can whoosh through the trees like an over-caffeinated monkey. For calmer moments, there's also an excellent spa with horizon-view rooms and a selection of massages, scrubs, facials and beauty treatments. There's even an on-site marine research centre: a hub devoted to giant-clam breeding and coral restoration programmes, where guests can feed man-sized groupers in floating pens, plant coral, or scoop up starfish and squishy sea cucumbers in the touch tanks. WALDORF ASTORIA LOS CABOS This Los Cabos resort is huge and opulent. The 115 individually decorated guestrooms feature fireplaces, private plunge pools and balconies overlooking the private beach. Swingers won't find any swings in their rooms, but there are plenty dotted about the resort. On the beach, stacks of hammocks line the shores, while the beach bar has swapped out the stools, preferring guess to sip cocktails while sitting on wooden swings. These may get a little dangerous once you've had a few bevs, so you best head to the beachside hammocks or one of the four Waldorf Astoria restaurants soon after. THE KOROWAI, INDONESIA Each of Korowai's wood-framed rooms are carved into the limestone cliff overlooking Bali's famous Impossible Beach (known for surfing, not partying). Marvel at the ridiculous uninterrupted 180-degree views across the ocean from the privacy of your own little balcony adorned with traditional Balinese décor — including many hammocks and crochet nets. It's one of the most romantic places to stay in Bali. The glitz and glam of other Uluwatu resorts doesn't exist here. Instead, you and your partner will feel as if you've found your own hidden oasis. But, when or if you do want to get into town, the hospitable resort staff will rent you a scooter or organise a taxi ride. Plus, there are a few walkable restaurants nearby if you somehow get tired of dining at their restaurant overlooking the beach. Top images: Naladhu Private Island Resort Feeling inspired to book a swinging getaway? Book your next dream holiday with Concrete Playground Trips — with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations around the world.
Sydneysiders can now sip some of the world's best cocktails from 22 stories up, thanks to the opening of a new cocktail bar inside the A by Adina Hotel. Dean & Nancy on 22 is the latest opening from the team behind Maybe Sammy, Sydney's award-winning cocktail bar previously named one of the top 50 bars in the world. The Hunter Street spot plays on the idea of a hotel bar. Inventive cocktails in line with the theme include the Rolling A Double, combining Havana 3, pineapple shrub coconut water and rhum agricole with a pair of dice. Roll a double on the dice, and you'll receive a free champagne upgrade. Equally as unexpected is the coffee champagne, containing champagne, Mr Black, vodka and peach wine, which is served with house-made vanilla and coffee hand cream on the side. Punters can also enjoy beverage specials during Sunset Aperitivo from 4.30 pm till 5.30pm seven days a week. Inside the hotel, a curved brass staircase leads you up to the venue, where patrons are greeted by a panoramic view of the Sydney cityscape and a decadent 1950s-style hotel bar designed by architect George Livissianis. Livissianis has previously designed the likes of Chin Chin Sydney, The Dolphin Hotel and Maybe Sammy's other recent CBD venture, Sammy Junior. The 120-seat space is full of gold-veined marble tables accompanied by subdued black leather chairs. Each seat offers up show-stopping city views, so no one has to cop the dud spot. As with Maybe Sammy and Sammy Junior, snacking is encouraged at Dean & Nancy's bar. In fact, on the menu created by Executive Chef Jane Strode (Bistrode, Rockpool, Langton's), you'll find a delicate tapioca cracker topped with Siberian caviar and crème fraîche sitting pretty next to an exceptional selection of martinis — choose from a classic with gin or vodka, sakura or Tokyo sazerac. If you're looking for something heavier, larger meals are on hand and include scorched scampi topped with miso butter and dancing bonito flakes and a perfectly roasted spatchcock alongside wombok, kimchi and orange. If you're an early riser looking for breakfast with a view, Dean & Nancy also offer a breakfast menu on the 22nd floor. Choose from classics like avocado toast with Persian feta and heirloom tomatoes or punny-named dishes like the cloudy ricotta hotcake, swing easy eats and Sky'line breakfast plate with chorizo, bacon, mushroom, beans, tomato, hashbrowns, poached egg, buttered spinach and toast. Dean & Nancy on 22 is open for breakfast Monday–Friday from 6.30am till 10.30am and Saturday and Sunday from 7am till 11am. The bar and dining area is open Monday–Sunday from 4.30pm until late. Dinner reservations are available for tables of four to seven guests. There is no capacity for groups over seven. Find out more information on the website. Images: Steven Woodburn
Stay tuned. More info on its way. Image: Destination NSW.
There have been a lot of Darling Square openings in the past 12 months, but, still, Steam Mill Lane has welcomed a new Japanese izakaya. Nakano Darling is now slinging highballs, karaage and gyoza to CBD dwellers. It's the latest by the team behind the lower north shore's favourite hole-in-the-wall Yakitori Yurippi and tiny standing bar Tachinomi YP, both of which are located in Crows Nest. Nakano Darling is the team's first venture into the CBD and it's keeping things simple by specialising in just a few things — which is typical of the way hospitality venues function in Japan. At Nakano Darling, those specialties include its special recipe karaage chicken and gyoza. To accompany these izakaya favourites, punters can order simple cold or hot sides, including vegetarian fried udon, octopus karaage and stir fried wagyu. Drinkswise, it's all about the highball here. Traditionally made with whisky, soda water and lemon, the drink has expanded to include a variety of flavour profiles — with coke and ginger options specifically present on the Nakano Darling menu. You can also sip a wide range of shochu, sake and umeshu plum wine. The fit-out offers a number of spaces for your eating (and drinking) pleasure, from nibbles at the bar to relaxed vibes in the tatami room, as well as a private space that offers bottomless fried chicken to larger parties. However, the best time to hit Nakano is during its weekday happy hour. When you order a tap beer between 5–6pm Monday to Thursday or 4–6pm on Friday, you'll get a serve of the karaage chicken for free. Yep, free. It'll go down pretty well with your schooner of Orion, Asahi or Suntory Premium Malt.
Marcus Papadopoulo of Whole Beast Butchery won't just cut a steak for you. He'll tell you where the animal came from, what it ate, how long it lived and how to cook it. Everything but what the animal's name was. Papadopoulo's philosophy is simple: treat the meat with respect, know the animal and its origin, and only use produce of the highest quality. Bucking tradition, there are no meat cabinets to be found in the butchery; instead, its open plan encourages guests to interact and ask questions. Whole Beast focuses on just that, using every element of the beast including Papadopoulo's favourite cut: tongue. If you're looking for a specific cut, Papadopoulo will retrieve the body of the beast and cut the meat in front of your eyes, instead of merely picking a pre-cut slice from a cabinet. He also dry ages his meat, which allows the enzymes to break down the muscle fibre and for an increase in naturally occurring bacteria. These both influence the flavour of the meat, bringing the cut to what Papadopoulo refers to as its "highest potential". Whole Beast also makes and sells terrines, black pudding, pickles and, arguably, the best handmade pâté in Sydney. Images: Kimberley Low
This haphazard little produce market has some of the friendliest staff you'll ever meet, and it's sort of a classic Aussie corner fruit shop and Asian grocery rolled into one. Redfern Fruit Market stocks some impressively diverse items, so it has a reputation as the go-to place if you can't find an uncommon ingredient. As well as fresh, well-priced fruit and vegetables, they also offer a wide range of spices, nuts, organic goods, ready-to-eat Asian meals, and some luxe gourmet goods. Image: Trent van der Jagt.
Manly Wharf has been taken over by Felons. And no, we're not talking about pirates, but the celebrated Queensland brewery that's opened Felons Seafood, a sprawling 300-seat seafood restaurant perched right at the water's edge, right next to its more casual offering that opened in October 2024. It's an impressive set-up — a breezy coastal aesthetic is anchored by white tones and raw, earthy textures, as well as plenty of sunlit space across the spacious indoor and outdoor dining areas. Inside, a 360-degree bar is framed by four stainless steel tanks pouring brewery-fresh beer, all backed by sweeping views across Manly Cove. [caption id="attachment_1011783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] Helming the kitchen is Luke Bourke, a culinary wunderkind with a CV that belies his age. Most recently at Rockpool Bar & Grill — where he won Good Food Guide's 2025 Young Chef of the Year award — Bourke has also logged time at est., Noma Australia and The Ledbury in London. He's also a proud Palawa man and an alumnus of the National Indigenous Culinary Institute, and his elegant, produce-driven menu — which he's designed with fellow Rockpool alum and owner of Marrickville's 20 Chapel Corey Costello — reflects both his heritage and experience. The menu is very much an Australian expression of a classic seafood restaurant. Dishes range from the traditional — like prawn cocktail and a chilled seafood platter loaded with king prawns, Sydney rock oysters, tuna tartare, honey bug cocktail and lemongrass pipis — to the more creative — Bourke's signature tartar sauce features pickled warrigal greens and Felons IPA malt vinegar, while the abalone schnitzel sandwich with salted chilli mayonnaise already feels like a classic in the making. [caption id="attachment_1011781" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ethan Smart[/caption] The drinks program is equally considered. Felons Super Cold Crisp Lager — Australia's coldest lager, poured at -2 degrees and served in thick-walled glassware designed to maintain the ice-cold temperature — headlines the tap list, while the food-friendly wine list showcases Australian and European makers. There's also a bright, coastal-inspired cocktail list, with highlights like a salt and vinegar martini made with oyster shell gin and caperberry brine, a coffee- and macadamia-infused old fashioned, plus frozen classics and a dedicated spritz selection. It all adds up to a venue that's set to reinvigorate one of Sydney's most iconic waterfront destinations. These Felons might be from Brisbane, but they've nailed the laidback Northern Beaches vibe to a tee.
Channelling the cultural and creative breadth of Japan's 47 prefectures, this six-venue hub, contains four restaurants, a patisserie and a whiskey bar by the award-winning team behind Sydney institution Maybe Sammy. The flagship venue, Garaku, offers a traditional kaiseki experience — Japan's answer to the degustation. Ex-Tetsuya Executive Chef Derek Kim has crafted an exquisite and theatrical concept, with each dish offering an elegant interpretation of the four seasons. Meanwhile upstairs, Ibushi is a lively robata restaurant serving up smoke, skewers and sake while summoning shades of the bustling streets of Tokyo, led by Head Chef Chris Kim and Executive Chef Takashi Yamamoto. The most exclusive venue on the site is Omakase, an intimate eight-seat diner aiming to set a new gold standard for the classic Japanese chef's table experience. Master of omakase sushi, Akira Horikawa and Tomoyuki Matsuya from Hatted restaurant Kame House, will be feeding the lucky few who manage to bag a seat at their coveted bar. There are also plans in the works for a rotation of celebrated Japanese sushi masters to visit as guest chefs. Exploring the ways Japanese cuisine has influenced dining cultures around the world is FIVE, featuring a modern European menu reimagined with Japanese flourishes conceived by Head Chef Hiroshi Manaka, formerly of Charlotte Bar & Bistro. The name is inspired by the five core fundamental elements expressed in the menu: taste, colour, cooking, moderation and the senses. The latest venture from Maybe Group is Whisky Thief, a bar for both seasoned whisky enthusiasts and newcomers to the amber dram. Expect an impressive list of aged drops alongside the kind of creative cocktails the Maybe Sammy team is famed for. Finally, Dear Florence, a classic patisserie, is serving up delectable sweet treats and refined desserts created by Executive Pastry Chef Aoife Noonan. Top image: Anson Smart
This French-Vietnamese fusion restaurant at the recently renovated Sofitel Sydney Wentworth channels the vibrant old-world spirit of Hanoi but with a refined sense of luxury. With seating for 150 diners, plus space for an additional 60 on the sweeping horse-shoe terrace, this impressive restaurant seamlessly blends al fresco charm with indoor elegance. On arrival, guests can visit the intimate champagne bar, where seven by-the-glass sips — from single-village grower champagnes to vintage selections — are on offer. The 390-square-metre dining room's interior design, by Fender Katsalidis, also sets a luxe tone, taking its cues from French-colonial architecture and Vietnamese-style textiles and prints. "In this space, east meets west, vibrancy and structure collide, and there's a magical balance of neutrals and colour," says Karen Morris of Fender Katsalidis. A soft, nature-inspired palette of muted greens and greys counterpoints the verdant wallpaper, designed by artist Kerrie Brown, featuring lush foliage and exotic birds, while seating crafted from solid reclaimed teak with woven rope backs underlines the 1920s colonial-era look. On the menu, fresh, crisp, quintessentially Vietnamese flavours take centre stage. Crafted by the hotel's Executive Chef Elliott Pinn, who has formerly overseen the dining offering at House Made's other major dining hub Hinchcliff House, there are some playful flourishes for diners to enjoy, such as the bánh mì trolley, which constructs the crowd-pleasing Vietnamese sandwich tableside to the diners' taste, before it's sliced into bite-sized pieces for easy sharing. Many of the mains are also social affairs designed to share. Guests can get hands-on with roasted duck legs, a whole roasted snapper or a dry-aged steak, accompanied by nuoc cham, rice paper, butter lettuce, and pickles, to create classic Vietnamese wraps. A fresh crab and green mango salad loaded with fresh herbs or a banana blossom salad featuring a textural mix of shaved banana blossom, pineapple, and chilli make for the perfect side dishes. Washing that down is a wine list that skews 70 percent French alongside a range of local and international fortified and dessert wines. The cocktail list is also French-leaning with some homegrown winks thrown in, such as the French 75 featuring Pommery champagne, Unico Zelo pomelo vermouth, pear eau de vie and finger lime extract.
Head to Sydney Olympic Park for Abbatoir Blues Cafe, a family-owned restaurant known for its hearty lunches, bottomless antipasto and house-made Egyptian rose tea — all of which you can enjoy over brunch. House specialties include the Elevated Toastie with wood-smoked scamorza, prosciutto and vincotto, and the green pea hummus toast with heirloom cherry tomatoes, dusted beetroot powder and pumpkin seeds. For something a little less brunchy but no less delicious, tuck into a hearty bowl of gnocchi napoletana, prawn ravioli or house-made lasagne. Slept in? The venue stays open late, serving antipasti, handmade pasta and larger meals alongside a selection of cocktails and wine.
Bondi has scored a smart neighbourhood bistro that feels equal parts Parisian boîte and breezy seaside local. Designed for everything from post-beach spritzes to dimly-lit date nights, Bistro Bondi is the first full-service restaurant from the Appetizing Trade Group (Lox In a Box), bringing continental classics to an elegantly laidback corner of Warners Avenue. Bistro Bondi is brought to life by an all-star team of front- and back-of-house talent drawn from some of Sydney's most celebrated venues. At the helm are Executive Chef Isabelle Caulfield (Poly, Ester) and Head Chef Dan Andersen (Shell House). Together, they've built a menu that leans into Euro comfort with playful twists — think pâté with mustard fruit and bagel crisps, latkes topped with anchovy and comté, steak frites au poivre and charred prawns luxuriating in café de paris butter, best mopped up with fresh Baker Bleu baguette. Desserts follow a similar theme, with selections like chocolate mousse with warm churros, rhubarb crêpes and Campari granita with Mapo sorbet. Complementing the menu is a 70-bottle wine list curated by Jaymie Wallace (Love Tilly Divine, Lo-Fi, Melbourne's Embla), which balances local and European drops. At the bar, Tim Ham (Nour) shakes up both classic cocktails and summer-ready signatures like the Bondi Blue, an electric-blue riff on a piña colada topped with watermelon granita and a cocktail umbrella. Running the floor are Eden Elan (former General Manager of the Love Tilly Group) and Isaias Sirur (Pino's Vino e Cucina al Mare), who bring natural warmth and intuition, as well as an understated polish, that ties the whole experience together. Designed in warm tones and awash with soft light, Bistro Bondi channels old-world charm while retaining a distinctly local feel. "We wanted to bring something familiar yet elevated to Bondi, somewhere you could walk in straight from the beach or book for a special occasion," says Founder, Candy Berger. "It's European in flavour, but it still feels like home."
When Ron's Upstairs opened on Redfern Street last year, the team left the space — which was previously occupied by longstanding Thai restaurant Pron Prohm — largely untouched. The panelled walls, the carpeted stairs and the (albeit altered) original sign out the front remain. The decision to keep these flourishes is a reminder that Redfern has changed rapidly in the last five years. Where dining options were limited to takeaway joints, there is now a rooftop bar, a corner wine bar and a ramen joint with a line snaking out the door. While some small bars like Arcadia Liquors and The Dock have been around for a while now, plenty of Redfern's restaurants and bars are brand spanking new. Here are the places worth checking out for dinner or a drink. Extra points to those that support the local arts community and erase the suburb's history altogether — even if it's just by keeping the sign out the front.
Journey into an underground bitter theatre at the MUCHO Group's negroni-fronted Herbs Taverne, which showcases classic cocktails with a tightly curated menu of negronis, aperitifs and digestifs. Expect the same creative flair as seen in bustling sister venues, like Cantina OK!, Centro 86, Bar Planet and Tio's Cerveceria, with a myriad of drink and design influences blended together to create a dynamic space that borders on the psychedelic. Centred on a small selection of core drinks that impress and surprise in equal measure, Herbs' menu spans a few riffs on the classic negroni, a small selection of house-blended digestifs, and a handful of original cocktails. The eponymous Herbs Negroni nods to tradition, with gin, Campari and an inventive mix of two red vermouths — one rich and one bright. The Gold Negroni dazzles with gin, Cocchi, Gentian, and Chinola. As for the digestifs, highlights may include the likes of the Fuji, which blends Montenegro with meshu, or try a Seagreen cocktail with vodka, sake, rocket, lime and sugarcane. "We're honoured to open our sixth beautiful venue, Herbs Taverne," says Daisy Tulley, MUCHO Group's General Manager. "Herbs is another nugget of joy for Sydney — a warm, cosy, artistic space with delicious, surprising cocktails and an inclusive and empathic team who are ready to make memories. And the popcorn recipe is our best yet." While the influences behind Herbs come from far and wide, the bar's philosophy also looks inward to Sydney's culinary pantry. Merging European drinking traditions with down-to-earth ingredients, the 45 amaros collected from Italy to Japan are complemented with fixings picked from Polish delis and Chinese grocers, capturing the city's multicultural makeup. "We're trying to connect flavours that sing together, without being boxed into the expectations of their origin. Delicious cocktails that step just far enough outside of frame to feel distinctively MUCHO," adds Jeremy Blackmore, Creative Director at MUCHO Group. Herbs' design also doesn't miss a beat, ramping up the ethos further with an eclectic fusion of 1900s theatre, mid-century diners, German shoe shops and Flemish Renaissance paintings. Surreal but somehow cohesive, the venue immerses visitors through a wrap-around mirror, red velvet furnishings and vintage wood-panelled decor. Meanwhile, the soundtrack proudly leans into early 2000s New York indie nostalgia. Primed for a big night out, kick back with a ruby-red concoction, MUCHO's iconic complimentary popcorn, and the irreverent tones of LCD Soundsystem or The Strokes beneath the disco ball. Images: Nikki To.
If Melbourne's famous for anything, it's a sense of discovery. Nothing beats the absolute thrill of ducking down a laneway, following the scent of coffee, and stumbling into something you didn't even know you were looking for. In one particularly special part of the city — Little Collins street — that discovery will bring you to Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins. The hotel and its close neighbours are stitched together from historic buildings that once housed everything from Turkish baths to grand music retailers. Inside, things get even cooler. Its interiors are threaded with local stories, from a statement spiral staircase inspired by the drapery sold by Sidney Myer (yes, the founder of the eponymous department store) to a huge lobby mural by renowned Melbourne artist Lisa King. Best of all, the hotel's position on Little Collins street puts you right in the centre of Melbourne's CBD. Here's how to plan your next weekend exploring the neighbourhood. Begin in the Laneways Forget Google Maps for a while. The best part of this Melbourne neighbourhood is its grid-like layout, meaning it's almost impossible to get lost. In fact, the laneways around Little Collins are best explored without a plan. Hosier Lane is the obvious icon, its walls splashed with artwork and graffiti. But veer off course and you'll also stumble upon AC/DC Lane with its nod to Aussie rock, or Centre Place where tiny cafes and restaurants are packed with the local lunch crowd. Take Coffee Seriously It might sound cliché, but in this neighbourhood coffee really is the fuel that keeps everything moving. Pellegrini's, which opened in 1954, is a time capsule of Melbourne's espresso beginnings, when Italian immigrants kickstarted the city's coffee culture. Nearby, Brother Baba Budan is instantly recognisable for the chairs hanging from its ceiling, and Dukes on Flinders Lane is where the locals queue for their morning fix. Staying nearby means you're never more than a few minutes from a genuinely great cup. Dine Like a Local Melbourne is nothing if not a food city and around Little Collins, you'll find flavours from every corner of the globe within walking distance. Fern Bar and Dining, tucked inside Hotel Indigo, is a slick all-day spot where menus lean into seasonal Victorian produce and good vibes. It's perfect for a pre-theatre bite or early-morning brekky. Venture outside the hotel and you're spoiled for choice: Cumulus Inc serves refined share plates in a converted warehouse, Grossi Florentino is your go-to for old-school Italian, and Embla is the best place to crack a bottle of natural wines and seriously good bar food. Our best advice? Come hungry. Soak Up The Architecture From gothic banks to Victorian-era buildings and Art Deco beauties, Melbourne's skyline is a result of decades of boom and reinvention. Design lovers will want to check out the Gothic Revival spires atop the Manchester Unity Building, look up at Gaunt's Clock in Royal Arcade, and explore the intricate mosaic floors inside the Block Arcade. If you're planning a trip for next winter, Open House Melbourne also gives you the rare chance to peek inside heritage buildings usually closed to the public. Around here, even the spaces between buildings are just as interesting as what's inside them. The Perfect Base When you're done wandering, Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins makes for a fitting place to land. Home to 179 modern, stylish rooms, it's built in a historic building and filled with nods to the neighbourhood. With a beautiful lobby area, luxe outdoor courtyard garden, and views across the city from almost every window, the space feels less like a cookie-cutter hotel and more like a continuation of the streets outside. Want to stay in the thick of it? Find out more about Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins here.
Shake up your next get-together with mates by going full send at Send It! Social Club, a revamped sports-meets-cocktail hub. Formally known as SportsPlus, this spot was previously a go-to destination for those testing their skills through state-of-the-art simulators, from golf to cricket and F1-inspired racing. While the simulators haven't gone anywhere, Send It! Social Club has refocused around a new-look social experience primed for unique nights out with friends and corporate shindigs that take team-building to greater heights. So, if you're tired of dinner and drinks, this might just be the ideal alternative. Think competing against your pals on the simulators, then heading to the bar for a top-notch cocktail and an all-in share plate feed. "Send It! Social Club is about giving people permission to let loose, spark connections and make memories. Whether it's with friends, colleagues or clients, we want every moment to feel premium, playful and unashamedly unhinged," says Jacques Bergh, Chief Commercial Officer of Send It! Social Club. Spanning two locations at Canterbury Leagues Club and The Doylo, you're invited to step into multi-sport batting cages, where you can showcase your talent with baseball bats, tennis racquets and more. There are also Trackman-powered golf bays so the crew can see who's got the best swing of the bunch, whether that's driving or putting. Next, AR-augmented darts go above and beyond the well-worn oche at your local. Instead, Send It! Social Club has auto-scoring, live video playback and six chaotic game modes bound to level up your experience. Meanwhile, those with the need for speed can strap into fully-fledged racing sims to tackle the world's most iconic tracks at high velocity. Serving up an action-packed combination of tech-driven games and quality hospitality, this comprehensive rebrand shifts the experience away from simply sports, bringing the fun of low-pressure social connection to nights out. Yet after a cocktail or two, don't expect to keep your competitiveness under wraps for long. Send It! Social Club is open at Canterbury Leagues Club, 26 Bridge Road, Belmore and The Doylo, 80 Pacific Hwy, Doyalson. Head to the website for more information.
One of the world's most visited multi-sensory experiences will come alive across Australia this year. After successful runs in Sydney and Auckland, Van Gogh Alive is setting off on a national Aussie tour, hitting Adelaide from Wednesday, June 23 before moving on to Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Newcastle. The project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which, for the past 15 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 150 cities across the world. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. A family-friendly experience, Van Gogh Alive creates the sensation of walking right into the Dutch artist's paintings. Attendees experience his world-famous work in fine detail thanks to Grande Exhibitions' state-of-the-art technology, which uses 40 high-definition projectors. A classical musical score accompanies the vibrant colours, too, as presented in cinema-quality surround sound. And, two of Van Gogh's most popular works have been transformed into new guises — with the Sunflower infinity room and the an immersive Starry Night walkthrough area also part of the experience. The Adelaide edition of Van Gogh Alive is popping up as part of the city's new winter arts festival, Illuminate Adelaide, and will take place in a purpose-built 25,000-square-foot gallery in North Adelaide. The gallery, which has been named The Grand Pavilion, will feature an exact recreation of Van Gogh's painting Cafe Terrace at Night in the foyer. Tickets are now available via Ticketek and start at $35 for an adult or $95 for a family. Details on the dates and venues for the rest of the national tour are still to come — so if you're in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Newcastle, watch this space. You can stay up to date with everything Van Gogh Alive by keeping an eye on the exhibition's website. Van Gogh Alive will run from Wednesday, June 23 in Adelaide's new The Grand Pavilion before moving on to Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Newcastle. Dates beyond Adelaide are yet to be revealed — we'll update you when more details come to hand. Top image: Rebecca McMillan Photography
Located along Hassall Street, just steps from Parramatta Train Station, this local mainstay is an obvious choice for a casual midweek meal, after-work drinks (aim for happy hour between 5–7pm when selected beers, wines and spirits are just $5.20) or to kick on after an event at Bankwest Stadium. The expansive pub offers both a beer garden and a sports bar, with live games played throughout the bar and on the three-metre outdoor LED screen to boot. From the kitchen, it's slinging all the pub grub, from schnittys, parmas and burgers to beer-battered fish and chips and buffalo wings, and from Monday–Thursday, you can grab lunch with a beer or wine for just $17. And you can really kick-on late night here, with the bar open until 6am on Fridays and 4am on Saturdays.
Dukes Coffee Roasters has been one of Melbourne's best coffee roasters since 2008, and we're lucky enough to have our own outpost down at Barangaroo. The blond timber and smooth curves here mimic those of Dukes' Melbourne store, though this space is bigger, lighter, and brighter than its southern sibling. Brewing from 7.30am every weekday, the cafe brews Dukes' full range of coffee black, with milk or as a filter. Alongside that, it has a tidy selection of sandwiches, pastries and sweet treats. Better yet, the team is committed to supporting both the planet and every one of the communities involved in the coffee's production. Each bag of coffee beans has been ethically traded and can be traced right back to the farm from which it came. Dukes is not the Barangaroo precinct's first Melbourne blow-in, joining fellow southerners Belles Hot Chicken and Shortstop Donuts.
Update: December 11, 2018 — Summer can get expensive. You're splashing out on presents for friends and fam, and the number of parties going on has increased tenfold. So, we're big fans of happy hours during this season — especially when they go for three hours. Bistro Rex has just launched l'aperitif, which run from 3.30–6.30pm every day at the Potts Point restaurant and features $5 wines (white, red and rosé), $5 Young Henrys natural lagers, $10 cocktails — including negronis and a spritzy chamomile number — and a range of $10 snacks. Bistro Rex, the latest French dining room to hit Potts Point, is hard to fault. More than that, it offers a casual alternative to some of Sydney's more theatrical restaurants: an unpretentious space serving timeless French food on simple white plates. The eatery doesn't feel a need to distract diners with design, but the space is still impressive. You're dining in Macleay Street's former Commonwealth Bank building, so there are large pillars between the tables, marble accents, and wood-framed mirrors high on the walls. It's all pretty luxurious — especially with the Chesterfield booths in the corner — but there's more than enough casual seating to balance it out, with rows of wooden tables and a few spots to dine at the bar. Because you're in a French restaurant, order the chicken liver parfait ($21). It's not particularly rich here; instead it's light, creamy, and served with sweet and sour jelly. The scallops with cashew and curry leaf ($26) are silky and complemented by the sweetness of leek on the plate. Chefs Jo Ward and Michelle Powell obviously know what they're doing with seafood, because the market fish of the day (on our visit, it's snapper) is perfect, flaking easily when the cutlery hits and swimming in just the right amount of sauce. The steak frites with Café de Paris ($39) is served spot-on medium-rare and drenched in butter — it's a classic combination, and why would you alter it? Main meals are on the heavier side, so order the Nashi pear salad with celery, chicory and hazelnuts ($16) to lighten things up a bit, and match your dish to a glass off the predominantly French wine list (the front page can be ordered by the glass, carafe or bottle). On the pass there's a single truffle in a glass dome — ask for it to be shaved over anything and everything. . None of the four options on the dessert menu are particularly eye-catching on paper, but all are delicious once they arrive — and are an unexpected highlight of the meal. Skip the cheese course and order the hazelnut parfait with dacquoise banana cream ($14); it's served with a chocolate biscuit shard and topped with banana cream, which balances the sweet and slightly savoury. The apple tarte Tatin ($14) arrives warm, sweet and sticky – there's a refreshing quenelle of choc-mint ice cream on the side. If you're not a dessert person, try the old-fashioned that's been lightly stirred with cold-brew coffee ($14). You could take your parents, friends, love interest or colleagues to Bistro Rex. Come for lunch on the weekend. Come for dinner on a Tuesday. Bring everyone. Order dessert.
Baker Bleu Double Bay is under new management, if you can call it that, as the Melbourne-born bakery's partnership with renowned Chef Neil Perry and his wife Sam has come to an end. Now, Baker Bleu founders and directors Mike and Mia Russell will take over full ownership of the location. Launched in 2022, Neil had previously described Baker Bleu's output as the "best bread in Australia," becoming part of a joint venture to lead the bakery's expansion beyond Melbourne. Yet Neil and Sam will now renew focus on their neighbouring hub of restaurants — Margaret, Gran Torino and Next Door. "Sam and I are very proud of the role we've played in Baker Bleu's growth and in making the Double Bay store the success it is today. As Mike and Mia look to expand and take the business in a new direction, we've decided to part ways and focus on our restaurants in Double Bay," said Neil Perry. "We are grateful to Neil for bringing us to Sydney in 2022," adds Mike. "During this time, we created something truly magical with Neil and Sam, and we feel privileged to continue to be in the neighbourhood alongside their world-class restaurants." With all other Baker Bleu locations owned by Mike and Mia Russell — Caulfield North, Cremorne and Hawksburn — the Double Bay location now joins the fold, as well as any future stores. That also includes the soon-to-launch South Yarra location, arriving in late September. Situated in a prime position opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens, this takeaway-only outpost has moved into the former home of Baker D Chirico. Open daily, visitors can expect the full Baker Bleu range, from sourdough breads to hand-rolled bagels, alongside Market Lane coffee and pantry staples like cultured butter and small-batch jams. Baker Bleu Double Bay is open daily from 7.30am–3pm at 2 Guilfoyle Ave, Double Bay. Head to the website for more information.
The force is strong with this one — the Lego-building force, that is, with the largest collection of life-sized Lego Star Wars models ever assembled, as well as the biggest touring Lego exhibition, hitting Australia in 2025 (and world-premiering Down Under). Melbourne has locked in the first-ever Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition season. And yes, of course it'll open on Sunday, May 4. Melbourne Museum will be filled with more than eight-million bricks, all making models based on the George Lucas-created space saga. What music goes best with turning all that Lego into a Star Wars fan's dream? 'Luke's Theme', aka the franchise's main tune? 'The Imperial March' when things get tricky? 'Parade of the Ewoks', just because? That's a question for Ryan McNaught aka Brickman, who has indeed been spending time turning plastic rectangles, squares and other shapes into a recreation of a galaxy far, far away. The exhibition is set to take 25,000-plus hours of building, which is occurring at McNaught's headquarters in Tullamarine. Here's a question for attendees, too: which tunes will pair well with walking through this Lego Star Wars wonderland? The full list of models that'll feature hasn't been unveiled so far, but one will be life-sized — and that'll be a Lego Star Wars first. A huge 64,759 bricks are being used to craft the three-metre-high X-wing Red-5, taking 382 build hours. Attendees can also expect to see battle scenes between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, plus Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul duelling, and also Emperor Palpatine's throne flanked by two Royal Guards. If you're keen to check it out, you'll need to be in the Victorian capital to wander through Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition. As well as the hosting the world-premiere season, which will run until Monday, January 26, 2026, the stint at Melbourne Museum is an Australian exclusive. While you're there, you won't just be looking at all things Star Wars in Lego — you'll be able to get building yourself. Images: Museums Victoria.
Drop everything, it's time to book a holiday for next year. At this time of year, every dollar counts, and when else can you book a return flight (domestic and international) and only pay for half the fee? Jetstar — ever the patron saint of affordable getaways — has just announced its latest special offer: three days of deals that offer essentially two flights for the price of one. From midnight tonight (or midday today if you're a Club Jetstar member), customers who purchase an outbound starter fare on select flights will get their return flight completely free, until 11.59pm on Sunday, November 30, or until the 90,000 available fares sell out. As mentioned, the offer is available across both domestic and international trips. Sydneysiders could skip the eight-hour drive to Byron and instead book a flight to Ballina from $42, or to Cairns from $102. Brisbane travellers can book a Whitsundays flight from $63, and Perth locals looking to go cross-country can fly to Melbourne from $199. If you're going out of the country, you're spoilt for choice. Sydneysiders looking for a quick and easy trip to Bali can do so from $249, Melbournians can immersive themselves in the cultural melting pot that is Singapore from $209, and if you're part of the Aussies that have yet to visit the 'it' destination of 2025: you can fly from Brisbane to Tokyo from $373 and Sydney to Osaka for the same price. Just next door is South Korea, which has gone underappreciated for too long — but Brisbanites can fly to Seoul from $309 in 2026. In terms of dates, the availability varies per route, but the offer is open for domestic flights between early February and late October 2026, and for international flights between early February and mid-September 2026. The Jetstar Return for FREE Black Friday sale runs from 12pm AEDT on Thursday, November 27 for Club Jetstar members, and from 12am AEDT for the general public. The sale will run until 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, November 30, or until fares sell out. Visit the Jetstar website for more information.
Mamak in Haymarket is one of the best places in Sydney to get exceptional Malaysian hawker food offered at an authentic hawker price. It's no surprise that this place still has lines of eager customers stretching down the street. And the wait is consistently worth it. Walk in past the chefs, on full display, and bathe in the aroma of curries and fried roti. It's a long room, crammed full with wooden tables, and service is courteous but necessarily efficient. The menu is divided into Roti, variations on the warm bread served with curry dips and spicy sambal sauce. Satay, available in chicken or beef, is among the most complex and moreish you'll try. For those who want to dig a little deeper and really test their appetite, the selection of mains — including luscious curries and fried chicken, and noodle and rice dishes — is well worth some serious exploration. You'll order up, get through your meal in 40 minutes, then leave dazed and satisfied. This is some of the best Malaysian food that Sydney has to offer. It won't be long before we're lining up all over again. And one of the best things about Mamak? For a very small fee it's completely BYO.
If Swillhouse can nail anything, it's a city-best moody underground venue — and the hospo crew's impressive CBD bar The Caterpillar Club is just that. From the team behind beloved subterranean standouts Frankie's (RIP), Restaurant Hubert and Shady Pines (plus Le Foote and Alberto's Lounge) the inner-city haunt is serving up sultry tunes, exceptional service and incredible cocktails right by Martin Place. Discover the venue's hidden entryway tucked away among office buildings and convenience stores on Pitt Street, then descend down the stairwell to find the expansive new walk-in-only record bar in all of its glory. On arrival you'll find an ultra-long bar backed by shelves filled with more than 10,00 records — one of the biggest private collections in the country. At the end of the bar, there's a DJ spinning selections from the collection, before the space opens up into a lounge area with larger tables, romantic red booths and a stage for live bands. Every time you head in, you can expect either one of the city's top tastemakers on the decks or a tight-knit band jamming out. A genre-less list of performers is known to pop up with an emphasis on jazzier sounds. Leading the kitchen is culinary superstar Isobel Little (ex-LP's Quality Meats), who's crafted a casual but sophisticated selection. The cheeseburger is one of Sydney's best, standing tall while remaining perfectly soft and juicy. There's also a tuna melt perfect for a late-night feed and bite-sized lettuce leaves topped with crab and avocado. The bartenders here are happy to whip up your favourite standard, but there are a few delightful Caterpillar Club creations to dive into. The cherry Manhattan is a particular highlight — so good you'll struggle to savour it for longer than a few sips. The final element of The Caterpillar Club is the hidden speakeasy. Found through a discrete door out the back, The Bamboo Room serves as a secret cocktail den for those in the know, reviving memories of Frankie's famous Fun Room. And, in Frankie's and Shady Pines style, the specialty here is freshly squeezed grapefruit juice paired with vodka or gin and a salt rim. The venue not only serves as another exciting place to get a drink and listen to good music in Sydney, but also adds to the growing number of venues reviving the city's status as a late-night destination. Licensed until 5am, The Caterpillar Club keeps the martinis flowing, vinyl spinning and kitchen open all the way until 3am Sunday–Thursday, and 4am Friday–Saturday. Images: Andrea Veltom
This specialist Japanese grocery store in Crows Nest has a wide range of fresh Asian veggies, Fuji Bakery goods, and frozen foods that provides home comforts to those with connections to Japan. Ume-Ya launched in Sydney in 2002, but it very recently opened a new store next to Woolworths on Alexander Street. It's an eclectic store — you never know what you'll walk out with. It also offers Australia-wide delivery, though check the store's website or Facebook page, as some delivery services are temporarily on hold due to COVID-19.
These days, the best bakeries in Sydney are in hot competition for your dough. There aren't many that are just churning out simple white sandwich loaves — now it's all about sourdough, fruit loaves and the three CRs (croissants, cronuts and cruffins). While the local mum-and-dad bakery will always hold a soft spot in our hearts, there are some Sydney spots that are really taking the art of bread and pastry-making to a whole new level. We've compiled a list of where to find the butteriest croissants, softest sourdough and most innovative sweet treats around the city. Recommended reads: The Best Cafes in Sydney The Best Coffee Shops in Sydney's CBD The Best Boozy Bottomless Brunches in Sydney The Best Restaurants in Sydney
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.
They say home is where the heart is — that might explain the location of Ben and Emily Calabro's latest venture. The brother-sister duo grew up in Gladesville on the Lower North Shore, giving their new neighbourhood cafe, District Eatery, a sentimental edge. Serving elevated takes on Aussie-inspired favourites from breakfast to lunch, enticing dishes and warm details tie this spot to the local community. Now 14 years into their journey, the duo first established their reputation with the quality breakfast game at Pyrmont's Quick Brown Fox. Most recently, the Calabros turned their attention to Rosa, a nonna-approved pasta bar inspired by the Amalfi coastline. Now, the pair is ready to rival the city's top brunch spots with District Eatery. "There's something very special about returning back to Gladesville and bringing a concept that we wished we had growing up. Every detail of District Eatery has been carefully considered to create a comfortable space for locals to enjoy and spend time together," says co-owner Ben Calabro. Working closely with JSLJ Architecture, District Eatery's interiors balance the natural and industrial. Think floor-to-ceiling windows that invite loads of light, custom timber joinery and neutral ceramics set against a handmade concrete bar, along with terrazzo-speckled floors and high-gloss burgundy tiles. Bold but welcoming, quick takeaways or extended catch-ups are equally suited to the space. As for the menu, there's a steady hand in charge. Head Chef Daniel Grey brings years of experience from working in renowned kitchens like AALIA and The Apollo, offering fresh takes on brekkie and brunch staples. The ultimate bacon and egg roll is served as a pressed croissant, with fontina and Kasundi ketchup. Meanwhile, the hotcakes are stacked with roasted rhubarb and strawberry almond crumble, finished with strawberry syrup and house-made vanilla bean ice cream. Recalling the local community, the Calabros' connection to Gladesville isn't a tenuous one. The pair attended nearby schools and played soccer at Monash Park, just a short stroll from District Eatery's corner location. Plus, the duo's hospitality journey began a few streets away at their first coffee shop in Top Ryde City Shopping Centre. Says Ben: "To open this venue in our home suburb, for the community we grew up in, means the world to us."
For most, thinking about surrealism means imagining melted clocks, sky-high elephants, cloud-filled eyes and giant apples. Thanks to Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, they're some of the art movement's most-enduring images. While Australia is no stranger to exhibitions about the former, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is currently hosting the nation's first-ever retrospective dedicated to the latter, complete with some of the Belgian artist's best-known pieces. Magritte opened on Saturday, October 26, 2024 as part of the 2024–25 Sydney International Art Series, and runs until Sunday, February 9, 2025 as a Harbour City exclusive. If you're keen to peruse this stunning collection of the surrealist's work, you'll need to see it in the New South Wales capital. More than 100 pieces feature, with 80-plus of them paintings — and if you need proof of why he's considered one of the most-influential figures in 20th-century surrealism, it's all over AGNSW's walls. Stare at The False Mirror at Magritte, for instance, and you'll see an instantly recognisable masterwork that's as dreamy as art gets — all while the masterpiece of a painting from 1929 peers right back. One of Magritte's most-famous creations, it features a massive eye looking at the viewer, while also filled with a cloudy blue sky. It's an unforgettable work, and it's one of the stars of AGNSW's exhibition. Another striking painting that can be gazed upon currently in Sydney: Golconda, Magritte's 1953 work that brings two other pieces of popular culture to mind. Just try not to think about Mary Poppins and The Weather Girls' song 'It's Raining Men' while you feast your eyes on the sight of bowler hat-wearing men streaming down from the heavens. Then there's 1952's The Listening Room (La Chambre d'Écoute), which shows an oversized apple, its green flesh filling an entire room. Fruit might be a regular still-life subject, but there's nothing standard about Magritte's use of apples throughout his art. Like bowler hats, they're among his favourite motifs. Archival materials, photographs and films also feature, in a showcase that's filled with the expected highlights — 1928's The Lovers, 1933's The Human Condition, 1947's The Liberator, 1951's The Kiss and 1954's The Dominion of Light among them — but also probes deeper than the works that everyone immediately knows by sight. Visitors embark on a chronological journey through Magritte's career, starting with his avant-garde early efforts in the 20s, then covering four decades from there. "Many years in the making and drawing upon our unsurpassed international network of collaborative partners, Magritte considers the towering artist's innovative contributions to the broader surrealism movement, while also highlighting the uniqueness and individuality of his artistic vision," explained Art Gallery of New South Wales Director Dr Michael Brand, when Magritte opened in October. "Fundamental to this exhibition is our anticipation to share not only the well-known paintings you would expect to see in a Magritte retrospective but also to shine a light on some surprising aspects of his artistic output, particularly from the period when the artist, working from occupied Belgium during and immediately after the Second World War, created some of the most intriguing and subversive paintings of his career," Brand continued. "Magritte was ahead of his time. He saw himself as a 'painter of ideas' and his legacy extends far beyond the world of art. Today we find his work echoed in diverse creative fields, from fiction and philosophy to cinema and advertising. We can imagine his delight at the ways in which his images continue to circulate and take on new meanings in the 21st century," added Nicholas Chambers, the exhibition's curator as well as Art Gallery of New South Wales' Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary International Art. [caption id="attachment_959955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'Golconda (Golconde)' 1953, oil on canvas, 80 x 100.3 cm, The Menil Collection, Houston, V 414 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo: Paul Hester.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_959956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'The listening room (La chambre d'écoute)' 1952, oil on canvas, 45.2 x 55.2 cm, The Menil Collection, Houston, gift of Fariha Friedrich, 1991-53 DJ © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo: Adam Baker.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_959954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'The false mirror (Le faux miroir)' 1929, oil on canvas, 54 x 80.9 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 133.1936 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence 2024.[/caption] Magritte is on display at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, Sydney, until Sunday, February 9, 2025. Head to the gallery website for tickets and further details. Installation images: installation of the Magritte exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 26 October 2024 – 9 February 2025, artworks © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Mim Stirling.
If My Friend Flicka scarred you for life with horsey dreams you've never had the chance to live out, it's time to take the reins of your destiny. Luckily for you, Sydney — encircled with national parks, wide beaches and vast farmlands as it is — is just the place to do it. For a taste of the equine life without leaving the city, head to Centennial Park. Harbouring ambitions to become the next Man Ffrom Snowy River? You'll find bolder, braver adventures further afield. Giddy up. [caption id="attachment_572138" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Centennial Parklands[/caption] CENTENNIAL PARK, SYDNEY Centennial Park's Equestrian Centre is one of few places in the world to offer inner city horse rides. For newbies who might be feeling a bit nervous, the flat, circular trail is an easy peasy (and not too nerve-wracking) intro. Choose from one of five resident riding schools and a bunch of ride options, including 30- or 60-minute strolls and romantic dawn or dusk circuits. Looking to upskill? Book in for a lesson or a course. SYDNEY TRAIL RIDING CENTRE, RICHMOND After Centennial Park, the closest spot to the city where you can jump in the saddle is the Sydney Trail Riding Centre. Moving from Ingleburn to the Sydney Polo Club in the town of Richmond, it's an hour drive from the CBD. Here, there are 400 acres for galavanting around on, taking in mountains, bush and some epic views. What's more, many of the horses are TV and film stars, including 11-year-old stock horse Archie, whom Ryan Corr rode in The Water Diviner, and six-year-old quarter horse Shorty, who appeared in Pirates of The Caribbean 5. The Sydney Trail Riding Centre is at 100 Ridges Lane, Richmond. GLENWORTH VALLEY, CENTRAL COAST At Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures there are 200 horses to choose from, so you're bound to find a Flicka of your every own. Beginners can take two-hour guided rides, leaving at 10am and 2pm on weekdays and at 9.30am, 12pm and 2pm on weekends. Already know how to control a horse like Michelle Payne? Go free-ranging. You'll be handed the reins and allowed to explore at your leisure for up to six hours. Glenworth Valley is a one hour drive north of Sydney, inland on the Central Coast. HIDDEN VALLEY, CENTRAL COAST Just northeast of Glenworth Valley lies Hidden Valley Horse Riding, a 320-acre farm surrounded by the Ourimbah State Forest. Every level of ability — and fear — is catered to. Terrified novices can be led around by an instructor while those with enough confidence to steer can join a forest trail ride, which takes in creek crossings, rainforest and ridges. And anyone who's ready for spot of show-jumping can have in a go in their arena. If horsey life has you hooked, you're welcome to stay overnight and play farmer for the weekend. You'll find Hidden Valley at 986 Ourimbah Creek Road, Palm Grove, about a one hour drive north of Sydney. CHAPMAN VALLEY, WOLLEMI NATIONAL PARK Head even further north towards Wollemi National Park to find Chapman Valley Horse Riding. There are more than 120 kilometres of trails to explore, giving you access to spectacular mountain tops, dense bush and exhilarating open paddocks. Choose a ride to suit you, from a one-hour jaunt at walking pace to a full-day adventure. Whichever you choose, you'll be travelling in a small group of no more than six, so there'll be oodles time to ask your instructor for tips. Chapman Valley is located at 7054 Putty Road, Howes Valley, about a two hour drive northwest of Sydney. SAHARA TRAILS, PORT STEPHENS If it wasn't My Friend Flicka, but Daryl Braithwaite's 1990 hit that made you yearn for the saddle, make tracks to Port Stephens, where, at Sahara Trails, you can gallop along the beach. If you're keen to stick to sea level, opt for the one-hour Absolute Beach Ride. To get more adventurous, book the 90-minute Beach and High Dune extravaganza, which will have you climbing sand dunes to a height of 40 metres and taking in stunning views of the Worimi Conservation Lands. Sahara Trails is located at 9 Port Stephens Drive, Anna Bay, about a 2.5 hour drive north of Sydney. YARRABIN HOLIDAY RANCH, BLUE MOUNTAINS Yarrabin Holiday Ranch, is set on 2500 acres. Horse riding has been the ranch's main business since 1963, so you can relax knowing you're in experienced hands. The trails take you through a variety of landscapes, from invigorating fields to forests, meeting kangaroos and wallabies along the way. If you're a competent rider, book the four-hour return trip to the O'Connell Pub, which includes lunch. Yarrabin is a three hour west of Sydney, in the Blue Mountains. [caption id="attachment_571781" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jasmine Crittenden[/caption] OTFORD FARM, ILLAWARRA For diversity of scenery, Otford Farm's trail rides are hard to beat. The three-hour Bald Hill Adventure is the one to go for. You'll start in rainforest, following the headwaters of the Hacking River, before climbing into open forest and stopping to take in the ocean views (and hang gliders) at Bald Hill Lookout. Last stop is magical Kellys Falls. Also on offer are one-hour rainforest and two-hour waterfall rides. Otford Farm is at 3 Lloyd Place in Otford, which is a one hour drive south of the Sydney CBD. The train takes an hour and 15 minutes from Central, and the farm is a one-kilometre walk from Otford Station. THE MAN FROM KANGAROO VALLEY, KANGAROO VALLEY Head a little further out of the city for a gallop (or walk) through Kangaroo Valley's lush pastures and steep, mountainous backdrops. The Man from Kangaroo Valley Trail Ride will lead you up the 530-metre-high rainforest Mount Moollootoo, from where you'll get panoramic vistas, taking in Morton National Park, the Kangaroo River and Lake Yarrunga. Find The Man at 24 Hillcrest View Lane, Kangaroo Valley, just over two hours' drive from Sydney. VALHALLA, NSW SOUTH COAST Drive further south to visit Valhalla Horse Riding at Falls Creek, which is just beyond Nowra. You'll be matched with a horse to fit your ability and taken on a one-hour or one and a half-hour romp through local bush. For winos and gourmands, there's also a twilight ride, which comes with wine and nibbles (after you've dismounted, that is). To amp up your horsemanship, take a lesson, either privately or with a group. If you're visiting as part of a South Coast road trip, you might like to check out our weekender's guide to nearby Jervis Bay. Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
When you can walk away from a dinner having shared a starter, enjoyed a delicious pasta or main, not been charged an exorbitant rate for corkage and you've only had to fork out between $30 - $40 per head, it's safe to say you'll be paying the restaurant a second visit. While the front of the restaurant is pretty spartan, try and secure a table in the back garden area and enjoy the lively atmosphere that is generated at this busy restaurant. Start off your meal with a generous serving of the herb or garlic bread before tucking into a pizza or pasta main. If pasta is your poison, you can't go wrong with the Gnocchi Puttanesca. If you'd rather share a couple of pizzas, the signature Reggio and Nick's pizzas are both winners. The perfect place for a group get-together, this Italian restaurant in Sydney is conveniently located on Crown Street in Darlinghurst with a range of bars and clubs nearby to kick on at after dinner. For anyone planning on frequenting Bar Reggio, if you plan on accompanying your meal with a glass of vino or beer, make sure you bring it with you as the restaurant is strictly BYO. Consequently, Bar Reggio isn't the place to dine if you're looking to have a relaxed, drawn out meal; it's a frantic, non-stop experience from the moment you sit down till the moment you walk out the door. And don't be surprised if as soon as your plates are cleared, you're handed the bill and informed that they need the table because there is a line out the door. Images: Leticia Almeida. Appears in: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney for 2023
Street food continues to make its mark as one of Sydney's major food groups, and Cairo Takeaway in Newtown is one of the standout examples. Though it might sound like a standard takeaway joint, the small cafe is not your average kebab shop; the ingredients are fresh, there's plenty of space to dine in, food is made to order and the menu is a truly authentic one — thanks to owner Hesham El Masry. El Masry has 12 years of experience in hospitality and brought it back home with this venture, which is somewhat of a homage to his mum's Egyptian cooking. It's a smart business model as, let's face it, no one does it like mum — especially not like his. "There's a lot of Middle Eastern food in this city, but a lack of Egyptian speciality food," says El Masry. "People tend to look at these cuisines holistically, but Egyptian food is really its own thing and we're filling a niche [with Cairo Takeaway]." Compared with — as he says — the "million and one cafes" in Sydney, I think it's safe to say El Masry has opened the only cafe in the area with a dedicated falafel bar. The falafel here really is next level. Made using split fava beans the traditional Egyptian way, the falafel balls are fresh and light, with a crunchy shell and, true to their ingredients, a green centre. They're then lovingly stuffed into a sesame-crusted warm pita and topped with an array of pickled veg — take one down with a beer and all will be right with the world. El Masry further embraces his inner west location by stocking a rotating selection of craft beer. The menu also lends itself naturally to vegetarian food, with cauliflower pockets and vegetarian plates standing up alongside the requisite meat plates with lamb kofta. While at night the beers are flowing and the lively atmosphere almost takes on a casual bar vibe, and on the weekend it opens a little earlier at eleven. The shakshuka is one of the best we've had in Sydney; the capsicum and tomato stew is mixed with authentic sucuk (a dried sausage) and topped with gooey baked eggs, making the sauce nice and rich once you dig in with either fork or pita. The traditional Egyptian ful medames is the most bang-for-your-buck dish, coming on a traditional metal tray with separate dishes for slow-cooked fava beans, boiled eggs, all the salads and the option to add an extra falafel ball — a wise and highly recommended choice. For brunch drinks, the karkadé, a chilled hibiscus juice, and the freshly squeezed cane juice are the perfect summer refreshers — though no one would judge you for going after a little hair of the dog, with chilled beers ready and waiting. There is a small selection of wine available by the glass and bottle, but it also a BYO venue for wine only, so head across the road to PNV beforehand and find yourself the perfect bottle. Overall, it's a simple, straightforward joint that slots right into the neighbourhood while bringing its own distinct offering — as well as lots and lots of falafel. Images: Destination NSW.
One underground restaurant dedicated to steak wasn't quite enough for Bistecca's James Bradey and Warren Burns. The Liquid and Larder directors, and minds behind The Wild Rover and Grandma's Bar, then opened The Gidley — an opulent basement restaurant inspired by old-school New York and London steakhouses. The subterranean setup means there are no windows and no distracting "beautiful harbour views", says Bradey. Lack of distractions is a passion of the restaurateur duo, who banned phones at the table at their original steak spot Bistecca. The same goes here, too. [caption id="attachment_751378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dominic Loneragan[/caption] Instead of Instagram, you'll be soaking up the lusciously designed space, by Darlinghurst studio Tom Mark Henry, which was made to feel like a "rabbit warren" that you could lose yourself in. Split into several rooms, including a lounge, dining area, wine bar and private room, the restaurants seats about 120 all up. Expect lots of velvet (both drapery and furnishings), along with dark timber veneer, herringbone floors and plush leather lounges — aka all those vintage steakhouse feels. Linking the space back to its home shores is the ornate wallpaper, which depicts native Australian flora and fauna. Overseeing the menu, that has its own notable throwbacks, is Bistecca Head Chef Pip Pratt. Taking inspiration from supper clubs and steakhouses, the menu heroes one dish: the Riverine black angus rib eye. Here, it's done three ways: chargrilled on-the-bone, a bourbon-glazed chop (300 grams) and a hard-to-come-by spinalis steak. To finish your steak off, douse it in your choice of roast chicken gravy, homemade barbecue sauce, cafe de Paris butter or garlic butter. While the rib eye is the star of the show, unlike Bistecca, steak isn't the sole dish vying for your attention at The Gidley. Other mains include jerk spiced charcoal squid with squid ink taramasalata, kangaroo loin with saltbush and cafe de paris and lion's mane mushroom with green peppercorn sauce and onion rings. It wouldn't be a traditional steakhouse without a burger, either — this one has a double beef patty with cheddar, pickles and optional bacon and egg. There's also a raw bar serving up the likes of oysters, caviar and prawn cocktails for starters, plus heaps of sides and salads — sizeable orders come in the form of seafood towers and a quarter suckling pig with confit potato, seeded mustard, thyme, iceberg and radicchio salad, homemade barbecue sauce, apple puree and cider jus. Desserts come with a bit of nostalgia, too, with the likes of corn and apple doughnuts, bourbon baba and buttermilk ice cream. Prefer drinking your desserts? There are plenty of sweet cocktails on offer too — take the Grasshopper Pie, made with Bulleit Rye, Archie Rose Double Malt, mint, cacao, Creme de Menthe, caramel and bitters. Since no steak is complete without a good glass of red, there's, thankfully, plenty of that. The extensive wine program is looked after by The Gidley's sommelier Seán McManus, with the 23-page list featuring many well-made drops from many well-known brands, many of which are bio-dynamic and sustainable. Bartender extraordinaire Jonothan Carr (Archie Rose, Kittyhawk, Door Knock, Burrow Bar) is pouring a "straight and stiff" array of batched and bottled cocktails at The Gidley. Expect all of your usual suspects and more creative options, including negronis for two and martinis served on silver trays. Images: Dominic Loneragan Appears in: Where to Find the Best Burgers in Sydney Where to Find the Best Steak in Sydney
In early 2018, world-famous vegan chef Matthew Kenney popped across the Pacific from California to launch his very first eatery in Australia: Alibi on the ground floor of Ovolo Woolloomooloo. Kenney isn't just any old animal-free chef — he's an international legend. His TEDx talks have attracted masses of views and Food and Wine Magazine has listed him as one of America's Best New Chefs. The Alibi Bar & Kitchen menu is big on creative combinations of fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. Kenney has a reputation for experimentation and innovation, and it shows in dishes such as the summer paella with salsa verde, kelp noodle cacio e Pepe and the chamomile spaghetti with saffron and ricotta. He worked with Kasper Christensen , who also rejigged the Ovolo's brekkie and room service menus. To match Alibi's plant-based delights, there's a regularly changing drinks list focused on Australian drops — both classic and boutique — as well as signature cocktails.
Slightly hidden below Clarence Street via a winding staircase, The Lobo is a lot bigger than you'd expect. The deep red and green decor paired with recycled dark wood and floral furniture is delightfully welcoming, while the fine use of space and overall attention to detail makes this week-old newbie seem like a long-loved establishment. And what's more, the moment you step up to the bar, you're made to feel like a real regular. With a staggering collection of rums, wines and the usual favourites, there's more than just your two-bit mojito here. Negroni lovers will fall head over heels for the Short and Stout, a powerful little play on a classic, while the Million Dollar No. 9 is fruity, irresistibly drinkable and comes with its very own homemade real fruit rollup. For a little nibble, enjoy the complimentary salted plantain chips (warning: addictive) or grab the meatballs (order some snow buns to soak up the sauce). But for a real treat, try the empanadas with the flakiest, most heavenly pastry that just crumbles and crunches in your mouth, or the polenta tamale, steamed in a corn husk and dribbled with a few drops of the house-made hot sauce. Appears in: Sydney's Best Underground Bars for 2023
Within a couple of hours' drive of Sydney, there are hidden caves for cooling off in, huge sandstone caves for camping (with 50 or so of your closest mates), beachside caves for picnicking, tunnel caves for meeting glow worms in and river caves for swimming. In short, there are a lot of caves, even if you won't run into them when tucked up in town. However, these primeval landmarks are ripe for adventure – and often closer than you'd think. Here are the ten best caves near Sydney we think you should visit. Recommended reads: The Best Swimming Holes in Sydney The Best Hikes in Sydney The Best Coastal Walks in Sydney The Best Rivers for Swimming in Sydney [caption id="attachment_554861" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Robert Montgomery via Flickr[/caption] Caves Beach, Lake Macquarie Caves Beach is no misnomer. This magical shoreline is famous for the labyrinth of caves found at its southern end. They're only explorable at low tide, so be sure to time your visit according to the charts. Whether the sun gets a little hot or the wind picks up, you can find a serene refuge inside these monumental lairs. You'll find Caves Beach 130 kilometres north of Sydney, just south of Swansea Heads, which is where Lake Macquarie joins the sea. Plus, a handful of charming restaurants and cafes are just up the beach. Bring some camping supplies — and a good book — and camp out until the tide starts to change. [caption id="attachment_703034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dee Kramer for Destination NSW[/caption] Cave Beach, Jervis Bay Not to be confused with the aforementioned Caves Beach, Cave Beach is located on the other side of Sydney in Booderee National Park — about a three-hour drive south of Sydney. As well as its namesake cave at the western end of the beach, it is known for its turquoise waters, primed for snorkelling, surfing and swimming. If planning on spending the night there, you'll find a secluded campsite 300 metres from the beach. While waking up to the sound of the ocean is already idyllic, this break is a choice destination for beginner surfers, thanks to its soft rolling waves. Meanwhile, a friendly kangaroo troupe regularly wanders through to graze on the grass. Pindar Cave, Brisbane Water Contemplating a cave party? Pindar Cave might well be your first choice. It's an enormous overhang made of sandstone that can accommodate as many as 50 explorers at once. And you're perfectly welcome to stay the night, with this vast sheltered space helping to keep you dry and warm if the weather turns south. To reach Pindar, jump on a Central Coast or Newcastle-bound train to Wondabyne Station. From there, the cave is located about two hours on foot. If you're driving up, there are several places to park your car before venturing into the national park. While a little more effort than others on this list, Pindar Cave certainly won't disappoint. [caption id="attachment_790431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Tran via Department of Planning, Industry and Environment[/caption] Glow Worm Tunnel, Wollemi National Park Strictly speaking, this isn't a cave. It's a 400-metre-long, disused train tunnel that used to form part of the Wolgan Valley Railway. Glow Worm Tunnel may be rocky and dark, but there are stacks of glow worms hidden within. So we could hardly be expected to leave it off the list. You'll find it about 30 kilometres northeast of Lithgow. The best way to arrive is via a five-kilometre stroll along what used to be the railway, which you can even work into an overnight hike. But if you're short on time, drive further and reduce the walk to just one kilometre. While you're there, please avoid flashing torches, smoking, lighting fires, making a racket and, most importantly, touching the glow worms — they're fragile creatures and easily killed. And if you want to explore the area over a few days, we recommend staying at this local treehouse accommodation – it offers the ideal base amongst the gum trees when off making bioluminescent discoveries. [caption id="attachment_554836" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Aidan Casey via Flickr[/caption] Palona Cave, Royal National Park Made of limestone, Palona Cave stands out in the mostly sandstone Royal National Park as it comes with exotic furnishings like stalagmites and stalactites. That also means it's a lovely place to cool off, made even more refreshing by a nearby waterfall cascading through the rainforest (to find it, follow the track another 20 metres). Getting to Palona Cave involves walking or cycling a couple of kilometres along the relatively flat Lady Carrington Drive (rom the crossroads with Sir Bertram Stevens Drive), just an hour's drive from Sydney. [caption id="attachment_554843" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Steve via Flickr[/caption] Fig Tree Cave, Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve The Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve's caves are a dazzling series of natural limestone structures. The most visited is Fig Tree Cave, which can be explored via a self-guided tour, and is crowded with all kinds of striking 'cave furniture', from stalagmites and stalactites to helictites and cave coral. Leave yourself enough time to swim in the stunning Wombeyan Gorge, and pay attention to your surroundings, as this part of the world is a haven for endangered creatures. You can always stay the night too, as there's a campground, cabins and private accommodation. The Wombeyan Caves are in the Southern Highlands, about 250 kilometres southwest of Sydney. [caption id="attachment_703039" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Harvey via Flickr [/caption] River Caves Canyon, Newnes Plateau Even though River Caves is a canyon, you don't need abseiling skills to visit. All you have to do is walk in. That said, you can expect to get your knees – and maybe even your thighs – wet, as most of the trail is more of a creek. But chances are you'll be so awed by the towering sandstone walls surrounding you that you'll hardly notice. River Caves Canyon is on the Newnes Plateau in the Gardens of Stone National Park, about 180 kilometres northwest of Sydney. Navigating your way there can be tricky, but there are some helpful instructions over here. Pack a dry change of clothes and some water shoes if you happen to have some handy. [caption id="attachment_554835" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Adam J.W.C. via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Wind Cave, Blue Mountains This extraordinary structure is the creation of wind erosion. As a result, the walls are covered in tiny, intricate formations that have the colour and look of honeycomb. Being far taller than it is deep, it feels a bit like a giant's picnic spot. The views are beautiful, incorporating the Grose Valley and Mount Banks. To reach Wind Cave, head to Blackheath and take Hat Hill Road all the way to the end, before following the signs leading to Anvil Rock. From there, it's only a 200-metre walk from the carpark. If you have the option, timing your visit with sunset means catching the vast landscape as it bursts to life in golden hues. [caption id="attachment_553972" align="alignnone" width="1280"] NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service[/caption] Red Hands Cave, Ku-Ring-Gai National Park The Red Hands Cave is one of Ku-ring-gai National Park's most well-known sites for Indigenous heritage, not to mention one of the best preserved. On the walls, you'll see colourful ochre handprints that were pressed onto the rocky surface as far back as 1,600 years ago. According to local historians, the ancient artists would chew a mixture of ochre and water, then blow it over their resting hand to form a stencil. Red Hands Cave is a short walk from Resolute Picnic Area in Ku-ring-gai's West Head section. For a longer journey, continue along the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, a nearly five-kilometre loop featuring more art, engravings and a historic shelter that culminates with the enchanting Resolute Beach. Note: Red Hands Cave is temporarily closed for works, with no scheduled reopening date confirmed. [caption id="attachment_703035" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Jenolan Caves, Blue Mountains Needless to say, we couldn't exclude this classic. In Jenolan Caves, 175 kilometres west of Sydney, you'll discover some of the most ridiculously beautiful rocks on the planet. There are nine caves altogether, filled with limestone formations, pristine underground rivers and secret chambers. The only way to visit is by tour. Choose the cave that most appeals to you — take it easy with a one-hour Imperial Cave Tour or get an adrenaline hit on an abseiling escapade. Either way, impressive lighting and walkways make it easier to get a clear and up-close experience with the cave's millennia-old features. Note: Jenolan Caves are currently closed due to flooding and major road repairs, with a reopening date yet to be confirmed. Top image: Andrew Harvey via Flickr.
There has to be something magical about Sweet Belem's Portuguese tarts that keeps people coming back. Maybe it's because it strays from tradition and serves them warm and a little bit singed, with gooey, slightly caramelised custard that melts on your tongue, or maybe it's the satisfying crisp of layered, golden pastry. Either way, the folk at Sweet Belem serve over 1,000 of these little gems a day, often selling out too soon. At just a few dollars a pop, it's worth heading to Petersham — known as 'Little Portugal' to buy some — if only for a box of these little bowls of joy alone. Aside from the pastel de nata, there are croissants, milk bread, classic palmiers, Portuguese lamingtons and birthday cakes. You can also stop in and enjoy a coffee with your vanilla slice. And if you've got a birthday or a baby shower coming up, and would like it catered, Sweet Belem has you covered. Its catering menu includes the famous tarts, as well as raspberry mousses, apple puff pastries, chocolate brownies, raisin scrolls, a great range of doughnuts and large cakes, including orange almond cakes and baked chocolate tarts. Images: Sweet Belem by Socialmediasoup
It's hard work taste-testing all the desserts in Sydney, but someone's got to do it. And here at Concrete Playground we've endured the sugar highs and lows, the jittery mornings and sleepless nights to bring you this list of the best — and most enduring — desserts in the city. Whether you're into crispy, creamy, crunchy or crumbly, here are the sweet treats worth losing your teeth for. SNOW EGG, QUAY This week is your last chance to farewell Peter Gilmore's Snow Egg, an edible masterpiece that was too good for this world and was cruelly taken from us too soon. The Snow Egg won the hearts and stomachs of the nation when it appeared on Quay's menu over a decade ago — it also made grown men cry when it appeared in a finale challenge on Masterchef. Ever since, we've been bewitched by its biscuity maltose casing and its poached meringue and custard apple filling. If you haven't yet had the opportunity to crack one open for yourself, you've got from now until April 1 to get your hands on one. After that, we're all just going to have to make do with whatever desserts Gilmore chooses for the new menu. Which I guess we can manage. POUDING CHÔMEUR, LP'S QUALITY MEATS It may not have the most glamorous name or even a particularly neat appearance but the pouding chômeur from LP's Quality Meats is hands-down one of the most delicious desserts in the city. The poor man's dish, which translates as 'unemployment pudding' is created by soaking vanilla cake batter in maple syrup and then baking it in the oven. The result is a warm and gooey, nana-like pud with sticky pockets of caramelised maple. LP's serves its version in a rustic tin foil pie pan with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a dusting of icing sugar. The generous serve is enough for you and your two best mates. STRAWBERRY WATERMELON CAKE, BLACK STAR PASTRY If you haven't already tried this dessert you've almost certainly seen it — after all it is the most Instagrammed cake in the world (allegedly). More than just a pretty picture, this pink-petalled gateau is impossibly light and fragrant, and with its hidden slab of watermelon I'm pretty sure it's good for you, too. Created by Christopher Thé of Black Star Pastry, the celebrated cake is made from two layers of almond dacquoise sandwiched with rose-scented cream and watermelon. It's then topped with dried rose petals, sliced strawberries and a scattering of pistachio kernels. Go on, Instagram it, you know you want to. DD SPECIAL, DEVON CAFE For a dish probably invented by a three-year-old, the classic combo of chips and soft serve works on so many levels. It's sweet and salty, hot and cold, crunchy and soft, it's actually genius. For the best version in town, head to fine-dining café Devon and order the DD special. There are two soft serve options to choose from, including a dual swirl of matcha and hojicha (roasted green tea) and the salted caramel with black sea salt flakes. Both come topped with hot chip dippers. Invite your nephew, invite your neighbour's kid, or who cares, just go by yourself. GINGER BRÛLÉE TART, BOURKE STREET BAKERY From all the delicious pastries on display at Bourke Street Bakery, the best would have to be the ginger brûlée tart. Inspired by a trip through the Indian Himalayas, the classic French dessert is given a chai kick, with zesty notes of ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. And the best part is, it's a perfectly snackable size, small enough that you can scoff one at any time of day. Oh and while you're there, you may as well get a chocolate ganache tart, lemon and vanilla ricotta cake, a sour cherry cookie and a pear Danish, too. [caption id="attachment_532255" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Brett Stevens[/caption] PAVLOVA, BENNELONG You really won't find a dessert more jaw-dropping than this sugary replica of the Sydney Opera House. Created by executive chef Peter Gilmore, Bennelong's signature dessert is made from poached seasonal fruits dotted in double cream and Italian meringue kisses and topped with crisp meringue sails. Gilmore has managed to get the angles just right — even Jørn Utzon would be impressed. Be mindful that this perfect pav doesn't come cheap. You'll need to order a two-($100) or three-course($135) set menu if you want to give it a try. Oh well, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. SEA SALT SOFT SERVE, AQUA S Instagrammability aside, there's something special about the dreamy fairy-floss wrapped soft serves from Aqua S. Inspired by the Japanese island of Okinawa, the signature flavour is the sea salt, a bright blue coil with a strong briny taste. It's like licking the ocean, if the ocean was delicious. While the sea salt is always on the menu, Aqua S runs a number of rotating specials, including honey lavender, elderflower and lychee, which can also be double twirled with sea salt. Decorate your colourful creation with one of the indulgent toppings, from the nest of fairy floss, to grilled marshmallow, popping candy and mochi. BREWNUT, BREWTOWN NEWTOWN I think it's fair to say that cronuts are here to stay. For an exemplary version, head to Brewtown Newtown where the flaky deep-fried rings go under the name of Brewnut. Baked fresh in-store daily, the assortment includes cinnamon, glazed and Nutella as well as more elaborate flavours and creations — think blood orange and chocolate custard, Brewnut ice cream sandwiches, Brewnut burgers, Brewnut benedict and Brewnut French toast. It's sweet, delicious madness. Brewtown also sources, blends and roasts its own coffee, so order a takeaway cup for the perfect accompaniment. LEMON TART, SAINT PETER Saint Peter's Josh Niland has received a lot of attention for his culinary abilities over the last few years, but let's not forget the restaurant's co-owner — and Josh's equally talented wife — Julie Niland who has created the meanest lemon tart in town. Formerly a pastry chef at Sixpenny and the now-closed Marque, Julie's lemon tart manages to perfectly balance sweet and sour notes, while the shortcrust pastry is buttery, crumbly and melts on the tongue. She also makes a killer lemon and passionfruit version, too. RICOTTA CANNOLI, PASTICCERIA PAPA We all know that Pasticceria Papa's makes the best Italian sweets in town. The real argument is whether to order the baked ricotta cheesecake or the homemade ricotta cannoli. It's a tough call but we think the crunchy bubbly pastry shells give the cannoli an edge. However, you should probably just get both and test for yourself. Just be sure to get there early while there are still some left.
Since Merivale's reincarnation of the Oxford Street pub, The Paddington has gone on to capture the hearts of patrons with a casual but slick atmosphere and delicious menu (more on that later). First things first, you'll need to plan ahead. Because when it's busy — which is often — you'll struggle to find a table to rest your beer or wine glass on. On a weeknight, it's not unusual to have most seats filled in the loosely defined dining areas with a consistent flow of customers at the public bar downstairs, as well as the cocktail bar up top. When it comes to the food, old-fashioned pub fare this is not. It's often smart to start simple, so why go past a warm baguette with whipped butter and half dozen Sydney rock oysters? Or you could go a little fancier with a spicy mayo-topped lobster spring roll. By now your cocktails will be in hand. You can go with a fizz, a spritz or a Mary, but we recommend starting off with a 'White Lotus' made with Merivale Midday Gin, native peach, jasmine, lemon myrtle, fizz. It's the perfect aperitif while you mull over what to order for a main... ... Which should be the chicken. Chef Ben Greeno famously installed three custom-built rotisseries for the job. His free-range Bannockburn chooks are brined and roasted on the spit and are really that good. They'll change how you see roast chicken on a menu (which, at The Paddington, is half or whole). The gravy, fries and side salad it's served with is just a bonus. That late-night menu available after 10.30pm also hits the mark. Those succulent roast chicken and bacon sandwiches will come in handy because the pub is open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights — the suburbs are well and truly back, you guys! Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)
Touring outside of France for just the third time since it was designed in Paris circa 1500, medieval masterpiece The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry cycle comes to the Art Gallery of New South Wales this month and everyone's pretty excited. On special loan from impressively named Musèe de Cluny – Musèe National du Moyen Âge, the six exquisitely beautiful, mind-blowingly intricate wool and silk woven tapestries span over 20 metres in length and are considered to be some of the greatest surviving textiles from the European Middle Ages — the French national treasure has been dubbed the 'Mona Lisa of the Middle Ages', after all. (Can you imagine being in charge of packing these things up and getting them to — literally — the other side of the world? No pressure.) Embodying meditations on earthly pleasure and courtly love, they depict a bejewelled lady in richly adorned costume alongside a majestic unicorn set against a luscious millefleur ('thousand flowers') background. Five tapestries explore the senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight, with the sixth said to represent an internal sense — usually interpreted as the heart, desire or understanding. There's a whole host of talks, activities and workshops designed to complement the exhibition (textile fans may want to take Natalie Miller's tapestry masterclass) so you can make an entire morning or an afternoon of it. Take note: this is going to be busy. It's not every day that you get to see a 15th-century national treasure up close, not to mention one that has directly inspired everyone from George Sand to Rilke to Jean Cocteau. You'll want to book ahead. Image: Sight c1500 (detail), from 'The lady and the unicorn' series, Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, Paris Photo © RMN-GP / M Urtado.
We know that ambience is what makes or breaks a good swim. After all, being immersed in water is one of the most sensory experiences a human can have – it can soothe, excite, intimidate, challenge and even transcend. A well-designed swimming pool is all part of this encounter as our bodies relinquish control to what we see, hear and feel. If you're thinking of your local 25-metre community pool — don't . There are some incredibly designed, amazingly functional and just downright beautiful pools out there, designed by architects with sustainability, accessibility and even Feng Shui in mind. Whether you're a serious swimmer, design enthusiast, or just a general lover of good aesthetics, these are ten of the best architecturally designed public swimming pools in the world. So pack your one-piece and your goggles, and add these blue beauties to your next overseas itinerary. [caption id="attachment_557381" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Slangen + Koenis Architecten[/caption] 'DE HEUVELRAND' VOORTHUIZEN SWIMMING POOL — VOORTHUIZEN, NETHERLANDS In Voorthuizen, a slopping roofline of blond timber provides the ideal vista for your backstroke. Built as a new facility in an area of development, the building has been designed by Slangen + Koenis Architecten as one large stone block with masses cut out of it — those masses complementing the function and orientation of the pool itself. This bright, neutral interior brings simplicity to slugging laps and, importantly, allows for the pool to be overseen by one employee. Built on a landscaped lawn and surrounded by a forest, you can be assured that swimmers' lungs breathe easy here. [caption id="attachment_557386" align="alignnone" width="1280"] MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects[/caption] REGENT PARK AQUATIC CENTRE — TORONTO, CANADA The revitalisation of Regent Park Aquatic Centre goes hand-in-hand with the transitional community in which it is located. Designed as a local meeting place for many of the area's socially marginalised and migrant communities, this 'Pavilion in the Park' brings an existing outdoor pool indoors for a variety of purposes. The facility's design — done by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects — reflects this appropriately in a number of ways; the aquatics hall provides spaces for cultural groups interested in private swimming, whilst also being the first facility in Canada to employ the use of universal change rooms which no longer separate males and females. Instead, private change cubicles in common change rooms are used to address cultural and gender identity issues and to enhance safety. [caption id="attachment_557393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Zaha Hadid Architects[/caption] LONDON AQUATICS CENTRE — LONDON, ENGLAND Built by Zaha Hadid Architects for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the naked eye may see a mass of concrete and water at the London Aquatic Centre. Considering the space a bit more closely though, its architectural conception lives in the fluidity of water in motion and the riverside landscapes surrounding Olympic Park. It's an example of what great design can do on a large scale. Created to accommodate over 17,000 spectators, the billowing roof sweeps from the ground upwards to swathe three different pools, but also remains distinctly relevant to the needs of the public in its 'legacy' use after the Olympics. [caption id="attachment_557396" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Camillo Botticini Architect[/caption] CENTRO NATATORIO MOMPIANO — BRESCIA, ITALY Built to reflect its urban environment, this pool is unadorned and pretty much all you need to live out your days of serene swimming. Compact brown clinker bricks cut harsh lines across the horizon to make this facility seem more of an art gallery than anywhere where you'd work up a sweat — and that's perfectly alright with us. The outside also makes its way into the facility's heart, where the bricks continue their precision to render the pool spaces light and effortless. Designed by Camillo Botticini Architect, together with Francesco Craca, Arianna Foresti and Nicola Martinoli, it's great example of how pure functionality can shine without even coming close to boring or bland. [caption id="attachment_557401" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Urbane Kultur[/caption] PISCINE TOURNESOL — STRASBOURG, FRANCE The recent refurbishment (by French architects, Urbane Kultur) of this decades-old pool has brought Lingolsheim, just outside of Strasbourg, into the modern day. Airy and full of natural light, this modish design isn't too far off feeling like it's from the future; the spaceship-like complex is one of over 183 dome-shaped swimming pools built by the French government during the 1980s to encourage more citizens to swim. The dome has been constructed with a self-supporting frame so the inside of the tournesol — that's 'sunflower' in French — is column-free inside. Also inspired by the way sunflowers angle themselves towards the sun, sliding panels within the building allow the structure to be opened during summer. [caption id="attachment_508411" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Neeson Murcutt Architects[/caption] PRINCE ALFRED PARK POOL — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Perhaps the most accessible swimming pool on this list, a visit to Prince Alfred Park Pool should be mandatory for every visitor to (or resident of) Sydney. Designed by Neeson Murcutt Architects as part of the invigoration of Redfern's Prince Alfred Park in 2013, a swim here invites immediate invocation of a long, hot Australian summer at the pool. Built cleverly amongst a 'folded landscape' of native grasses to both protect the green space of this inner urban area and provide swimmers with some protection, the facility is, at once, confined and imposing. Yellow umbrellas and palm trees make this architectural space a little less serious than most, but no less impressive. [caption id="attachment_557409" align="alignnone" width="1280"] DRD Architecture[/caption] AQUATIC CENTRE LOUVIERS — LOUVIERS, FRANCE One for pastel lovers, the aquatic centre at Louviers in France is nothing short of a sorbet dream. Situated amongst landscaped waterways, as well as being nestled against a downtown railway and highway, DRD Architecture decided to draw inspiration from the linear structures of the environment when planning the identity of this project. And it shows. The insides of the facility transmit a fluidity of volume — in lines and in water — to its outdoor spaces, whilst the flux of visitors to centre contribute to this transience. Built in consideration of natural light, energy saving and minimal impact on the environment, Aquatic Centre Louviers is one swimming pool designed for the ages. [caption id="attachment_557415" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Herzog & de Meuron[/caption] NATURBAD RIEHEN — RIEHEN, SWITZERLAND Switzerland is known for its awe-inspiring landscapes, so it makes sense that nature would be front of mind for any architect working alongside the outdoors. Years of unrealised proposals for conventional swimming pools in the town of Riehen finally gave way to the natural approach: a biologically filtered bathing lake. Visitors swim in a naturally filtered lake that is kept clean using aqua plants and layers of soil, sand and gravel, delivering an experience that is free of chlorine and traditional machinery. Whilst the bath — designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron — contributes to the rise in popularity of natural swimming pools across Europe, it also pays homage to the traditional riverside baths of older generations. LEÇA SWIMMING POOLS — LEÇA DE PALMEIRA, PORTUGAL Built in 1966 by renowned Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza, the swimming pools at Leça are today internationally recognised. Graceful and beautiful in its aging, the facility is lowered into the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and provides visitors with a wonderful blur between the natural and manmade. Ocean sounds bounce off the natural stone walls as visitors walk through the sloping entry point, where they are then met with swimming pools built amongst the coastline's natural rock formations. In almost all instances the water level of the pool and ocean appear to be equal, connecting the swimmer with the expanse of their surrounds. [caption id="attachment_557433" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Mikou Studio[/caption] AQUAZENA — PARIS, FRANCE Designed by Mikou Studio for the City of Issy-les-Moulineaux southwest of Paris last year, this is definitely not your ordinary public swimming pool. Whilst smooth concrete walls, rounded windows and doorways with similar curved edges exude a late 1970s feeling, Feng Shui specialist Laurence Dujardin has also contributed to the calm, minimal aesthetic, resulting in a facility that uses the traditions of Chinese space-planning to create a naturally lit, uncluttered and fluid space. In particular, skylights allow daylight to filter through the swimming area, whilst a grassy rooftop solarium sits above. The external walls of the facility also feature undulating wooden slats to reflect the circular movements of water, movement and energy. Top image: AquaZena by Mikou Studio.
Obliterating your eardrums by throwing mad shapes too close to the speakers at Listen Out is one thing. Wearing a subwoofer on your own personal wrist so you can feel that bass is another. One of these things is much better for your body, and it's being funded on Kickstarter as we speak. Because 2016, the world's first wearable subwoofer is seeking crowdfunding, claiming "sound is meant to be felt, not just heard." Created by a Berlin-based startup founded by Daniel Büttner and Gwydion ap Dafydd from Ableton and Native Instruments, The Basslet is a watch-like gadget that sits on your wrist and delivers the beats directly to your body, letting you "experience powerful bass — anywhere you go." Best bit? It's 100 percent silent to the rest of the world. Y'hear that, beats-hungry commuters? SILENT. Intending to block out every other sound from the world around you, The Basslet works with music, gaming and VR, connecting to your smartphone, laptop, console, VR headset — even with your old Walkman. It doesn't need an app and promises a powerful, wholly immersive sound experience beyond headphones — with the full bass spectrum (10-250 Hz). Rather than being just a mere force to eat up hectic Hud-Mo drops, The Basslet could have some serious potential for people who are deaf or have limited hearing. Sound isn't the only way to enjoy music. Check out The Basslet's Kickstarter page. Via Protein.
Five years after debuting its legendary menu of 'BRGRS' at the Macquarie Hotel, Sydney favourite Pub Life Kitchen closed down, taking some of the city's best burgers with it. Four long years later and the beloved venue returned to the bottom level of the Lord Wolseley Hotel in Ultimo. Pull up to the Bulwara Street window and you can pick yourself up a selection from the new-look pub-style menu. Of course, the burgers are back. Choose between The OG, stacked with dry-aged grass-fed beef, cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, roasted garlic and lime mayo, or the TLC, a fried chicken burger topped with cheese, pickles and green Sriracha mayo. Also returning, are PLK's hot and sticky chicken wings alongside a far-reaching menu of snacks and mains. If you're looking for something on the lighter side, you can head for the chickpea fritters, marinated octopus salad or roasted peppers with buffalo mozzarella and capers. Further down the menu in the 'bigger' section, you can find classic pub feeds like the rump stake with burnt onion butter and chicken schnitzel, side-by-side with some more unique items like LP's smoked pecorino, parsley sausage mash and gravy, dry-aged cevapi and braised eggplant with XO sauce. Images: Nikki To Appears in: Where to Find the Best Burgers in Sydney for 2023
Popular with glamorous young things and the post-work crowd, the Beresford must be one of Sydney's hippest pubs. Building on a recent renovation, Hemmes has reinvigorated this space with fresh foliage, exceptional Italian bar food from Tuscan chef Gabriele Taddeucci, and his own certain je ne sais quoi. Perhaps the most lovely part of the whole venture is the courtyard, more reminiscent of a Japanese garden than your typical Aussie beer garden. Think cobblestones, Japanese maples, low wooden furniture and lanterns dangling above your head. It's also a refreshing change from the buzzing atmosphere inside - though this doesn't mean it's not busy. The rule is to turn up early and stay late, perhaps ducking upstairs to check out a band while you're here. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Focusing on natural and minimal intervention wines, Where's Nick is a sign of things to come in Sydney's wine bar market, and also for the suburb of Marrickville. The area has seen a slate of new operators heading in recently, and the brothers — Julian and Dominic Abouzeid — behind the new venue took over a cake shop after noticing the area had an up and coming market and little competition. They kept the cake shop sign out the front but the long bar, bottle display and chalk board of wines by the glass let you know things have changed. It's said that wine with less chemicals gives you less of a hangover (we can't make any promises), so, with that in mind, pick from the rotating selection of 25 wines which feature small and sustainable producers. For anyone who isn't sure if they buy into the natural wine movement, Where's Nick is a good place to start. After all, it did win Wine Bar of the Year in 2019 for a reason. Now, award winning sommelier Bridget Raffal (Formerly at Sixpenny) is running the bar while the brothers keep next door at the Goblin Wine Shop, ready for all your takeaway needs. The menu by head chef Leila Khazma is Mediterranean inspired. It's snack-centred with plates made to share. Think a crunchy and rich potato galette with confit artichoke and a creamy pecorino custard. Or, keep it simple with some house-made focaccia with extra-virgin olive oil. Images: Kitti Smallbone
Located in the striking, if controversial, Crown Casino building at Barangaroo, a'Mare is an elegant Italian restaurant which offers up exceptional Aussie produce paired with classic Italian ingredients in a menu that whisks one off to the sunny shores of Italy. It's been awarded a Chef's Hat through Good Food Guide, thanks to acclaimed chef Alessandro Pavoni who calls on his memories of his native Italy to conjure up dishes which inspire and delight. The interior at a'Mare is elegant and sophisticated, with floor to ceiling windows allowing natural light to spill through the otherwise dimly lit venue during the day. In the afternoon, as the sun sets over Sydney Harbour the room lights up up with hues of yellow, pink and orange which easily transport one to Sicily, especially if enjoying a glass of chianti. In the evening its cool and smart and the service is professional and friendly. The menu here is as long as the Italian coastline, and we opted to start from the antipasti de mare menu. Enjoy wild caught red snapper crudo with citrus dressing chilli dil and finger lime or the 'Selezione a Mare' with snapper crudo, calamari and caviar, scampi and scallop gratin. For something more filling at a'Mare opt for ravioli of rock lobster and burrata or the deliciously succulent roasted rack of lamb served with salsa verde, horseradish and lamb jus. The pesto pasta is also a must-try, for both the taste and experience. For this dish, the waiter makes the pesto at your table (in a huge mortar and pestle) before sending it off to the kitchen to be added to the homemade pasta. It's doesn't get much fresher than this. There is also a vegan and vegetarian menu at a'Mare as well as desserts which includes the mouth-watering Italian classic tiramisu. Pair it with a cocktail of coconut rum, yoghurt liqueur and mango foam and you are well on your way to an Italian summer. Appears in: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney for 2023
As Sydney rolls over into its cooler months of the year, the ocean currents are doing the opposite — the water is commonly at its warmest at this time of the year. And while stand-up paddleboarding (SUPing to regulars) does not necessarily require you get wet, it is, of course, all dependent on your balance. So you'll probably end up taking the plunge at some point. Gliding at a leisurely pace on top of the water, you'll gain a new perspective on Sydney's calmest and clearest harbour beaches. Paddleboards are readily available to hire at Sydney's calmer beaches, and you have the option of taking a guided lesson and learning some tips and tricks or bringing along a buddy for your own sea stroll. So set next Sunday's agenda for a midday paddle followed (perhaps followed by a beachside feed) at these five spots. BALMORAL BEACH Balmoral is a prime SUPing location because the water is almost completely flat — it's technically a harbour beach, so there are no waves to contend with. Balmoral Paddle Surf has something for every level of paddleboarding, from lessons to SUP surfing. Some of the best beaches around Balmoral are secluded and can only be accessed by boat (and you on your paddleboard). Check out our all-day guide to Balmoral for pre- and post-boarding ideas. PALM BEACH Palm Beach is a Sydney hot spot — and it has the crowds to prove it. Luckily, Barrenjoey Boat Hire will give you a paddleboard to explore the quieter side of Pittwater and escape the abundance of tourists that flock to Summer Bay. Plus, you may have an encounter or two with some Aussie wildlife. We suggest taking a pit-stop at The Boathouse at some point too. MANLY HARBOUR The harbour side of the Manly peninsula makes paddleboarding here more like a game of dogems. But keep paddling out to the heads of Manly — it's a real all-body workout, but it's so worth it. Manly boasts multiple hidden coves, including Obelisk, Reef Beach, Castle Rock and Store Beach. It's also the perfect place to take a guided tour with the experts, and a well-deserved post-paddle bev can be enjoyed at one of Manly's many bars. WATSONS BAY This paddleboarding experience is a winner for its breathtaking views. Admire the million dollar hours that sprawl the coast as you meander your way through the calm waters of Sydney Harbour. Sydney's skyline will be to the left, and the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House will be to the right. Watssup provide tours and board hire here. CRONULLA Cronulla SUP school specialises in both flat water and beach SUP experiences. If you're an experienced SUPer, challenge yourself and your skills to paddleboard the waves — but just know it's a bit different to surfing. The school also has boards for rent for those who want to learn at their own pace.
