EAT > Geralds Bar, Carlton (15/20)
Gerald’s Bar 2.0 on Lygon Street feels less like a “new” opening and more like a beloved neighbourhood institution stretching comfortably into a much bigger, grander suit (think Talking Heads) — same irreverent soul, and a lot more room to…
EAT > Scopri, Carlton (18/20)
There are places that stay forever on your most reliable list. It takes a special mix of reliably fine food a warm and comfortable room, good acoustics and genuine service. Scopri remains one of those establishments that remains on…
DRINK > Fratelli Burgio, Ortigia, Italy (15/20)
There are lots of bars in the beautiful historic town but the Salumi and wine at Fratelli Burgio make for a perfect combination and of course it is in the perfect location, combine it with the harbourside bar Alporto you…
EAT > Stallion, Mansfield Victoria (16/20)
Since the closing of Bounty in Bonnie Doon and BOS Taurus in Mansfield, the fine dining offerings in this alpine region have been very limited. Not to say you can’t get a good steak and there are gourmet pizza’s…
EAT > CATALINA, Rose Bay Sydney (19/20)
Catalina’s has become a venue for our special events, it is that kind of place. Stunning views, exceptional service, delicious food and a world class wine list.
There are few restaurants around the world that have such an abundance of world class assets and as such Catalina remains one of the most in demand tables you can find in Sydney.
AMBIENCE >
There are dining rooms with harbour views, and then there is Catalina. Floor‑to‑ceiling glass tracks the curve of Rose Bay, the room seemingly cantilevered over the water so closely that sea planes taxi past at eye level and the ferry wash feels almost within reach. Inside, the original minimalist bones remain – clean lines, pale timber, white linen – but a recent Bedbrook + Bunting refresh has layered in softer upholstery, warmer tones and a more luxe coastal polish that flatters both daylight and dusk.
By…
STAY > LOMANI ISLAND RESORT, Mololo Fiji (15/20)
Lomani Island Resort & Spa is an adults-only Mamanuca escape that feels purpose-built for couples who want barefoot Fiji with just enough polish, and a blissful buffer from the family chaos next door at Plantation.
Lomani Island Resort is Fiji’s Adults Only calm and relaxing alternative
AMBIENCE >
Lomani means “love” in Fijian, and that sets the tone: 30 keys only, wrapped in lawns, frangipani and palms along a quiet curve of Malolo Lailai’s western shore. Pathways run from jetty to reception to pool in a simple line, so the property feels intimate rather than sprawling, more private beach house compound than anonymous island mega-resort.
Interiors lean into Fijian timber, exposed beams and sea-glass tones, with enough contemporary restraint that nothing feels themed or overworked. The soundtrack is trade winds, soft bula greetings and the occasional thud of a coconut, not shrieking kids or sports-bar TVs, and that adults-only policy…
STAY > Sofitel, Denarau Fiji (14/20)
Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa is a polished, French-accented playground on Denarau that manages to feel both genuinely Fijian and decisively international, with a scale and amenity set that rewards…
STAY > Six Senses, Fiji (18/20)
Tropical Paradise the Six Senses Resort, Malolo Fiji
Six Senses Fiji is a polished, design‑forward barefoot luxury outpost on Malolo Island that wraps high‑touch service and serious sustainability credentials in…
STAY > Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, Burgundy (18/20)
Le Relais Bernard Loiseau is a destination hotel where serious gastronomy, deep spa-soothing and old‑world Burgundy village charm intersect. Perhaps more famed as the home of restaurant 'La Côte…
STAY > Il Casato, Scilla Italy (15/20)
Il Casato Deluxe Rooms is a polished little waterfront hideaway in Chianalea di Scilla, pairing modern, simple rooms with a spectacular over‑water restaurant that makes the most of the Costa…
SKI > RESORTS
Maiko Snow Resort is one of Snow Country’s most versatile all‑rounders: a big, three‑area hill with true ski‑in/ski‑out lodging, a purpose‑built day‑trip gondola base and easy Joetsu Shinkansen access that makes it a natural follow‑up (or contrast) to GALA, Kagura and Ishiuchi. For ALMANAK readers, it feels like a hybrid between…
GALA Yuzawa is one of Japan’s most convenient snow resorts, a purpose-built hub where the Shinkansen literally delivers you into the ski centre before you ride straight up into three compact, well-planned ski areas. It feels more like a vertical snow terminal than a village, but for Tokyo-based day trippers…
Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort is a compact, ropeway-accessed mountain that fuses classic Echigo-Yuzawa onsen-town charm with big-mountain views, easy access and family-friendly terrain just minutes from the Shinkansen. The main ropeway — is one of the world’s largest, carrying up to 166 passengers—climbing about 500 vertical metres in a 7‑minute…
Ishiuchi Maruyama is one of Niigata’s classic big-hill resorts: long, rolling fall-line runs, serious night skiing and a slick new lift and terrace scene that make it feel more polished than its old-school roots suggest. It is also one of the easiest major mountains to reach from Tokyo, which means…
STAY >
DRINK > BARS
DRINK > Fratelli Burgio, Ortigia, Italy (15/20)
There are lots of bars in the beautiful historic town but the Salumi and wine at Fratelli Burgio make for a perfect combination and of course it is in the perfect location, combine it with the harbourside bar Alporto you have it all sorted.
AMBIENCE >
In the beating heart…
DRINK > Death & Co, Melbourne (18/20)
Slip behind the velvet curtain on Flinders Lane and Melbourne falls away, replaced by a low-lit room that feels like an edit of the world’s great cocktail bars: a little East Village swagger, a lot of CBD polish, and a level of detail that rewards staying late. This is Death…
DRINK > Great Dane Brewing, Akiu, Sendai (15/20)
Set against Akiu’s pine-lined hills and onsen steam, Great Dane Brewing brings Midwestern brewpub heart to one of Tohoku’s most storied hot spring valleys—a Wisconsin-born, Sendai-brewed outpost where craft beer, wide-open views and a low-key road-trip energy converge. It feels less like a side-trip from the city and more like…
DRINK > Conte, Sydney (17/20)
Conte in Sydney’s CBD is grand, an unapologetically Italian, ode to the Negroni. Part bar, part ristorante, and all about drama, detail and la dolce vita energy. With more than 30 (and climbing toward 40) Negroni riffs, serious Italian wines and a full dining menu, it feels less like a…
DRINK > Gracie Melbourne, Hardware Lane (15/20)
Hardware Lane is a place that many Melburnians stay away from (largely given a bad reputation by the touts that stand outside the largely formulaic but popular tourist restaurants that fill most of the laneway). Gracie Melbourne is a stylish little venue in a part of the city…
DRINK > Brettos, Athens (17/20)
The oldest distillery in Athens, in the middle of the Plaka, selling cold drinks and snacks. What’s not to like? .
AMBIENCE >
Operating since 1909, Brettos has had time to produce and collect lots of bottles. Two walls are lined with coloured glass bottles, a kaleidoscope of colour and alcohol…
VISIT > WINERIES
VISIT > Samuel’s Gorge, McLaren Vale SA
Samuel’s Gorge is one of McLaren Vale’s most atmospheric red-wine addresses, a rustic 1850s farm shed perched above the Onkaparinga gorge with views that feel painted into the label itself. This is a cellar door for people who like their Grenache wild‑haired and characterful, poured by a team who clearly…
VISIT > KAY BROTHERS, McLaren Vale South Australia
Kay Brothers is a heritage-rich, red‑focused McLaren Vale address where old vines, traditional winemaking and elevated vineyard views come together in one of the region’s most characterful cellar doors.
VARIETALS >
Kay Brothers is, at heart, a Shiraz house, with the variety accounting for the majority of production and underpinning…
VISIT > BATTLE OF BOSWORTH, McLaren Vale SA
Battle of Bosworth is one of McLaren Vale’s most characterful cellar doors: organically farmed, family-run, and set in a restored 1850s chaff shed and stables with sweeping vineyard views to Gulf St Vincent, it combines serious wine credentials with a relaxed, regionally grounded setting.
VARIETALS >
Battle of Bosworth is…
VISIT > PRIMO ESTATE, McLaren Vale SA
Step through the glass doors at Primo Estate and the first thing you notice is the light: refracted off pale stone, softened by timber, framed by rows of vines that run towards the Willunga foothills. It feels more like a contemporary Italian villa than a conventional Australian cellar door –…
VISIT > D’Arenberg, McLaren Vale SA
Founded in 1912, D’Arenberg is family created a winery that has become synonymous with the McLaren Vale region, today many of the visitors are just as familiar with the architectural cube museum and the restaurant.
I grew up in the McLaren Vale region and D’Arenberg winery was part of…
VISIT > PAXTON WINERY, McLaren Vale SA
Paxton’s cellar door at historic Landcross Farm makes a strong first impression: biodynamic vines rolling down to the valley, a repurposed 1850s shearing shed, and a quietly confident organic ethos that runs from the soil to the glass. This is McLaren Vale in a slower, more grounded key – relaxed…
DRINK > WINEWine & Spirit Reviews
WINE > Bannockburn Pinot Noir, 2024 (18/20)
There are a few wines that are always in my wine cellar and regular and reliable choices when out for dinner with friends and it is found on the wine list. The Bannockburn Pinot Noir is a crowd pleaser, delightfully pretty but retaining enough structure and elegance to…
WINE > Corofin, Pinot Noir, Marlborough (17/20)
Marlborough is a region much better known for Sauvignon Blanc than for Pinot Noir but Corofin make a wine in Marlborough that surprises as it rises above the quaffable and into the respected tiers of premium wines; competing with wines with great accolades from Central Otago in New Zealand's South…
WINE > Elanto Pinot Noir, Balnaring (18/20)
Mornington Peninsula is home to many fine Pinot Noir wines but it has been quite a few years since the industry got quite so excited about a new vineyard. Elanto has only released two vintages of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to date and they are already receiving outstanding reviews from…
WINE > Clarence House Estate Pinot Noir, 2024 (17/20)
Clarence House Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2024 is a poised, cool-climate Tasmanian Pinot that trades in perfume, fine-boned structure and quiet confidence rather than sheer volume, rewarding both contemplation now and patient cellaring later.
APPEARANCE >
Pale to medium garnet in the glass, with a translucent core that hints at…
WINE > S.C Pannell Sunrise 99, 2022 (18/20)
There are Grenaches that charm, and then there are Grenaches that draw a line in the sand. S.C. Pannell’s Sunrise 99, from a century-old McLaren Vale vineyard, feels like the latter: a debut that arrives fully formed, pitched at the serious, ageworthy end of the spectrum while still humming with…
WINE > Domaine de Bellene Nuit Saint Georges, Vielles Vignes, 2022 (17/20)
There are wines that whisper history, and then there are bottles that speak in confident, measured tones—Domaine de Bellene’s Nuits Saint Georges Vieilles Vignes 2022 is unmistakably the latter. From the first pour, its deep ruby hue glimmers with an old-vine intensity, setting the stage for a wine that embodies…
