EAT > YIAGA, Melbourne (20/20)

Tucked inside the historic Fitzroy Gardens, in a pavilion that has served refreshments to Melburnians since 1908, Yiaga is the long-awaited solo debut of Hugh Allen — the chef who ran Vue de Monde's kitchen and became the first Australian to lead two three-hatted restaurants at once before turning 30. This is fine dining stripped…

ByCrispinSeptember 20, 2026

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Pinot Noir

WINE > Burguet, Gevrey-Chambertin “Symphonie”, 2019 (18/20)

There are Gevrey-Chambertin producers who chase power for its own sake, and there are those who chase precision instead. Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet belong unmistakably to the second camp. The "Symphonie" is the domaine's village-level flagship, a blend drawn from several small parcels — including En Billard and La Justice — planted on clay-limestone soils…

ByCrispinSeptember 15, 2026

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DRINK > Woods Yard, South Melbourne (16/20)

Translating the perfect European wine bar experience to Australia rarely works. Predominately because we have all had so many amazing experiences at perfect little local venues in Italy, Greece, Spain or France. But Woods Yard have nailed it with all the bits you love and retaining a little Australian edge. AMBIENCE > Woods Yard…

ByCrispinSeptember 15, 2026

ALMANAK REVIEW > DELMONTE, Carlton 16/20

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EAT > Delmonte, Carlton (16/20)

On the corner of Lygon and Faraday streets, in the ground-floor space that housed the beloved King & Godfree deli for more than a century, Delmonte has arrived: a glamorous Italian wine room built by hospitality entrepreneur Jamie Valmorbida on the bones of his own family's history. There's a particular kind of pressure that comes…

ByCrispinSeptember 15, 2026

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Pinot Noir

WINE > Decades, Pinot Noir, 2024, Coal River Tasmania (18/20)

There are new labels that feel engineered for the market, and then there are those that arrive with the conviction of a long-held idea finally finding its vineyard. Decades is firmly the latter. The 2024 Pinot Noir is a remarkably assured second release from Steve Flamsteed and Brad Rogers: fragrant, sinewy and distinctly Tasmanian, with…

ByCrispinSeptember 5, 2026

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EAT > AEGLI, South Melbourne (16/20)

Behind a modest terrace facade on Coventry Street, in the space that once housed the experimental fine-diner Lume, Aegli has quietly become one of the most convincing Greek tables in Melbourne, a chef’s love letter to the villages and islands of home, plated with genuine restraint. Modern Hellenic cooking, done with real conviction. AMBIENCE >…

ByCrispinSeptember 3, 2026

STAY > AUSTRALIA STAY > MORNINGTON PENINSULA STAY > VIC WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > Hotel Sorrento, Sorrento Victoria (17/20)

Perched on the limestone cliffs above Port Phillip Bay, Hotel Sorrento is the Mornington Peninsula's oldest hotel and its most enduring symbol of coastal glamour — a family-owned 1872 landmark that has just closed out a multi-year redevelopment without losing the salt-worn soul that made it famous in the first place. a place to stay…

ByCrispinSeptember 2, 2026

ALMANAK Restaurant Review - Bommie Restaurant, Hamilton Island QLD

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EAT > BOMMIE, Hamilton Island QLD (17/20)

Perched inside the Hamilton Island Yacht Club with Dent Passage unfurling beneath its floor-to-ceiling glass, Bommie is the Whitsundays' most credentialed fine-diner. A place to see and be seen. Fine dining above Hamilton Island Marina There's a particular kind of restaurant that only works on an island: it has to serve the yacht crowd walking…

ByCrispinAugust 23, 2026

226 (ii.ii.vi) Restaurant Melbourne - ALMANAK Restaurant Review

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EAT > Restaurant 226, Melbourne (14/20)

Beneath the heritage bones of Invicta House on Flinders Lane, Restaurant 226 (styled II.II.VI) has turned a basement into a subterranean altar to fire, and in doing so has given Melbourne a theatrical new steakhouse. There’s a particular thrill in restaurants that commit fully to a single idea rather than chasing trend after…

ByCrispinAugust 22, 2026

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EAT > Pebble Beach, Qualia Hamilton Island QLD (18/20)

Set right on the sand at the northern tip of Hamilton Island, Pebble Beach is qualia’s beachfront dining room, and it remains the most relaxed serious meal in the Whitsundays. In our opinion, Pebble Beach is the best lunch (and probably the best meal) on Hamilton Island, full stop. There’s a specific pleasure in…

ByCrispinJuly 25, 2026