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EAT > Victory Hotel, Sellicks Hill (16/20)

There are pubs that age badly, and there are pubs that age magnificently. The Victory Hotel, perched on the brow of Sellicks Hill with a panorama stretching across Aldinga Bay and the Fleurieu coast, belongs emphatically to the latter camp. This is one of Australia's great gastropubs — weathered, warm and quietly formidable, with a…

ByCrispinApril 26, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Blackbird, Melbourne (14/20)

Blackbird Melbourne is a three-level, moodily newcomer on Flinders Lane that feels built for long, steak lunches built around fire, flesh and a little theatre. It’s the Brisbane icon reimagined for Melbourne, with an open kitchen anchored by a Josper grill, a serious cellar and a cocktail bar that leans hard into nostalgia. Blackbird is…

ByCrispinApril 17, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > NSW EAT > SYDNEY WHERE TO EAT >

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…

ByCrispinApril 7, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

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 play. The move of Gerald’s Bar from its old cozy location to a new…

ByCrispinMarch 31, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

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 our favourite list and is one of Melbourne’s most quietly assured Italian dining rooms: a…

ByCrispinMarch 21, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > VIC ALPINE REGION EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

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 and Thai but nothing you would really say this is definitely worth visiting. But…

ByCrispinMarch 8, 20260Comments

EAT > ITALY EAT > ORTIGIA EAT > SICILY WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Chiodo con Cucina, Ortiga Syracusa Italy (15/20)

In the middle of Summer, Sicily can get pretty hot. There is a point in the day when the charm and fascination of wandering the pretty streets of Ortigia are rapidly replaced with the need for hydration, nourishment and a cool spot out of the sun. It was exactly on one…

ByCrispinMarch 7, 20260Comments

EAT > ITALY EAT > ORTIGIA EAT > SICILY WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Ristorante Regina Lucia, Ortigia, Syracusa Italy (18/20)

Nestled in the heart of Ortigia’s iconic Piazza Duomo, Regina Lucia delivers refined Sicilian cuisine with contemporary flair in a historic baroque palace setting. This MICHELIN Guide-recommended spot earns consistent praise for its inventive dishes and polished service.Summary Intro goes here. As you wander the Piazza Duomo with its buskers, tourists and the occasional wedding…

ByCrispinMarch 7, 20260Comments

EAT > ITALY EAT > ORTIGIA EAT > SICILY WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Cortile Spirito Santo, Siracusa, Ortigia Italy (18/20)

Nestled in the historic heart of Ortigia, Syracuse's enchanting island, Cortile Spirito Santo delivers Michelin-starred Sicilian refinement in a 17th-century palazzo. This gem, part of Palazzo Salomone Luxury Suites, blends Baroque elegance with contemporary flair, earning its star in 2023 for chef Giuseppe Torrisi's masterful dishes. AMBIENCE > Elegant and serene, the restaurant unfolds in…

ByCrispinMarch 7, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MORNINGTON PENINSULA EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Cape, Cape Schank (17/20)

Cape Restaurant at RACV Cape Schanck remains one of the Mornington Peninsula’s most compelling reasons to drive that extra stretch of highway after dark: dinner here still feels like an occasion, but an unusually relaxed and generous one. AMBIENCE > Cape’s room is still that familiar dusk-toned amphitheatre of glass, timber and bottle-light, only now…

ByCrispinMarch 1, 20260Comments