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EAT > Bellota, South Melbourne (18/20)
When people say to me where is your favourite restaurant, I struggle to name one. So many places bring something special to the dining experience. But when I get asked where is your favourite place to eat, I always say…
EAT > The Builders Arms, Fitzroy (15/20)
Builders Arms is where old Fitzroy charm meets the sharp edge of Melbourne’s culinary present—a neighbourhood pub reimagined by chef Andrew McConnell, its bones humming with history and its menus tuned to modern tastes. Those iconic yellow tiles and timber…
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…
EAT > The European, Spring Street Melbourne (17/20)
Step from the tram-swept bustle of Spring Street into The European and the years seem to slide away. The mosaic floors and bentwood chairs recall another era—a continental refuge under the colonnade, shadowed by the stately Parliament House. Here in…
EAT > Stokehouse, St Kilda (18/20)
Stokehouse is Melbourne’s definitive seaside address—a place where the city’s appetite for luxury, sun and salt converge in a breathtaking, glass-fronted pavilion perched above St Kilda beach. Days here roll from luminous lunches under blue skies to candlelit dinners set against dramatic sunsets and the rhythmic hush of surf below. It’s a restaurant that has lived several lives since the 1990s, burning brightly through fire and rebirth, but always returning as the essential setting for celebration, romance, and the odd Tuesday treat.
HISTORY > Original Stokehouse
The original Stokehouse was born in 1989, helmed by the Van Haandel brothers, Frank and John, who transformed the historic Queen Anne-style foreshore pavilion into an iconic, sun-drenched retreat. It quickly became synonymous with relaxed sophistication—champagne and seafood upstairs, casual fish and chips below, and a never-ending rhythm of celebrations by the sea. Frank and Sharon Van Haandel continued the legacy,…
EAT > Sorsi e Morsi, St Kilda (14/20)
Tucked just beyond the green hush of St Kilda’s Botanic Gardens, Sorsi e Morsi (Sips and Bites) feels like the kind of Italian neighbourhood escape that every suburb hopes for and few master. But this is St Kilda the former home of Melbournes more Bohemian set and today upwardly gentrified, which means every corner seems to have a new bar or restaurant poking out.
On the quiet corner of Blessington and Barklay Streets, away from the thrum of Acland Street, (in what was once the delightful pizza bar iCarusi) the sunlight flickers off rustic timber tables from morning to night, while the happy din of locals—spanning a lingering breakfast to the late Aperol spritzers — swirls through a space that is imbued with a warm, lived-in charm.
Since 2013, Sorsi e Morsi has offered a slice of Italy on Blessington Street, carrying a reputation for genuine hospitality, cheery service and…
STAY > Hôtel Les Avisés, Épernay (19/20)
With just 10 rooms, Hôtel Les Avisés and its neighbouring champagne house (Domaine Jacques Selosse) is a delightful stay with solid hospitality and exceptional food and drink.
ABOUT > The town of Les Avisés
Les Avisés is…
STAY > The Standard, London (18/20)
Where to stay in London is often the eternal question. For this visit, we were arriving via Eurostar and departing via Heathrow five days later. I landed on staying near St Pancras for ease of movements, helped by having The…
STAY > Miyamaso Takamiya, Zao Onsen, Japan (16/20)
There’s a rare comfort at Miyamaso Takamiya—one that hums beneath tatami floors and steams from the ancient volcanic springs of Zao. Arriving at this storied ryokan, you step not just into a place, but into over three centuries of tradition,…
SKI > RESORTS
Elegance and adventure have found a rare symmetry at One&Only Moonlight Basin, a game-changing debut in Big Sky, Montana—the United States’ newest epicentre of alpine luxury.
One&Only’s first ski resort (and first resort in the US) greets guests with striking Olson Kundig architecture, snow-dusted lodge lines, and panoramic views…
Powder, Altitude, and the Endless Adventure of Shiga Kogen
There’s a special sense of anticipation as you wind your way up into the Shiga Highlands—a feeling sharpened with every turn, the landscape shifting from pine-lined valleys to the broad, powder-laden slopes of Shiga Kogen. Set within Nagano’s Joshinetsu National Park,…
EAT >Where to Eat & Restaurant Reviews
STAY >
DRINK > BARS
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…
DRINK > Caves de l’Abbaye, Beaune, Burgundy (18/20)
Step from Beaune’s winding, cobbled heart into Caves de l’Abbaye, and you’re greeted by the cool hush of a centuries-old cellar—a true Burgundy hideaway shaped from vaulted stone. Beneath low arches, the glow is candle-soft, shadows flicker against wine-streaked walls, and every table feels like a private alcove ready for…
DRINK > Her, Melbourne (16/20)
Step through the pink neon glow on Lonsdale and you’re in Her, a vertical wonderland where chic Melburnians come to trade the city’s grit for a splash of glossy, Euro-tinted sparkle. Four floors, each with its own mood—Her’s always got room for something (or someone) new.
AMBIENCE >
Her’s ground…
DRINK > Materia Prima, Athens (15/20)
Tucked away in the lively neighbourhoods of Koukaki and Pagrati, Materia Prima is the kind of wine bar that quietly redefines what it means to drink well in Athens.
Here, the city’s creative pulse meets a deep reverence for the craft of wine, making it a must for anyone…
DRINK > Old Palm Liquor, Brunswick East (15/20)
The northern end of East Brunswick's Lygon Street is now a busy bar and dining district. It is an area where you can stumble left or right into a smart bar that serves good food. Old Palm Liquor is one of these places that is full from the front…
DRINK > Mid Air, Melbourne (15/20)
Early Autumn is my favourite time in Melbourne, it is when the warm days end with warm evening that cool down to fresh mornings. It is a time when there are so many things to do all complemented by amenable weather. Grand Prix, Comedy Festival, Food & Wine Festival, Fashion Festival its…
DRINK > WINEWine & Spirit Reviews
WINE > Valli Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Central Otago NZ (2021)
There are Pinots that gently introduce themselves, and then there are Pinots that make the room go quiet for a moment: Valli’s Bannockburn sits firmly among the latter. Bannockburn, the original Central Otago subregion for Pinot Noir, is famed for clay-schist soils and sun drenched, cool-climate vines—and winemaker Grant Taylor’s…
WINE > Quealy Musk Creek Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula Australia
APPEARANCE & AROMA >
A luminous garnet in the glass, Musk Creek Pinot Noir immediately impresses with its clarity and vibrancy. The nose is beguiling—florals, wild strawberry, and a touch of rose petal, underpinned by exotic spice (think Sichuan pepper) and forest floor. There’s a sense of autumn leaves…
WINE > La Maison Romane, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2018(91/100 points)
La Maison Romane's 2018 Hautes-Côtes de Nuits is a captivating expression of Pinot Noir that showcases the unique winemaking philosophy of founder Oronce de Beler. This biodynamic wine offers a delightful balance of elegance and rustic charm.
APPEARANCE & AROMA >
Medium ruby color with good clarity. Vibrant…
WINE > Hoddles Creek 1er, Yarra Valley Pinot Noir (95/100 points)
Hoddles Creek Estate has once again demonstrated their mastery of cool-climate winemaking with their 1er Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. This exceptional wine showcases the unique terroir of the Upper Yarra Valley and the skillful craftsmanship of winemaker Franco D’Anna and the Hoddles Creek team.
Appearance and Aroma > …
