NEW SOUTH WALES

French brasserie from Hunter St. Hospitality, Ananas has officially opened. Located in The Rocks, fourteen years on from its 2012 debut as one of the city’s earlier glam French brasseries. Offering Rillettes de Crabe mixed tableside from a bespoke trolley, a Baba d’Ananas wheeled out and finished with a pour of house-infused pineapple rum, and a monthly Plat du Mois opening with Homard à l’Américaine. A handful of originals return in their exact form, including the Soupe à l’Oignon, Tartare de Bœuf and Steak Frites au Poivre.

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Solotel is bringing back their Sunday Roast at a select few Sydney pubs until 30th August. Available every Sunday for $30, the classic roast includes tender roast beef, honey and mustard parsnips, roast potatoes, carrots, rainbow chard, Yorkshire pudding and rich gravy. Participating venues include The Sackville Hotel, The Albion Hotel, The Woodstock Hotel and The Clock Hotel.

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Gin Lane is bringing old-world charm to Kensington Street this winter, launching a cosy, quirky British dining room serving nostalgic pub classics and hearty comfort food by British-born chef Nelly Robinson. The newly unveiled intimate 40-seat upstairs dining room is inspired by the warmth and charm of British pubs, bringing a cosy pub-style dining experience to Gin Lane for the first time. A limited-edition martini menu launches alongside the food, with the ‘Wagyu Beef & Mustard Washed Bloody Mary Martini’ setting the tone as the ultimate aperitif for the British feast upstairs.

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Taphouse Sydney has launched their Lucky 8 offering! Roll the dice, get an 8 and your entire meal is on the house. Think wok fried lobster, noodles and dumplings to top it off, completely free with no catch. In Chinese culture, the number 8 signifies prosperity, fortune, wealth and infinity. Which means you could be eating like royalty without spending a cent. Available everyday until 6pm.

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Sydney Fish Market has welcomed their newest venue, Tam Jiak. A sibling venue to the Ho Jiak Group, Tam Jiak signals a new direction for Chef Junda Khoo. The concept moves beyond homestyle Malaysian cooking into a more expansive expression of his style, where seafood and premium meats share the same stage, lifted by bold Malaysian flavours and a grillhouse sensibility.

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The Oriana has officially opened within the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. Rather than a single offering, The Oriana has been conceived as a venue that moves with its guests – transitioning seamlessly from day to night, and from casual to elevated, across one continuous harbourfront experience. Spanning four distinct levels, the venue is designed around a simple idea: guests don’t just visit, they move through it.

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PARKROYAL Darling Harbour has launched their exclusive Stay Where It Glows package for VIVID, available for stays between 22nd May until 13th June. Perfectly positioned in the heart of Darling Harbour, where lights spill across the precinct and immersive installations pulse through the waterfront. The package includes 10% savings on the Best Available Rate, breakfast for up to two adults and Make Your Own Hot Chocolate welcome amenity.

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This winter, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar and Rick Stein at Coogee Beach have both launched exciting menus, now available for a limited time. This 8 week rotating dinner series will be happening on Tuesday to Thursday until 9th July. Each week, the kitchen will introduce a new three-course menu inspired by Rick’s recipes, travels and decades of cooking by the sea, exploring a different destination and culinary influence.

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EveryPlate is serving up a new Australian-first comedy dining experience on 18th June, with Dinner Roast taking over cult-comedy venue Potts Point Hotel for one night only. Blending stand-up comedy with a three-course dinner, the event sees ‘Bush Barbie’ aka Nikki Osborne, alongside viral comedians Troy Kinne and Gen Fricker, roast over-the-top foodie culture, viral recipe fails and real kitchen disasters submitted by Aussies.

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Happening on 20th June, Margan Wines & Restaurant will bring its acclaimed vineyard dining experience to Sydney’s east for one night only, partnering with The Botanica Vaucluse for an intimate four-course wine dinner showcasing estate-grown produce and wines from its Hunter Valley vineyard. Known for its paddock-to-plate philosophy and award-winning restaurant in Broke Fordwich, Margan has built a loyal following around seasonal dining that celebrates the region’s produce at its peak. For one evening, Sydneysiders can experience that same approach without leaving the city.

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Cronulla’s new music room, bar and bistro, Meadow has officially opened. Located in the former Papa J’s cocktail bar site, the venue moves effortlessly from daytime dining and afternoon aperitivo through to a vibrant evenings, making it suitable for everything from casual lunch and afternoon drinks to late-night cocktails.

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Besa has launched their new weekend bottomless brunch in Bondi. The 90-minute bottomless brunch starts from $110 per person and includes a selection of Besa’s signature dishes alongside bottomless cocktails, house wines and lagers. Cocktails include Besa’s Rosé Sangria featuring dry rosé, blackcurrant, mandarin and oleo; and La Identidad Spritz with apricot, mezcal, vermouth and Falernum.

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North Bondi Fish is turning up the energy this winter with the return of Disco Yum Cha. A bigger and bolder take on the restaurant’s Asian-influenced seafood series, running every Saturday and Sunday from 6th June until 1st August. Inspired by Bondi’s coastal lifestyle and the golden era of 70s disco, the weekend series combines laidback share-style dining, signature cocktails, well priced Aperols, Disco DJs and ocean views for the ultimate long lunch or lively catch-up by the sea.

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The Gopher has officially opened in Manly, a late-night Irish basement bar with live music. Descend the stairs and you’re instantly transported from the coastal surrounds to early 1900s Ireland. Worn textures, leather booths, reclaimed century-old lighting and internationally-sourced vintage fixtures create a moody, immersive space worlds away from its above-ground coastal surroundings.

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VICTORIA

Florentino has introduced their new ‘Family Style Sundays’ offering in the Dining Room. The menu celebrates the ritual of gathering around the table with generous, comforting dishes designed for long lunches with family and friends. Available exclusively during Sunday lunch service, the menu begins with a selection of assaggini, followed by a primo piatto of braised short rib tortellini in brodo.

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O’Connell’s Hotel has officially reopened with a menu inspired by wood-fired Australian ingredients and a refurbishment that repositions the historic venue for a new generation. The pub, a true cornerstone of Melbourne’s hospitality scene, enters an exciting new chapter under the custodianship of the team behind Prahran’s revitalised Flying Duck Hotel.

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Fondue Chalet and DoubleTree by Hilton has teamed up to create a European-style winter escape in Australia, recreating the atmosphere of the French Alps in the heart of Melbourne. Combining a stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Melbourne with an evening at Fondue Chalet, the experience brings together winter-themed hotel rooms, private dining in wooden chalets with the deliciously famous fondue or raclette, French hospitality and cosy Alpine styling, all designed to transport guests to a winter escape without leaving Melbourne.

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Brunswick’s Hotel Railway is officially making pub meals a two-species affair with the launch of its brand-new Doggy Parma. Running throughout winter, the $10 Doggy Parma is complete with crumbed chicken, mozzarella, sweet potato chips and salad, while pups can wash it down with a locally made Dog Brew from Hop Nation.

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The Ballarat Winter Festival is back for another year, happening from 27th June until 19th July to transform the region into Victoria’s very own winter playground. Featuring decadent hot chocolates to medieval magic, this year’s program sees many festival favourites return even bigger and better than ever.

More info here