NEW SOUTH WALES

A contemporary British restaurant at The Langham, The James has officially opened. Marking the beginning of a new partnership and a significant milestone for SRG as it celebrates 25 years and enters the luxury hotel space. For The Langham, Sydney, The James represents a new chapter, honouring the hotel’s rich heritage while introducing a fresh, modern approach to dining by Head Chef Sam Tuchband. Refined yet welcoming, the restaurant blends classic British influences with a contemporary Australian sensibility.

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Wine bar and European-inspired restaurant Claret Club has opened in Darlinghurst. Offering a wine led experience by two of Sydney’s top sommeliers: Bridget Raffal (Where’s Nick) and Harry Hunter (ex-Rockpool, Bentley Group, Dinner by Heston). The duo have teamed up with Head Chef Andy Buchanan (ex-The Dry Dock, Balmain) who’s leading the wine-friendly, à la carte menu inspired by famed venues like Bistro Paul-Bert, Chez Bruce and Noble Rot.

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ALIA Wine Room, an extension of the acclaimed two-hatted Middle Eastern restaurant, AALIA has opened in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. The new venue is underpinned by a philosophy of discovery and community, featuring a Middle-Eastern menu by Sydney Morning Herald’s 2025 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year, Paul Farag, and a 235-label wine list, with 31 wines by the glass.

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Ardour Milton Park Bowral has unveiled the next chapter for the storied Southern Highlands estate. The hotel’s reopening introduces its signature dining destinations; Horderns and The Polo Bar, with The Polo Bar’s dedicated charcuterie room to open soon after. The culinary heart of Ardour Milton Park Bowral is led by executive chef Mark Holland, whose pan-European approach underpins the dining experience at Horderns. Designed around seasonality, local produce and shared plates, the restaurant brings a sense of theatre and connection to the table, with a dining flow that encourages lingering and celebration.

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Darling Glebe has opened inside Glebe’s historic Darling Mills. Chef Jeff Schroeter has returned to the site, creating a luxe subterranean restaurant featuring its own martini lounge and an exclusive French omakase chef’s table. The menu features everything from a 130-year-old recipe for oyster Rockefeller, to a decadent snail pie. I’ve included a media release below and attached a fact sheet with more details, however we’d love to invite you and a guest to experience the venue for yourself, on a night that suits.

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Touch Wood has just opened in the new Sydney Fish Market. The latest project from hospitality operator Tyson Rowsell, known for co-founding Dirty Red in Glebe and Rozelle, the kitchen is led by Courtney Blyde, whose background includes Cho Cho San, The Apollo and Baba’s Place. His menu takes a seafood-led approach to Australian brunch, using local produce and market-driven ingredients.

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Bartiga will welcome acclaimed Bali-based restaurants Yuki and Meimei for a special two-night guest chef takeover on 27th and 28th March, bringing the flavours and energy of Bali to Sydney’s eastern suburbs. For two nights only, Bartiga’s kitchen will be led by Head Chef Kadek of Yuki and Head Chef Yuda of Meimei, two of Bali’s most respected culinary figures. Together, the chefs will present a collaborative menu created exclusively for Bartiga, celebrating bold Southeast Asian flavours, refined technique and a shared approach to modern dining.

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The Hub in Bondi will be hosting Hubfest on 28th & 29th March, bringing a weekend of food, music, and art to the heart of Bondi. The precinct-wide event will feature 30+ food and drink specials, a dedicated laneway DJ stage featuring local talent, and a large-scale art installation by Bondi artist NOTNOT.

More info here

Shaffa will be offering their Aperol Long Lunch Sessions every Saturday and Sunday in March. Enjoy a vibrant, eight-course sharing menu and 90 minutes of Aperol Spritzes in the Surry Hills restaurant’s sun-drenched atrium, with its 10m-high glass ceiling, nestled between two heritage-listed buildings.

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The Chicken & Champagne Club has launched at Barangaroo House, happening until 31st March. It’s a playful high-low concept pairing Japanese fried chicken with premium Champagne – think caviar-topped karaage, lobster-stuffed wings and crispy chicken served in custom-branded buckets that wink at classic fast-food nostalgia, all alongside pours from Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon.

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Las Palmas has officially opened in Manly, bringing a sun-soaked taste of coastal Mexico to Manly’s West Esplanade, just steps from Manly Wharf and a 15 minute ferry from Sydney’s CBD, the garden bar and taqueria is set to be the locals and visitors hottest destination for tacos, margaritas, and live music from day into night.

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victoria

​Mondo Gelateria has officially opened in Melbourne’s CBD, featuring 28 rotating globally inspired gelato flavours, cold brews, gâteaux, all set within a design-driven interior. Hailing from Italy, Owner Rio Olivetti was trained by the Head of Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna and brings his world-class gelato expertise and innovative flavours to Australia, such as Black Forest Gâteau and Salted caramel with kumquats and freeze-dried raspberries.

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Frenchie has officially opened on Collins Street, bringing high-energy take on Parisian dining to Melbourne’s CBD, where everything on the menu is $14. Designed to blur the lines between classic bistro tradition and modern, social dining, Frenchie channels the spirit of Saint-Germain-des-Prés through a distinctly Melbourne lens.

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A ew Japanese-inspired diner, Koi Toy has opened in Coburg, bringing high-energy dining, late-night atmosphere and a modern take on Japanese flavours to Melbourne’s north. Created as a relaxed yet elevated restaurant, Koi Toy will offer something for everyone, from casual everyday dining to a place for celebrations, or those looking for the perfect spot for pre-or post-movie moments.

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Preston Market’s much-loved Greek Day Festival is set to return on 29th March and this year, it’s bringing the heat with a brand-new Souvlaki Eating Competition. The market will once again transform into a vibrant Greek glendi, celebrating Hellenic culture through music, dance, food and family-friendly festivities. This year the celebration is even bigger, coinciding with Harmony Week, Greek National Day and the lead-up to Easter, making it a truly special cultural moment for the community.

More info here

Crowne Plaza Geelong has officially opened its doors, bringing a fresh new stay to Geelong’s bustling waterfront. Set directly on the Bay and moments from the soon-to-open Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, the $120 million hotel features 200 rooms and suites, offering a fresh, relaxed, and stylish stay at a time of strong momentum for tourism, events, and culture.

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Award-winning bistro 98 Lygon St Bar & Bistro has launched their Bottomless Steak offering. Premium, grass-fed, dry-aged porterhouse served thick-cut and refilled generously for 90 minutes, alongside crisp frites and signature peppercorn sauce. Guests are able to order from the full à la carte offering, with the same Michelin-trained kitchen behind every plate, just with more steak on the table. Drinks remain on consumption, from cellar pours by the glass to large-format bottles for those settling in properly.

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On 29th March, Culinary Director of Pt. Leo Estate, Josep Espuga, teams up with Chin Chin’s Executive Chef Benjamin Cooper for a Wine Terrace Fiesta – a high-energy vineyard celebration of food, wine, art and atmosphere on the Mornington Peninsula. With its two other events already sold out, the Wine Terrace Fiesta is now the final chance to experience the takeover – think live paella cooked over open flame, South East Asian and Spanish-fuelled dishes, estate wines, cocktails and a DJ set among the vines and sculpture park.

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