NewsBite

Advertisement

The download: Everything you need to eat, drink, make and book this week

Neil Perry’s Song Bird restaurant to close, a cheap and cheerful chicken coconut curry and the verdict on Sydney icon Bennelong.

Erina Starkey

A bite-sized recap of the biggest stories of the week, so you know where to go and what to order. Check in each week so you can be the smartest person in your group chat.

Stay up to date with all the latest food news, recipes and reviews on the Good Food app, now available from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store now.

Neil Perry will close Song Bird after less than a year.
Neil Perry will close Song Bird after less than a year. Dion Georgopoulos

Neil Perry to replace Song Bird with Italian restaurant

Neil Perry’s Song Bird restaurant will close less than a year after its grand Double Bay launch and three months after the Cantonese menu shifted to a broader modern Asian pitch. Its demise is part of a massive shake-up at the Bay Street mega-venue, where Perry is ditching Chinese and relaunching the venue as an Italian restaurant. Gran Torino will open on August 9, after Song Bird serves its last wonton on August 3. Get the details here.

Advertisement
Wagyu steak tartare with artichoke crisp.
Wagyu steak tartare with artichoke crisp.

Canvas reveals new Chef-in-Residence

The latest installation of Canvas has arrived. The Museum of Contemporary Art’s harbour view restaurant has unveiled its new Chef-in-Residence: James Scott, formerly of Sepia and LuMi. Scott’s debut menu blurs the line between food and art, from steak tartare served with Sydney Opera House–shaped crisps to a “Lambington” lamb loin wrapped in pastry with spinach crêpe and haggis, a nod to his Scottish heritage. The tonal dining room frames one of Sydney’s most iconic views, capturing the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay in one sweep. Canvas is open to the public Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30am to 4:30pm, with a two-course menu for $95 and a three-course option for $120. Make a booking here.

The soaring Gotham City ceiling at Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House.
The soaring Gotham City ceiling at Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House.Jennifer Soo

Callan Boys reviews Bennelong

Advertisement

It’s arguably Sydney’s most “Sydney” restaurant, but does the Opera House’s flagship venue still fulfil its ambition? Callan Boys revisits Bennelong to see if it still delivers those big-ticket thrills. Read the full review here.

Grape Garden’s Xian wontons in chilli oil.
Grape Garden’s Xian wontons in chilli oil.Jennifer Soo.

TBC by Grape Garden to hold dumpling-making class

The light, delicate dumplings at TBC by Grape Garden might seem impossible to recreate at home. Not so. This month, the 2025 Good Food Guide Critic’s Pick restaurant will be unwrapping the secrets to its Northern-style jiaozi in a hands-on dumpling-making class. Each session, held on select Wednesdays and Sundays in July, will show you how to master both dough and filling, alongside multiple crimping styles. The price includes dumplings, bottomless tea and a take-home pack so you can practise your pleats at home. Reach out on Instagramto reserve your spot.

Chicken coconut curry from Money-Saving Meal Plans with Chelsea.
Chicken coconut curry from Money-Saving Meal Plans with Chelsea. Melissa Darr
Advertisement

A cheap and cheerful chicken coconut curry

As a single mother of three, Tasmanian-based recipe writer Chelsea Goodwin understands the importance of feeding a family on a tight budget. Her new cookbook, Money-Saving Meal Plans with Chelsea, contains eight weeks of meal plans to feed a family of four, averaging about $3 a serve. She’s shared three of those recipes with Good Food, including a chicken coconut curry made with chicken drumsticks and everyday pantry ingredients. Get the recipe here.

Bu Deli plant-based butter hits Harris Farms stores in NSW, ACT and QLD.
Bu Deli plant-based butter hits Harris Farms stores in NSW, ACT and QLD.

Chef-approved plant-based butter lands at Harris Farms

A pat on the back for Bu Deli. The convincingly creamy, dairy-free butter is made from macadamias, coconut cream and organic olive oil – without the artificial extras found in similar supermarket spreads. Smooth enough for toast, solid enough for baking, it’s even used in the vegan croissants at Black Cockatoo bakery in the Blue Mountains. Previously available at select grocers, Bu Deli has now spread across the state – you’ll find it in Harris Farm stores across NSW, ACT and QLD. It retails for $8.50 for a 250g block.

Advertisement

The Download, Friday June 27

Steak frites is made on scotch fillet and comes with a choice of four sauces.
Steak frites is made on scotch fillet and comes with a choice of four sauces. Chris Pearce

Rockpool chefs to open steak frites restaurant in the CBD

Taking inspiration from Le Relais de l’Entrecôte in Paris, the latest restaurant from Hunter St Hospitality chefs Santi Aristizabal, Andy Evans and Shimpei Hatanaka serves only one dish: steak frites. Priced at $48, the MB2+ scotch fillet steak comes with French fries and a choice of four sauces. The wine list is just as concise, with only four drops on offer. Get the details here.

Tallow roasted potatoes.
Tallow roasted potatoes. Jane de Graaff
Advertisement

Beef tallow is everywhere, but how good is it for you really?

For much of the past century, animal fats such as beef dripping and shortening were a staple of Australian kitchens, commonly used in everything from hot chips to pastry. As awareness grew about the health risks of saturated fats, dripping eventually fell out of favour. Now, social media is leading a new wave of interest in tallow, particularly carnivore, keto and paleo influencers drawn to its “natural” appeal and limited processing. Are the health claims justified? Find out here.

Marry me chickpeas.
Marry me chickpeas. Katrina Meynink

Say I do to marry me chickpeas

Move on, marry me chicken. Katrina Meynink has remade the viral dish without the meat, using slow-simmered chickpeas as a base for the creamy, garlicky sun-dried tomato sauce. She has also whipped up recipes for chickpea puttanesca and a spicy harissa and Persian feta chickpea stew, perfect for dipping and scooping with warm flatbread. See all three recipes here and save your favourites for later on the Good Food app.

Advertisement
Nigella Lawson in the Muru Giligu Tunnel just before her Vivid Sydney dinners.
Nigella Lawson in the Muru Giligu Tunnel just before her Vivid Sydney dinners.Destination NSW

Nigella Lawson’s favourite places to eat in Sydney

You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger international fan of Sydney’s and Australia’s food scenes than British cookbook and TV personality Nigella Lawson. Hosting three sold-out dinners for Vivid, the British cookbook icon took a quick break to talk to Good Food about her favourite thing: eating. Her local hit list includes caneles and coffee at Flour and Stone, a cheese toastie from Penny’s Cheese Shop and the scampi spaghetti at Fratelli Paradiso. Get her full list of recommendations here.

Rhiann Mead’s truffle honey cake.
Rhiann Mead’s truffle honey cake.

Truffle desserts land in Sydney

Advertisement

Get out the microplane: truffle season has arrived. Alongside the usual shavings on steak and scrambled eggs, this year The Charles Brasserie & Bar’s patissier Rhiann Mead has worked the luxe fungus into her famed multi-layered Russian honey cake. It’ll be doing the rounds on the cake trolley in The Charles dining room for afternoon tea and dessert, and you can also try it at The Charles Truffle Dinner, held on Wednesday, July 2.

You can also find a truffle hot chocolate at Pantry Story in Stanmore, complete with house-made truffle-infused marshmallows, torched campfire-style.

Ceramic baker from The Fine Cheese Co.
Ceramic baker from The Fine Cheese Co.

A ceramic baker for your camembert

Advertisement

If you’ve ever tried baking a brillat-savarin in its thin, wooden box, you’ll know the melty mess it can make of your oven. Better yet, opt for this elegant ceramic baker by The Fine Cheese Co, which bakes brie, camembert and vacherin without incident. Add a dash of white wine and herbs for an instant French-style fondue, or finish with a spoonful or cranberry or cherry jam. Priced at $49.99 from simonjohnson.com.

The Download: Friday, June 13

Australian Women’s Weekly Birthday Cake Book coins.
Australian Women’s Weekly Birthday Cake Book coins.

Australian Royal Mint releases AWW birthday cake coins

If you never got the Candy Castle cake as a kid, you can at least collect the coin. To mark the 45th anniversary of the Australian Women’s Weekly Birthday Cake Book, the Royal Australian Mint has released a limited-edition coin collection celebrating 12 of the book’s most iconic creations – including Dolly Varden, Rubber Ducky, Humpty Dumpty and the beloved Pool Cake. Eleven cakes feature on $1 coins, while the Hickory Dickory Dock watch cake stars on the $2 coin. Don’t bother checking your wallet — these coins won’t be released into circulation. Collector’s editions are available to purchase for $15 each (for the $1 coins), or $39 for a set of ten, from The Mint Shop in Canberra and select newsXpress outlets.

Advertisement
Japanese pizza topped with cheese, teriyaki chicken, mayonnaise and nori flakes.
Japanese pizza topped with cheese, teriyaki chicken, mayonnaise and nori flakes.iStock

Adam Liaw weighs in on the biggest crimes against pizza

Pineapple may evoke thousands of anguished “mamma mias”, but there are many more heinous pizza crimes out there, says Adam Liaw, pointing to Italy’s pizza con patatine topped with hot dogs and chips, or just any dessert pizza - particularly those involving Nutella and banana. Find out who should be locked up here.

Hand-cut beef is served on a giant gold cow.
Hand-cut beef is served on a giant gold cow. Edwina Pickles

Hong Kong hot pot restaurant opens in World Square

Advertisement

For many Chinese people, winter time means hot pot, so World Square’s newly opened Master Cow is a well-timed arrival. The beef is fresh, not frozen and hand cut to order, while the signature Cantonese soup base is made from boiled cow bones. Everyone gets their own hot pot so they can choose their own flavour (there’s a tangy tomato, spicy clam and Hong Kong-style peanut satay) minimising squabbles over who owns what fish ball. Read Helen Yee’s verdict and its score here.

French-style hot chocolate with whipped cream.
French-style hot chocolate with whipped cream.Steven Siewert

A chocolatier shares the secret to the perfect hot choc

It’s hot chocolate season; the drink as decadent as a velvet suit. But with so many options, how do we master a creamy cup to rival Parisian cafes? Australian chocolatier Kirsten Tibballs recommends skipping the powdered stuff and going straight to the block. “Melting some very good quality chocolate pieces is the best way to get a delicious result.” Then, you’ll need to make a ganache. Find out how, here.

Home-made bone broth is inexpensive to make and nourishing to eat.
Home-made bone broth is inexpensive to make and nourishing to eat.Getty Images
Advertisement

Stock up on this nourishing bone broth by Rosheen Kaul

Bone broth has reached the culinary mainstream, and you can now readily find it on supermarket shelves — often with a hefty price tag. Yet, few people realise how simple and affordable it is to make. It’s one of the most nourishing things you can eat, it freezes well and is a fantastic soup base. Convinced? Try Rosheen Kaul’s foolproof homemade bone broth recipe here or use it to make a comforting hot pot.

Carriageworks Farmers Market.
Carriageworks Farmers Market.Jacquie Manning

Carriageworks Winter Seasonal Market returns this weekend

Carriageworks Winter Seasonal Market returns this Saturday June 14 with an abundance of winter produce: think citrus fruits, Jerusalem artichokes and leafy greens, and a live program of events. Alex Elliot-Howery from Cornersmith will show visitors how to make a mushroom broth with dumplings, while Louise Tran from OzHarvest will be giving handy tips on how to cut down on food waste in the kitchen. Held Saturday, June 14 from 8am - 1pm. More details here.

Advertisement

The Download, Friday June 6

Artificer in Surry Hills.
Artificer in Surry Hills.Dion Georgopoulos

Good Food’s Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries guide

While Bill Granger’s legacy of avo on sourdough lives on, Sydney’s cafe scene has changed remarkably since the last time Good Food ran a comprehensive cafe guide way back in 2014. Back then, a good cafe meant good coffee and a sit-down brekkie, but now the definition has expanded to include expertly-made pastries and sandwiches, matcha and Mont Blancs and a diversity of culturally rich and delicious breakfast foods. Good Food’s Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2025, presented by T2, includes more than 100 venues reviewed anonymously across 11 categories including icons, those best for food, tea, coffee and matcha, and where to get the city’s best sweets, sandwiches and baked goods. Find the full list on the Good Food app, where you can search by category or location.

Julie and Josh Niland at the Grand National.
Julie and Josh Niland at the Grand National.
Advertisement

Saint Peter climbs the World’s 50 Best list

One Australian restaurant has been recognised in the longlist of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025. Josh and Julie Niland’s Sydney fish restaurant Saint Peter came in at number 66. It’s a significant jump for the three-hatted Paddington fine-diner, which placed 98th on the list last year. Number 66 is the highest an Australian restaurant has ranked since 2018, when Victoria’s Attica and Brae placed 20th and 58th respectively. Get the details here.

The options for adding your own creativity to zucchini slice are endless.
The options for adding your own creativity to zucchini slice are endless.Steve Brown; STYLING Emma Knowles

Adam Liaw makes zucchini slice even better

The good old zucchini slice has been a lunchbox staple since forever, and with good reason. If you’ve been making it with just zucchini and cheese, you’ll want to try this amped up version by Adam Liaw, which adds cherry tomatoes and thick-cut speck with optional add-ins like pumpkin and broccoli. Find the recipe here, and save it in the Good Food appfor later.

Advertisement
Ready-made pasta sauce is convenient but may leave you wanting more.
Ready-made pasta sauce is convenient but may leave you wanting more.iStock

Five foods that will leave you hungry

We’ve all been there. Despite polishing off a whole meal, you’re still hungry, and already thinking about what you want to eat next. Registered dietitian Rebecca McManamon shares five foods that won’t leave you feeling full – and what you should eat instead. This list includes fatty, sugary and salty foods that encourage passive overconsumption, including shop-bought muesli and low-fat yoghurt and pasta with tomato sauce. Find better alternatives here.

Danielle Alvarez with dancers from NON dance collective.
Danielle Alvarez with dancers from NON dance collective.

This Vivid Sydney dinner pairs dishes by Danielle Alvarez with dance

Advertisement

The Sydney Opera House transforms into one of the city’s most beautiful canvases for Vivid Sydney, but there’s also a lot happening inside. Opera House Events Culinary Director Danielle Alvarez has created a special three-course menu for the festival of lights, inspired by the 2025 theme, “Dream”. Dishes will be paired to an immersive dance experience which will mirror the flow and emotion of the menu. Dance of Dreams with Danielle Alvarez will be held on June 13 & 14 in the Yallamundi Rooms of the Sydney Opera House. Tickets are priced at $329 per person from trippaswhitegroup.com.au.

Le Creuset in Flame Doree.
Le Creuset in Flame Doree.

Le Creuset releases 100th anniversary collection

Le Creuset just celebrated its 100th anniversary, and if its lifetime warranty is correct, those original casserole dishes from 1925 should still be around somewhere. The French cast iron cookware brand already releases several new hues each year, so to mark the occasion, it has taken its iconic Flame-coloured casserole – which was the very first one it ever produced – and added a sparkling sheen. Flamme Dorée is available now from lecreuset.com.au.

The Download: Friday, May 30

Advertisement
The chocolate and Milanese panettone from A.P Bakery.
The chocolate and Milanese panettone from A.P Bakery.

Try A.P Bakery’s entry for the Panettone World Cup

Christmas may be over, but Sydneysiders still have one final, golden opportunity to get their hands on a freshly-baked panettone. A.P Bakery’s pastry chef Simon Veauvy is representing Australia at the Panettone World Cup, and as part of his rigorous training, he’ll be baking two styles of panettone to competition standard at A.P Bakery next week. A limited release of just 50 of each will be available for public pre-order: a traditional Milanese, filled with raisins, candied oranges, lemons and vanilla and a Valrhona chocolate version. Both are priced at $45 each, available for collection from Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 8. Order at apbakery.com.au.

Mitch Orr has been appointed as culinary director at 25hours Hotel The Olympia in Paddington.
Mitch Orr has been appointed as culinary director at 25hours Hotel The Olympia in Paddington.

Mitch Orr named culinary director for Oxford Street hotel

Advertisement

After checking out of the Ace Hotel Sydney late last year, chef Mitch Orr has confirmed he will be joining the team at 25hours Hotel The Olympia in Paddington. Orr will take on the role of culinary director, where he will oversee the direction of its restaurant The Palomar, its bar The Mulwray and its cafe Jacob the Angel. The Palomar will be modelled on its sister restaurant in London which serves Middle Eastern cuisine. Get the details here.

Food for Everyone’s Nigella Lawson series.
Food for Everyone’s Nigella Lawson series.

Sweet deal: Food for Everyone studio sale

That trendy food poster that you’ve been coveting at your mate’s house is finally on sale. Food for Everyone turns recipes by Aussie chefs and icons into unique and affordable artworks. Past collaborations have included Ken Done and Josh Niland, Maggie Beer Mikey Freedom, Julia Busuttil Nishimura, and more. Best of all, for every poster you buy, Food for Everyone donates the equivalent of 10 meals to SecondBite. Shop the 70% off studio sale here.

Hay St Market is now open in Haymarket.
Hay St Market is now open in Haymarket.
Advertisement

Callan Boys reviews the revamped Paddy’s Markets

With nearly 50 new stalls across a 3000-square-metre space with two large bars, has the Hay St Market lived up to expectations? Callan Boys was hoping for a first-rate food hub, something along the lines of Victoria’s Queen Vic, South Melbourne or Prahran market, but what he discovered was something very different. Find his verdict here.

Claypot rice at Soul Dining.
Claypot rice at Soul Dining. Edwina Pickles

Soul Dining launches kimchi tasting menu for Vivid Sydney

If kimchi is a standard condiment in your fridge, you might be interested in hatted restaurant Soul Dining’s new kimchi tasting menu. In collaboration with Jongga, Korea’s No. 1 kimchi brand, Soul Dining has created a six-course tasting menu which includes kimchi in each course, from baked scallops with kimchi butter to sweet potato pastry with kimchi granita. The special menu is available throughout Vivid from Friday 23 May to Saturday 14 June, 2025. Book at souldining.com.au.

Advertisement
Rick and Sarah Stein.
Rick and Sarah Stein.

Rick Stein to open flagship restaurant in Sydney

Sydneysiders currently have to travel to Port Stephens or Mollymook for a meal at a Rick Stein restaurant. Soon, they’ll only need to pop over to Coogee. The British celebrity chef has just announced plans to open a 220-seat restaurant and bar with his wife Sarah Stein within the Intercontinental Sydney Coogee Beach in November. The restaurant, Rick Stein at Coogee Beach, will be a day-long celebration of Australian-caught seafood. Find out what’s on the menu here.

Owner Andrew Becher at Parlar.
Owner Andrew Becher at Parlar.Jude Cohen

Catalan restaurant Parlar shuts in Potts Point

Advertisement

Restaurateur Andrew Becher has closed chefs’ hatted Catalan restaurant Parlar in Potts Point, with plans to open an all-day French food venue called Le Frerot (little brother) in its place. Le Frerot will serve freshly baked boulangerie items and an all-day breakfast, alongside bistro favourites like French onion soup and Gruyere souffle in the evening. Get the details here.

The Download: Friday, May 23

TQM’s yellow facade.
TQM’s yellow facade.Centre House Media

Paddington restaurant forced to repaint facade

When restaurateur Michael Fegent rebooted popular Paddington spot Tequila Mockingbird as an upmarket Venezuelan restaurant, TQM, last month, he hoped to make a splash by painting the facade bright yellow. But the new look drew the attention of Woollahra Council, which has ordered Fegent to repaint the Heeley Street property or risk a $6000 fine. Read his response here.

Advertisement
Olympic Meats proves takeaway food can offer the same level of care as a fine-diner.
Olympic Meats proves takeaway food can offer the same level of care as a fine-diner.Max Mason-Hubers

David Matthews reviews Olympic Meats

The stakes are high in Sydney’s gyros heartland. Olympic Meats opened in Marrickville three months ago, and there have been queues for the spanakopita and flame-licked chicken, pork and lamb ever since. The pita, made on a sourdough starter, is rolled by hand, and filled with pork that’s been spun over coals for five hours. Get David’s verdict here.

Leave two to three hours between eating, Susie Burrell says.
Leave two to three hours between eating, Susie Burrell says. William Meppem

Six simple rules our dietitian swears by

Advertisement

Creating your own “food rules” can be a powerful way to make healthy eating decisions easier, says dietitian Susie Burrell. Rules help reduce decision fatigue, ultimately turning healthy eating into a default habit rather than a daily effort. Some of the rules she shares with her clients include allowing at least two to three hours between eating and avoiding sweet foods during the day. Find the other four here.

Chef Mark LaBrooy plans to sell wallaby pies and meatballs made from boar and wallaby.
Chef Mark LaBrooy plans to sell wallaby pies and meatballs made from boar and wallaby.

Mark LaBrooy to open a wild game pizzeria

Former Three Blue Ducks co-owner Mark LaBrooy is opening Australia’s first wild game butcher and pizza shop in Woonona, just north of Wollongong, this spring. The venue will serve wallaby pies and wild boar dim sims, while a pizza oven will pump out a wild meat lovers’ pizza, topped with house-made wild meat salami. Get the details here.

Hollywood Quarter will be a hub of activity during Vivid Sydney.
Hollywood Quarter will be a hub of activity during Vivid Sydney.
Advertisement

Vivid returns to Sydney with food-filled lineup

Sydney’s annual festival of light, music, ideas and food is back with an American-inspired diner by rock star vegan chef Shannon Martinez (complete with a roller-skating rink) and two street parties in Sydney’s Hollywood Quarter. If you missed out on tickets to Nigella, two other London-based chefs are in town with remarkable dining experiences of their own. Check out the jam-packed food program here.

An easy midweek pasta dish that riffs on the flavours of Turkish manti dumplings.
An easy midweek pasta dish that riffs on the flavours of Turkish manti dumplings.Steve Brown

Viral Turkish pasta recipe

Remember when everyone on TikTok was making Turkish pasta? If you didn’t jump on board the trend, you can now with this quick and easy lamb pasta recipe, inspired by flavours of manti (Turkish dumplings). It’s tangy, garlicky, and sure to impress the entire family.

Advertisement
Artichoke cutlery rest from Pepite.
Artichoke cutlery rest from Pepite.

Under the knife

Cutlery rests aren’t exactly essential dinnerware, but they are a charming way to dress up a table – and keep sauce-covered spoons from staining your linens. These beautiful handpainted ceramic vegetables by French artist Patricia Sardy were imagined as cutlery rests, but also serve as small sculptures or placeholders. There’s artichoke, radish, purple asparagus and more. Find them at pepite.com.au.

Serving suggestion: Don’t skip the basil pistou in this tomato, sausage and lentil soup.
Serving suggestion: Don’t skip the basil pistou in this tomato, sausage and lentil soup.William Meppem

Warm up with this cosy Italian-style soup

Advertisement

It’s been a cold, wet week in Sydney – and there’s nothing for it but a slow-simmering pot of soup. To kick off the season, try Danielle Alvarez’s pork sausage and tomato soup, which is packed with garlic and chilli to warm you up, while the lentils make it hearty and nourishing. Or, find other soup recipes here and save your favourites on the Good Food app.

The Download: Friday, May 16

Braised winter melon with smoked almond cream and chilli oil.
Braised winter melon with smoked almond cream and chilli oil.Jennifer Soo

Callan Boys reviews Yan in Wolli Creek

Good Food reviewer Callan Boys finally makes it to Yan, a modern (mostly) Chinese restaurant, located on the ground floor of a high-density, grey-on-white apartment block, in Wolli Creek. What he discovers is “damn good value”. Find out why this humble suburban bolthole is worth a visit here.

Advertisement
Sauce Brewing Co in Marrickville is part of the Inner West Country Fest.
Sauce Brewing Co in Marrickville is part of the Inner West Country Fest.

Hot ticket: Inner West Country Fest

Saddle up! The Inner West Country Fest is on again this weekend with a mix of events, parties, barbecues and hoe downs spread across three weekends in May. Highlights include a Texan barbecue at Wildflower (May 18), a boot scootin’ bash at Wayward Brewing Co (May 18), and a country cookout with Mitch Orr at Future Brewing (May 24). Get the full details here.

This Thai-inspired green curry-flavoured chicken dish comes together quickly.
This Thai-inspired green curry-flavoured chicken dish comes together quickly.James Moffatt

Curry in a hurry: speedy takeaway swaps

Advertisement

Meal planning for next week? Or stuck for inspiration and reaching for the takeout menu? These 15 home-made curries are tasty, affordable alternatives to ordering in – and quicker too. You can also save your favourites for later on the Good Food app.

Hoisin duck buns and dumplings at Sabrosa Dim Sum House.
Hoisin duck buns and dumplings at Sabrosa Dim Sum House.

The best places to eat and drink in Noosa

There’s more to Noosa than seafood pasta in a crisp, white dining room. Good Food app editor Erina Starkey ventures off the main tourist strip of Hastings Street to discover the best places to eat and drink, from a Hong Kong-inspired dumpling bar to a wood-fired Mexican restaurant with river views. Get the details here.

Water-filled jars, vases and crocks can be used to keep vegetables such as celery fresh.
Water-filled jars, vases and crocks can be used to keep vegetables such as celery fresh.Rochelle Eagle
Advertisement

Household items that will make your food last longer

Hold on to your jam jars and take stock of old tea towels. These eco-savvy hacks from writer and sustainability educator Anna Matilda, aka the Urban Nanna, will stretch the storage life of your favourite foods without wrecking the planet. Did you know that wrapping a damp tea towel around leafy greens will keep them fresh for a week or more? Get more tips here.

Prawn laksa made with dairy milk at The Malaya.
Prawn laksa made with dairy milk at The Malaya. Edwina Pickles

Good Food reviews reborn Malaysian institution The Malaya

Beloved family-run restaurant The Malaya has served Sydney since 1963. Now, third-generation siblings Duan and Isabella Wong are continuing their family legacy at slick new digs near Circular Quay. Good Food reviewer Kevin Cheng says the chicken satay is some of the most tender in town. Find out the two dishes you must order here.

Advertisement
A scene from The Golden Spurtle.
A scene from The Golden Spurtle.Sydney Film Festival

Porridge documentary lands at Sydney Film Festival

Rolled oats take centre stage in new documentary The Golden Spurtle, directed by Constantine Costi, as part of this year’s Sydney Film Festival. Set at the World Porridge Making Championship in Carrbridge, the film follows the rivals vying for the top prize – including reigning champion Lisa, seven-time finalist Nick (a health food aficionado), and contenders from Canada, the Netherlands, as well as Australia’s own Toby Wilson from Rico’s Tacos in Sydney. Turns out porridge is more interesting than you thought. Check the dates here.

Chuncho Drinking Cacao by Loco Love.
Chuncho Drinking Cacao by Loco Love.

Loco Love launch specialty hot chocolate

Advertisement

There’s a new entry in the world of posh hot chocolate. Byron Bay-based chocolatier Loco Love has released Chuncho Drinking Cacao – a gold-wrapped sun disc that dissolves into a deliciously rich, slightly bitter brew. It’s made from Chuncho Urusayhua, an heirloom Peruvian cacao bean that’s prized for its complex flavour profile, which includes cinnamon, cognac, sweet fruity wine and toffee. Set yourself up for winter here.

One-pan Mediterranean chicken with red capsicum and olives.
One-pan Mediterranean chicken with red capsicum and olives.Sarah Pound

Simple midweek meals that also happen to be dairy free

Whether you’re cutting back on dairy for health reasons or just keen to explore new flavours, these meals by nutritionist Sarah Pound strike a perfect balance, offering satisfying richness and good nutrition without any cream or cheese. The recipes include one-pan Mediterranean chicken, pumpkin and zucchini curry and chicken and corn noodle soup. Get the recipes here and save your favourites in the Good Food app.

Naturellement food and wine festival.
Naturellement food and wine festival.
Advertisement

Hot ticket: Naturellement at Ettalong Beach

Natty, lo-fi, wild, whatever you like to call it, they’ll be pouring it at Naturellement wine festival, held at Ettalong Beach on the Central Coast this weekend (May 17-18). The annual glugfest by drinks guru and P&V Merchants owner Mike Bennie and events specialist Kristy Austin, will offer 120 wines for tasting, plus snacks by top Aussie chefs Alanna Sapwell-Stone, Matt Stone and Jake Kellie. Tickets are still available at humanitix.com.

The download: Friday, May 9

Cafe Cressida in Woollahra.
Cafe Cressida in Woollahra. Jennifer Soo

Callan Boys reviews Cafe Cressida in Woollahra

Advertisement

Despite his personal feelings on brunch, Good Food’s national restaurant editor Callan Boys reviewed Cafe Cressida this week – the all-day cafe from Ursula chef-owner Phil Wood and partner Lis Davies. The menu includes carrot cake muffins, dippy eggs, and a crab omelette with XO sauce, but it’s the congee (among other dishes) that convinces Callan to come back. Find out what Callan scored it here.

Tuna and kingfish crudo.
Tuna and kingfish crudo.William Meppem

Adam Liaw’s most underrated and overrated foods

Where do kingfish carpaccio, hot dogs, caviar, and burgers sit on Adam Liaw’s scale of great to yeah, nah mate? Not where you might expect. Recipe writer and Good Food contributor Adam Liaw has come down hard on some of the country’s most popular foods, calling burgers “all the same” and “kinda mid”. So, what does he think about bread and butter? Find out here.

The combination of crunch and big flavours makes Bill Granger’s sweetcorn fritters a winner.
The combination of crunch and big flavours makes Bill Granger’s sweetcorn fritters a winner.Mikkel Vang
Advertisement

Bill Granger’s sweetcorn fritters recipe now on Good Food

The queues at bills will be particularly long this Sunday – good thing you made a reservation. And if you didn’t, well, Mum would probably prefer her breakfast in bed anyway. This week, we shared the recipe for the ultimate brunch dish – Bill Granger’s sweetcorn fritters. Customise it with Mum’s favourite sides, from roast tomatoes and avocado salsa to fresh spinach and crispy bacon.

The staple beef burger at Hi Hi Burger.
The staple beef burger at Hi Hi Burger. Alan Benson

Bourke Street Bakery opens smash burger joint

One of Sydney’s best pie shops is now selling burgers. Bourke Street Bakery co-founder Paul Allam has launched new smash burger joint Hi Hi in Bondi Junction. The menu is simple and affordable with the signature beef burger – topped with American cheese, pickles and special sauce − coming in at just $7.90, making it cheaper than a Big Mac (at some locations).

Advertisement
Maison Margiela Afternoon Delight perfume smells of freshly baked madeleines. 
Maison Margiela Afternoon Delight perfume smells of freshly baked madeleines. 

A Mother’s Day perfume that smells of madeleines

Perfume ranks high on the list of great Mother’s Day gifts, but not every mum adores the scent of J’adore. For mums that prefer pastries to peonies, French fashion house Maison Margiela has released Afternoon Delight, a perfume inspired by the aroma of warm madeleines – those cute little clam-shaped cakes you find at French bakeries. The scent is sweet and light, with woody notes of sandalwood whipped with bitter almond, Madagascan vanilla and musk. Available in a 100ml EDT ($240) or a 165g candle ($112) from mecca.com.

Bar Planet Velo cocktail is made with A.P Bakery baguette and buttered cognac. 
Bar Planet Velo cocktail is made with A.P Bakery baguette and buttered cognac. Dexter Kim

Bar Planet launches baguette and butter cocktail

Advertisement

Bar Planet in Newtown has teamed up with A.P Bakery to create a baguette cocktail, made with a baguette syrup crafted from real A.P loaves, mixed with buttered cognac, lemon and salt. The carby concoction is part of Bar Planet’s new cocktail menu, BFF, which features collaborations with other inner west friends, including Carriageworks’ rooftop hives and Goldstreet Dairy.

Many snack bars are more like a chocolate bar than a wholesome muesli bar.
Many snack bars are more like a chocolate bar than a wholesome muesli bar.iStock

Are ‘healthy’ supermarket foods actually good for you?

The supermarket’s “health food” aisle is expanding, while more everyday products are being marketed for their health benefits. But how good are they for us, really? Leading dietitian Susie Burrell exposes the low-carb snack bars, vegie chips and supermarket dips that are anything but.

Sunflower dip.
Sunflower dip.Edwina Pickles
Advertisement

Myffy Rigby reviews Hungarian restaurant Corner 75

Last year, Jean-Paul El Tom, Alex Kelly (Marrickville’s Baba’s Place) and Sixpenny’s Dan Puskas teamed up to buy Randwick’s 40-year-old Hungarian restaurant Corner 75. Now, it’s ready for diners to experience. Good Food reviewer Myffy Rigby took her mate’s dad, Robert, on a recent visit. He’s Hungarian and has been eating at Corner 75 since the 𝄒70s. Here’s what they thought.

Adam Liaw’s pear and banana loaf.
Adam Liaw’s pear and banana loaf. William Meppem

Mother’s Day banana cake, loaf and bread recipes

Turn sweet, ripe bananas into a gift or a treat to share with Mum using one of our recipes for banana cake, loaf or bread. You can also save your favourites on the Good Food app to add to your Mother’s Day menu this Sunday.

Advertisement

The download: Friday, May 2

Nagi Maehashi aka RecipeTin Eats (left) and Brooke Bellamy of Brooki Bakehouse.
Nagi Maehashi aka RecipeTin Eats (left) and Brooke Bellamy of Brooki Bakehouse.Rob Palmer; supplied

RecipeTin Eats vs Brooki Bellamy

Oven mitts were off this week, as RecipeTin Eats founder Nagi Maehashi called out Penguin Books and author Brooke Bellamy for allegedly plagiarising her caramel slice and baklava recipes in her best-selling cookbook Baking with Brooki. Now, two new recipes are in question: a vanilla cake by Sally McKenney of Sally’s Baking and Bill Granger’s Portuguese tarts. But is there really such a thing as stealing a recipe? Cookbook author and former intellectual property lawyer Adam Liaw weighs in. Meanwhile, Maehashi sat down in an exclusive interview with Good Food.

Hot beef sandwich at A.P Quay.
Hot beef sandwich at A.P Quay. Janie Barrett
Advertisement

The A.P team open new sandwich joint

The A.P Bakery stores just keep piling up, with the latest iteration in Circular Quay specialising in hot sandwiches. The team has flown over a French Rotisol spit to spin their fennel, lemon and garlic porchetta and spice-rubbed spatchcock, both served stuffed into A.P Bakery bread. The menu also includes a hot beef sandwich with horseradish cream and salsa verde, and a vego-friendly version filled with pumpkin and portobello mushroom. Find out which one Good Food liked best.

New Venezuelan restaurant TQM.
New Venezuelan restaurant TQM.Centre House Media

Sydney gets a new Venezuelan restaurant

Mexican eatery Tequila Mockingbird will make way for new Latin American restaurant TQM. Owner Michael Fegent says it will be the “first high-end restaurant in Sydney doing Venezuelan food”. The two-storey terrace in Paddington has been given a canary yellow paint job, inspired by the Venezuela flag. The menu will riff on the sort of dishes you can eat by the beach, like fried fish with shredded cabbage, carrot salad, and green plantain tostones.

Advertisement
One-pan rosemary chicken and potatoes.
One-pan rosemary chicken and potatoes.William Meppem

Our most popular recipes of April

Adam Liaw’s one-pan chicken and potato recipe might just be the perfect midweek meal. Less than six ingredients? Tick. Crowd-pleasing? Tick. Budget friendly? Tick, tickety tick. Find it, plus more dinner inspiration, in our wrap-up of the top recipes in April.

Flora in Newtown awarded a hat

All-day vegetarian eatery Flora by the Continental Deli crew has been awarded a hat by Good Food reviewer Lee Tran Lam. Owner Elvis Abrahanowicz and head chef Jude Hughes have co-authored some ingenious creations, says Lam, including brussels sprouts and potato pierogi, and durum casarecce pasta with mushroom bolognese and ricotta salata.

Advertisement
The house pickles at Flora.
The house pickles at Flora. Steven Siewert

Pipit to pop-up at The Brooklet

Two-hatted restaurant Pipit in Pottsville is bringing its sustainably driven set menu to its Northern River neighbour The Brooklet hotel in Byron Bay this month. Pipit chef-owner Ben Devlin will set up shop in The Brooklet’s wood-fired kitchen and bar serving a combination of signature dishes and new creations to just ten guests per sitting. The menu will include a roasted mud crab with macadamia tofu and an apple and strawberry gum tarte tatin. Bookings available Saturdays and Sundays from May 31-August 3.

On the Good Food app, you can save all of your favourite recipes and restaurants in one easy place.
On the Good Food app, you can save all of your favourite recipes and restaurants in one easy place.

Save your favourite recipes on the Good Food app

No more dog-earing your recipe books. The Good Food app has launched a new saved function which allows you to compile all your favourite recipes in one easy place. Simply click the bookmark icon to save then head to the Saved page on the navigation panel to view. The Good Food app is home to over 10,000 recipes from Australia’s top chefs including Nagi Maehashi, Adam Liaw, Helen Goh, Neil Perry, Karen Martini, Emelia Jackson and more.

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up
Erina StarkeyErina StarkeyErina is the Good Food App Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Previously, Erina held a number of editing roles at delicious.com.au and writing roles at Broadsheet and Concrete Playground.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/sydney-eating-out/the-download-everything-you-need-to-eat-drink-make-and-book-this-week-20250403-p5lp0c.html