Broadsheet Melbourne: Around Town

Simon Denman and Almay Jordaan know how to create venues that last. The co-owners of north-side favourites Neighbourhood Wine, Old Palm Liquor and Bahama Gold have a knack for designing spaces that quickly become local favourites with warmth, cracking wine and simple, seasonal food.  Simon joins  Around Town  to discuss how their venues have  evolved in a changing Melbourne dining landscape and th...

Pia Miranda first broke onto our screens in 2000 as a strong-willed teenager in the much-adored feature film Looking for Alibrandi . Since her iconic portrayal of Josephine Alibrandi, Pia has appeared in numerous films and TV series, including a triumphant season on Survivor . This month, Pia will be releasing her first book, Finding My Bella Vita , which takes readers from a small volcanic island...

Beloved craft brewery Bridge Road Brewers has opened a 350-capacity outpost in Melbourne's north, offering 30 taps, two bars and a jet-setting menu of crowd-pleasers. And it’s a working brewery, too, which means all of the Bridge Road favourites, plus site-exclusive special releases. Plus, a  nostalgic cafe and general store inside a former butcher shop, run by two sisters who grew up across the s...

A retro-tinged “surf-club” hotel by the team behind a Bali cool-kid hang, an outpost of New York harbinger of good times The Standard and a wave-shaped hotel with a rooftop bar are all in Australia’s near future. Broadsheet's Michael Harry joins  Around Town  to chat about the upcoming hotels he can’t wait to check in to – and check out. Featured on today's episode:  Calile The Standard  Shangri-L...

"Bread is like a sport: you have to practice every day if you want to go to the olympics".  There was a time when bread and butter was free at many Melbourne restaurants. Those days are long gone, with venues charging anywhere between $3 and $12 a serve. Broadsheet contributor Sasha Murray has crossed the city to try the starter in all its iterations (puffy, woodfired flatbread; stacks of fluffy f...

Winter pop-up restaurant Kafeneion will remain open until the end of December after captivating Melbourne diners with its hearty, home-style Greek food- not to mention the backroom ouzo and backgammon sessions. Plus, a new ’70s-style speakeasy in South Melbourne that looks like your grandparents’ lounge room.  Featured on today's episode:  Kafeneion Bar Hiccup   New episodes of Broadsheet Melbourn...

Nala co-founder Chloe de Winter was sick of Victoria’s Secret-style underwear and marketing, so she launched her own Australian underwear label. Her vibrant, eco-friendly underwear for women and non-binary people, with cup sizes that run to 24E, has quickly earned a legion of fans.  Featured on today's episode:  Nala New episodes of Broadsheet Melbourne Around Town drop Monday, Wednesday, Friday e...

An al fresco favourite has taken over the mid-century building next door, doubling the size of its rooftop in the process. Now, nearly 400 punters can enjoy a dedicated Martini menu, smoked brisket party pies, and brews and cocktails from 40 taps. Plus, the sun is back in town and so is Arbory Afloat. And this year, it’s drawing inspiration from Mexico and the vibrant colours of Guadalajara, Oaxac...

Come to the former Tanaka shopfront for rigatoni doused in rich Napoli-style ragu, Italo-disco tunes and a yarn with “Melbourne’s youngest nonnas.” Get in while you can, though – Super Norma is due to shut up shop later this month. Plus, Ruben’s Deli brings a slice of New York to the south side with an ex-Cutler and Co chef on board.  Featured on today's episode:  Rubens Super Norma  New episodes...

The line-up for this year’s Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Regional Edition, which runs from November 10 to 19, has just dropped, and it’s an absolute cracker. This year’s highlights include a weekend-long coastal party in Inverloch, two simultaneous editions of the World’s Longest Lunch, and even an underground feast at Sovereign Hill. MFWF's Artistic Director, Pat Nourse, joins  Around Town ...

When Nic Pestalozzi, Nathan Dalah and Casper Ettelson launched Fishbowl in 2016, the trio were still at university. Seven years later,   with 40 stores under their belt across three Aussie states, Fishbowl’s signature mix of fresh produce and bold Japanese flavours has been a runaway success. Nic joins  Around Town  to discuss growing a brand that still feels local, overseas expansion and launchin...

Josh Niland has been a game changer in the way Australia thinks about fish. Passionate about seafood sustainability, the groundbreaking chef has pioneered practices that use as much of the fish as possible, beyond just the fillet. These innovative techniques are now laid out in his new book Fish Butchery , both a collection of recipes and a guide to cooking with intention. Josh joins  Around Town ...

The Courthouse North Melbourne is a historic building. Originally built in 1857, the storied old pub lived many lives before the team behind Naughtons Hotel reopened it in 2023. The front bar has that classic old-school pub feel, perfect for casual drinking and watching AFL, while the backbar is good for bigger groups. A record player has pride of place in the front bar next to a collection of vin...

Since its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Celine Song's first feature film Past Lives has already made her the focus of Oscar-talk, and one of the most sought-after screenwriters and directors in the industry. Broadsheet's Audrey Payne joins  Around Town to discuss her recent interview with Song. Plus, Brunswick’s Lunar by Hikari brews Japanese pour-overs in a moody dining room.  F...

By creating a platform for buyers to browse and buy artworks at accessible pricepoints, the annual Affordable Art Fair challenges the assumption that the art world has to be intimidating and expensive. This time it’s taking place at the Royal Exhibition Building where Melbournians can shop thousands of artworks from emerging and established artists, priced between $100 and $10,000. Plus, a new 70s...

Melbourne’s That's Amore Cheese has been crafting traditional Italian cheeses for both the city’s top restaurants and formaggio-loving members of the public since 2008. This year, the cheesemaker is celebrating 15 years since founder and Sicilian native Giorgio Linguanti launched That’s Amore Cheese to bring the traditional Italian cheeses of his homeland to his adopted city. Giorgio joins  Around...

Nathan Toleman has a new CBD cafe. After branching into the wine bar and restaurant world with Dessous, Hazel and Liminal, the man who was a key figure in the Melbourne cafe renaissance of the early 2010s opened Square One Rialto on Monday August 21.The ambitious new concept sees him collaborating with a series of local and international chefs on dishes designed specifically for the Rialto Towers...

The City of Melbourne is hosting a massive new festival, with events taking place in nightlife spots, historic buildings, city streets and more. Called Now or Never, the event will feature a multi-sensory dining experience by Supernormal, music festivals inside the Royal Exhibition Building, a pop-up 360-degree dome cinema and culminate in 48-hours of non-stop programming. Lord Mayor Sally Capp jo...

Comedy trio Sooshi Mango have played to sold-out arenas and garnered millions of views online but their latest venture might be their most exciting: a Lygon street eatery that looks and tastes like nonna's house.  Featured on today's episode:  Johnny Vince and Sam's New episodes of Broadsheet Melbourne Around Town drop Monday, Wednesday, Friday each week. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure y...

Julieanne Blum was the head chef at Cam Miller’s Abbotsford Convent wine bar and cafe Cam’s Kiosk for six years. Now, she’s getting ready to open Julie, a new 80-seat restaurant around the corner from the wine bar in the former Lentil as Anything space. The frequently changing menu will include dishes like roast chicken, pasta with octopus ragu and bronze fennel and grilled ox heart with borlotti...

This spring, venues along High Street will host a huge line-up of bands and DJs, a record label expo, a dog parade and more. The Eighty-Six will feature a free 22-hour program across 40 venues, and a street party by 1800 Lasagne. 1800's co-owner Joey Kellock and the festival's artistic director Woody McDonald join Around Town  in the studio with the details.  Featured on today's episode:  The Eigh...

Many are calling it the opening of the year. Magnificent, resplendent, palatial, ornate – no number of adjectives really do justice to the Nomad Group’s stately new restaurant Reine. The team has taken over the aptly named Cathedral Room inside the former Melbourne Stock Exchange, a neo-gothic building at the corner of Queen and Collins streets, completed in 1891. The opulent heritage space featur...

Melbourne Central's CDMX only opened last September, but the venue quickly gained a reputation as one of Melbourne’s top Mexican eateries. CDMX is known for its birria taco – a grilled corn tortilla filled with birria-braised beef brisket, salsa, coriander, onion and melted cheese, and served with a birria consommé. (The long, gooey cheese pull when you bite in has also lured fans). Now, the fan-f...

Owner-chef Helly Raichura started out hosting 10-person degustations at her Box Hill home  before running out-of-town pop-ups. After amassing a waitlist in the thousands (demand exploded after she appeared as a guest judge on Masterchef in 2020), Enter Via Laundry found its permanent home in Carlton North in 2022.Helly joins  Around Town  to chat inspiration, fine dining in a cost of living crisis...

On a dark and rainy Saturday in Melbourne, Nick Connellan, Broadsheet's Publications Director, is en route to a gig when an unwelcome detour dishes a mind-blowing culinary encounter.  Featured on today's episode:  Sonny's Fried Chicken and Burgers New episodes of Broadsheet Melbourne Around Town drop Monday, Wednesday, Friday each week. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an ep...