Gimlet, Melbourne
SYDNEY
With a touch of normality returning to the Harbour City comes a suite of new openings.
Sekka in St Leonards has former Ichibandori chef Hideto Suzuki cooking down a rich 15-hour-cooked tonkotsu broth and snacks inspired by his hometown of the Akita Prefecture; while Surry Hills has welcomed slick new charcoal chicken shop Henrietta, from the crew behind the nearby Nour.
Sydneysiders love of Italian continues, as the CBD scores a new small-scale trattoria Restaurant Leo in Angel Place by LuMi Dining’s Federico Zanellato and Oscillate Wildly’s Karl Firla; while Maurice Terzini’s CicciaBella is set to open in Parramatta come September. Also, longstanding Italian favourites are set to reopen after longer post-Covid closures, including Icebergs Dining Room and Bar (August 1), Darlinghurst’s A Tavola (August 5), while Ormeggio has reopened with a totally refreshed interior and a dedicated gelato bar. Paddington’s Saint Peter has reset its experience, with two new lunch and dinner menus, and a fully redesigned dining room.
Aria has also announced it will transform part of its restaurant into a wine bar, showcasing its hefty cellar with a wine list curated by Alex Kirkwood, accompanied by snacks from head chef Joel Bickford. No reservation required.
MELBOURNE
As we go to print, Melbourne has returned to lockdown. We salute the new venues that have managed to open and reopen despite trying times. This includes Chibog, a Filipino restaurant in West Footscray, which has had to bounce between being closed and open, yet is still serving up crisp sisig and warming bowls of kansi to take away.
Other openings (albeit brief) include
Gimlet (Andrew McConnell’s latest Eurobistro-bar within Cavendish House), cafe Maverick (the first taste of new 80 Collins food precinct) and Tacos y Liquor (Igni chef Aaron Turner’s red-hot taco stop in Geelong), which are all posed to reopen on the other side of lockdown. Also, chef-restaurateur Scott Pickett has taken ownership of Longrain, and is set to work with the existing team to celebrate long-standing signature dishes and create new ones too.
ADELAIDE
Shosho is the new sister restaurant to Shôbôsho by Adam Liston at the old Joybird site. Yumi Nagaya is on the pans with a focus on tempura and dumplings.
The Summertown Aristologist has also opened its own cellar door and mini larder, a pipeline plan that finally came to fruition during lockdown.
Ready to depart reality with some immersive art? The Queensland Art Gallery is open and the Gallery of Modern Art will reopen on Friday 7 August with free timedentry tickets.
Truff dog millionaire
Wild Food Adventures is bringing its annual truffle forage back to the NSW’s Southern Highlands. On the day-long jaunt, you’ll wander through iles and robur oak trees to watch Zazu the truffle dog (pictured) sniff out the black gold. The forage is followed by a lunch in the old homestead on the property, with a three-course truffle-inspired, Italian-leaning menu from chef Stefano Marvello, accompanied by four coolclimate wines. $175 per person, Saturday August 1 & 8. wildfoodadventures.com.au