The Top 10 ways to enjoy Australia like a gastronome

Visit a gin distillery inspired by Tasmania’s wild rivers and truffle-hunt with dogs called Simba and Nala. But not until you’ve sampled Adelaide’s thriving bar scene and swung by Kitchen by Mike’s new airport outpost: wining and dining in Australia this year is as dynamic as ever.

1. Check out Adelaide’s thriving small bar scene

Adelaide used to be the place where cool bars went to die. But no longer, because some of Australia’s best bars are now in the South Australian capital – you just have to know where to find them.

Maybe May Bar Cocktails Adelaide — Cute and intimate bar Maybe Mae will serve you great cocktails and great vibes all round.

We love cute-as-a-button bar Maybe Mae (15 Peel Street, Adelaide) for gorgeous cocktails and a Mad Men-in-Copenhagen interior.

Pink Moon Saloon is a lesson in refinement, with its steeply angled roof and walls squeezed into a laneway’s width, like Tokyo’s Shinjuku Golden Gai redefined for southern climes.

Stop in for a Rhubarb Iced Tea cocktail and consider yourself the embodiment of chic.

Mother Vine Adelaide Wine — Check out Adelaide’s ever growing bar scene, and grab a nice wine at Mother Vine.

Maybe a wine is what you’re after, though? No problem – head to Mother Vine for a huge variety of wines by the glass that are as lovingly selected as they are delicious.

2. Try Long Chim chef David Thompson’s top five dishes

Where: Long Chim; Perth, Sydney and Melbourne

Sydney-born David Thompson was the first chef to be awarded a Michelin star for Thai cuisine at his London restaurant Nahm, and over the past year-and-a-half he has opened three restaurants in his home country: Long Chim in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.

Restaurant food Sydney Perth Melbourne — Long Chim restaurant is open in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne (photo: Nikki To).

Here, he shares his favourite dishes to enjoy on the menu now, and to look forward to in the future.

Grilled Pork: Simple and smoky and fragrant, marinated in soy and garlic and grilled over charcoal and coconut.

Guay jap: Rolled Noodle Soup with five-Spice and Braised Pork. A rich and comforting dish.

Sen gati: coconut rice noodles with prawn, pork and yellow beans. The coconut noodles are nutty, sweet and riddled with prawns, pork and bean sprouts.

Plaa dtat dtiaw: sun-dried trevally with green mango. The semi-dried fish with fish sauce is deep fried and covered with green mango, chillies, mint and lime.

Rin’s thai tea ice-cream: The tea ice-cream is made with Thai tea and condensed milk – nothing more needs to be said about it, other than that it’s a compulsory dish with which to finish the meal.

3. Go for dinner at a world-class restaurant, for a fraction of the price

Where: Momofuku Seiōbo, Sydney, NSW

The best dish on the $185 dego at Sydney’s Momofuku Seiōbo is also available at the bar… for $8. It’s called ‘busted’ roti.

Momofuku restaurant Sydney — Busted roti with onion dip and muntries from Momofuku.

It’s based on the Trinidadian dish ‘buss-up shut’ (‘busted-up shirt’): a heaving mess of butter-drenched, crisp and soft, blistered and melting, stretchy paratha.

Order this and a glass of skin contact wine and enjoy a world-class dinner for under $30.

4. Drink more gin

Where: Southern Wild Distillery, Devonport, TAS

What are you drinking if you’re not drinking gin? It’s the hottest spirit of the moment and there are some excellent choices out there, many of which are coming out of Australian distilleries.

Southern Wild Distillery Tasmania Gi — Drink more gin at Southern Wild Distillery in Devonport, Tasmania (photo: Jason Loucas).

Southern Wild Distillery in Tasmania has released a range of three gins inspired by local rivers Dasher and Fisher.

They’re called Mountain, Meadow and Ocean and each tell a story about the spectacular landscape surrounding the distillery.

You can buy it online, but we recommend visiting the distillery in person to get the full experience. (And a hot tip for cooler months – try mixing your gin with Sin-kō-nah , a delicious and complex botanical tonic syrup, but warm it up first. It’s the Antipodes’ very own hot toddy.)

5. Eat amazing plane food

Where: Kitchen By Mike, Sydney Airport, NSW

Kitchen by Mike has opened its doors at Sydney Airport, within the T1 international terminal.

Kitchen by Mike Sydney Airport Food — Kitchen by Mike has opened in T1 International Airport in Sydney.

You can Check out Mike McEnearney’s healthy-eating, canteen-style fare by ‘dining in’, or picking up one of his customisable ‘Fly By Mike’ tray-packs to eat on the plane.

6. Go to Melbourne’s hottest new bar

Where: Longsong, Melbourne, VIC

Longsong is opening above Longrain in Melbourne this winter.

Hospitality royalty John and Lisa van Haandel are behind the project, and they’ve brought along David Moyle of Hobart’s celebrated Franklin restaurant to run the food.

With a Thai-style grill and Australian-focused drinks list – most of which will be served out of kegs or barrels – this is set to be the place to be as the temperatures plummet.

7. Go vego for the night

Where: Yellow, Sydney, NSW

Yellow in Sydney’s Potts Point has long been lauded for its vegetarian options. But last year, head chef and co-owner Brent Savage relaunched the restaurant’s dinner menu as 100 per cent vegetarian.

Yellow Sydney Potts Point — Press Curd, Charred Leek and Black Garlic dish from Yellow in Sydney.

Try dynamic dishes from its tasting menu – like curd, charred leek and black garlic – and you’ll see that vegetables can be just as delicious as any meat dish.

8. Visit a natural winery

Where: Harkham Winery, Hunter Valley, NSW

Find out what natural wine is all about at Harkham Winery in the Hunter Valley.

Spend the day sampling the wines at the cellar door (don’t miss the seriously interesting shiraz and zesty semillon) then (if it’s a weekend) pop into the pop-up restaurant next door for a laid-back dinner of Latino-style street food as the sun sets, before heading off to bed at the on-site accommodation.

9. Get all your favourite treats at one giant bake-sale

Where: Flour Market, Sydney, NSW, and Melbourne, VIC

You know all those artisan sweet treats that pepper your Instagram feed and fire up your appetite? Like Andy Bowdy’s crazy cake creations, Shortstop’s doughnuts and Butterbing’s gluten-free cookie sandwiches? Well at Flour Market they’re all in one place.The festivals take place throughout the year in Sydney and Melbourne. Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date.

10. Go truffle hunting

Where: The Truffle Farm, Canberra, ACT

It turns out that truffles grow extraordinarily well in Canberra. The Truffle Farm opened in 2016 and it’s so much more than a rustic homestead.

Go on a truffle hunt with truffle dogs Nala, Samson, Willow, Simba, Bear and Max and return to the farm for a deluxe truffle tasting.

Or go even more luxe after your hunt by heading to the warmth of the truffle shed for a six-course degustation prepared by ex-Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa executive chef Damian Brabender.

Torquay’s Bells Beach is considered one of the best surf beaches in the world.

It’d be easy to think Australian surf culture was born around the right-hand point breaks of the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. These regions seem the epitome of how the world views Aussie surfers – bronzed (or burnt), languishing in warm water and sunshine. The reality is a lot different.

The rise of surf culture along Victoria’s coastline

surfers at Bells Beach in Australia — Surfers stand on the shore at Bells Beach, where the country’s biggest surfing competition is held each year. (Image: Getty/Filed Image)

True Aussie surf culture was born on the chilly waves of Victoria’s winters, when huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean hit cliff-lined beaches along the Great Ocean Road . These beaches were the ultimate proving ground – surfers from all over Australia arrived in panel vans and VWs to do battle with the biggest waves they could find.

Surfers take advantage of the huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

There are surf breaks all along this very picturesque coast – but those around Torquay were most revered. The ultimate test of a surfer’s ability – and durability – however, was Bells Beach: Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. Just beyond, the breaks at Jan Juc and Winkipop beckoned.

an aerial view of surfers at Bells Beach — Hit the waves along the picturesque coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Torquay became surfing’s Silicon Valley: HQ for the entire Australian surf culture revolution. Four young locals worked out of their backyards in Torquay to create two of the world’s biggest surf labels – Rip Curl and Quiksilver , which soon became the region’s biggest employers.

surfers out at Bells Beach — Surfers out at Bells Beach, Victoria’s most famous beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

Rip Curl started sponsoring the Bells Beach Pro in 1973 – and have done ever since. It’s been going since 1962 – making it the world’s longest continually run surfing contest. Held every Easter, it’s part of the world surfing tour. Spectators line its 30-metre-high cliffs to watch the world’s best take on enormous waves – it’s the ultimate coliseum for the sport and has inspired generations of Aussie surfers to join the list of heroes whose names are on its iconic bell.

Follow the waves through Victoria’s surfing heartland

Australian National Surfing Museum, Torquay — The Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Just behind Torquay’s main drag, you can see all that history on display at the world’s best surf museum – the Australian National Surfing Museum . Here you can take your time absorbing the 100-year-or-so history of Australian surfing and check out the 150-strong surfboard collection.

surfboards on display at Australian National Surfing Museum — The museum holds surfing memorabilia, including a room dedicated to the history of boards. (Image: Tourism Australia)

But classic Aussie surf culture can be observed in everyday life all over the Great Ocean Road and Torquay. Surfing dictates life here; no work is done until the big swells have come and gone. Just being here provides a window into 60-odd years of rebellion against convention; for no-one likes nine-to-five living on the Great Ocean Road.

surfing memorabilia at Australian National Surfing Museum — The varied displays celebrate the Bells Beach competition, surfing legends and Aussie surf culture. (Image: Tourism Australia)

There’s less panel vans and VW Beetles these days, but surf culture still rules life. Surfers run this coast; you’re better off keeping out of their way when they’re running down past you to face the biggest swells – then hear them swap stories at cafes, restaurants and bars all around you.

surfing at Bells Beach — The beach near Torquay is Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. (Image: Visit Victoria/William Watt)