The best restaurateurs are excellent at reading the moment; giving the people what they want even before they want it. And this point in time belongs to tighter budgets. This reality bites hard as corporate entertainment spends are capped and cost of living increases.
Of course, classic three-course meals and dégustations will always have their place, but increasingly, diners are looking for more entry points to the establishments they love. They want snacks at the bar, set lunch menus, and generous golden hours.
They want it with finesse, knowing the cash they are parting with is money well spent. As ever, hospitality is about being hospitable and some of Sydney and Melbourne's best industry minds are tailoring their menus to oblige.
As Tristan Rosier, founder of Jane in Surry Hills, explains, it's about finding creative ways to offer great value so that "people want to keep coming back". And at $2 an oyster, surely, we will.
If this is the winter of democratic fine dining, book us in for an express table or a seat at the bar.
Quay
Experience an abridged version of Peter Gilmore's famous Quay menu with the special four-course dining experience, Quay to Lunch. Available every weekend until the end of September, $205 will get you a seat at one of the country's best restaurants and those magical harbour views. quay.com.au
Kuro
Dinner at this Japanese fine-diner is a three-figure affair but on Fridays and Saturdays it throws open its door for lunch, where two courses costs just $45, with choices such as kingfish sashimi with yuzu kosho ponzu as entrée and full-blood wagyu beef with crisp potato for mains. kurosydney.com
Lana
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
From personal experience
Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.
Kimberley Moulton
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.
Tom Wallace
We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.
Best in class
The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)
A taste of refuge
Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.
BE OUR GUEST
Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation
Barcelona BUZZ
A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.
HEATHCOTE BOUND
MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.
The art of...relishing restaurants
Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner
HEART AND SOUL
Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.
