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Food prices

Brandon Jo, seen with the Mont Blanc, is the owner of Melbourne’s Good Measure Cafe.

The small Carlton cafe selling 6500 Mont Blanc coffees per week

Good food isn’t enough to draw a crowd in 2026. We take a look at what else Melbourne venues do to get your attention, and keep it.

  • Emma Breheny
Adam Liaw’s citrus fruit salad with marmalade yoghurt.

Why winter veg tastes better – and the $3 bargain to buy now

As temperatures drop, winter vegetables actually get sweeter. Experts share the best seasonal buys, how to spot juicy fruit, and the $3 steal to grab now.

  • Erina Starkey
South Yarra restaurant Cosi is one of several offering to cover diners' transport costs in light of the fuel crisis.

These restaurants will pay for your petrol. Plus, hatted daytrip dining with free PT

Like you, Victorian restaurants are feeling the fuel crisis. But some are using it as a chance to give back to customers, offering petrol discounts, cash back and more.

  • Tomas Telegramma
Chef-restaurateur Andrew Burns at his burger shop 2 Smoking Barrels, following the closure of his hatted Wollongong restaurant Babyface Kitchen.

After the hospitality boom, regional NSW restaurants are closing one after the other

More than 60 high-profile restaurants and cafes have shut in the past 18 months. “It is, hand over fist, a million times more challenging.”

  • Bianca Hrovat
Schooners (centre) are creeping into Victoria, perhaps rivalling the pot for popularity.

The schooner invasion: Victorian pubs are embracing the northern beer glass

More Victorian pubs are pouring schooners. Some are even phasing out pots in favour of the size some say is the “sweet spot”.

  • Emma Breheny
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Happy Apple Fruit Shop’s Graham Gee recommends placing your fruit and vegetable order early.

Sunny with a chance of mangoes: Here’s the fresh produce forecast for Christmas

Ordering early is the secret to a wilt-free festive feast. Beat the heat, and the last-minute panic, with these expert tips on securing the best produce.

  • Dani Valent

Why Chinese restaurant food is worth so much more than ‘cheap and cheerful’

Chef Neil Perry is pivoting his restaurant from Cantonese to Italian cuisine. But contrary to his comments, Australian diners recognise the value of a succulent Chinese meal.

  • Kevin Cheng
Tammi Jonas is building an on-farm micro-abattoir near Daylesford.

Why it’s about to get difficult to buy high-quality, ethical meat

A decision by meat processors has left some of the country’s best small-scale farmers with a tough choice: go big or go bust. But it’s consumers who will ultimately pay.

  • Richard Cornish
A customer enjoying the $2 espresso that’s available at Genovese Coffee House’s espresso bar.

Is it still possible to find a cheap coffee? Yes, if you know where (and when) to look

Smart cafe operators are offering happy hours, discounts or other deals. And in some cases it doesn’t matter which milk you drink.

  • Emma Breheny
Kate Matheson from Cake Creations by Kate sells her cakes from a vending machine as well as a shop.

From birthday cakes to choc tops: Vending machines gather momentum around Melbourne

At a time of rising costs, robots are coming to the rescue, ushering in a new age of food on the run.

  • Bianca Hrovat, Tomas Telegramma and Emma Breheny