We arrived cold, tired, and hungry (the trifecta for a grumpy girlfriend - sorry Liam), and left warm, well-fed, and satisfied. The best part? The walk ‘home’ afterwards is roughly 60 seconds.

Ayrburn is worth exploring in full, but this guide will help to cut through the confusion. Deciding where to settle can be a little overwhelming. The biggest piece of advice I could offer is go with a growling tummy and time to spare - Ayrburn can easily be a whole day activity!

☆ thumbnail from Ayrburn’s website

A very fun thought is that the tacos at Paloma are never more than a few hours old - they hand-make them from scratch every single day.

The nasty side of the internet tells you that Ferg isn’t worth lining up for, but I'm here to tell you that side is wrong!

Del Bocia has been quietly putting in the work over the past six months, rolling out an array of new flavours. Not to put the cart before the horse, but there’s already a clear front-runner: the Australian Herbs Butter.

Bronte Road Fish opened only two weeks ago, and I have succumbed to this danger three times already. That’s 3 incredible fish burgers, 3 boxes of chippies, and waaaayy more than 3 limoncello spritz’s.

*Thumbnail image from Bronte Road Fish

Pepperjack was born in 1996 – a serendipitous vintage considering Bear was also born that year. The universe created us together knowing we would be the perfect pairing.

There are a number of liqueurs produced on the island including a fig-based moonshine. Do not drink this the night before climbing the mountain, it could clearly fuel a car but its effect on the human body is less salubrious. Unless you have something to prove, it can be skipped entirely.

☆ Thumbnail from Azores Wine Company

Jane feels like a secret, even when all the tables are full. It’s the kind of place you find yourself thinking about the next day, then before you know it you’re making excuses to wander down Bourke street at 4pm, just in case there is a table free.

Frank’s Deli is a family-run neighbourhood treasure serving up a typical New York deli style vibe, with a hint of Polish flare.

I’ve found a butter that outshines all others (quite literally - the packaging is gold). Del Bocia turns cooking into an event.

We dined on Sydney rock oysters and a bottle of pinot gris. You can imagine how well this went down on one of Sydney’s signature 32°C Fridays. As Table Manners says - “lick your plate”.

It feels like all of Australia is currently in Japan, carving fresh lines on the powdery slopes, enjoying quirky and unique vending machine treats, and doing damage in the local thrift shops (hello Anna Jamison). For those of us who aren’t lucky enough to be in Japan, I have a recommendation that brings Japan to us.

Based in Surry Hills, welcoming walk-ins, offering alfresco dining, a delicious menu, AND good wine, there is nothing to complain about.

When Tess first moved to Melbourne, she met her magnificent housemate Kaela. Lovers of wine, girls nights, gossip & olives, they soon embarked on their journey to find Melbournes best wine bars. After more than a year of careful research, they created an exhaustive list, they have been kind enough to share their top five.