• First look: Ilza brings casual Japanese (from two Nobu alums) to Geelong.

• Five Melbourne food trucks worth travelling to.

• Is 2024 the year of the bistro? These three new spots make a compelling case.

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• Five minutes with: Legendary New York City bartender and “the father of the craft cocktail movement” Dale DeGroff on the Melbourne bars he loves.

• Coming soon: Chris Lucas to open two restaurants in a $1 billion office tower.

• Sophie McIntyre of Club Sup’s top six hosting hacks.

• Five to try: New Melbourne pop-ups from Helly Raichura of Enter Via Laundry, John Rivera of Askal, Zackary Furst of Bar Liberty and more star chefs.

• Free to Feed’s winter feasts celebrate the flavours of north African, Ukrainian, Persian and Iraqi cuisines with family-style dishes – while raising money for good causes.

• Cheese world royalty, the Studd siblings, are curating a cheesy spin on high tea.

• Noisy Ritual is celebrating eight years with $10 wines and a special one-off menu by Stefanino Panino.

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• All the new Aussie cookbooks we can’t wait to add to our shelves.

• Broadsheet Access is hosting a pasta class and lunch at Adrian Richardson’s pop-up Pasta Bambino in Brunswick East on Saturday July 6.

• Aussie cookbook authors won big at the “Oscars of the food world”.

More, please

• CBD restaurant Robata will host a bluefin tuna masterclass this Saturday June 15. You’ll learn how to break down and prepare tuna before enjoying a four-course lunch with three sake pairings. The class and lunch is $180 per person and must be booked in advance.

• Stop by Chiaki on Thursday June 20 for a snacks and sake event at 6pm and 8pm. Chef Mo Zhou has created four snacks to pair with craft sake from Niigata microbrewery Lagoon. There will be sakes fermented with fruit as well as a margarita-pizza-flavoured sake. Tickets are $65 per person and are available here.

• Albert Park beachside restaurant and takeaway shop Pipis Kiosk will host pastry chef Simone Jude for a cake pop-up on Sunday June 30 from 7am until sold out. Stop by for slices of cheesecake with grapefruit jelly, rhubarb layer cake and gluten-free lemon meringue roulade.

• Japanese cafe Papirica in Collingwood is hosting part two of its Matsudonald’s series where the team puts its spin on McDonald’s dishes. This Saturday June 15 and Sunday June 16, there’ll be a teriyaki burger, a creamy vegan croquette burger and azuki cheesecake.

As seen on the web

• “Don’t Call It an ‘Ethnic’ Grocery Store” – Priya Krishna for the New York Times.