Italian food and culture migrated to Australia with our grandparents and great-grandparents—their passion for cooking traditional food is infectious. Despite its simplicity, Italian cuisine remains at the epicentre of Australian dining.

Once ubiquitous on street corners all across Melbourne, the humble local milk bar fell prey to supermarkets, rising rent and changing social climates. But are we seeing a contemporary revival of this old classic?

Oil is the ingredient hidden in plain sight. It features in just about every kind of cooking that there is and yet the types favoured vary wildly across culinary cultures. With the amount of oils available, it can be overwhelming to decide which one to use. Here are just a few of the classics.

Bored of your usual avo smash? Want to try something new, crazy and delicious? You’ve come to the right place! Here are a few of our favourite toast combos, most of which we guarantee you haven’t tried (or heard of) before. Turn that toaster up to two and get preppin’!

I spend a morning in the house of my new friend, Katja Fuhrmann, watching her bake as we talk about her new side business of German-inspired cakes and pastries with a vegan twist.

Baristas—the soul of Melbourne’s illustrious coffee scene. What better way to find out what makes the perfect cup than by picking the brains of one of Melbourne’s baristas, Jess MacKay.

Books for Cooks—as the name suggests—is an independent bookstore dedicated to books about cookery, beverages and food culture. They sell new and antiquated books and are constantly on the hunt for the next title to add to their collection.