Another highlight of our trip was heading to Cocconato in Asti to the Bava Distillery which houses one of our favourite Italian brands, Cocchi. A family-run company to this day, we were given a guided tour by Francesca Bava and were joined by her uncle (and Master Distiller) Paolo Bava for the tasting section of the tour.
Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is the home of the Renaissance, with the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, Michelangelo’s Statue of David and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus all found here. For those of us in the hospo world it’s also known as the birthplace of the Negroni cocktail.
The timetable is already filling up with many of your favourite events for 2023! But there is still time to get involved so if your brand wants to be a part of the must-attend event for the Australian bar industry, get in touch now.
Sydney nightlife icon, The Abercrombie, is now open. Bigger and better, the multi-level heritage-listed space has undergone an incredible transformation with three venues now under the one roof to create one big party palace.
The old city of Bologna is very small and is packed with people, especially on the weekends when the roads are closed to cars. Both locals and tourists flock here to enjoy cheese and wine and pasta in the cobbled streets which are so full of history.
Each bartender will take up residency at one bar for a high-octane, three-hour guest shift where they will showcase their bartending prowess, cocktail creations and hospitality.
In partnership with a food scientist the cocktail list is completely local, sustainable and consistent, including signature cocktails such as the Wattle Seed Negroni and the Eucalyptus Smoked Margarita.
The home of vermouth is a spectacular city. And it is genuinely a city that is dedicated to the tradition of aperitivo. From 4pm, bars and caffes are full of people sharing a quick drink with friends before they head home for dinner. Aperitivo snacks are also mostly free here (expect anything from olives to a full platter), which is something that has started to fade away in other places in Italy.
“This time around it’s been very different: Alice is open, so we can base things on the style and feel of the place, and we also have a team, including Head Bartender Dante Davies, who I get to throw ideas around with. Collaborating on a cocktail list again has been a lot of fun.” – Steve McDermott, Hunter St. Hospitality Group Bar Manager
From Barolo to Panzano, we got the chance to experience the landscape and see the towns that the 20th century forgot. Places with a just church, a cantina or two, a farmacia and that’s about it.
Light Years 139 Jonson St, Byron Bay, NSW Lightyearsasiandiner.com.au After closing their original venue in…
Oxford Street has recently welcomed the new Japanese restaurant and party bar Kissuu. Spearheaded by ex-Nobu chef Adam Burke in collaboration with music curator and DJ Richy Penny, the all-in-one venue is open till late for dinner and disco Tuesday through Sunday.