The 15 next big things in dining, around the world

Sydney Morning Herald

02-06-2025

Restaurants sober up
Speaking of Marguerite, that Singapore eatery has recently got on board with a global trend towards 'temperance travel', that is, alcohol-free adventures. Plenty of restaurants around the world now are pushing things well beyond kombucha for those hoping for interesting non-alcoholic drinks to pair with their meals. Denmark's Geranium is a leader, presenting a 'Fruit and Vegetables' drinks pairing. Restaurant Frantzen in Stockholm has a similar offering, while Los Angeles fine diner Meteora is also a star. In Singapore, meanwhile, some 40 per cent of guests at Marguerite opt for a fully non-alcoholic or mixed pairing, taking advantage of a selection of clarified juices that the team says offer the same depth and complexity as wine. For example, caramelised Gala apples with verjuice and celeriac, infused with oak chips, to resemble a light chardonnay. See marguerite.com.sg
The Philippines gets starry-eyed
Filipino food has been having a moment for a while now. This, in Australia at least, is due in large part to chef Ross Magnaye, whose elevated Filipino eatery Serai has made a real splash on the Melbourne scene. The Victorian capital now has a whole swag of exciting Filipino restaurants, from the down-home but tasty GJ's Grill, to grocer-cum-diner Ceree, to refined eatery Askal. Prepare yourself, however, for even more attention on cuisine from the Philippines because next year the country is getting its first Michelin guide. The French dealers of the coveted stars will cover Manila and Cebu, with reviews and stars set to be unveiled in the last quarter of 2025. See guide.michelin.com
Chile v Argentina
There's always been rivalry between neighbours Chile and Argentina, a battle mostly fought on the football field, though the countries' wineries are also friendly competitors. Each nation has its signature grape – in Argentina it's malbec; in Chile it's carmenere – not to mention spectacular scenery in its key regions. And now, even its cellar doors are locked in competition, with an impressive array of high-end facilities matching it with the big guns of France and Spain. The most recent World's Best Vineyards list included an impressive four Chilean and six Argentinean wineries in its top 50 (Australia scored two: d'Arenberg and Magill Estate). The highest placed of those was VIK in Millahue, Chile, at No.2. So who is the real winner? You. See argentina.travel; chile.travel
Big openings in Tokyo
Tokyo is about to get two huge new culinary precincts. This year, both the Takanawa Gateway and Blue Front developments will be going through staggered openings. Set just a short distance apart in southern Tokyo, within striking distance of Haneda Airport, Takanawa Gateway and Blue Front are multi-building complexes featuring high-end hotels (a JW Marriott in the former, Fairmont Tokyo in the latter) as well as significant food and beverage offerings opening throughout the year. The Fairmont alone will offer three levels of restaurants and bars. See gotokyo.org
Margaret River dines out
Which Australian wine region has the best dining? Is it Mornington Peninsula, with Tedesca Osteria, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Laura and Many Little? Maybe. Though perhaps it's the Barossa, with Hentley Farm, Fino, Appellation and Orleana? Though, don't forget Margaret River. At the recent WA Good Food Guide Awards, 'Margs' restaurants picked up a swag of honours; new restaurant of the year went to De'sendent in Margaret River town; regional restaurant of the year was won by winery Voyager Estate; and regional chef of the year went to Vasse Felix's Cameron Jones. These awards recognise the rich culinary scene in one of Australia's premier wine regions, and with direct flights from both Melbourne and Sydney to Busselton, now's the time to check it out. See westernaustralia.com
Star chefs take flight
There's a trend worldwide for high-end hotels and resorts to welcome guest chefs for a few days or even a week to cook up a storm. In Australia, Kittawa Lodge on King Island will this year welcome two chefs doing three-night stints: Rosheen Kaul, author and contributor to Good Food; and Stephen Nairn, a finalist for Good Food Guide chef of the year in 2022 and 2023. Elsewhere, the Anantara Veli Maldives has a series of seven guest chefs arriving this year; the Datai Langkawi, Malaysia has Michelin-starred chefs visiting throughout 2025; and The Loren in Bermuda has James Beard Award winners arriving throughout the summer. See kittawalodge.com; anantara.com; thedatai.com; thelorenhotels.com
First Nations wine on the list
So much of a visit to Uluru is about learning how traditional owners connect with country, so it's great to see those owners featured on a wine list. Ayers Rock Resort has recently added two First Nations-owned wineries to its restaurants' selections: Munda Wines and Mt Yengo Wines. These wineries join Indigenous-owned companies Jarrah Boy, Beachtree Distilling Company and Yaru Water on the beverage list. In Perth, meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton's in-house restaurant Hearth has teamed up with roving foodie collective Fervor to offer some incredible culinary journeys, including a guided tour of the traditions and bush tucker of Bardi Jawi Country in the Kimberley by chef Paul Iskov. See ayersrockresort.com.au; ritzcarlton.com
Josh Niland swims north
Sydneysider Josh Niland would have to be Australia's most exciting chef right now, an endlessly talented cook who has revolutionised fish cookery worldwide, while also winning three hats in the 2025 Good Food Guide at his flagship eatery, Saint Peter. Niland also runs Fysh, a Singapore fine diner, and now he's popped up on Hamilton Island, with the opening of Catseye Pool Club, a beachside bistro at the new The Sundays hotel. At Catseye, Niland presents a menu focused on local produce – hand-caught coral trout, CopperTree Farm beef, eastern rock lobster – served family-style, with all the trimmings. Think of it as the best beachside barbecue you've ever been to. See hamiltonisland.com.au
German fine dining? It's real
You can have your laughs about German food. It's all pretzels and sausages, it's not a meal unless it's served with a beer. But you're missing out because German fine dining is a thing, and it's very, very good. Exhibit A: check out Berlin, which has a thriving dining scene that includes a three-Michelin-star restaurant (Rutz), as well as two that have made the most recent World's 50 Best list: Restaurant Tim Raue (No.30) and Nobelhart & Schmutzig (No.43). Bizarrely, however, the world's best German fine diner might just be in Bangkok. There, Suhring, run by brothers Thomas and Mathias Suhring, serves up intelligent, refined German cuisine in the gorgeous surrounds of a 1970s villa. If this is the future of German food, it's in good hands. See restaurantsuhring.com
Devour Tours: the little company that could
We love to see an underdog succeed, and Devour Tours is a true underdog in a world of giant travel players. The company was founded in 2012 by Lauren Aloise, an American expat who wanted to show tourists around Madrid's markets. Devour Tours now offers food tours and experiences in 18 cities in nine countries across Europe and North America, and it has stayed true to its original ethos, introducing visitors to niche producers and local-favourite bars and restaurants. If you're travelling through one of those 18 cities, steer clear of the big players and give Devour a try. See devourtours.com
Cantonese gets respect
What is Cantonese food? To plenty of Australians it's raucous yum cha on a weekend, and baine-marie sweet and sour pork. It's a pleasure, in that case, to see the high-end side of Cantonese cuisine finally being recognised. At the recent announcement of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, Hong Kong establishments The Chairman and Wing took out second and third place respectively. Both serve refined Cantonese cuisine, and had previously been included in the World's 50 Best list. Hong Kong's bar scene is also thriving, and the city will host the World's 50 Best Bar awards in October. See discoverhongkong.com
Get off the bus for vineyards
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Bus tours of wineries are so last year. Or maybe a few years ago. There's been a growing trend among tour companies for more active explorations of the world's most famous wine-producing regions. Australia-based company uTracks in particular has noticed a swell in interest in its Vineyard Trails and Wine Region Walking Tour travel offerings. These trips include multi-day, self-guided walks through the likes of Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, Piedmont and the Douro Valley, as well as self-guided cycling trips through Champagne, Burgundy, Alsace, the Rhine Valley and more. The idea of these trips is to take things slow, to immerse yourself in the culture and pace of these regions, explore the backroads, connect with locals and get a little exercise while doing it. See utracks.com