DINE:

Yamagen

Down a laneway inside QT Melbourne, Yamagen pairs Japanese robata cooking with a bar list built to match its ambition. The kitchen plays with contrast: raw seafood beside charcoal-grilled plates and crisp tempura, flavours that pit citrus against umami and caramel against miso. Meanwhile yuzu features heavily on the cocktail list, as well as over 100 wines and a serious rotation of rare whisky for anyone happy to slow the night down. It’s a room built for sharing with the people worth lingering over dinner with.

READ:

Everyday Joy, Kate Nixon

Kate Nixon, longtime interiors editor at Australian House & Garden, turns years of styling know-how into a genuine how-to for making a home feel lived in rather than just photographed. Structured around Rise, Shine and Restore, the book moves through the day with decorating ideas alongside 30 easy recipes, from a brunch-friendly fruit crumble cake to proper dinner party fare like rosemary lamb. Everyday Joy is the kind of book that makes an effortless-looking home feel achievable. Available to buy at your local Readings.

DO:

Metro Auto Photo

Metro Auto Photo keeps something rare alive: eight real, analogue black-and-white photo booths dating back to the 1970s. Step inside and you get a genuine chemical print – a strip of film that captures exactly who you were in that three-minute window. These machines have become part of Melbourne, tended for decades by photo booth technician Alan Adler, before Metro Auto Photo took over the legacy. A few coins, a short wait, and a tangible memory worth keeping. Photography by Chris Sutherland.

BUY:

Aretae Photo Frame

Aretae photo frames turn a favourite photograph into something worth keeping on a shelf rather than lost in a camera roll. Its silver finish suits both a considered home and a polished office desk, and it comes in three sizes, as well as duo and trio stacks for those who like their memories in numbers. Every order arrives with complimentary photo printing included, so the frame reaches you ready to display. A small, well-made reminder that some moments are worth more than a scroll back through your phone.

STAY:

Hannah St Hotel

Hannah St Hotel is a new generation of design-led luxury for Melbourne. Interiors by Flack Studio are built on contrast: heritage rail-inspired detailing against bold contemporary form, textured materials against refined finish, resulting in a hotel that feels lived-in yet entirely new. The 188 boutique rooms and suites come with Malin + Goetz amenities, Marshall speakers and locally curated minibars. Five dining options include everyday hospitality at Hannah St Coffee and a European style bistro at Coupette.

DRINK:

Four Pillars Bandwagon

Four Pillars turns its two most-loved gins into a non-alcoholic alternative with the Bandwagon range. Bandwagon Dry carries the same citrus and juniper backbone as the brand’s Rare Dry Gin, while Bloody Bandwagon channels the deep, fruit-forward character of Bloody Shiraz Gin, both sitting under 0.3% alcohol. Built to be mixed exactly the way you’d usually take the real thing, over ice, with tonic, or straight into a spritz, they prove that skipping the alcohol doesn’t mean skipping the flavour. A solid addition for anyone hosting a mixed crowd this season.