Not sure where you’re going to be taking dad come this year’s Father’s Day weekend? Not to worry, plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes, event spaces and hotels will be putting on their very best for the occasion but for those who live in or around either Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra we’re picked out some of our favourites this year. Decisions are all the more harder when you’ve got options thrown at you for every direction so we’ve kept it tight this year, pushing away some of the more obvious destinations and highlighting a few of the best, most underrated options around these areas.
Canberra
Shaw Vineyard Estate’s exclusive wine dinners
There’s nothing better suited for a wine-loving dad than a dinner lovingly curated by one of the region’s most awarded wineries. The family-owned Shaw Vineyard Estate has teamed up with the caterers over at Create Consultants to curate a perfectly matched wine dinners on Saturday September 2nd, so you’ve still got the flexibility to stretch the celebrations beyond just one day. The dinner will be held at the stunning natural surrounds of the estate’s newly revamped Olleyville restaurant.
Know that you’ll be treating the old man to a perfectly matched three-course meal highlighting the elegant, fragrant and soft palates of Shaw Vineyard Estate’s award-winning wines. It’ll kick off with an entrée of charred scallops dressed with smoked eggplant puree and wilted warrigal greens, matched with an elegant 2015 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, right before moving onto a main of Gippsland 150 day grain fed Angus eye fillet with potato galette, wilted spinach, crisp onion rings and sticky jus, a hearty feast lifted by the spicy and peppery notes of the celebrated 2013 Estate Shiraz. The dinner will end with a delectable dessert of vanilla pavlova with lemon curd, fossilised fruits and forest berry compote, matched with a soft and sweet Riscato.
The easy-on-the-wallet dining experience will be set at $120 per person including matched wines or dinner-only tickets for $80. Tickets can be purchased over at Create Consultants.
Shaw Vineyard Estate: 34 Isabel Dr, Murrumbateman | 02 6227 5827 | Tickets
Melbourne
Whisky masterclass at QT Melbourne
Whether you’re dad is a whisky connoisseur or a budding enthusiast, take him along to what has quickly become one of Melbourne’s it bar destinations, Pascale Bar, during the weekend leading up to Father’s Day for a good ol’ fashioned whisky tasting. They’ll be stretching this one across the entire weekend, offered on Thursday 31st, Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd September for $60 per person, inclusive of five pairings and plenty of good times.
133 Russell St, Melbourne | 03 8636 8800 | qthotelsandresorts.com/melbourne
Jazz and Shiraz at Bohemian
Dad prefer something a bit more chilled out and low key? Take him along to Melbourne’s famous South Wharf precinct and make a bee-line for Bohemian. The funky, intimate bar will be hosting a shiraz masterclass limited to just 12 people, promising a tasting of six wines from around the world matched with a selection of cheeses and snacks. What’s more is that there will be live jazz for all of Bohemian’s patrons from 3pm-5pm. The masterclass will take 1 hour, kicks off at 10:45am and is priced at just $30pp, on September 3rd only.
35 Dukes Walk, South Wharf | 03 9682 0566 | thebohemian.com.au
Sydney
Seaside Turkish feast at Anason
Fresh, breezy and right by the harbour in Barangaroo, Turkish powerhouse Anason will be doing up a special seven-course feast for Father’s Day, with sittings available for both lunch and dinner (between 11:30am and 11pm). If you want to treat dad to one of the best dining experiences in the area, plus have an excuse just to head along to one of the city’s best Turkish restaurants, then tuck into this menu which features hot and cold mezes as an introduction to substantials like cured salmon pastirma seasoned with fennel and pickled chillies; half lamb shoulder with green beans; and a Turkish mess of buffalo milk yoghurt, berries, mastika merengue and rose liqueur. Wine pairings are available as an add-on for $119pp, but it’ll be just $79pp for the seven-course menu itself.
5/23 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo | 02 9188 1581 | anason.com.au
Some of the best pizza in Sydney at Da Mario
An Italian dining institution in Rosebery, Da Mario retains its reputation as one of the best very best and most consistent pizzerias in Sydney. Their commitment to authentic wood-fired pizza and extra stretchy, chewy crust makes pretty much any pizza choice here the right one, but they’ll also be serving up other classic Italian dishes on the day. Rather than plan anything exclusively for Father’s Day, the kitchen will just offer its everyday a la carte menu, but you don’t need any curated sets with the likes of grilled provolone cheese drizzled in honey and oregano, fresh tagliatelle with pork and veal ragu, and one of Sydney’s very best tiramisu.
36 Morley Ave, Rosebery | 02 9669 2242 | damario.com.au
A family feast at Sokyo
If you’re going to pick one of the several choice dining destinations at The Star then make it Sokyo for your Father’s Day dinner. Chase Kojima always comes through with some of the best and most creative Japanese cuisine across the city, and for dad day he’ll be leading the kitchen in producing a family sharing feast with an a la carte menu featuring the likes of Jack’s Creek skirt steak (500g – one for the family to share) which has been grilled over Binchotan charcoal and a few cocktail specials including the Suntory Kakubin Old Fashioned and Yamazaki Old Fashioned.
The special Father’s Day dinner will be offered on Friday 1st and Sunday 2nd September from 5:30pm to 10:30pm; and on the day itself, September 3rd, from 5:30pm to 10pm.
Level G, The Darling The Star/80 Pyrmont Street | 1800 700 700
Feature image: Shaw Vineyard Estate
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