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Eat chocolate and cakes (and muffins) - in moderation.

The most searched recipes of 2024 prove we don’t really give a Google about good food

From the viral cucumber salad to a suggestive-sounding cocktail, this year’s top-10 recipes show that when it comes to setting recipe trends, TikTok rules.

  • Andrea McGinniss
Charlie Chen has trimmed prices at WeLive2.0 but is reluctant to use cheaper ingredients.

The rise of solo dining spaces and other dining trends we loved (and hated) in 2024

Sweet touches such as chocolate with the bill were a delight. But disintegrating sandwiches, edible flowers and mangled cutlery stood out for all the wrong reasons.

  • Emma Breheny and Ellen Fraser

What’s the go with all the froyo?

Frozen yoghurt has grown into much more than a swirly, soft-serve, yoghurt-based, icy-cold treat, writes Terry Durack.

  • Terry Durack
The black vinegar sauce on these Sichuan-style cumin and lamb skewers also serves as a glaze.

One of the top dining trends of 2024 is fun and easy to make at home, too

Something magical happens when you thread ingredients onto skewers, then apply heat.

  • Katrina Meynink
A selection of iconic dishes from Sydney restaurants for the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

The 40 defining dishes from 40 years of the SMH Good Food Guide

From Berowra Waters Inn brioche to fish liver chermoula: A dish-by-dish snapshot of the past 40 years of The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

  • Callan Boys and David Matthews
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Pantry Story owners Hari Wibowo and Mutiara Putri Sucipto.

Matcha limits set and prices set to soar as global shortage hits Australia

It’s turning up in everything from lattes and smoothies to pastries. Here’s why the world has gone mad for matcha and why the price is set to spike.

  • Bianca Hrovat
Kate Matheson from Cake Creations by Kate sells her cakes from a vending machine as well as a shop.

From birthday cakes to choc tops: Vending machines gather momentum around Melbourne

At a time of rising costs, robots are coming to the rescue, ushering in a new age of food on the run.

  • Bianca Hrovat, Tomas Telegramma and Emma Breheny
Cake Mail founder Jonathan Mussaad at his new Chatswood vending machine.

The new-wave vending machines making cakes, steaks and cocktails more convenient than ever

At a time of rising costs, robots are coming to the rescue, ushering in a new age of food on the run.

  • Bianca Hrovat
Gemini is a cafe by day, and wine bar by night.

Our 10 favourite new Melbourne restaurant and bar openings of the year (so far)

Half-way through 2024 it’s clear economic pressures are hitting the hospitality industry hard. But there’s been some exciting new venues, and trends, to emerge.

  • Emma Breheny and Dani Valent
Caterpillar Club’s long (very long) bar rarely has a free seat.

Our eight favourite new Sydney restaurants and bars of the year (so far)

Despite a harder economic climate for hospitality operators than usual, plenty of bars, restaurants and cafes are still pumping in the city.

  • Callan Boys