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Donna Demaio

Donna Demaio

Donna Demaio

Donna Demaio is a freelance arts, travel, entertainment and food journalist and broadcaster.

Artist’s impression of Roccella Lido which will feature a central lemon tree in the dining room.

Sicilian style comes to Frankston’s waterfront (plus nine hot and new-ish venues to try)

The Frankston Yacht Club’s shiny new restaurant is part of a wave of changes rippling through the sometimes scoffed-at bayside suburb.

  • Donna Demaio
The trio in costume with some of the panini they’re trialling.

Popular Johnny, Vince and Sam crew are opening a nonna-style sandwich shop in Lygon Street

Their restaurant always has lines stretching down Lygon Street. Soon, there’ll be a grab-and-go spot nearby that feels like walking into nonna’s kitchen.

  • Donna Demaio
Clockwise from top: Piccolo Panini Bar’ Stephen Hatzikourtis and Damian Iaconis; Entrecote’s Jason Jones; A1 Bakery owners; Ostro’s Julia Busuttil Nishimura.

Top serves: Your essential guide to eating and drinking at this year’s Australian Open

Whether you’re taking the kids or maxing out the credit card, this year’s tournament has a menu to match. Choose from shattery fried chicken, two-hat restaurants, vibrant noodle salads or money-can’t-buy moments.

  • Donna Demaio
Chef Charlie Carrington is cooking for the Lexus marquee.

Secret bars, cooking stars: What’s hot to trot in the Birdcage this Melbourne Cup Carnival

These are the don’t-miss dishes, drinks and secret bars to track down at Flemington this Derby Day and beyond.

  • Donna Demaio
Anthony Puharich at Victor Churchill

After a high-profile split, G.H. Mumm saddles up with a meaty new Cup Carnival partner

The premium champagne brand has found a replacement for Reine & La Rue in their Birdcage marquee at November’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.

  • Donna Demaio
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G Flip in Melbourne recently to launch Melbourne Fashion Week.

‘I love just getting a pot and a parma at my local with the fam’: G Flip’s home town food favourites

The Aussie music superstar has a few favourite pubs and cafes they can’t wait to return to from Los Angeles. And they are refreshingly relatable.

  • Donna Demaio
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***Photo credit: Maude

Maude, Los Angeles

Curtis Stone's degustation dinners at Maude are one of LA's hot dining tickets

Curtis Stone’s first Michelin-starred LA fine diner has closed. The pie’s the limit for what’s next

After 10 years, it’s the end of the road for Stone’s much-loved Maude, with the fine diner switching to become a pie shop.

  • Donna Demaio
Celebrity chef Curtis Stone with the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Grilled octopus with Vegemite? What guests will be eating at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival

Curtis Stone joins local and international chefs feeding the well-heeled at Flemington’s Birdcage enclosure.

  • Donna Demaio
Burrata with anchovy and pangrattato at Torino Aperitivo.

Torino Aperitivo brings Italian bar tradition to Melbourne’s CBD (but don’t call them snacks)

Expect free bites with your first round of drinks when this Italian-style bar opens in a tiny laneway.

  • Donna Demaio
The Sooshi Mango trio are opening an Italian restaurant in Lygon Street.

Sooshi Mango comedy trio enlists hospo heavyweights for new ‘nonna-style’ Italian restaurant in Lygon Street

Named after the trios’ comedy characters, Johnny, Vince & Sam’s will serve traditional Italian food in a homely and gimmick-free setting.

  • Donna Demaio