Newcastle Food Month is heading into its fourth year in April, bigger and better than ever.
"Humbly - we believe the best program content to date," Newcastle Food Month founder Gus Maher (with his wife, Louise) said on Wednesday.
Newcastle Food Month's launch was held on Wednesday at Romberg's bar on the top floor of the Crystalbrook Kingsley in downtown Newcastle.
Food Month's signature event, Le Diner en Blanc, returns as the marquee event, this year on Saturday, April 6. The event, which requests all attendees to wear white and bring white tables and decorations, is held at a secret location, only unveiled an hour prior to the event.
FEATURE EVENTS
The feature events include:
# McLeish Estate vintage wine dinner with Urban Bar and Deli, April 3 and 17.
# Arno Deli Italian cheese and wine masterclass, April 3 and 16.
# Foghorn Brewery and First Creek wines Barrels and Brews, wine and beer with a four-course meal, April 4.
# Ms Mary at Crystalbrook Kingsley, Icky Sticky Patisserie High Tea every Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning April 5.
# Coreat five-course Korean degustation, April 5 (two seatings).
# Osteria Papazzo Italian pop-up at Talulah, April 5, 12, 19 & 26
# The Lucky Hotel, Diner En Blanc after party, April 6.
# Nags head Autumn Vegan Feast, April 6.
# Vecina, Sunday sessions, with a pop-up cellar every Sunday with selected winemakers. April 7, 14, 21, 28.
# Urban Deli and Bar Cheese and Wine Tasting Expedition, April 7 & 21.
# Humbug, Chardy Party, April 7.
# Nagisa Seafood Long Sunday Lunch with First Creek Wines, April 7.
# Oh My Papa, Gin & Gin: A Cocktail Dinner Degustation, April 10
# Sapori at Tailors, Italian seafood degustation, April 10.
# Pork Ewe Deli cheese masterclass, April 11 & 13
# Modus carnival celebration, April 11.
# Foghorn Brewery Jazz Sax at the pub, in conjunction with Newcastle Music Festival, April 11.
# Soul Hub, a taste of soul, April 11.
# Bar Mellow, bubbles and four courses with cocktail pairings, April 13.
# Una Volta, Sagra Dello Cucina E Vino. April 13. Wines from Hart & Hunter with a four-course Italian feast.
# Roundhouse at Crystalbrook and Wine Selectors Long Lunch, April 13.
# Elementa Sunday Long Lunch. Wines and five-course signature sharing menu, April 14.
# Harrison's food and wine, The flavours of the Basque region, April 14.
# Light Years and Hungerford Hill Pinot Party, April 14.
# Thermidor, a Mediterranean coast tour. Four-course tasting menu with matching wines.
# Ape, Chef Nicolas presents a culinary tapestry. April 17.
# Jana Restaurant at QT, a three-course meal with matching wines from Hungerford Hill, including the release of Hungerford's malbec with chef Shayne Mansfield's Argentinean-inspired grilled creations, April 18.
# The Grand Hotel Burgundy Wine Dinner, April 18.
# Foghorn Brewery Deliciosa Espanola Food and Music, in conjunction with Newcastle Music Festival, April 18.
# The Lucky Hotel Good Tukka, a four-course meal featuring native Australian ingredients in conjunction with Oz Tukka, April 18.
# The Junction Hotel Battle of the Vines. Five-course meal with unique wines from Hunter Valley and South Australia, April 18
# Pork Ewe Deli and Cleaver Salumi Cabinets offer a hands-on intimate salami making class. April 20 & 21.
# Customs House Hotel, Rose Wine Garden. Hunter Valley rose wines with tapas menu. April 20.
# The Nags Head Hotel, Oaxaca Fiesta, Mexican street food and cocktails. April 20.
# Wine Selectors Pop Bubble and Fizz Masterclass. With artisan cheeses. April 20, Newcastle Museum.
# The Edwards, Margan wines with Akasha barrel-aged beers and five-course tasting menu featuring meat, April 21.
# Customs House Hotel, Jimmy Joans comes to town. Thomas Boyd the chef combines with his brother, Sam, an assistant winemaker at Bimbadgen to offer a unique experience, April 24.
# Nautica dining at Newcastle Cruising Yacht clugb. Six-course seafood tasting menu with Peter Drayton wines, April 24.
# A night with Bistro Molines at Flotilla. Chefs Tom Waite and Jake Deluca serving up a special night. April 24.
# The Signal Box Mediterranean Seafood Dinner. Hosted by executive chef Dan James. April 26.
# The Shortland Hotel, International Night. April 27.
# The Prince x Scarborough Degustation. Five courses by chefs Timothy Montgomery and Joshua Lips. April 28.
# Ravella x Alfie's Perfect Match, April 28. Six-course degustation feast with wines by Usher Tinkler, Lisa McGuigan and Liz Silkman. April 28 at Ravella, 48 Watt Street.
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There are more than 40 feature events scheduled throughout the month, highlighting good food, good wine, good spirits and great fun at food venues throughout the Newcastle and also Charlestown Square.
And the popular plate dates return, with more than 50 venues offering a fix meal and drink for $30 or less throughout the entire month of April.
$30 Plate Dates
Restaurants offering the $30 plates include Alfies, Ape Yakitori Bar, Arno Deli, Autumn Rooms, Bartholomews, Beach Burrito, Bistro Dalby at Novotel Newcastle Beach, Blanca, Bowie, Customs House, The Edwards, The Exchange, Foghorn, The Grand, The Great Northern, Ground Floor, The Happy Wombat, Hotel Delany, Humble Thai, Jana Bar at QT, The Kingfish, Local Connections at University of Newcastle, The Lucky, Market St Basement, Mary Ellen, Modus, Nagisa, The Nags Head, Nautica at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Neighbours on Market, Noah's on the Beach, Pork Ewe Deli, The Prince, Rascal, Roundhouse at Crystalbrook, Rydges Newcastle, The Shortland Hotel, Stag & Hunter, Susaru, Talulah, Three Monkeys, The Umbrian, Urban Deli & Bar, and The Young Street Hotel.
Charlestown Square venues include Dumpling Bar, The Grateful Thai, Grill'd, Inforno, Jim's Malaysian, Lee's Yum Cha, Oliver Brown, One Tree Cafe, Rascal, Supreme Espresso,
