Canberra’s Vibrant Food & Wine Scene just One Hop from Singapore with Direct SIA Flights starting 20 Sept 2016

Looking for a new Australian foodie destination to explore?

Why ~~not~~ Canberra?

Australia’s capital has an abundance of food and wine experiences to whet the appetite.

There’s a lot to love about the Australian capital’s evolving and thriving dining scene, which continues to win national as well as international acclaim.

Bistro-style eateries and quality cheap eats blend perfectly with stylish restaurants and award-winning dining experiences, and Canberra's inland location and altitude combine to provide a smorgasbord of seasonal food and wine delights.

A trip to Canberra is about to get much easier when Singapore Airlines launches direct flights between Singapore and Canberra this September (2016).

Sip coffee from the world’s best barista.

Canberra is proudly the home of Ona Coffee founder and 2015 World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic, as well as the recently-crowned 2016 Australian Barista Champion Hugh Kelly.

Following the 2015 Australian Barista Championship, Sasa went to Seattle in the United States of America to beat almost 50 baristas across the globe to claim the title of World Barista Champion.

This year, Hugh will make the journey to Dublin, Ireland this month (June) to compete in the 2016 World Barista Championship.

Sample the internationally-renowned coffee at Ona Coffee House, Ona on the Lawns and The Cupping Room, as well as many other cafes across the capital.

Wine and dine Canberra’s cool-climate wine regions offer a spectacular range of experiences, from wine-tasting and fine dining to truffle hunting.

Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Shiraz varieties thrive in the capital region, with 140 vineyards and 33 cellar doors – most of which are within 30 minutes’ drive of the city.

Visitors looking for an incredible culinary experience need look no further than the capital’s award-winning restaurants including Eightysix, Aubergine and Monster Kitchen and Bar.

Canberra’s Akiba also recently took out the People’s Choice category in The Australian Financial Review Top 100 Restaurants awards.

For an eclectic mix of cafes, bars and people watching, you can’t go past the buzzing foodie precincts of Braddon, NewActon and the Kingston Foreshore.

Spend your Saturday morning at the Capital Region Farmers Markets, where you can buy fresh produce direct from the growers and enjoy a delicious local breakfast or brunch.

Helicopter tour for foodies.

Experience a touch of decadence, with the thrill of a helicopter ride over Australia’s capital, taking in the views on a Canberra Helicopters’ flight, followed by lunch or dinner at the acclaimed Pialligo Estate.

Pialligo Estate is a destination dining experience with a vineyard, olive grove, market garden, restaurant and award-winning smokehouse.

Guests may dine in the Farmhouse Restaurant or outside in the new private Garden Pavilions.

Canberra’s truffle season: Embrace winter with the ultimate foodie festival.

Picturesque truffle hunts, decadent degustations, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and truffle-infused boutique beer form part of Canberra’s annual truffle celebrations this winter.

Each year from the beginning of June until the end of August, The Truffle Festival – Canberra Region marks the harvest of the Black Winter Truffle with the ultimate foodie festival.

This year’s festival features more than 250 individual events across the region, offering a rich variety of opportunities to taste and experience the magic of these prized gems. There are many species of Australian native truffles, but the one most prized in culinary circles is the Black Winter Truffle, also known as Perigord Truffle.

During the winter festival, indulge in the special flavours and aromas of truffle dishes at local restaurants and cafes. Learn from chefs and other truffle experts at a cooking class or demonstration, or pop along to a farmers’ market and rustle up your own truffle dish.

Join a truffle hunt during the festival and experience how dogs are trained to sniff out the truffles, the kinds of growing conditions required, a chance to dig for a truffle, the distinctive scent and of course a sample of how the truffle tastes.

After the hunt, enjoy wine tastings and truffle platters at Mount Majura Vineyard, Pankhurst Wines and Lerida Estate. Or, why not try the BentSpoke Brewing Co Truffled beer.

For information on the festival visit www.trufflefestival.com.au.

Canberra is an eight-hour flight away from Singapore. From September 20, Singapore Airlines will commence direct flights between Canberra and Singapore four times a week.