ANZAC Day as we know it was first celebrated on April 25, 1916 as Australians came together to honour those lost at Gallipoli during the First World War.
These days the Dawn Service is as popular as ever, usually followed by a ‘gunfire’ breakfast and a march with veterans proudly displaying their medals, many with younger family members along for support.
The traditional game of two-up takes place at RSL clubs around the country, as mates get together for an icy ale and many a tale. It’s a time to celebrate our service personnel and their contribution to the Australian way of life that we all cherish.
Here are six of our favourite venues to join with family and friends on the ANZAC Day long weekend:
Eat, drink and commemorate at Chef-hatted Balboa Italian on Gold Coast Highway in Palm Beach and enjoy a truly memorable dining experience. Guests are greeted by a towering red brick building, fitted out with charcoal finishings, while inside modern luxe meets industrial charm with a moody vibe created by hanging chandeliers, high ceilings, exposed beams, intimate nooks and private seating areas.
Devour a slice of Vesuvio pizza, with Sopressa picante, gorgonzola, onion, tomato and mozzarella; or opt for pasta plates such as beef cheek gnocchi, with Roma tomatoes, button mushrooms, parsley, chilli and truffle oil.
Head to Balboa and indulge your palate with fettuccine gamberi, with housemade charcoal-infused pasta.
Make the most of your day off and head to the Yarra Valley for an indulgent three-course lunch at Zonzo Estate on Healesville-Yarra Glen Road in Yarra Glen. This multi-award-winning restaurant offers a truly unique Italian dining experience in refined, rustic surrounds against a backdrop of the glorious vineyard.
Stop by on ANZAC Day for antipasto to start, followed by a round of pizzas, slow-cooked lamb, potatoes and salad; best enjoyed with a glass of estate Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Build your own breakfast while toe-tapping to easy listening music at Fitzroy North café Pillar of Pepper on St Georges Road. This cosy eatery oozes quirky charm with vibrantly painted walls, colourful cushions and trailing greenery setting the scene for lingering over coffee and brunch with family and friends.
Bring the family on ANZAC Day and chow down on shakshuka – baked eggs, poached in a spicy capsicum and tomato sauce, with grilled chorizo, beans, marinated feta, dukkah and toasted Turkish; or perhaps a Thai chicken curry tempts, with steamed rice and crackers.
Returned service personnel will receive a 100% discount on their table dinner bill for a maximum of two diners at Choc Dee Thai Restaurant on Williams Esplanade in Palm Cove on Sunday, April 24. Just show proof of service to take advantage of this offer – the restaurant is not open on Mondays, so you will need to dine in on the Sunday night.
Enjoy a relaxed evening at this classy beachside venue, surrounded by lush ferns, while indoors a white sail ceiling creates a semi-alfresco vibe; ideal for lingering over plates such as roast duck, tamarind sauce, palm sugar, fresh bok choy and assorted vegetables.
With two Chef-hatted restaurants located within Admiralty House on The Esplanade in Darwin, Char Restaurant and The Darwin Club are opening the culinary horizons of Northern Territory locals and visitors.
Treat yourself to a seafood feast and your favourite glass of wine at The Darwin Club.
Nestled in the previous home of the most senior naval officer in the NT, both restaurants are excited to give something back to veterans in line with the history of the grounds, every day of the year. APOD members can enjoy a 20% discount on their meal at either venue – stop into Char for a perfectly cooked steak, or crispy skin Humpty Doo barramundi at The Darwin Club.
For more places to celebrate on ANZAC Day, click here.
