High tea with a whisky tasting flight, our favourite Father’s Day recipes from burgers to brisket to mac and cheese, plus all the foodie gifts we know dad will love.
Father’s Day is right around the corner, and what better way to show dad your appreciation than with the gift of food? From our favourite recipes to pub feeds and Sunday roasts, a local “dad joke” competition, plus all the foodie gifts, find Good Food’s complete guide to Father’s Day in Melbourne below.
St Ali’s limited edition Rad Dad blend, from $26
This one’s for the caffeine-inclined dads out there. Melbourne coffee label St Ali has released a special, limited edition blend just in time for Father’s Day, making it the perfect gift for those dads in need of an extra pep in their step this spring. The Rad Dad blend is a dark roast that’s smoother than dad’s banter with hints of candied orange and vanilla for those with a sweet tooth. It’s available for a limited time only in 225g and 1kg bags. Plus, every order comes with a free Rad Dad poster illustrated by Melbourne artist Nicko Phillips.
Hot ticket: High Tea at YTB, $130
Yes, high tea might seem a little more like mum’s cup of tea (pardon the pun), but hear us out. South Yarra’s premium tea cafe YTB (Yugen Tea Bar) is hosting an epic Father’s Day High Tea complete with savoury bites like ramen-egg salad sangers and caramelised spam onigiri, sweet treats including scones and a decadent chocolate cake, plus tea and a complimentary alcoholic beverage, all for $130 (or $115 for a non-alcoholic menu). There’s also the option to add on a Suntory or Dalmore whisky flight for an extra $40 per person. Bookings can be made here.
Get cooking with our favourite Father’s Day recipes
You don’t have to dine out to get the dad tick of approval this Father’s Day. Nothing beats a home-cooked meal, and we’ve rounded up our top recipes that are bound to impress dad (and the whole family) next Sunday. There’s Neil Perry’s stacked double beef, bacon and cheese burger, plenty of roasts (and roast potatoes) to boot, taco hot dogs, brisket, mac and cheese and heaps more. See the full list of recipes here, and save your favourites to your own “Father’s Day” collection on the Good Food app.
Pub lunches, Sunday roasts, and a dad joke contest
Keen to keep things simple? Thank dad with a Sunday pub feed at one of these Good Food Guide-approved venues, or at one of our favourite spots for a hefty Sunday roast. The Vic Hotel in Footscray is hosting a three-course Father’s Day roast lunch for $70 per person, inclusive of a mushroom risotto entree, beef rump cap main with all the trimmings, plus a warm bread and butter pudding for dessert. Or sit in the courtyard or main bar and enjoy the Sunday roast on its own for $32. There’s also a special “dad joke” competition kicking off at 3pm at the Victoria Street pub, with prizes for both the best and worst jokes of the day. We can’t guarantee the quality of the gags, but it’s sure to be a laugh (especially after a pint or two).
Sweet deal: Commune Group x Hommey dining gift
Melbourne hospitality group Commune is taking care of the gift-giving for you this Father’s Day. On Sunday, September 7, take dad to any of the group’s venues and receive a complimentary pressie from local lifestyle label Hommey – it could be a silk eye mask, an ultra-comfy pair of plush socks, or a bespoke tote bag. Commune’s restaurants include Italian diner Studio Amaro, Balaclava’s Chinese eatery Moonhouse, Vietnamese fusion venue New Quarter, Prahran hot spot Firebird, plus more. Bookings are essential to receive the gift.
Pidapipo’s Papamisu ice-cream, $32
Who says it’s too early in the year for ice-cream? Melbourne gelateria Pidapipo has brought back its special Papamisu tubs just for Father’s Day – and they’re already available across all of its stores. In an homage to the classic tiramisu, the limited edition flavour features mascarpone gelato layered with gianduja ganache, and espresso- and sweet sherry syrup-soaked Savoiardi biscuits, all topped with chocolate shavings. If you’ve got the means, it’s best to be safe and splash out on two – one for dad, one for you.
Fancy Hank’s barbecue bundle, $120
For the dads out there who feel most at home on the tools at the barbie, Melbourne barbecue joint Fancy Hank’s has heavily discounted its sauciest bundle just in time for Father’s Day. The Hank’s with the Lot pack includes 14 house-made sauces, mayos, rubs and seasonings (including a fiery pineapple reaper hot sauce) to help take dad’s grilling game up a notch – plus a pair of socks for good measure.
The Bourke Street venue is also doing a special Father’s Day banquet on the 7th for $89 per person, with a menu featuring beef ribs, lamb shanks, chicken wings, pork ribs and all the best sides. Book here.
Champion’s League Basketball at Grazeland
Got a sports-obsessive dad? Across three jam-packed days, Spotswood’s mega food truck hub Grazeland is hosting a one-of-a-kind basketball tournament spotlighting some of our best sporting talent – from Olympians to NBL and WNBL players, Big V champions and more. Entry to watch the Champions League Basketball 3X3.EXE Quest is just $4 and provides access to a series of 10-minute games leading up to the finals – kicking off with the women’s competition on Friday, September 5 at 6pm. Plus, enjoy Father’s Day-themed activities, live music and plenty of sustenance from more than 50 of the venue’s food vendors, including 18-hour slow-cooked smoked beef and cheese kransky snags from a huge on-site smoker.
Morning Market chocolate cake and hampers, from $66
Andrew McConnell’s cafe-grocer Morning Market – found on both sides of the city in Fitzroy and Prahran – has a bunch of goodies ready for you to pick up for a Father’s Day present in a pinch. If you’re cooking the old man brunch on Sunday, follow it up with a sans-fuss dessert in the form of this ultra-rich, nap-inducing double chocolate cake. The two-tier chocolate sponge is layered with thick Valrhona chocolate ganache, and comes with jars of salted caramel and vanilla cream on the side, ready for serving. Morning Market’s two stores are also stocking three types of Father’s Day hampers, or you can build your own from its full range of Father’s Day gift items here.
Star Hill Farm American Wheat Whisky, $380
Here’s one bottle Dad definitely doesn’t already have in his liquor cabinet: Star Hill Farm, the first-ever wheat whisky from the Maker’s Mark distillery in Kentucky, and only just released in Australia. A blend of seven and eight-year-old whiskies, it’s bottled uncut at cask strength, with notes of buttery caramel and golden raisins on the nose, and honeyed toffee and chocolate-covered cherries on the palate. The 2025 release is available now at select retailers nationwide.
Brunch (and a surf) at Three Blue Ducks
Surf’s up, dad. If your dad loves both a surf-and-turf grill and catching a wave, book into MasterChef judge Andy Allen’s Three Blue Ducks restaurant at Urbnsurf – the man-made surf park near the airport. Start the day with a big brekkie or head in for lunch or dinner for rib-eye steak served with beer-battered onion rings and marsala-mushroom sauce. Also on the menu are coal-roasted king prawns with confit chilli butter and lime, plus a “beer-amisu” for dessert. The venue’s signature Sunday roast will also be on offer all day.
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Emily Holgate – Emily is the Assistant Producer for the Good Food App at The Age. She previously wrote for the likes of Broadsheet and Urban List.Connect via email.
