On the surface, your favourite local pasta place or New York-style bistro probably looks and feels like, simply, a restaurant. The menu is likely to be seasonal and constantly changing, designed for exactly that place and exactly that moment in time. That landscape oil painting or curved plexiglass sculpture looks like it was hand-chosen by the owner, and blends seamlessly into the rest of the streamlined design scheme. The staff know your name and remember your favourite cocktail and it all has the cosy, bespoke feel of a neighbourhood fixture.
But in Australia, particularly in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, there’s a very good chance that restaurant isn’t just a restaurant. It’s very likely part of a larger “group”, one that could include a
