LONELY PLANET FOOD, $39.99
Forty perfect weekends; that’s the promise and if, like us, your breaks are built around where to eat, what to drink, the best coffee, wineries, markets, craft beer, microdistillery, laneway den or roadside shack, then hit the road, we’ve got you covered. Covering 40 foodie destinations – 29 in Australia and 11 in New Zealand – each easy-to-follow itinerary will fill you up from morning coffee to a late-night dram. Long since moving away from its backpacker beginnings and densely packed text-heavy travel bibles, Lonely Planet is like your on-to-it and happy-to-share travel bestie, glorying in the gourmet food scenes in New Zealand and Australia and showing all with wish-you-were-there photos. Filled with recommendations of food and drink tastes and experiences – everything from fine dining to picnic supplies and every taste-enticing bite in between – it’s part wish-fulfillment couch travel, part planner and has concise suggestions on where to stay, sightseeing and foodie festivals. As we look likely to be playing in our own backyard this summer then start planning – it’s going to be a good one. TRACY WHITMEY