Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2018 is finally here, kicking off this weekend with several events including the highly anticipated River Graze, which sees the transformation of Southbank into a mecca for food- and wine-enthusiasts. 

A stroll along the Southgate stretch of River Graze will take you past several of Southgate's top restaurants that feature as pop ups. Fancy some fresh seafood bites in the form of Lease 65 oysters from Tasmania's St Helens or a brioche bun loaded with King Crab and Huon salmon? Check out Pure South Dining. Or perhaps it'll be La Camera's selection of woodfire oven pizzas that will tickle your fancy? Perfect doughy pizza bases with toppings that range from a seafood selection to the super gourmet combination of prosciutto, roasted potato and truffle oil (yaaas please!). Other highlights include the aromatic charcoal herb prawn skewers and mini smoked brisket sliders (oh so tender) from Hophaus Bier Bar Grill and silky dumplings from Red Emperor Chinese Restaurant. Finish on a sweet note with a Nutella Calzone from La Camera or a selection of award-winning gelato from Tutto Bene. 

For more information, visit the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival website.

Disclosure: All food and drink was complimentary, courtesy of Southgate Melbourne. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience and observations made during the time of my visit.