What's happening in the Canberra food and wine scene this July

Always a highlight of the truffle season, Raku's special dinners take the fungi to the next level as executive chef Hao Chen presents an exquisite menu. The menu, which showcases truffles across several courses, is available on July 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26, with sittings at 6 and 8pm. $230pp with matching wines, $150 without.

At the other end of the, equally tasty, spectrum, the guys at Melted, in Fyshwick and Turner, are happy to pop a little truffle in any toasted sandwich you might like. There's a mac 'n' cheese toastie with parmesan and truffle that they recommend. Or the chicken, leek and béchamel goes off with a sprinkle of the black gold as well.

Is also doing a special truffle menu. They've pimped our favourite Wagyu cheeseburger spring roll with truffle mayo and shaved truffle, and the creamy truffle butter prawns served with a lightly fried bao sound divine too. Or maybe fried rice with shiitake mushrooms and grated truffle will fill you up, or a southern fried chicken bao with truffle. The four items are available until July 31. Don't miss out.

Monster is making potatoes sexy again with their next installment of the Plant'd Hero series. Executive chef Matthew Bentley has crafted an exclusive feast dedicated to this humble staple vegetable. With matching beverages and desserts, sprouting with vibrant flavours, these will be some serious cutting edge carbs. We're interested in dessert, a sweet potato mousse with soft chocolate, milk jam foam and hazelnut crunch. July 27, $95pp, add $65 for matching wines. 6.30pm start.

Always a highlight of the winter, the Lake George Winery Burning of the Barrel celebrates the end of the vintage and welcomes the new one. It's a great family event, with live music, kids activities and rides on the new winery train. Pop the kids on that while you sneak off to taste the vintage wines from the winery's museum stocks and sample some new wines from this vintage. Dinner options available as well. Saturday, August 6, from 5pm.

While this cloudy NEIPA from BentSpoke sounds like summer - with a plethora of fruit flavours and aromas including papaw, passionfruit and mango - it's been so popular in the Braddon Brewpub, they've decided to can it for the rest of Australia.

Stratus is a real local favourite, often in the top three requests for takeaway draught "travellers", says Richard Watkins, head brewer and co-founder of BentSpoke. Available nationally now.

On Friday's during July, join Capitol Bar and Grill's executive chef Michael Box for a series of special chef's dinners. Six courses of seasonal tastes, highlighting the best the region has to offer.

As well as the meal, you'll also hear first-hand about the produce, providores and heart of every dish on the feasting menu. Available on Friday evenings from 6pm to 10pm throughout July 2022, for up to 16 guests only. $140pp.