The dish: US tennis pro Bethanie Mattek-Sands' favourite restaurants in Melbourne, Phoenix and Paris

Nine-time Grand Slam doubles champion Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 37, returns to the Australian Open this month to try and claim a third win to add to her 2015 and 2017 victories here. Over the past decade visiting Melbourne, she's kept herself busy off-court exploring the local food scene. The tennis player loves teppanyaki, sushi and is on the hunt for quality Australian chocolate and croissants.

Mattek-Sands and her husband and manager, Justin, split their time between stays at Hotel Como and Crown Melbourne with Airbnb accommodation – allowing them to cook for themselves and shop at markets.

"I love to use the kitchen and considering I am only home a few months a year in the on-season, it's a nice way to feel like a local, too," says Mattek-Sands.

EATING IN

Go-to dish at home

My husband has a backyard smoker at home in Phoenix, Arizona. I love his rotisserie chicken and our homemade butternut squash soup. I am very picky with our meats and everything we source is free-range and organic.

My guilty pleasure

I am a dark-chocolate connoisseur. Right now, I am really into Ritual Chocolate, Le Petit Duc, Dick Taylor and Manoa. My other guilty pleasure is homemade rice crispy bars.

Justin's Level-up rice crispy treats

• Melt 225g of grass-fed salted butter, then add and melt down 4-5 bags of quality vanilla bean marshmallows (I use Hammonds), stirring until completely smooth (turn burner off).
• Add in 1 box of rice crisps and stir together.
• Pour into 33cm x 23cm x 5cm tin and spread around – no need to firmly press them, you want them a bit loose. Let cool, slice and enjoy.

Best kitchen wisdom I cling to

Cook and clean as you go, and know your ingredients. I spend a lot of time in grocery stores and read labels. I like to know what is in my food – from the spices to oils. I am particular about what goes into my body.

EATING OUT

My favourite hometown restaurants (and go-to dishes):

I know the award-winning sushi chef Engin Onural​ of Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey in Arizona (also in Palm Springs). He makes me custom rolls with wagyu beef or a surf and turf mixture.

Vecina makes an amazing halibut ceviche, Peruvian fried chicken and the best dessert – banana bread with peanut butter mousse.

My favourite hometown haunts

• Lux coffee house, located in central Phoenix, is known for their baked goods and make a great vegan ginger-snap cookie.
• La Grande Orange Grocery is a fun country store where you can shop for local artisan products. Their lattes are really delicious.
• I am a mezcal girl – always served neat – but when I need a cocktail, I go to Toca Madera to watch the mixologists do everything in front of me. Bitter & Twisted, voted one of the top 50 best bars in the USA, is another favourite.

What is your favourite place to eat in Australia, and any special food memories here you have?

Every stay in Melbourne includes regular visits to Hunky Dory in South Melbourne. We got to know the owner Phil Hatzis, and have become good friends. When I finish playing AO matches, Phil will always have some fresh, quality food waiting for me.

I also love teppanyaki restaurant Wagyu Ya in South Yarra. They can serve the meat as lean as possible and I am really picky about my cuts. It's a place I go to every year.

I became addicted to Bahari Greek restaurant while in Covid lockdown in Melbourne in 2021. I ate their food (pictured above) on a daily basis.

Other restaurants I have enjoyed include Rice, Paper, Scissors; Hochi Mama and Chin Chin.

ON THE ROAD

What's your favourite food city?

Paris is my favourite food city. It's nice to know you can go to any corner bistro and find a quality steak and frites. I am a big fan of croissants and we hired scooters to try all the best places in each arrondissement (neighbourhood).

What are some favourite dishes there?

Boucheries Fillion's rotisserie chicken – make sure you get the drippings. The owner has been there for 40 years selling chickens on the side of the road. He knows me now, as we go every year. We buy a baguette at a bakery and eat by the river or set up camp by the Eiffel Tower. It's an off-the-beaten-path food experience.

La Fontaine De Mars is another favourite. Their duck confit and cassoulet with a bottle of red wine is a must. I can text the owner and he'll organise a confit when I am playing the French Open.

I also love the Marais District – lots of great cafes and croissant shops. Le Colimacon Marais is a good restaurant – they serve what we know as beef Wellington.

Where do you stay when you're there and why?

I've stayed in many arrondissements over the years and enjoy them all for different reasons. I really enjoyed the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal.

We now typically rent an Airbnb, and Justin gets some incredible beef from a world-famous butcher, Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec, and grills it, since you can't eat out every single meal.