okaybee

If I had to give Melbourne a theme, it would be food & wine.

Actually, if I had to give my whole Australia trip a theme, it would be food & wine! But Melbourne even more so due to the wine tour and food festival that I went to. I’ve definitely realised how important eating good food when I’m travelling is to me. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have cared, I would have just grabbed a sandwich or fast food somewhere. But now, I want to try new things, be more adventurous with food, and get to see the best of what a place has to offer. Restaurants can honestly make or break a trip for me!

Anyway, I headed to Melbourne to see my friend Jen who moved there about 10 months previously. Our first day was all about catching up, exploring Jen’s neighbourhood and planning our week together. We had lunch (and wine) at Yellow Bird which is on Chapel Street in Windsor. Great street to go to for food, bars, and shopping in Melbourne.

That evening, Sarah and Collie flew in from Brisbane for the weekend. So a few of us went to Madame Brussels for a few drinks on the rooftop, before heading to HoChi Mama for dinner that night. HoChi Mama was one of my favourite places that I ate in Australia. Try the tasting menu and thank me later. Also, badass cocktails with fire. What’s not to love? We headed to a rooftop bar afterwards that is literally named Rooftop Bar. Original, or lazy? It was great to get to see some of downtown Melbourne at night, as we spent most of the rest of our nights in Windsor.

The following morning we were up at some mad hour because we were doing a wine tour of Yarra Valley. We went with a company called Wine Bus and it was a brilliant day. We visited five different wineries in Yarra Valley, had lunch in one of the wineries, lots of tastings, a random unicorn, and a chocolate factory to round out the day. What more could you ask for?! We did get unlucky with the weather on the way home though. People say you get four seasons in a day in Melbourne, and they’re not lying! I have never seen rain like it. It started coming into the bus, rivers were forming in the streets, it was insane. And did any of us have jackets? No, of course not!

We hid in a little tapas bar for an hour or two, having snacks and more wine, before heading to Tokyo Tina for dinner. It’s a really good food spot, but the food came out in a really weird order. I was nearly finished my main by the time Sarah’s main came out, and we were having the same thing! We headed to Wolf & I for a few drinks before going home. It was a really long day, I was surprised how wrecked I was. But it was an early start too, so I’m not surprised.

Dress is from Verge Girl. I wasn’t joking when I said that I wore it to death!

Sunday was a lovely chilled out day for us all. We headed to the Queen Victoria market for a wander and some coffee. I’m a little obsessed with markets when I go away. I was looking for a gold coin pendant (very specific) and fell in love with the cutest one at this market. It was the perfect size, with all the star signs on it. Yeah I’m a little into horoscopes, don’t judge me! Unfortunately it was about four times more than I was planning on spending, so I had to leave it there. So disappointing when that happens!

We had brunch in Operator 25, which is an Asian fusion brunch menu. Really good food, but expect to wait a long ass time for a table. But worth it in my opinion. Sarah and Collie were catching their flight back to Brisbane that evening, so we decided to chill out and enjoy the amazing weather at Good Heavens, a rooftop bar in downtown. It’s a great spot that apparently shows movies during the week, so definitely check it out. That evening, myself, Jen and a few of her friends headed to St Kilda beach to watch the sunset. Perfect way to end a Sunday in my opinion!

Jen had taken the Monday off work which meant we were able to meet another friend Lisa for (surprise surprise), more food! We headed to Industry Beans, for brunch and the most weird and wonderful coffees. Lisa is a foodie, totally my kind of girl, so she said we had to go to Lune Croissanterie after brunch, despite looking about 6 months pregnant because I was so full. Well, Lisa was on the money. They were the most incredible, flakey, buttery, magical croissants you have ever experienced.

I thought I might explode I was so full at this point, perfect time to go shopping…. Not. But anyway we went. Weirdly all I bought that day was loose trousers. I loved Cotton On and Glassons, two big brands in Australia. Still annoyed that I missed the opening of the Sabo Skirt store in Brisbane by just a few months!

To totally send ourselves into a food coma, we had dinner that night in Milk the Cow. We had the sparkling wine and cheese board, with baked camembert and toasted bread. Heaven. Honestly. I couldn’t live without cheese. Especially baked camembert.

Tuesday was my last full day in Melbourne and I was very aware that I had done nothing cultural in the city at all. I don’t think the wine tour counts. Jen told me that she had heard great things about the walking tour, so I decided to go for that. Seemed like a good way to see other parts of the city and learn more about it. Two things to note, the tour is pretty long, we’re talking 3-4 hours. So, wear comfortable clothes. Two, if it’s a hot day, you literally will have no shelter or shade. So, make sure you have loads of water and suncream. Our tour guide was brilliant and I learned so much about the city of Melbourne and Australia generally. I would love to go back and do the Aboriginal Tour, as I feel that learning more about Aboriginal culture and history was really missing from my Australian trip.

After my tour, I met Jen once she finished work at the Night Noodle Market. This market comes to different cities across Australia in their summer. If you get the chance to go, you need to! The food is amazing, the view over Melbourne were incredible, and there was Pimms, so you know, good evening all around. Seems fitting to have my last Australian experience be a foodie one!

I loved Melbourne and definitely see myself going back soon. With food like that, how could I stay away?! As I’ve been doing for my trips so far, all these restaurants are linked in the following Google Map, so if you’re heading to Melbourne soon, just save to have some great spots picked out for you!

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