5-GastronomyMelbourne is very cosmopolitan and international. It has people from all over the world, so there is no shortage of culinary variety!5.1 Fairs and street marketsQueen Victoria MarketSouth Melbourne MarketPrahran Market5.2 CafesThe coffee scene in Melbourne is very famous, including for its full-bodied and strong coffee. Local coffee shops serve coffees produced in Australia and in various places around the world. It can be enjoyed in the morning – when you can see almost everyone on the street carrying their morning coffee – and also in the afternoon. Many restaurants are also coffee shops, and many markets offer coffee options.
To accompany your coffee – in addition to the atmosphere, view and the drink itself – there are some interesting places to visit:
Lune croissant - Very famous croissants, you have to arrive early because they sell out quickly. The best located and most popular place with the most refined options. More for tourists with refined tastes, especially Europeans. Breadtop - A chain of bakeries with products aimed mainly at the local market, particularly Asian customers. They are not the best option for food, but they offer a wide variety, fair prices and showcase what people eat here in the city! They have several locations throughout the city.Che Desserts - For Vietnamese-style desserts. When someone asks for suggestions for different desserts, let's go for this one.The other three options below are others that I like to visit as well. For more alternatives, Google Maps will be your best friend:
Le Petit GateauBrioche by PhillipBakemono Bakers 5.3 Lunch and DinnerIt would be easy to make an endless list of good and interesting places in the city centre (CBD or City), but I will put together a list of normal, simple restaurants with fair prices that I have visited. As this task is quite difficult when negotiating with six people to decide what to eat, I think it's easier to use Google, look at the reviews and decide where to go.
Pellegrini's Espresso Bar - Italian, coffee. Very simple, typical of Melbourne.Cookie - Thai, modern and contemporary. I really like it because it has tables (usually for two) with balconies overlooking Swanston Street (one of the city's main streets).Universal - With one of the most famous “Chicken Parma” dishes in town, known for being VERY generous and reasonably priced. They do not take reservations, but the queue usually moves quickly. Large tables are welcome.This dish is very traditional in Australia and can be found in almost any bar, pub, or restaurant in town. Many places have their own unique way of preparing it, making their dish unique.
Sometimes you'll find it named Parmi ; Parmy or a Parma. This a very interesting DEBATE that covers the whole country;5.4 BarIt's also easy to create an endless list of bars. I'll list five that I visit and like, with a comment explaining why I chose them.
Melbourne has many hidden bars in unusual locations, which makes everything more interesting. I suggest contacting the bars and reserving a table.
PonyFish island - One of my favourites because it shows the city from a different perspective. It's small, literally located within the Yarra River, and quite unusual. Best enjoyed during the summer!Caretakers Cottage - Starting with the building and the location! A unique, informal bar housed in a historic blue stone cottage in the heart of Melbourne's financial centre!Berlin Bar - An interesting perspective on the communist and capitalist sides of how Germany was divided at the beginning of the Cold War.HER Bar, Music Room, Roof Top and BKK - A four-level hospitality wonderland and vertical laneway. Find a Euro-leaning bar called HER BAR on ground floor; a MUSIC ROOM dedicated to the love of sound on level one; a fast-paced Thai BBQ canteen called BKK on level three, and HER ROOFTOP on the top floorParis Cat Jazz club - you can enjoy a jazz performance, eat and drink5.6 OthersButchers Dinner - A butcher's shop with selected meat, where you can choose the cuts you want for your meal. More informal, but an interesting suggestion because it stays open late and accepts takeaway orders. I've never seen anything like it, so I always take friends to visit this place.