The diverse city who loves coffee has so much to offer - from the bustling shopping streets of CBD, to the laid back neighbourhoods of Brunswick & Fitzroy. Let's not forget about the Great Ocean Road, Philip Island, Yarra Valley and many more beautiful areas surrounding the city.
Being more accustomed to quiet towns and country sides, I questioned my decision to travel to Melbourne the moment I stepped off SkyBus. If I'm going to be honest, I didn't enjoy the city centre at all. I was looking forward to sitting in cafes and just writing or chilling yet it didn't happen because almost everywhere closes at 5pm. However, there must be a reason why Melbourne is voted the 'most liveable city'. After shifting accommodations to Fitzroy (long story) did I only understood why. There is a place for everyone in Victoria's state capital and here is a list of activities, a bunch of places to eat at or grab a cuppa (scroll down for my day to day itinerary).
Activities:
Markets - I love my markets. We all know that. Queen Victoria Market, Carlton Farmer's Market, Fitzroy Market, Rose Street Artists' Market, St Kilda Esplanade Market and South Melbourne Market... Just take your pick. For food and produce, Queen Victoria, Carltons, and South Melbourne are your go tos. Though my local friend very much prefer the latter and recommend getting oysters there. Alternatively, QVM houses Market Lane Coffee which Tumblr users will recognise their coffee cups. QVM had a Hawker 88 thing going on while I was there - a night market selling mainly SEA food and people sitting on familiar red plastic seats. Fitzroy Market and Rose Artists Market are just a stone throw away from each other and they are more of a flea market/designers markets kinda thing. St Kilda's as well. Do check the opening days for the markets though as they are closed on certain days of the week.
Thrift Shopping - Going through racks in Opportunity Shops (or Ops Shops for short) is one of my favourite activity to do. As they say - one man's trash is another man's treasure. Fitzroy has a couple (Salvos, Sacred Heart etc) scattered around the area but Brunswick is definitely the best place for thrifting and vintage buys. I alighted near Mediterranean Wholesalers, a supermarket with fresh Italian traditional bakes at great prices, and walked towards the direction of Fitzroy/city. Both sides of the roads are lined with ops and vintage stores, it would be impossible to miss them. First stop at Don Bosco and on the way to Savers, there's the Pet Resue, Children Rescue and others. But Savers though. The largest ops store housing over 10,000 items everyday. The place is huuuuuge and the best part - it's organised nicely by categories and sizes. If you're not tired from all the browsing, Vinnies and Brotherhood of St Laurence is on the way back down to Fitzroy/city. Pricing wise, ops store can start anywhere from AUD 2-5. There are fitting rooms so do try your clothes! Also remember to practice mindful shopping even when thrifting - just because something is cheap, doesn't mean that you have to buy it.
Melbourne Beaches - Definitely topping my list of must-dos while you are in Melbourne during Spring or Summer. Waddle in the water or take a scenic ride/run along the coastal path. Highly recommend for you to rent a bike and cycle from St Kilda Beach to Brighton Bathing Boxes (about 2 hours). However I made the mistake by renting the Melbourne Bike that has the weirdest clause that despite being a flat rate of $3 for a day pass, you have to dock the bike every 45 minutes to prevent overtime cost that can go up to $10/30mins. I was enjoying the leisure ride to Brighton before realising there's no docking station nearby and made a mad rush back to St Kilda's docking station. It was AUD13 for an hour and fourty minutes ride. I reckon that you can get a better bike nearby for that price relative to the creaky, speed restrictive Melbourne Bike Share. After or during the ride, have yourself a picnic by the beach and just dog watch while you're at it. If you are doing a full day at Melbourne Beach, stay after sunset and try to spot penguins at St Kilda Pier.
Luna Park - The historic amusement park at Port Philip Bay is really accessible from the city. Simply take tram 96 heading to St Kilda in the CBD area and it will drop you right outside of Luna Park. Believe it or not, but Mr Moon has been around for over 100 years. Entrance fee is a mere AUD5 but each ride costs AUD10.95. The unlimited ride for Adults is at AUD 49.95.
Melbourne Museum (AUD15) - The natural and cultural history museum is nicely located in Carlton Gardens and is perfect for all ages. Natural exhibits covers prehistoric topics (yes dinosaurs), bugs, marine life, landscapes, mind & body (do you know that poop transplant is a thing?). Cultural section showcases the beginning of Victoria's people and first people there. There is always something new to see, with the museum regularly changing exhibitions.
Free Museums - ACMI and National Gallery of Victoria. ACMI is the national museum for film, video games, digital culture and art. However, it is currently under construction (as of 30 Oct 2019) and you got to check the web for its reopening date. Another art museum is the NGV, Australia's oldest, largest and most visited. The exhibitions and collections are mostly free and open to the public, yet entry fees apply to special exhibitions.
City Shopping Arcades - Block Arcade and the Royal Arcade are heritage shopping arcades with gorgeous interiors. With mosaic-tile flooring, a glass dome foot and carved stone, they really remind me of Europe. Sigh. Loved the variety of stalls there as well - crystals, spices and also op shops, providing visitors a boutique shopping experience. There's a pop up of Agathé Patisserie Petite at the Arcade as well My opinion? Didn't find the Matcha with Red Bean (AUD9) fantastic, it didn't deliver the flakiness or the flavour.
Outlet Shopping - Need your T2 or Cotton On buys? DFO next to Melbourne Convention Centre is an outlet mall with three floors. Basement and first floor are clothing, sports apparels and lifestyle product while the second floor sells furniture and homeware. Prices are decent there but not extremely discounted like in other countries. Spencer Outlet is conveniently located at the Southern Cross Station, where the airport shuttle arrival/departure is at. A good number of stores for single storey outlet mall.
Graffiti Lanes - Get your Instagram shot at lanes covered with graffiti. Hosier Lane is a street art hot spot and was really crowded with tourists. I would recommend heading towards Duckboard Place and Croft Alley, much quieter for you to enjoy the street mural. Though if you are heading to Fitzroy, street art is pretty much everywhere.
State Library - It ain't a Melbourne trip without a shot of the Dome. Heading to the Dome might be a bit tricky from the back entrance (main entrance was under renovation when I was there). Walked through to get to the lift and head to the fourth floor. Go around to the opposite side of the building and take the lift to the sixth floor - the viewing gallery of the Dome. Tada. After getting your fill of the beautiful reading room, you can check out various exhibits and displays about literature in the Library.
(BONUS) Supermarkets - Woolsworth, Coles and Aldi will be your main baes. Especially Woolsworth. Aldi is cheaper and Coles is just... there. Grab your Tim Tams, protein bars, bliss balls, hipster vegan stuff, Chobani flips and avocados. Definitely get the freshly baked Woolsworth Sourdough! Soft and moist in the centre and a shatteringly crisp crust; best when toasted! Was so close to smuggling them back. Cries in carbs.
Side note: Transport was tricky with the free tram zone and 2 hours grace period. Let me attempt to explain how it works once you get out of the airport. Purchase the SkyBus City Express Tickets online prior to your flight or at the airport, and just show the QR code to the bus driver. If you are staying in CBD area, you can use the free tram ride to head to your accomodations. Just step onto the train and ride. The tram will annouce the final stop for the free tram zone so just watch out for that. To save cost, use the free tram zone and then walk to areas outside of the zone.
Here's the tricky part - if you want to travel via tram or bus outside the zone, you would need a myki transport card that is sold at convenience stores such as 7-11 and kiosks. There are booths in the CBD tram stops that lets you top up your card should you require it. SO going anywhere outside the free tram zone is a flat AUD4.40. Which is expensive as hell. To make your money worth - you can go anywhere within two hours (tap in to tap out) and the deducted amount is still AUD4.40. You have to touch on (tap) when you get on but you don't need to touch off. However when changing trams, trains, or buses within the two hours, you don't have to touch on unless there's a myki barrier. After the two hours, when you tap in again, you will be charged another AUD4.40. But the good news is that the daily cap is AUD8.80.
Food & Caffeine:
No fancy schmucy stuff here. Places that I go to are either value for money, cheaper than Singapore, or simply, those not available in Singapore. I don't have to have the best coffee, best produce, best fusion etcetc. I find a lot more joy in good, cheap, honest food that I can eat over and over again without worrying that I might break the bank.
5 & Dime Bagel - I loved loved loved their doughy-goodness. Had the pretzel bagel to go (AUD 2.50) and only had it 5 hours later. Reheated it in the microwave (remember to dab some water on the surface, microwave for 20secs) and it was still soooo soft and chewy! Amazing. Also the staff read my mind when he recommended the pretzel bagel cus it was just the nice amount of salty (I love salt bagels, don't judge). Spreads vary from seasonal fruit to horseradish cream cheese. Regretted not getting more bagels from there.
Miles End Bagel - A decent bagel place with a nice minimalistic space to eat in. The dark rye bagel was recommended to be and I had it with honey and ricotta fillings (AUD 7). Though nice crunch and flavour from the toasted sesame seeds, I preferred the Everything Bagel (AUD 3) which was more flavourful with the onion, garlic and poppy bits. The bagels here were more dense and stiffer than 5 & Dime but still yummy! Fun fact: They boiled the bagels in honey water for a subtle sweet aftertaste.
Bagel Cafes - My borderline obsession with bagels grew and who can blame me when there are so many good bagel and decently priced bagel places around? Another hyped-up bagel bakery in CBD that may be more accessible to those who are staying within the free tram zone is Brown Bagels, a take-away focused cafe. Jungle Juice Bar is a long-standing cafe serving New York Style bagels and juices. The intimate space offers varieties including kransky, borek, deluxe and salmon. Fine sourdough, specialty breads and pastries are freshly baked daily for Woodfrog Bakery, a pop up stand outside ANZ building. The artisan bakery is known for the almond croissant too!
Borek Bakehouse - Anyone who knew me when I was backpacking the Balkans saw my love for bureks and having it for breakfast whenever I chanced upon one. The unassuming stall near QVM bakes their boreks fresh and sells it for only AUD4 or AUD10 for 3 which is a steal for Melbourne. Definitely exactly the Eastern European bake that I'm familar with but the crispy dough with hot spinach and cheese filling is a hug in the windy cold weather. Yums. They do wraps for AUD3.50 which are sold out pretty quick. Their gomzeles which I can only explain as a folded pizza, goes from AUD 8-10, is definitely sufficient for two.
Lomah - Middle eastern food is cheaper in Melbourne than in Singapore. A falafel plate Lomah's signature hummus, a zucchini and cauliflower slaw, tahnini and rice cost only AUD9 and comes with refillable toppings and condiments. Located in Ella, a new entertainment and dining precinct, the Mediterranean Israeli-inspired casual dining offers hearty meals for sure. Only complain is that they needed more flavour (garlic or cumin) in their hummus. If you are not a fan, Ella has other modern Asian food offerings like deep fried chicken, Chinese fried skewers and fusion Thai.
Rustica Sourdough - Upon stepping into the cafe, you will be greeted by beautiful loaves of breads and spectacular looking pastries behind the counters. The coconut flat white (AUD 5.70) was delightful - creamy and rich. The tantalising jam filled donuts were screaming my name from behind the glass counter and I used every ounce of my self control to not get one before F45 (next time I will, for sure).
Savanna African Restaurant and Cafe - ETHIOPIAN. FOOD. YES. Can you imagine my excitement when I found out there was Ethiopian food around Fitzroy?! A mouth-watering plate of sizzling assa (fish) tibs with two veg wots served with injera costs AUD22.90 and was so good. Be sure to eat the tibbs with injera because it might be too salty on it's own. Plus you can be assured that the portions are massive, best if you share a platter. Also I got too excited to inhale my food, that there is no decent photos of the dish...
Grub Food Van - My second "splurge" meal was at a quirky, dog friendly restaurant/cafe with naked mannequins' heads decor and an indoor greenhouse setting. The 1965 Airstream van is there to stay, for those who love a good Instagram photo. Healthy and wholesome meal - mixed fresh herbs omelette with sourdough (AUD 19) was pleasing to the eye and stomach. Side note: great heating system that offers a respite from the rain and cold.
St Kilda's Cake Shops - The streets near Luna Parks are lined with cake shops of eye-catching displays of sweets tempting you. Decided to treat myself post cycling and settled for Le Bon because of the options they had looked really enticing. Really pricey at AUD24 for 2 cakes and a mocha. The cakes were coyingly sweet - not for the faint-hearted. I felt that the sponge was soaked with syrup as well. I'm not saying its bad but it's not the best. Should have stuck with my initial plan of trying Monarch Cakes (4+ rating compared to Le Bon 2+ rating) instead. Lesson learnt - do not judge a cake shop by its display.
Gelato - If you have yet to visit Europe and had their gelato there, or just had to have gelato in Melbourne, Pidapipo and Piccolina are my recommendations. I was mildly shookth when I saw the amount of gelato Pidapipo count as a scoop. It was huge for AUD4.80. The gelateria have sorbet and milk based options with the latter being rich in flavour. I had the Coffee and Brownie which when sampling, tasted great but was hard to finish as it got too saccharine midway. The gelato here are catered for the sweet tooths, definitely on the sugary side than rich flavouring. I wondered how everyone around me could finish their two huge ass scoops.
Union Kiosk - Tucked within an alley is a little hole in the wall coffee place with just enough seats for 5 people. The vegan cafe churns out vegan jaffles, both savoury and sweet options ranging from AUD8-10. Beautiful golden crust and melty cheese but could have a tad more fillings.
Other Coffee Shops: So much coffee to drink but only so much caffeine my body is able to handle. These recommended cafes were bookmarked in my list and are known to provide that caffeine boost you need to start the day: Manchester Press, Dukes Coffee Roasters, Patricia Coffee Brewers, Brother Baba Budan, St Ali Coffee Roasters, Seven Seeds Coffee Roasters and lastly, Shortstop Coffee & Donuts.
Rough Itinerary:
Day 1: Breakfast at Union Kiosk, Art Museums/Galleries, Lunch and Dessert at Pidapido & Agathe, Graffiti Lanes, Block Arcade and Royal Arcade, State Library, Dinner at Lomah, Hawker 88
Day 2: Coffee at Queen Victoria Market, DFO, Lunch at 5 & Dime, Spencer Outlet, Explore City Centre, Dinner from Borek Bakehouse
Day 3: Coffee at Everyday Coffee, Explore Brunswick, Quick Bite at Mediterranean Wholesalers, Brunswick Thrifting, Dinner at Savanna
Day 4: Coffee at Rustica, Rose Artists Market, Fitzroy Market, Fitzroy Thrifting, Explore Fitzroy, Lunch at Grub, Melbourne Museum, Dinner
Day 5: Coffee from St Kilda, Cycling to Brighton Bathing Box, Picnic Lunch, Desserts at Le Bon, St Kilda Esplanade Market, Dinner
Day 6: Supermarket Run, Breakfast at Miles End Bagel, Lunch at Ba Xa before flight back to Singapore.
Cost Breakdown:
Airbnb - $344
Airfare (Scoot) - $343
Sim card (ICC) - $17
Airport shuttle (Skybus) - $34
Food - $138
Transport (myki) - $20
Cycling - $13
F45 - $27
Shopping - $98
Total: S$1,033
Disclaimer: I try not to eat in restaurants as much as possible. Woolsworth Sourdough (AUD 3.50), a bunch of Chobani mint flip (AUD 2.50 ea), banana (AUD 3.50/kg) and avocados (AUD 1.90 ea) were my breakfast and sometimes dinner for four days. The salad mix bag (AUD 1.99) was sufficient for three portions of dinner and I mixed in some blueberries/strawberries and avocado to make them more hearty/flavourful. Rest assured - I wasn't starving myself. I made sure to eat more during lunch or have a protein bar/snacks that are AUD1-3 in between meals. Honestly speaking, I couldn't justify paying that much for a Melbourne meal despite the "fresher produce and vibes", especially when I'm contented with supermarket bread and produce. Then again, value-for-money is what I seek for over "good meals".
Solo Scorecard - 2 (1 - Perfect for Solo Travelling, 5 - Would not recommend for solo travellers)
As much as I would love to give Melbourne a 1, it is definitely better to have someone travel with you in this sociable town. I can't exactly put it down in words but it is one of those places that travelling with friends would definitely make the vacation better. Though, still solo-travelable (I created my own word). Just take the tram, walk a lot and chill in museums and at cafes. Again, English speaking country, huge plus point!
Comments