Magical Melbourne
Ask for “magic” in Melbourne and you’ll get magic, literally and figuratively. Magic is a Melbourne-specific coffee made with a double ristretto (two 20-ml shots), a smaller, more concentrated espresso shot (a 30-ml shot), topped with a small amount of steamed milk. This results in a drink that’s stronger than a flat white but with a smooth, creamy texture — one of the “magical” things about Melbourne.
This city has over 3,500 restaurants that serve hundreds of cuisines from all over the world. As a food lover, this is a dream destination and calling it a “melting pot” of flavor would even be an understatement.
Some of the best restaurants in Australia are here. Want French food? Then head to the newly opened Maison Batard for their fresh oyster bar or their poulet roti or French style roast chicken with olives. The place (indoor and al fresco) would make one believe that Paris is where you’re at and not Australia! Want Peruvian cuisine? Head to Pastuso where servers from all over the world would serve excellent ceviche and grilled Wagyu skewers. Feel like Asian food? The all too popular Lucy Liu has amazing Asian food from a slew of chefs from China, Sri Lanka, and Korea to give Asian food that extra innovativeness that can’t be had elsewhere evident in their barramundi and shrimp wontons and that delicious Soft-shell crab jianbing.
Spanish food can be had at Movida oir Movida Aqui… do not miss their anchovy toast with tomato sorbet! Melbourne can offer almost any cuisine in the world one may be craving for but unlike other cities in the world, almost any type of food in Melbourne is good! Melbourne has the popular staples and new places to go to. Have pre or post dinner drinks at the intimate Apollo Inn Bar, walking distance to Gimlet at Cavendish House, a dining institution in Melbourne. Have the house special of rock flathead fish with mussels or their superb Australian lobster or scallops. Then there’s the fine dining Society restaurant where one can have excellent martinis served with caviar on crisps before indulging in their specialty duck dish. After dinner, one can walk over to Nick and Nora’s, a champagne and cocktail bar popular with locals and tourists. A tiny yet always packed place is Caretaker’s Cottage, a modern bar in an old cottage with unique and smart cocktails coming from 21st Best Bar in the World according to the World’s 50 Best Bars.
A short walk takes you to the minister’s old house, now the newly opened Reed House with two chefs (a British and Australian couple) serving a fusion of both cuisines. Eggs Benedict is a favorite amongst the locals and some of the best can be had at Higher Ground (get the Spanner crab Benedict), Mid Air restaurant at Melbourne Place (get the Eggs royale with smoked salmon on wholemeal crumpet, and Krimper Café (get the beef bulgogi eggs Benedict)!
How can one try as many restaurants or cafés in such a short time? There are two food tours highly recommended for this. A must is a food tour at Queen Victoria Market, a landmark in Melbourne and the largest open air market in the Southern hemisphere. It is all of seven hectares and started in the 1860s. Book a tour at https://qvm.com.au/tours/ and let a guide take you around the market tasting everything from local seafood and cheese to squid ink salami and Sicilian canola. Skip the queues and have the best this food haven has to offer by booking a tour that starts at 10am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. Those who love their cocktail can book a tour with World Class Global “Bartender of the Year 2018” Orlando Marzo. The award-winning bartender has his own bottle cocktail brand “Loro” and took us on a great tour around some of the best bars in Melbourne (as well as dinner). Book a tour with Orlando by messaging @localingtours on Instagram. Another great walking food tour is one from This is Melbourne Experiences.
Martina Jennings is a knowledgeable foodie and knows the best Melbourne has to offer. Her company specializes in taking small groups to different restaurants to try one or two dishes then move on to the next spot. She will bring you to Melbourne’s famed Koko Black chocolate store and has special access to Australia’s first cheese aging cellar that ages both local and imported cheeses. Any foodie is guaranteed to have a great time. Another walking tour recommended is by Hugo Mylecharane of Depot Adventures. He will explain the culture of Melbourne street art and will take you to several alleys around the city famed for street art. He’ll even show you two Banksy artworks still in the city!
Australians have a huge amount of respect for the original custodians of their land. They often say an “Acknowledgement of Country” that recognizes the land of First Nations peoples, saying “I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today. I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present.”
It was vital to visit the Koorie Heritage Trust that takes Koorie peoples, cultures and communities to a central meeting and gathering place for everyone in the state of Victoria. Their vision is to ensure the rich cultural heritage, history and knowledge systems of First Peoples are valued, celebrated and is an active part of society and their purpose is to nurture, honor and celebrate the continuing cultures of the First Peoples of south-eastern Australia. Here we learn more about the life and culture of First Nations peoples.
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is another must-see, especially the Bark Salon, a display of more than 160 First Nations paintings. This is at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Fed Square and entrance is free. Not to be missed is the major retrospective of Paris-based Australian fashion designer Martin Grant at NGV which will be until January 26, 2026. A kimono exhibit as well as a French Impressionism exhibit open at the NGV this week.
Discover the magical city of Melbourne, a city that has something to offer to everyone!
(Visit https://www.visitmelbourne.com/.)
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