downunder update

Apart from the fine dining in the City Centre of Melbourne, there are eating precincts just minutes from the CBD displaying the variety of food and cooking styles for which Melbourne is acclaimed.

Chinatown

Start with a guided tour of the Chinese Museum and experience the life and times of Chinese goldseekers in the 19th century, don’t miss the display of stunning wedding gowns woven in gold.

The museum tour is followed by a walking tour of the area, bringing back to life the 150 year history of Chinatown with a delicious banquet lunch in one of Chinatown’s world class restaurants.

This is a true blue excellent tour and lunch, ridiculously cheap and one I always recommend to my friends and visitors.

Lygon Street, Carlton

Lygon St has an international reputation for the enormous selection of Italian restaurants and cafes. It’s a street perfect for dining al fresco on a warm evening and the streets are busy every night of the week all year round.

Catch a bus in Londsdale St across the road from Myers, or stroll up through the theatre precinct along Russell St.

You’ll pass the Old Melbourne Gaol (pop in to see some Ned Kelly history) and the Eight Hour Day Monument which commemorates the peoples’ victory of 1856. To your right is Trades Hall, a national treasure and the birthplace of organised labour in Australia.

Queen Victoria Market

The Queen Vic Market is a huge and mostly intact 6 hectares of 19th century open air market, with sparkling fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, clothing, toys, jewellery, plants, footwear, handcrafts, organic meats, new-age products and souvenirs.

Catch any tram going north along Elizabeth Street.

Victoria Street Richmond

Richmond is tucked onto the edge of the Melbourne CBD, beneath the shadow of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It’s a crowded, untidy little place, with cottages, hotels and factories shoving each other down to the river.

The 1950s brought European migrants who came to live and work in the tiny streets, and there is still a large Greek-speaking community here, but nowadays, Victoria St is the heart of the Vietnamese community of Melbourne.

These days Victoria Street is a busy, bustling stretch of eateries, bakeries, wine bars, Asian groceries, butchers, fishmongers and fast, fresh exceptional Asian food at a bargain price. This is my favourite eating spot in all of Melbourne, a noisy, thriving Little Saigon.

Catch a North Richmond tram in Collins Street.

Brunswick Street Fitzroy

Brunswick St is another cafe and food precinct bordering on the CBD, a rich and colourful street packed with small, unpretentious cafes accommodating the bohemian, alternative, funky, trendy and the gourmet.

Catch the West Preston tram up Bourke Street.

Acland Street St Kilda

Take a tram ride from Swanston St down the boulevard of St Kilda Road or a quicker run on the St Kilda Beach Light Rail in Bourke street.

Acland St enjoys the open air cafe life style enjoyed by all beachside resorts. There’s an eclectic range of food here. Warning - beware of the cakes and confectionaries, they will tempt you beyond endurance.

River Cruises

There are many day trips and tours in and around Melbourne starting at backpacker prices. I recommend a trip on a ferry or river launch for a pleasing long, long lunch.

Bon Appetit!