Melbourne, Australia: Food For All Moods

Melbourne, Australia:
Food For All Moods

Today, we will fuel our experiences with delicious food in the Yarra Valley, Phillip Island, and Melbourne (city). Depending on your budget, food is an area where you can find great flexibility in prices and quality. I’ve been known to eat picnic lunches (inexpensive) in order to pay for VIP tickets for the Little Penguins. Each of the locations included in this edition are places where we would eat (feel free to judge).

Tomorrow, we will focus on where to sleep. For us, this decision has made the difference between fab (!) and filing a police report.
- Cris

Yarra Valley

• $: Yarra Valley Dairy for picnic style meals. If your hotel room has a refrigerator, this is a great place to stock up on snacks. Try the cheese tasting platter featuring fresh local goat cheese, Persian feta, and marinated cheeses, paired with crusty bread and local olives.

• $$: Herd Bar & Grill is a favorite among locals for locally-sourced ingredients and a creative menu. The Beef Brisket Tacos are popular and should be paired with a beer or glass of wine (this is Australia - the “sober curious” movement is a bit less intense here). The drinking age in Melbourne is 18.

• $$$: Oakridge Wines has an award-winning restaurant offering farm-to-table dining, with dishes crafted from locally grown produce and paired with their wines. Try the Chef’s Tasting Menu which features seasonal dishes.

Phillip Island

• $: It takes a LOT of energy to surf and so we pay attention when the local Big Wave Café is packed with surfers. Try their homemade muffins and smoothies.

• $$: The family-run Italian restaurant Isola Di Capri balances the need to eat well with the need to spend a modest amount. Try the Lobster Toast with a pizza and tiramisu.

• $$$: With panoramic views over Cowes Beach, Saltwater Phillip Island offers fine dining that is ideal for a romantic evening. And yes, sometimes it’s romantic to look at each other and say “I want really good food tonight.” Sigh…true love. They offer take away that can be ordered online so if inspiration for really good food hits after a day of hiking and swimming then you can take it with you.

Melbourne (city proper)

• $: Super cheap and delicious Shanghai Street Dumplings at Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) or Pan-Fried Pork Buns on Little Bourke Street will leave your stomach and wallet full.

• $$: The Chin Chin Thai restaurant celebrates the Australian love of life with full-flavor food ranging from Massaman Curry (made with cinnamon) to Kingfish Sashimi with lime, chili, and coconut cream. For dessert, don’t miss the Palm Sugar Ice Cream Sundae.

• $$$: Attica, located in Ripponlea, is consistently ranked as one of Australia’s best restaurants. Order the Chef’s Tasting Menu and trust that you will dream of returning. In the mood for a rack of ribs? It will come from crocs, not from cows. The image above shows Yoghurt Whip with Boozy Berries.

All locations

One of the ways that I afford to see everything I want - including shopping - is by eating out of local grocery stores for 80% of my meals. The remaining 20% are typically from $$$ restaurants because, for me, that is part of the experience of travel. Items always packed in my suitcase include

• Corkscrew: The drawer of corkscrews at home is testimony to how long it took me to learn this trick. Hotels are not guaranteed to offer them ($40 uncorking fee? 🫢 ) and they weigh nothing.

• Plastic knives, forks, spoons: While hotels may allow you to borrow these, it’s often easier to bring reusable utensils. “Reusable” is key because you may use them several times on a single trip.

• Reusable chop sticks: Asian food is often on my menu and it’s really difficult to eat hot noodles with your hands. I picked up a pair in Japan and now take them everywhere.

• Pepto Bismol tablets: Jet lag can kick you when you least expect…like after enjoying dinner.

• Reusable water bottle/coffee mug: In addition to the obvious benefit of generating less trash, coffee shops are increasingly requiring you to bring your own mug. They don’t want trash swirling in the street with their logo on it. I prefer the collapsible silicon type but anything you already own will work.

Test your knowledge of Australian lingo

Tomorrow, we will explore where to sleep. Lodging is not the place to be cheap. Safety, convenience, and comfort should be prioritized when flying to a location far, far away.

See you tomorrow.

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