Just like I occasionally choose to read books based on the cover, sometimes I visit a restaurant or cafe just because I like the name. That’s how Alastair and I ended up breakfasting at Marmalade and Soul. I thought it had a cute name, and that was reason enough for me. 🙂
Marmalade and Soul is located in North Fitzroy and I think it’s aptly named. There’s something really sweet about the place.
Common Galaxia is the latest venture from the folks behind Dead Man Espresso in South Melbourne. They have very recently opened in Seddon and we visited on possibly their first or second week on a Sunday morning. That morning they were very busy and packed right up to the wooden slatted ceiling. So busy that we had to put our names on a waitlist and stand outside in the freezing Melbourne winter because there was no room inside.
This was incredibly unfortunate because it was very cold outside. I was so cold. Look, I just feel the need to tell you again: it was SO COLD.
Mostly I like being an adult. But sometimes it really sucks. Particularly when you have to spend a weekend running errands and doing boring grown up stuff. When I was younger, being an adult looked so inviting – ALL THE FREEDOMS YAY – but the reality can be a bit tedious.
The other weekend, Alastair and I spent a morning dealing with errands. As a reward for being a grown up and dealing with boring grown up stuff, we wandered down to Chicco for brunch. We arrived at about 11am on a Sunday and as they were doing a bustling trade we were fortunate to snag a seat by the large windows (yay natural light). The cafe has high ceilings, a polished concrete floor, and is decorated with white macrame light fittings. They look a bit weird and kitsch but seem to work with the relaxed vibe of the place.
Breakfast is served until 3pm, and lunch starts at 12pm, so we ordered brunch and a round of coffee to start. Chicco uses Padre coffee, and I enjoyed my long black – it was nice and smooth.
“Hey Azzie. I’m in your hood,” Haz messaged me one day. “We’re going to Fifty-six threads.”
“Where? Are you buying sewing supplies?” was my response.
She told me it was a social enterprise venture that had launched at the end of last year by AMES – an organisation that helps new and recently arrived migrants and refugees to settle in Victoria. The main aim of the cafe is to provide employment and training for new migrants who want to work in the hospitality industry.
Located just about on the beach on Beaconsfield Parade in Albert Park, Nshry (pronounced Noshery) used to be a run down kiosk that has now been renovated into a nice cafe with a slightly silly name. (Sorry, it is. Gotta say it.)
I visited the other week with Alastair and my MIL Annette. I had heard that the corn fritters at Nshry were really good, and I was keen to take my MIL somewhere with a view of the ocean to take full advantage of the glorious autumn weather.
The reason I haven’t eaten at many of Melbourne’s newest, hippest restaurants isn’t because I shy away from hype. It’s because of that damned no booking trend. I’m not a no booking person. I like knowing that I can book a table and be seated at a certain time. So lining up for a table just isn’t me.
That’s the reason it’s taken me so long to get to the Duchess of Spotswood. I’ve heard SO many good things about it, but I’ve also heard how busy it is in the weekend. And we all know what busy means – having to wait for a table.
Disclosure: My visit was courtesy of Brunetti and Food Pampering
Brunetti is a total Melbourne institution. The first shop opened in Carlton in 1985 (though the current family took over in 1991) and it is now a mini empire, having expanded to several more locations in Melbourne, as well as Singapore and Dubai. The Carlton shop spans three shop fronts, and seems to be constantly packed. It’s a big, loud, busy joint with a huge selection of cakes, pastries and other baked goods.
Disclosure: I was invited to check out Garden Tuscany. Drinks and sweet things were complimentary, and we returned on a different day and paid for pizzas.
If someone said to me, “I’ve opened a cafe in my backyard!” I would think that they were well on their way to CrazyTown. But that’s what Stella and Sam of Garden Tuscany did, and not only are they definitely not in CrazyTown, it really works!
Alastair and I are quite different, but we have a really good relationship. Part of that is because despite our differences, we have the important things in common. We hold similar political views, are non-religious, and most importantly – neither of us are morning people!
Even though we’re not morning people, we’ve recently started getting up earlier in the weekend. And you know what? There are so many more hours in the day! The day never seems to end! It’s amazing!
Recently on one of our “get up early” Saturdays, we returned to The Premises for coffee and lunch. Because we had been up for several hours already, we had eaten toast for breakfast at home several hours before.
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On Australia Day last week, Alastair and I celebrated by jetting off to New Zealand. Yes, very patriotic indeed!
Our flight was early in the morning, so we skipped breakfast and took the opportunity to eat at the newish Café Vue at the Melbourne Airport international terminal.
This CafĂ© Vue outlet is open rather long hours (4am-1am daily) and offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as pastries and take away boxes for the plane. From what I saw of the breakfast menu, prices of the food look similar (if not the same) as the other CafĂ© Vue outlets. Breakfast and lunch take away boxes were $15, and a dinner box was $30. I was kind of astounded, because one of the things I hate the most about eating at airports is the outrageously marked up prices for horrible, substandard food. And here they hadn’t marked up the prices to gouge a captive audience?? Amazement!
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