child-friendly

HOT: Afghanistan Pop Up cafe, Melbourne Museum, Nicholson St, Carlton

May 8, 2013 ⋅ 3 comments

Every year Melbourne Museum hosts a special winter international exhibition and this year’s showcase Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures is from the National Museum of Kabul. If you’re visiting the exhibition (or even if you’re not) you may not be aware that just outside the entrance is a pop up cafe that serves tastes of the region. [...]

HOT: Itali.co, 1/173-177 Barkly St, St Kilda

April 1, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

The partnership of Remo Nicollini, restauranteur, and Lino Maglione, master pizza maker, have recently opened a new casual Italian eatery called Itali.co in St Kilda. The two previously owned award winning pizzerias +39 and one of my CBD pizza haunts Espressino, then moved away to build the original Itali.co in Sorrento and start Docklands favourite [...]

HOT: St Ali North, 815 Nicholson St, Carlton North

March 15, 2013 ⋅ One comment

St Ali North is a cafe that ticks all the boxes for me. In fact, it’s almost as if they gathered a focus group of one (me) and asked what I wanted from a cafe. Let’s see now…an easy distance from my house via public transport or bike, an interesting menu using good quality produce, [...]

HOT: Opening Weekend, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2013

March 4, 2013 ⋅ One comment

The weather gods looked benevolently on Melbourne on the weekend as people celebrated food and wine as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Rather than bombarding you with a load of posts at once, here’s a potted summary of my HOTs and NOTs over a packed weekend of wining and dining. Some of [...]

HOT: Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Icecreamery, 35 Old Healesville Rd (cnr Melba Highway), Yarra Glen

February 7, 2013 ⋅ One comment

So our bout of 30+ degree days is continuing over the weekend. What better excuse to go for a day trip out to the Yarra Valley and indulge in some chocolate and ice cream! Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Icrecreamery is a new foodie destination in the heart of Yarra Glen. The property’s main attraction is a stylish, shaded building [...]

HOT: Shawcross Pizza Joint, 324 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

January 27, 2013 ⋅ 2 comments

From the ashes of a divey kebab joint on Brunswick Street has risen a new pizza restaurant, Shawcross Pizza Joint. The owners of Phat Brats next door have taken over the adjoining site and transformed the space into a New York-style pizza joint. So what does New York-style pizza even mean? “The most notable difference [...]

HOT: ShanDong MaMa, Shop 7, Mid City Arcade, 200 Bourke St, Melbourne

January 23, 2013 ⋅ 3 comments

Dumplings, dumplings, dumplings – Melburnians just can’t get enough of them. So I predict that new dumpling joint ShanDong MaMa will do well, as they have the distinction of (a) making all their products fresh on premises every day; and (b) receiving the approval of my (Chinese) parents who declared their dumplings some of the [...]

HOT: Sonido, 69 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

December 19, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Sonido is one of the friendliest, happiest cafes I’ve encountered in Fitzroy. Nestled in the less fashionable end of Gertrude Street (though increasingly hip thanks to various McConnell establishments and some cool independent designer stores), this little jumble of a cafe serves Colombian style arepas and other tasty South American style treats with a smile [...]

HOT: David’s Restaurant Weekend Yum Cha, 4 Cecil Place, Prahran

October 3, 2012 ⋅ One comment

David’s Restaurant has previously been voted one of Melbourne’s favourite yum cha destinations. They’ve recently revamped their interior design and menu to incorporate a more homely, country Shanghai style. That translates to a beautiful space awash with white and light (a modern interpretation of a Shanghaiese river cottage) accompanied by a menu of family favourites. The relaxed [...]

HOT: Aka Siro, 106 Cambridge St, Collingwood

August 12, 2012 ⋅ 5 comments

Could Peel Street be the start of a Little Tokyo in Collingwood? First Tokyo Bike cycle shop, then Aka Siro lunch spot and recently Mina-no-ie cafe from the folks behind Japanese-style cafe and shop Cibi (also in Collingwood). Part the door curtains and step into cosy Aka Siro and you really could be in a [...]

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