I’ll Challenge You to be a Foodie in Melbourne With Me. What Do You Say?

What I love the most about food… scratch that, I meant to say Melbourne… is their food!

BREAKFAST

Duke’s Coffee Roasters

If you know me, you know I have to stop at some sort of coffee shop in every trip. I adore them and love trying out the local’s favorites. Now, if you ask me if I remember what I ordered, I’d be lying if I told you exactly what it is.

This spot specifically was actually recommended by my tour director in our mini tour of Melbourne, and it just looked so cozy inside. I also think that going after the mini tour was not a good idea, because the line was out the door when we turned around to come into Duke’s. I don’t think it met the expectation of amazing, but it was yummier than what the barista’s favorite coffee was.

Can you believe she told me her favorite coffee blend or anything coffee was just black coffee?!

Let me tell you something, my coffee needs flavor. I come from a Hispanic background, so flavor is all we get and/ or give! And I stand by that with my coffee too. *Melissa things* It makes more sense in my head when I say it. Hopefully you just get me.

LUNCH

Grill’d

Ari and I found this burger joint on a whim! We were walking around town for food and spotted Grill’d. I really just wanted a place to write in my journal for the trip, and this space had the cutest garden style outside. Their walls had bushes/ leaves clung on. There were picnic tables to sit on and they also had space in the inside. I wish I had taken a photo more of the outside space, but guess you’ll just have to see for yourself!

I got a wagyu burger for JUST $8 AUS monies, which is SO affordable in USD!!! For those of you who live in the states, anything wagyu is very expensive meat. So this was a treat for me!!! And then, of course, I had to have some good gut healthy drink to start my trip of unhealthy food items.

Kebab & Göl

Funny enough, our friend Tori spotted this place on one of her morning wandering sessions. We stopped here on a more on-the-go feel, pre-New Year’s festivities. We needed some food in our system!!

There’s lots of seating outside, around the restaurant and it was also nice just to take in the fresh air. The inside of the restaurant was purely for ordering your food, just so you know.

Royal Stacks

So in the Emporium Melbourne I went to, we spotted a restaurant that looked fully like a diner and very 90’s themed. I believe it was on the first floor and very noticeable. Ari just wanted to snatch a milkshake for some sweetness. It felt like my childhood in there!!! Lots of arcade games, a Kobe painting, the seating were booths and other semi-shaped areas, and lots of milkshake choices. It felt good to be a kid again. I definitely would re visit if I came back to Melbourne.

Hopscotch

This was one of the first dinners in which we met our group at! The group tables were very spacious. I think it was about eight of us to a table, so we really got to know other members. We had received two free drinks to try at the bar and ordered comfort food. After this outing, we ended up at the Melbourne Skydeck to continue getting to know one another.

Sister of the Soul

One of the only restaurants I went to that was vegan/ vegetarian in St. Kilda. Definitely interesting flavors, so read the menu carefully if you’re into these foods. I loved the outdoor seating!! Lots of plants, wooden structures, rattan style, and bricks. Good vibes all around!

DINNER

The Common Man

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHIN’

I had brought my straightener to do my hair for the trip, along with my adaptor/ converter of course. AND OH MY LORD. It burned on the first day. It would be me, right?! My adaptor/ converter worked perfectly fine with all my other electronics though. And now I have to find a new straightener… Let’s see how long I last without one in this trip and in life.

So I went the rest of the trip all NATURAL. Which I never ever ever ever do. I felt like a real lioness, because if anyone knows me back home, I always blow dry my hair with my revlon brush/ hair dryer combo and it takes me twelve minutes, and I’m good to go.

In honor of new year, new me and my straightener giving me a good run for my money, I decided to let my new friend, Tori, do something wild to my hairdo. With a mix of my curlies and that hairdo, I looked extra excited to be at the welcome mixer with our EF groups! There were three groups traveling together, but one was mainly just Australia, while my group (Ben’s) and (Justin’s) group were Australia and New Zealand.

TIP: 10/10 recommend doing Australia and New Zealand together, because you’re already in this side of the world. Might as well do both countries! I would also spend a bit more time in Australia in your trip, but that’s just me.

Young & Jackson

With a hint of New Year’s…

Our New Year’s didn’t really go as planned, I think it went better though. Some of the girls and I had wondered around town trying to get into some bars, but apparently, because it was New Year’s, you had to rsvp. While we didn’t have that luxury of knowing, we ended up just wandering and getting to know the city a bit more.

The group ended up at Young & Jackson with our tour directors, in which Ben did a shoe-y. Ew!

An Australian tradition to drink beverage out of your shoe when celebrating.

Urban Dictionary

After a few drinks and lots of laughs, we ended up outside in one of those centipede lines connecting to every person in our group. We felt like sardines in a can, to be honest. There were SO many people outside trying to see the firework show!! And because we were living through New Year’s a day early, the majority of us lived it twice with our families back home.

There were so many lights, a few fights, and getting lost… but at the end of it, we all had a blast celebrating the start of a new year together and the start of the trip. Cheers!!

We also went into a few other restaurants throughout my trip that I didn’t get much footage on, so here’s a few:

• Curtain House (bar/ lounge)
• Platform 28 (bar)
• Higher Ground (brunch)

So overall, my favorite burger spot has to be Grill’d and my favorite pinterest aesthetic spot is Hopscotch. HANDS DOWN!

Now that you’ve explored a bit on the foodie end, do you want to see Melbourne in another light? There are so many places to explore, walk around, and even just to take your own excursions. Can you believe I saw penguins coming home from a long day?! They’re one of the most relaxed creatures and they look when they waddle. I was able to see them with the tour group we traveled with, EF* Ultimate Break.

Now guess the next city I’m heading to…

SEE YOU AT CAIRNS!

PS We stayed at Travelodge Docklands Melbourne | address: 66 Aurora Ln, Docklands VIC 3008, Australia.

*EF is a travel group that plans trips all over the world. I’ve gone on a few trips with their groups in my lifetime because it’s a fun way of traveling with likeminded people around your age group, meeting travelers nationwide, and you don’t have to plan anything! I got to know so many tour directors and have made so many memories, that they gave me the opportunity to become an EF Ambassador. I even get to give you a special link as a first time traveler to get $100 per traveler you and your buddies go on! Just tap away here and find a trip that’s right for you. And if you have any questions, as always, let me know!