Yesterday, I wrote about the delicious food tours in Italy and I hinted at today’s destination: Melbourne, Australia. (Did you catch the hint? Read the first post here.) Food tours in Melbourne range from half day walking tours to multi-day bus tours. You can explore the strength range of different coffee roasts, handpick the perfect chocolate, or learn about the varying flavours of Southeast Asian cuisine.
Australian cuisine
Australia is a lot like the United States when it comes to cuisine. Before you scoff at me and say, “ha! Australia is nothing like the States,” let me explain. Aboriginals lived in Australia long before the Europeans. They lived off the land, using the natural resources to survive. They didn’t have the exotic spices of India, the stodgy meat pies of England, or the rich dark coffee of the Mediterranean. When the first settlers came, they brought those cultures with them. Melbourne especially benefited from the Italians, who brought not just coffee but the entire ritual and culture with them.
Eater Magazine calls Melbourne a food mecca, and I agree. Rather than try to paraphrase them, I’m just going to quote them because I love this paragraph:
“There’s an elaborate sense of hospitality and food culture that stems from a history of diverse migrants setting down roots in the city, including people of Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Greek, French, Middle Eastern, Mexican, and North African descent. Contemporary restaurants embrace innovation and creativity, and Melbourne boasts some of the top restaurants in the country. Wine bars run rampant and restaurateurs are moving away from the white tablecloth, fine-dining routine, so diners can get some of Melbourne’s best food experiences without spending a fortune.”
Personally, I love Melbourne’s food culture. No matter what you want, you’ll find it in the city. Top chefs love to open up shop in Melbourne, which has over 4,000 restaurants in the CBD. Sometimes these are permanent restaurants, but sometimes they are pop up shops. If the popularity surges, permanence may be next on the list. The fusion of Asian and Western food is evident in many Melburnian restaurants, like Chin Chin, Movida, and Attica – among the many, many others.
Food tours in Melbourne
Depending on your schedule and budget, there are a variety of food tours in Melbourne that you might want to experience. For travellers keen to explore the alleyways of Melbourne while also learning about the culture and food, one of the Hidden Secrets tours is the way to go. This outfit (which outfits in yellow) takes visitors on a three hour walking tour of the city. Depending on the tour you’ve picked, you might be tasting various coffees at hidden cafes across town or bar hopping your way through a progressive dinner. All the while, your guide will also be talking about the history of the city and HOW it came be such a food mecca.
Some tours take visitors through the markets, namely the Queen Victoria Market, which is arguably one of the best food markets in the world. Once upon a time, there were dozens of markets in Melbourne. Today, the QVM is home to hundreds of local vendors – from cheesemongers to vintners to charcuterie shops. The vegetable and fruit vendors are outside in a vast covered market. Here, you can purchase organic fruits and veg, free range eggs, and local honeys.
Anyone who wishes to have a private tour of the city by way of the restaurants can do so. How about a private tour for two through some of the city’s best and most luxurious restaurants? This exclusive tour includes a private car transport and wine.
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Melbourne, Australia offers visitors culinary genius. Italy’s cuisine permeates almost every other Western culture. Where are we going next? Find out tomorrow at 10am!
