People often ask me where to eat in Melbourne. I always answer the same way: tell me how many hours you have. So here is my answer if the clock was down to 24, and every stop is a personal pick.
These are my opinions and nothing more. I haven't ranked anything, and your list will look different. That's the fun of eating in this city.
Morning: pastry and a long black
I'd start at Candied Bakery in Spotswood and join the line for the almond croissant. I'm fairly sure they dunk it in sugar water after baking, then glaze it. That's a guess from eating a lot of them, not a trade secret I've been told. It's worth the wait either way.
Then a long black at Code Black in South Melbourne. It's a simple order, and a long black shows you quickly how well a café looks after its coffee.
Lunch: butter, ham and camembert
Lunch is at Casse-Croûte, and I'd order the number three. Ham, camembert and a frankly irresponsible amount of butter. I don't think it needs more explanation than that.
Afternoon: somewhere sentimental
The next stop is personal. Level 33 at 101 Collins is home to the espresso bar we built for JLL. I helped build it, so I'm biased, but I still think it has the best view in Melbourne.
It's a good reminder of why we do this work. A great coffee in the right spot gives people a reason to meet, linger and enjoy the city. If you're thinking about that for your own team, have a look at our workplace coffee service.
Melbourne has a long history with this. The Age's Good Food describes Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, which opened on Bourke Street in 1954, as a catalyst for the city's café culture. Melbourne History Workshop notes the claim to the very first espresso machine is contested, so it's safest to say Pellegrini's was among the city's first espresso bars.
Evening: focaccia, oysters and champagne
I'd stop at Zita's Focaccia for the prosciutto with truffle paste, a snack to carry me across the road to France-Soir.
There I'd start with a couple of oysters, move on to the steak tartare, and finish with a bottle of French champagne. It's a slow, unhurried hour.
Dinner and dessert at Don's
Dinner is the fried chicken sandwich at Don's in Prahran. It's the best I've had in my life. The sauce runs out both sides and the jalapeño jam does the rest.
The last bite of the day is Don's tres leches cake, with the cream piped in front of you. I can't think of a better way to finish.
If you're planning for visitors, map the stops by suburb first, then book the places that take reservations and leave the bakery for early morning.
