My obsession with Cheap Eats
My rules for living in Melbourne: never leave the house without sunglasses, an umbrella and a copy of Cheap Eats.
The weather in the Victoria capital is notoriously fickle, with sunny skies turning stormy and vice versa in an instant. And Cheap Eats has become my irreplaceable little blue book, my guide to this notoriously foodie city on a budget. Put out by one of Melbourne’s major newspapers, The Age, Cheap Eats just celebrated its 25th birthday.
The book is organized by neighborhood, making it easy to find what’s best near you. While it focuses on the city and surrounding suburbs, there are also sections on the Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong Peninsula. The maps at the back are handy as well: I often navigate my way through a new neighborhood using the recommended restaurants as guide points. (Before I invested in a copy, when I got hungry while out and about, I would find a bookstore with the book and then rifle through until I found the neighborhood I was in–and then choose a restaurant close by).
Most weekends, I plan my days more around what’s CE-recommend than what’s LP-recommended. I’ll rifle through the pages, waiting for a description to catch my eye. Perhaps I’ll choose a neighborhood that I want to explore, wander through the shops or sprawl out under a tree in the park, and then indulge in a coffee (I try to stick to cafes that earned a “great coffee” rating), a brekky-as-lunch and a dessert. I may not have been to every museum in Melbourne yet, but I sure have a good hold on cafe culture.
The only negative? With so many amazing places to try, it’s hard to go back to the same place twice–even if it is absolutely amazing. And with so many sticky toffee puddings and award-winning vanilla slices to try, I can’t really wonder why the numbers on the scale keep creeping up. A few of my foodie favorites:
Galleon Cafe: Right around the corner from my apartment, the Galleon is my go-to Sunday brunch spot. The vegetarian options rock—I love the bubble ‘n’ squeak—but the wide variety of perfectly-spiced Bloody Marys is what makes it.
Dr Jekyll: The leafy courtyard is made for curling up with a book on a sunny day—a feeling that’s only intensified with the laid-back vibe of the staff, which makes you feel more like you’re a friend dropping in for a cuppa than a customer. (The brekky burger is the first picture in this post–beyond delicious.)
Demitris Feast: A sunshine-infused courtyard and baklava French toast: need I say more?
By Korea: My first taste of Korean food was at this no-frills joint tucked behind the urban Melbourne Central shopping center–and after a bite of kimchi pancake and a sip of roasted corn tea, I was hooked.
Wickens Provedore & Delicatessen: In California, you can’t have a road trip without an In & Out Burger stop. On the Great Ocean Road, you really shouldn’t miss a pie. My “Easter” pie had rabbit, onions and wholegrain mustard–not a bad way to recharge for the rest of the drive.
Kanteen: It’s like a fabulous cafe just plopped down in the middle of the great outdoors. Only a short walk along the river from the commercial hubbub of South Yarra, Kanteen is a delightful break from the city.
Do you rely on food guides in a new city?
