So after being rostered a Melbourne-Auckland and a Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne for the end of June, I thought it was about time I did another My Perfect Layover post. I love Melbourne, aside from being born there it has a great vibe to it that even makes the Sydney, Brisbane and Perth mates I have want to move there. The weather is horrible though, constantly changing. So good luck if you're visiting and want to pack light. I had my Hunter Wellington boots on pretty much the entirety of my stay.

First place I'm going to feature, and the one place I cannot miss out on in Melbourne above any other is Cumulus Inc.


I love this restaurant. I love how close it is to the hotel. I love the decor, the name and even the logo. And I especially love their breakfast. The baked eggs, also known as the shakshouka, make me happy. I cannot rave enough about this place. My only complaint is the price. And the chef's hat it now has means everyone is going to dine here. Oh well.


I think I've mentioned before that some of the best things I've ever bought have been at art gallery gift stores, and one supplier of these is Third Drawer Down. It's most notorious for the tea towels it sells, all of which you can get stretched over a frame ready for hanging.


The last item I bought from here was a thermos mug disguised as a Canon lens. Awesome no?


So just around the corner from Third Drawer Down and Arcadia is one of those places that for some reason I never plan to visit, but I always end up here for a muffin and a coffee.



Trust me guys, if you order only one thing from this cafe, make sure its a muffin. Last time I was here I grabbed myself a Coconut, Boysenberry and Chocolate muffin. I think the muffin batter was around the 20% mark, whereas the rest of the filling was the remaining 80%. It was full of flavour and so moist. A joy to snack on :-)

So a short 5 minute walk later and you reach Brunswick Street, which is a great place to go if you don't know what to do for the day and don't mind window shopping. Everything can be found here - thrift stores, rug shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, art stores, clothing shops, and everything you can think of. It also has Panelpop.

I've mentioned Panelpop on this blog before, and everytime I go there my eyes light up seeing the art they have on display, imagining how my apartment will soon take shape. Last time I was there I walked away with some Drew Funk graffiti artwork and a gorgeous Beth Emily piece, and I'm itching to go back to buy more.

I only found Panelpop whilst walking towards Clear It, which is a factory outlet store. They mainly stock Alannah Hill clothes, which is my favorite Australian designer, and the first 3-4 times I was in Melbourne for work my sole mission of the layover was usually spent shopping here. Worth checking out anyway...

Lygon Street is a must do when you're in Melbourne. Every cuisine imaginable is available, but the best stuff is the Greek, Italian and Turkish food. Thai, Indian and Chinese are in abundance as well, and all of it is reasonably priced, especially compared to the restaurants in the CBD and Southbank.


I wish I could just nail down one place for you guys that is just the epitome of awesome, but I really can't. There are so many hidden gems here, and you probably need about 2 weeks stay to dine at all the restaurants along here, there's bound to be something here for your tastes. I'm partial to the Italian food here though :-)

So a short walk back to the city, and you'll find Flinders Street Station...


Nothing says Melbourne to me more than Flinders Street Station. The building is gorgeous, and is a flurry of activity at all times of the day and night. And it's just directly opposite from...

Federation Square. Personally I think Federation Square is worth seeing for the architecture alone - whether you love it or hate it, it is certainly eye-catching. It houses the tourism office in case you get lost, it houses the National Gallery of Victoria and has a bar called 'Transport' if you're at a loss as to what to do on a Tuesday night.

So a short stroll from Fed Square and in 5 minutes you end up at the best cafe in the Melbourne CBD - Brother Babba Budan


Strange name aside, the CBD isn't really the place for amazing Melbourne coffee, but this place was recommended to me by another crew member, so I decided to check it out. It's very difficult to find without having the address beforehand, there's no sign outside the store. You just have to know... It's more catered to take-away orders as there is hardly any seating space, but the coffee is worth it. And the decor is pretty cool to boot.

And for my last recommendation, just a short stroll north is the Queen Victoria Markets. If you do one thing at these markets, you simply have to get yourself a doughnut from this van.


The jam donuts from this van are freshly made, coated in the sugar and served warm, and are for sale for 6 for $6.00. I really had to restrain myself from buying 15 of them, but they were so good with the take away coffee from Brothers Babba Budan. The Market itself is well worth a browse, and I've lost track of what I've bought here - I visit so often. I'm currently in love with this jar of passionfruit butter I purchased from one of the fresh fruit and vegetable vendors. Definitely a place I recommend for anyone visiting for the first time.

Images from here, here.

EDIT - As per a wonderful suggestion from Sodwee, here is a map of all the locations. I don't know why I didn't think of doing this sooner...


View My Perfect Day - Melbourne in a larger map

Cumulus Inc - 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Open Mon-Fri 7.00am-11.00pm, Sat-Sun 8.00am-11.00pm.

Third Drawer Down - 93 George Street, Fitzroy. Open Tue-Wed 11.00am-5.00pm, Thu-Sat 11.00am-6.00pm

Arcadia - 193 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. Open Mon-Fri 8.00am-5.00pm, Sat-Sun 9.00am-5.00pm

Panelpop - 117 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.

Clear It Factory Outlet - 188-192 Brunswick St Fitzroy. Open Mon–Thurs, Sat 10.00am – 6.00pm. Fri 10.00am – 7.00pm. Sun 11.00am - 6.00pm

Lygon Street, Carlton. Various Hours

Brothers Baba Budan. 359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. Open Mon-Sat 7.00am-5.00pm

Queen Victoria Market - Cnr of Elizabeth and Victoria Street, Melbourne. Open Tues and Thurs 6.00am to 2.00pm, Fri 6.00am to 5.00pm, Sat 6.00am to 3.00pm, Sun 9.00am to 4.00pm

Labels: Layovers, My Perfect Day

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