Our wonderful trip to Melbourne

Fun & Love in Melbourne 

Oh Melbourne. You MINX.

There we were. Like every trip, riding to the airport like two excited kids on Christmas eve (ok well I certainly raise the excitement metre and carry it for us both). We were off to Melbourne for 5 days to hang out, shop, eat and drink and we had been hanging out for the trip for weeks.

Getting to Melbs with my handsome man also just happened to be number 7 on my 25 before 25 list but it was so so much more than that.

We wanted a time out. We wanted some Morgs & Anna time. Breakfast dates. Wine dates. Relaxing dates. Just to be in each others company & Melbourne delivered in spades.

I think it’s no secret that we love to travel, in fact, the comment was made sitting together beer & pie in hand (because it’s rude to not drink & eat a pie at the footy right?) that we really do just want to travel the world together forever. 

So the vow has been made. Travel will always be involved in our lives - even when we start having little Morgan & Anna's.

Here is what I challenge you to do though. BOOK THAT TRIP. You know, that trip you have been saying you really want to do, but still haven't organised. The road trip down south, the quick flight to Sydney, the week holiday in Bali. Just book it. One of the biggest lessons that I still relish in every single day is there is never any point in waiting, for the right time, or more money. It's not morbid to say, but you honestly, truly really don't know just when your time is up. Imagine putting off living because you were worried about submitting a leave form, or asking your boss, or spending a bit of money. I have never let time, annual leave or money get in the way of a good holiday and once I commit it always works out, always.

JUST BOOK IT.

In the true spirit of a travel post though, and after getting some amazing recommendations that truly made our trip, here is the roundup of where we ate & drank in case you want to give any of the spots a try.

P.s We stayed at an amazing hotel in between South Yarra & Melbourne CBD called 'The Blackman Hotel' .. highly, highly, highly recommend it. When we go back to Melbourne we will ab-so-lutley be staying there again.  

M&A's Food Guide to Melbourne 

Newmarket Hotel - St Kilda ... Fantastic hotel / restaurant with sexy atmosphere (& amaze wines). We went to visit some friends here & it was hard to leave to kick on for dinner. 

Naked for Satin - St Kilda ... THE most happenin' bar / restaurant that does Pintox for $2 a toothpick. We went, had some pintox, some wine, & chilled out with old friends on some comfy sofa's. Absolute MUST do in Melbourne. Groovy story behind the name and history behind the place so do make sure you grab the story off the bar when you're there.

China Town - Melbourne CBD ... You can't go to any city I believe without giving their China Town a red hot crack. We just stopped at the first restaurant we came across that was packed & settled down for lunch. Delish Asian cuisine and vibin' little area. 

Dukes Coffee Shop - Windsor ... This is where I had the world's yummiest muesli. Absolute must do for Breakfast & Coffee if you're in Melbourne. We kicked our morning off here with some delish food then shopped up a storm on Chapel Street (which is where this bad boy is located) Win freaking Win.

MerryWell Crown Casino - Melbourne CBD ... Because honestly, a trip to Melbourne isn't a trip to Melbourne without a visit to the Crowne. We opted for burgers and wine here & honestly, I'd go back to Melbourne for this burger alone. Amazing views over the Yarra river & skyline too.

Classico - South Yarra ... Morgs & I wanted to give a red hot crack at eating most cuisines whilst in Melbourne so this gorgeous little restaurant dished us up the Italian of the trip. Intimate setting, incredible wine list, great sized portions, friendly service & awesome food. 

St Ali - South Melbourne ... If you like coffee, get here. Just simply, get here. One of the best coffee's we had in Melbourne & I would go back again. Freaking happenin' little spot, awesome vibe and seriously good coffee. The food looked amazing too (but we had just gone for a taste of their coffee) 

Queen Victoria Markets - Melbourne CBD ... We went for some market breakfast & coffee and turns out it was some devilishly good tasting coffee and THE best pancakes I've ever eaten in my life (massive call but I just made it). The Melbourne Markets are a must do if you're in Melbourne regardless but don't give their food stalls a miss. 

T-Roy Browns - Melbourne CBD ... This is quite literally a whole in the wall but a hole in the wall that isn't to be missed.

Rose St Artist Market - Fitzroy ... We found this groovy little art market whilst wandering Brunswick street on the way to get some raw vegan goodness and stopped past to have a wander. It's small enough to not get lost for hours and has some really (really) cool handmade stuff in there. If you're going to shop or eat on Brunswick street then these markets deserve a visit.

Chez Dre - South Melbourne ... We popped in to this divine bakery'esque place whilst grabbing a coffee at St Ali & can I Just recommend you do the same. Fresh style home made pastries and cakes and so mouth wateringly delish I can't put in to words. Just GET there.

Slow Poke - Fitzroy ... This place is another little gem hidding in Melbourne like an unsuspecting hole in the wall. We hit it up for Breakfast and I almost died over their Chai Latte (THE best I've ever had) and the bonus of the whole meal was their home made relish's that accompany most dishes. This is a breakfast place you can't miss in Melbourne (I'm serious).

Meatball & Wine Bar - Melbourne CBD ... Almost every single retail staff member that was recommending us places to go in Melbourne told us we had to go here..so go here we went!! We popped past after the game of football we caught thinking we'd stay just to check it out before we kicked on somewhere else but ended up staying the whole night. It was SUCH an intimate awesome little bar and we loved the menu concept. Literally, pick your meatballs, pick a sauce, pick a side. SO yum - and we tasted the yummiest cocktail of our lives here also (their reds are imported from Italy as well so it made me get transported right back to our Europe travels). Don't go to Melbourne without paying this place a visit.

Yong Green Food - Fitzroy ... This place was reccommend by at least 4 people to us so even though we're not Raw Vegan foodies (Which is what this place delivers in spades) we knew we had to def check it out. We could only stop for a morning tea (we had big plans for lunch) and gorged ourselves on raw cheesecake and a big delicious smoothie. All the food around us (there is also hot vegan food available) looked like some of the yummiest, freshest food I'd ever soon. Whether you are a raw vegan or not, get here to try some healthy goodness.

Veggie Bar - Fitzroy ... Veggie Bar is literally down and across the road from Yong Green Food and we popped in a different day to give their own smoothies and raw desserts a try. It is a gorgeous place buzzing with people and the menu is drool worthy.

Gradi 400 - Brunswick ... If you like Pizza, and I mean real, Italian style pizza this is your restaurant. Morgs refused to leave Melbourne without trying it (after it coming highly recommended) and we are SO glad we ended up paying it a visit. Gorgeous interior, amazing service and absolutley delish pizzas. The name comes from the fact they cook the pizzas for only 90 seconds, at 400 degrees. Ah-mazing.

Cafe Vue at 401 - South Yarra ... We popped in to this unassuming cafe on our last morning as we walked in the general area of where we were staying and it was the most delicious breakfast we were so impressed. Their porridge (I was just so excited they did porridge) was amazing and Morgs said it was one of the best "big breakfasts" his ever had!