A Foodie’s Weekend in Melbourne

Foodies flock to Melbourne from near and far to taste the city through its culinary experiences. Whether you’re a self-proclaimed food critic or an aspiring chef, here’s how foodies can spend a weekend in Melbourne.

Friday

This weekend is all about delighting your sense of taste but start off on the right foot by checking into Adelphi Hotel [187 Flinders Lane], where the accommodation is a feast for the eyes and imagination. Explore your sleek, vibrant room and settle in. If you’re peckish, the mini bar here is free but don’t fill up too much — your dinner (and more importantly, your dessert) is not far away. Head to the onsite restaurant, Om Nom Kitchen [187 Flinders Lane], and order a few plates to share like seared scallops and charred asparagus. The piece de resistance here, however, is what you’ll have for dessert. Recognised for its sweet works of arts, you can choose from Om Nom’s signature offerings including Strawberry Kisses, where teams spiced strawberry sorbet, vanilla pannacotta, raspberry and rose cremeaux, opalys powder, pomegranate meringue and white peach nitro. Whatever you choose, you’ll end your night with a full stomach and a big smile.

Saturday

Grab a quick breakfast of incredible French pastries from Agathe Patisserie [322 Coventry Street, South Melbourne]. Then make a beeline for the 109 tram towards OTAO Kitchen [360 Victoria Street, Richmond], which hosts some of the best cooking classes in Melbourne. Here, you’ll be the creator of the culinary delights. To leave with some cooking tips that will serve you in almost any occasion, go for the Asian Finger Food Masterclass. Each month, the showcase cuisine for this workshop changes — for 2019, May will be focusing on Thai canapes, June takes a Vietnamese theme, July is all about Chinese finger food and August zeroes in on Japanese cuisine. Depending on when you visit, you could be creating delectable prawn rice paper rolls, delicious dumplings, tasty Thai chicken wings or a scrumptious soba noodle salad. No matter when you visit, you’ll learn to create about six new canapes that are sure to impress family and friends the next time you play host.

Your experience will begin with a welcome drink and an introduction to the cuisine. OTAO owner Ha Nguyen, or one of his delightful staff, will guide you through preparing, cooking and presenting your canapes to have you feeling confident replicating the recipes at home. The meat and poultry used in these classes are sourced locally and the menu adapts to whatever vegetables are in season, so at the end, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labour made with some of the city’s freshest ingredients. After your class, take a stroll along Victoria Street. The team at OTAO will be happy to give you some pointers on where to shop for cookware, dinnerware and fresh produce. Take in the sights and sounds this pocket of Richmond, and its vibrant Asian influences.

Hop back on the 109 tram towards the city and retire to your room at Adelphi for a mid-afternoon siesta or a swim at the hotel pool — it overhangs Flinders Lane, nine floors up. Take things easy as you’ll want to be well rested for an evening of more dining delights. When hunger calls, head to Tipo 00 [361 Little Bourke Street], which serves up some of the city’s most popular Italian dishes. It offers comfort food at its finest in a casual, chic setting. For starters, order grilled ox tongue with balsamic vinegar and pink peppercorns, along with a bottle of your favourite drop. For the main event, the gnocchi with braised duck, porcini mushroom and pecorino pepata is a fine choice, as is the rigatoni of cauliflower, fior d’arancio and walnuts. Top your evening off with the Tipomisù — the Tipo take on the coffee-flavoured classic — and continue to let the drinks flow until you’re ready to call it a night.

Sunday

No foodie Melbourne visit is complete without visiting one of the city’s fabulous food markets. The gastronomic oasis that is South Melbourne Market [Cecil Street, South Melbourne] attracts many of the city’s best chefs, who stock their kitchens with goods from its lively traders. Browse its aisles and booths, brimming with colourful produce, gourmet seasonings and cooking contraptions and see what treasures you find. Before you leave, be sure to stop in at the renowned South Melbourne Market Dim Sims for a humble yet tasty morsel that’s the perfect note to finish your foodie weekend.

All information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication.
This story has been produced in partnership with OTAO Kitchen.