Cafe-hunting in Melbourne, Apr 2014!

I was in Melbourne last year for a short 2 days, and i didn't think i would be back so soon..
But i did!
And this time it was for John Mayer Concert!!!

I've always wanted to catch him live ever since "Where The Light Is",
and i think i had one down from my bucket list this year!

There's so much to talk about for this trip,
but first, a trip to Melbourne is wasted without a pilgrimage to their cafes.
I was in coffee paradise!
Read about my other cafe finds in Melbourne last year here!

St Ali Coffee Roasters

12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne | 7am-6pm daily | www.stali.com.au

St Ali is my favourite cafe because of its location, great food and great coffee. 

It's really a no brainer! 

Do a little search on Melbourne Cafes and St Ali comes up tops! 

My Mexican Cousin

Secret recipe corn fritters w poached eggs, 

grilled haloumi, rocket and tomato relish.

This is their mainstay on the menu and St Ali's most popular dish.
You can read more about it here!

Dr. Marty's Dreamtime 

Dr Marty's crumpets w buttermilk ricotta, wattle seed, native pepper & red gum honey 

It's my first time trying crumpets, we don't really see that in Singapore. 

Crumpets are pancakes cooked on a griddle, 

therefore they have a harder but spongy texture similar to pancakes. 

The nooks and crannies are there for a purpose - 

to absorb the melted butter and other delicious toppings!

I kinda like them!! 

Someone bring them into Singapore please! 

Auction Rooms Cafe

103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne | Mon-Fri 7am-5pm | Sat & Sun 730am-5pm | www.auctionroomscafe.com.au

Sourdough Sesame Seed Bagel w Smoked Tasmanian Salmon, 

Chive Cream Cheese & Radishes, w Poached Egg

Proud Mary

172 Oxford St, Collingwood | Mon-Fri 7am-4pm | Sat & Sun 8am-4pm | www.proudmarycoffee.com.au

Proud Mary is a complete hipster town from its decor

right down to the their moustached & tattooed waiters. 

We got a seat at the counter and took orders for their more popular dishes, 

Potato Hash and Parmesan Pudding. 

Parmesan Pudding

Jamon Serrano, Poached Eggs, Grilled Asparagus & Parmesan Pudding on Farmhouse toast!

Market Lane Coffee @ Prahran Market 

Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra | Tues Thurs Fri Sat, 7am-5pm | Wed 7am-4pm | Sun 8am-5pm | www.marketlane.com.au

There's so much rave about Market Lane coffee!
Apart from this branch, there's another outlet at Queen Victoria Market.

The coffee culture in Melbourne is definitely more matured than in Singapore.
Imagine having perfectly-roasted coffee delivered to your doorsteps everyday,
that's a luxury indeed.
But i guess we Singaporeans still appreciate walking to the nearest hawker centre to grab a cuppa
 kopi siew dai and teh peng back to office/home.

I absolutely LOVE whole sugar cane. 

I just wish all of our cafes would use this instead of white or brown sugar.

The sweetness is a little more subtle and blends in very well with my latte (though most of the time i much prefer latte without sugar). 

Prahran Market

Opening Hours | Tues Thurs Sat 7am-5pm | Fri 7am-6pm | Sun 10am-3pm | Closed on Mon Wed & all public holidays |

Drop by for some Market Lane coffee and food if you're shopping around along Chapel St! 

Prahran Market is apparently the oldest market in Melbourne, 

and has a history of 150 years since 1864!

It reminds me very much of Pasarbella from the exterior but it specializes in more fresh produce.  

Do take note of their opening hours!

And if you plan to visit the market, do so earlier in the morning when it's busier. 

We went there twice and it was closed :( 

Well, the melbournians sure value their quality of life...

Melbourne Sights and Sounds in my next blog post! 

| Great Ocean Road | 12 Apostles | Mornington Peninsula Enchanted Maze | Yarra Valley | St Kilda Luna Park | John Mayer Concert |