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Matt Skinner's inside guide to Melbourne

I may be biased, but I reckon if you took a little bit of Paris style, combined it with London sophistication, added a dose of New York chic, a shot of Barcelona artistic flair and, most importantly, an independence all of its own, and then served it up in one neat little city – say, the size of San Francisco – then there’s a very good chance you’d have created something like Melbourne.

Currently the fastest-growing city in Australia, Melbourne is egalitarian by nature. It’s a place where talk of class systems and demographics is overshadowed by talk of sport, art and food; where you’re more likely to be judged on where you go for coffee than what you do for a living or how much you earn. In fact, Melbourne’s reputation as one of the world’s pre-eminent food and wine destinations is gaining pace; a reputation due in no small part to its rich ethnic diversity and colourful past.

For almost 200 years, Melbournians – new and old – have been sharing recipes, bringing memories, educating palates and adding ingredients, passion, knowledge and enthusiasm to create a vibrant food and wine scene. At the heart of it all is the city from which roads, like major arteries, lead to communities that were once settlements for ethnic groups looking to start new lives: think Victoria Street, Carlisle Street, Lygon Street, Sydney Road, Springvale, Footscray, Doncaster and Brunswick, to name a few. This was never more obvious to me than during school lunchtimes when lunch boxes contained everything from Vegemite sandwiches to cold moussaka and slices of porchetta.

And then there are Melbourne’s food heroes. Names such as Stephanie Alexander, Mietta O’Donnell, Jacques Reymond, Donlevy Fitzpatrick and Maurice Terzini have paved the way for the likes of Shannon Bennett, Andrew McConnell, Frank Camorra, Con Christopoulos and George Calombaris. So while Melbourne doesn’t have the dreamy beaches of the west or the landmarks of the north, there is plenty to love about the Australian mainland’s southerly capital. Welcome to Melbourne – a city that wears a lot of black, and possibly spends a little too much time talking about the unpredictable weather, but where wine and food make up a huge part of who we are.

Many Melbournians leave home well before they need to in the morning just so they can eat, drink, read the paper and talk in one of the city’s many cafes. The well-hidden Liaison Café (Monaco House, 22 Ridgeway Pl, Melbourne, 03 9663 3225) is not only one of the best places in town to do this, but also turns out exceptional cups of coffee courtesy of Danny Colls – the man who brought us local institutions such as Café Racer, Federal Coffee Palace and the Postal Hall Café. But if you’d rather spread out and take your time over a more substantial breakfast and equally good coffee, then Dead Man Espresso (35 Market St, South Melbourne, 03 9686 2255) is the place. From here, it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to South Melbourne Market (322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne, 03 9209 6295), where you’ll find a substantial array of produce, from fresh fruit and vegetables to cuts of meat, as well as great sushi and gelato.

While in the area, wine lovers looking to flex the plastic are well-advised to pay a visit to Randall The Wine Merchant (186 Bridport St, Albert Park, 03 9686 4122) and Prince Wine Store (177 Bank St, South Melbourne, 03 9686 3033), two of Melbourne’s finer independent wine shops, both of which carry a great range of small-scale domestic and hand-picked imported wines that are backed up by friendly and knowledgeable service and decent pricing. As an added bonus to holidaymakers, both stores ship right around the country and beyond.

And if at that point the retail bug hasn’t completely left your system, The Essential Ingredient (Elizabeth St, South Yarra, 03 9827 9047) and Prahran Market (163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra) should be your next ports of call. Boasting an incredible range of food gadgets, food books, olive oils and all kinds of gastronomic goodness, The Essential Ingredient is like Dr Who’s Tardis but for food and drink lovers, while the upstairs cooking school has a constant roster of key industry names.

But the biggest advantage is that you can leave there full of inspiration and wander straight into Prahran Market where you’ll find the finest Victorian produce. From the freshest meat and fish to vegies straight from the ground, Prahran Market hums away five days a week, and is a one-stop shop for the best ingredients this city has to offer.

Across the road from the market, Hu Tong Dumpling Bar (162 Commercial Rd, Prahran, 03 9098 1188) turns out exquisite handmade dumplings. Highlights include the steamed chilli wontons, pan-fried pork dumplings, Peking duck and the legendary xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). A sympathetic wine list keeps things light and aromatic, with plenty of great riesling from both here and abroad alongside a terrific range of pinot noir.

As institutions go, 25-year-old France-Soir (11 Toorak Rd, South Yarra, 03 9866 8569) is one of Melbourne’s most faithfully served. A detailed French wine list and Jean-Paul Prunetti’s perfectly reproduced little slice of Paris are just two of the reasons for this restaurant’s popularity. This is the kind of place where you come for simple yet beautifully cooked bistro food, French waiters, air kisses and to forget – if only for a moment – that Boulevard Saint-Germain is a 22-hour flight away.

If you’re in need of rehydration, then City Wine Shop (159 Spring St, Melbourne, 03 9654 6657) should be up the pointy end of your list. From the team who brought you the European, the Supper Club and Siglo, the rustically styled and friendly all-day CWS boasts a terrific range of wines by the glass, a great selection of cheapish eats, and a diverse and eclectic array of wines to drink in or take away.

Two blocks south of City Wine Store you’ll find the first of three great dinner options, starting with Cumulus Inc. (45 Flinders Ln, Melbourne, 03 9650 1445). Opened in 2008, Cumulus is the brainchild of Andrew McConnell, Pascale Gomes-McNabb and Jayden Ong. Part-bar, part-dining room and set in an airy, gallery-like space, must-tastes include Ortiz anchovies on toast, snap-fried school prawns, whole slow-roasted shoulder of lamb and a delicious selection of oysters and charcuterie. The small and eclectic wine list is particularly strong on the Rhône, Burgundy and Piedmont.

Option two is the latest addition to the city’s dining landscape, Gordon Ramsay’s Maze (Level 1, Crown Metropol Hotel, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, 03 9292 8300). Headed up by chef Josh Emett, Maze produces a stunning array of small, seasonally inspired plates that draw on the best of local produce. A standout of this operation is Lincoln Riley – Gourmet Traveller WINE Sommelier of the Year 2008 – who will steer you through a thoughtful selection of wines to match Maze’s seven-course tasting menu.

And, finally, just over a year ago, Good Food Guide Young Chef of the Year 2008 Adam D’Sylva, together with his partners Mykal Bartholomew and Kate Calder, brought us Coda (141 Flinders La, Melbourne, 03 9650 3155). A place to drink, snack and seriously dine, Coda has successfully blurred the lines of traditional Melbourne dining – D’Sylva’s inspired Eurasian menu is well served by a great list from young Melbourne sommelier Travis Howe. From its beautifully designed subterranean space to its energy and enthusiasm, Coda represents much of what is attractive about where Melbourne’s dining scene is headed.

At this point in the evening, those with something left in the tank should head north to the achingly cool Northcote Social Club Hotel (301 High St, Northcote, 03 9489 3917) – it’s a reincarnated music venue that plays host to some of the best up-and-coming local and international acts around, and is a cracking place for a cleansing ale.

But if you are looking for something a little quieter, you should make your way to Simon Denton’s Izakaya Den (114 Russell St, Melbourne, 03 9654 2977) – a long, windowless industrial space furnished on one side by a simple bar that runs the length of the room and black leather banquettes along the other. While this local take on a Tokyo drinking house turns out some delicious food, the string-bound drinks list offers a wonderful range of Victorian wines, Japanese beer and, of course, sake, which comes in either tumblers or beakers, depending on how thirsty or brave you are.

And while Izakaya Den also doubles as the perfect starting point for checking out Melbourne’s flourishing bar scene, you should head for The Prince (2 Acland St, St Kilda, 03 9536 1111), which, at 13 years of age, is still the coolest place to stay in Melbourne.

Housed within the iconic Prince of Wales hotel, The Prince provides affordable luxury on a number of levels. Rooms are simply furnished yet warm, mini-bars come loaded with goodies, such as half bottles of Louis Roederer Champagne, you’ll find Aesop products in the bathroom, and there are original artworks by Earl Carter and David Band on the walls. And if all that’s not enough, then access to one of the best wine lists in the country, at Circa, is literally only a phone call away. It’s a great way to wrap up a whirlwind culinary tour that is sure to give you a taste of what Melbourne is all about.

PHOTOGRAPHY MAZE

This article is from the August/September 2010 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.