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Hey, got a hankering for Hungarian cakes or Ethiopian chicken, or Malaysian noodles? No problem. You are in Melbourne. Melbourne is home to more than 140 different ethnic groups and that means a massive variety of good food from every continent and almost every country in the world. Just out of Melbourne are some pubs offering sensational food.
European cakes - Acland St in ST KILDA
Italian – head to Lygon St in CARLTON. A hot summer’s night here is a total must. It has a great atmosphere with al fresco eating. Winter comes with outdoor heating. Weekends are good here too.
Vietnamese – try Victoria St in RICHMOND or Hopkins St in FOOTSCRAY. Richmond in particular has a large number of Vietnamese restaurants. Thy Thy 1 is one of the original favourites at 142 Victoria St. Ph: 9429 1104
Ethiopian – FOOTSCRAY has several very good Ethiopian restaurants. Try Harambe at 205 Nicholson St. Ph: 9687 7177. The dining area is upstairs, and you can get banquets for $20 per person. Or Café Lalibela in Irving St, Footscray. Ph: 9687 0300. Or Awash African Restaurant at 82 Hopkins St, Footscray. Ph: 9687 1955
Turkish – go to Sydney Rd in BRUNSWICK and Coburg. Try Alasya at 555 Sydney Road Brunswick. Phone (03) 9387 2679 or The Golden Terrace at 805 Sydney Rd Coburg. Ph: (03) 9386 6729 website
Chinese - head to Box Hill, which has plenty of restaurants that do a great Beijing Duck
Cafe scene -there are two areas in particular that are great for cafes:
1 - Brunswick St, FITZROY;
2 - Acland St, ST KILDA;
PUBS WITH GREAT FOOD
Station Hotel - Footscray
59 Napier St, Footscray
Ph: (03) 9687 0521
www.thestationhotel.com.au
This is a fantastic pub in Melbourne's West. It specialises in beef and seafood, and every day between 4pm - 6pm you can get half a dozen of freshly shucked oysters and a cold beer for $12.
Terminus Hotel
492 Queens Pde, Clifton Hill
Ph: (03) 9481 3182
www.terminus.com.au
Does good pizzas and parmigianas. Also has trivia nights on Tuesdays.
The Cornish Arms
163a Sydney Rd, Brunswick
Ph: (03) 9380 8383
www.cornisharms.com.au
Live music, cold beer and a good beer garden
COUNTRY PUBS WITH GREAT FOOD
Venture out beyond Melbourne to some interesting country towns with seriously good food, and a few other attractions. Here are four mouth watering suggestions.
FARMERS ARMS HOTEL IN DAYLESFORD
 Farmers Arms Hotel
1 East St, Daylesford
Ph: (03) 5348 2091
www.farmersarms.com
Daylesford is in central Victoria in what is known as spa country.
The Farmers' Arms Hotel is on the very edge of the town at 1 East St. This pub has very lacklustre architecture, but the distinction of being one of the best food pubs in Victoria, scoring a chef's hat in 2007. Lunch and dinner bookings are highly recommended. There is plenty to do in Daylesford. See the Daylesford Day Trip for more information.
GETTING THERE:
Daylesford is about 90 minutes drive from the city centre.
There are two ways of reaching Daylesford:
1- The easiest way is to get on the Calder Fwy, take the Woodend turn off and then follow the signs to Daylesford via Trentham.
2 - Drive along the Western Highway towards Ballarat and take the Ballan-Daylesford exit.
V/Line operates a coach/bus service to Daylesford. www.vline.com.au
ROYAL GEORGE HOTEL IN KYNETON
 Royal George Hotel
Piper St, Kyneton
Ph: (03) 5422 1390
www.royalgeorge.com.au/
The same people who used to run the Farmers' Arms Hotel in Daylesford have spread their wings and magic to Kyneton at the Royal George Hotel. It’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Kyneton has become a rural gourmet food destination so there will be plenty of other places you can visit including the highly regarded Annie Smithers Bistrot at 72 Piper St, Kyneton. Ph: (03) 5422 2039 www.anniesmithers.com.au
GETTING THERE:
Kyneton is about 100 minutes drive from the city centre. Take the Calder Freeway and get off at the Kyneton exit.
HARVEST HOME IN AVENEL
 Harvest Home is off the Hume Highway, 18km north of Seymour
Ph: (03) 5796 8864
Lunch: Fri - Sun
Dinner: Fri - Sat
www.harvesthome.com.au
Harvest Home was built in the late 1980’s when Avenel was a regular stop off point for Cobb and Co coaches. Avenel’s most famous resident was bush ranger Ned Kelly, whose dad is buried in the town cemetery. Harvest Home has a rambling garden and delicious food.
Across the road from Harvest Home is a great butcher. Nearby is a maze which can keep the kids, or grown ups, occupied for a while. If you are into wine, try Plunkett’s winery which is on the Hume Highway just before the Avenel turn off - if you are approaching from Melbourne. Or drive to Nagambie and check out some of the wineries there. Nagambie is a 15 minute drive from Avenel.
GETTING THERE:
Car: Drive north on the Hume Highway until you see a sign to turn off to Avenel. It’s about 18km past Seymour, and just after the Plunkett winery on your left. It will take you about 1 hour and 40 minutes from the city centre. If you have an e-tag, take the Tullamarine Freeway, head towards the airport until you see an exit sign for the Hume Highway.
Train: Take a V-Line train from Southern Cross station. Avenel is on the Albury train line.
www.vline.com.au
HEALESVILLE HOTEL IN HEALESVILLE
 Healesville Hotel
256 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville
Ph: (03) 5962 4002
www.healesvillehotel.com.au
The Healesville Hotel is an old country pub that does gourmet food. Regional produce is used as much as possible including yabbies, local pork and venison. The hotel has a beer garden, and a deli next door offering gourmet lunch and groceries.
Healesville is home to the Healesville Sanctuary (www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary) it’s near the Yarra Valley wineries (www.visityarravalley.com.au/). It’s also en-route to the Dandenong Ranges(www.dandenongrangestourism.com.au/), the cross country and toboganning snow fields in Mount Donna Buang, the Yarra Ranges National Park with its walking tracks, rainforest walkway, and picnic spots. The park offers guided activities including abseiling, kayaking, bicycle touring, birdwatching, bushwalking, horse trail riding, rock climbing, mountain bike riding, ski touring, and spotlight night walks.
For more information go to www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm
GETTING THERE:
It’s about a 90minute drive from the city centre to Healesville. You can drive on the Eastern Freeway. Take the Springvale Rd turn-off, then turn left onto the Maroondah Highway. If you drive beyond the Springvale Rd turn-off, you will be on the EastLink tollway. For that you will need an e-tag or a day pass. More information
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