DISCOVER: VICTORIA

Exploring Melbournes urban grind

Following your nose yielded more than an aromatic reward for Tiana Templeman secrets were revealed!

ucky tourists might stumble across one of the fabulous hole in the wall cafes that locals speak about in hushed tones but for most of us finding the perfect cup of coffee in Melbourne can prove elusive. Which is why Im walking down Bourke Street with a couple of fellow out-of-town coffee hounds and a guide from Hidden Secrets Tours, a complimentary tote bag looped jauntily over one shoulder and the promise of an excellent brew just moments away. Not long after our Cafe Culture Tour begins we slip down a tiny laneway off Little Collins Street for our first stop of the day Cafe Liaison. Bar stools around the barista station provide a ringside seat for coffee aficionados. Regulars stop by for a chat and the aroma of freshly roasted beans blends with the scent of fresh flowers, one of many arrangements which add colour to the simple, pared back decor. Our group of four sits at a large communal table sipping lattes alongside two local ladies-who-lunch,
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already feeling like savvy Melburnians in the know. Danny, the owner, closes the cafe if hes sick or on holidays so its consistently good, explains Kath, our guide. One look at the Turkish breads stuffed with Mediterranean goodies has me making a mental note to return sometime for lunch. This is perhaps one of the best things about a tour like this, you can come back later and explore independently thanks to a map which details exactly where youve been. We leave Cafe Liaison and walk past The Kitchen Cat, a restaurant which was once home to Jamie Olivers philanthropic diner Fifteen, before heading down Flinders Lane to press our noses against shop windows filled with quirky jewellery, designer clothing and objets dart. Another spot to return to, we agree. Kath plucks pre-paid tram tickets from her bag like shes pulling rabbits out of a hat and we take a ride to William Street to explore a different side of Melbournes coffee culture. This is the financial heart of the city, where the

daily hustle and bustle is punctuated by the hiss of espresso machines at the many excellent cafes and restaurants around Bank Place. Buildings from the 18th century dominate the streetscape, adding a sense of history to the economic centre of town. Restaurants around here are predominantly high end but we discover there are some cheaper options. Kath points out Cafe Vue the thrifty sibling of fine diner Vue de Monde which does a stylish, cardboard lunch box filled with a mini 3 course meal for $15. If its a nice day, you can take it to the park, she says. Next stop is La Belle Miette in Hardware Lane, a pretty French patisserie specialising in macarons. Marylynn is the daughter of a perfumer and sources unusual scents to enhance the flavour of her dainty sweet treats. Ruby red raspberry, delicate violet, palest lemon, cherry blossom pink: all arranged in a glass topped showcase and looking almost too beautiful to eat. Our tour includes one macaron each and we spend ages

PhoToGraPhEd By: BEN KiNG

deliberating over which exotic flavour to choose. After taking a peek at Manchester Press, a funky pared back cafe which has only been open a few weeks, we head off for lunch at Captains of Industry which is our final stop of the day. This semi-industrial mixed business features a bootmaker, a barber and a tailor around the periphery and a quirky cafe decorated with curiosities at its heart. We sit at a sturdy wooden table and order freshly squeezed juice which arrives in tin camping mugs, ice jingling musically against the sides. Wooden shoe lasts are arranged like an art installation and the gentle purr of clippers from the barber shop mingles with chill-out tunes on the stereo. Is it a gentlemens outfitters or a cafe? Im still not sure but the food is excellent and the eclectic surroundings somehow encapsulate what this tour is all about. Culture, cafes and a whole lot more.
ABOVE: The hidden secrets of Melbournes coffee culture is not so hidden anymore.

TRAVEL FACTS:
0 Hidden Secrets Tours
Nicholas Building, Suite 702, 37 Swanston Street, Melbourne Vic. 3000 Tel: (03) 9663 3358 [@] www.hiddensecretstours.com

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