Indie-indie Brunswick, an adoring and charming suburb just thirty minutes north of Melbourne’s CBD. From the infamous tram 19 and the swarm of cyclists labouring along the congested Sydney road, to the café-hopping hipsters, Brunswick is incredibly vibrant and a great melting pot.
It has an attractive mixture of young and old; cafes and bars; vinyl and co-op shopping; bridal and denim shops; Victorian and modern homes; and tattooed streets. Just about anyone and everyone belongs in Brunswick.
The Headless Duo stayed in Brunswick for a month and here are ten things we like.
Melbourne's original Lebanese bakery
This was a great introduction to Middle Eastern cuisine. Notwithstanding that we are from Singapore and the Malays are our indigenous people, apart from the ubiquitous Kebabs, we weren't too familiar with Middle Eastern food.
The bakery is incredibly spacious and has great value. Shanklish pies and Kafta wraps became our provisional Wonton noodles and chicken rice.
Fun fact: The late Anthony Bourdain (God rest his soul!) visited the bakery in his food show No Reservations (2009) and had a "Lebanese pizza". Go figure!
Melbourne’s original burger truck
The brick and mortar version of Melbourne's original burger truck. Their quality ingredients prove that the simplest burgers are the best burgers, and it does not have to be complicated.
Tip: the steamed green beans on the side are a refreshing change to the usual fries.
Cuppings at Code Black
Cuppings i.e. coffee tastings are a great way to learn about one of the most crucial steps in the coffee production process. Cuppings at Code Black were religiously attended because of the great coffees they had on offering - from extremely rare microlots to Geishas to F1 Hybrids. Despite coming in third at the 2019 Australia Brewers Cup Championship, David Train, former head trainer at Code Black, made cuppings at their Brunswick HQ lighthearted, genuine and inviting. They've seem to taken a hiatus on cuppings which is a shame.
Of-the-day denim
Melburnian's love wearing denim, and Dejour Jeans has got 'em! For each pair of denim, your measurements will be taken and the jeans will be altered to fit you properly. With prices at approx. AU$50, they are great value.
For the ladies, they've struck gold as a fitted pair of jeans is quintessential. The jeans would have to make "what curves, curve, and what perks, perk" (as we say in our culture).
For the dudes, a word of caution. Fabrics and textiles are equally important as fit. Despite their optimal fit, Dejour's fabrics are found to be lacking for the discerning gentlemen. So, do yourself a favour - the pair you've been saving up for? Spend it on her instead and do keep the ogling to a minimum.
Graffiti
Currency of Brunswick
Contemporary warehouse cafe
Housed in a former warehouse/industrial space, Lux was our first cafe in Melbourne and frequented them pretty often because of the great food and coffees. Not to mention the outstanding courtyard out front, which is super dog-friendly and perfect for soaking up some of that spring/summer sun.
Despite looking incredibly marquee, their food and coffees are reasonably priced. This was when we realised there's an unfortunate disparity in the pricing of cafes' food and drinks (as with almost everything in life).
Whether a poor cup or a good cup of coffee, it costs AU$4! Whether Kettle Black's pretty Ricotta pancakes or St ALi's "whatever" pancakes, it sets you back AU$20.
Thankfully, Lux is up there with best. So, treat yourself to something nice.
Hole-in-the-wall bakery
The ever elusive, used-to-only-open-on-Sundays OSB. This is truly Brunswick's best kept secret. No fanfare, no hype, just very very good bread and pastries. Kudos to Pip and his team!
Specialty chocolate maker
The brainchild of Debb Makin, sister of Dave Makin (cofounder and owner of Axil Coffee Roasters), Ratio is a bean-to-bar chocolate store with a glass walled roastery and a cafe. Come learn about the art of bean-to-bar at one of their tours or workshops.
A visit to them can be as simple as indulging in the fondue and taking home some almond cacao nibs to go with your luxurious Acai breakfast bowl. Or as interesting as smelling the different origins of cacao and tasting the different flavour notes.
Small batch, hand crafted, ethical and traditional. In the age of specialty this and new wave that, Ratio is ticking all of the right boxes.
"Wouldn't it be nice."
Melbourne's best falafel
Very Good Falafel is fresh, healthy, delicious and they've a cozy interior lined with quirks. With prices starting from AU$8.50, they brings out the best of Middle Eastern cuisine without breaking the bank. A must try along Sydney Road!
Fun fact: For those of us who are uninitiated to falafels, they're deep-fried balls of ground chickpeas and are high in protein and fibre. Simply mouth-watering when done right!!
Scandi-cool warehouse cafe
It's a shame we only visited them once. The proximity of our accommodation to Lux Foundry and the fortnightly cuppings at Code Black Coffee sort of made sure of that. Nonetheless, with its great hipster ambience, and highly recommended food and coffee, it would be a crime not to stop by Wide Open Road and enjoy their offering.
That's it for now folks. See you later!