A Taste of Melbourne

Sponsored by Infield, the leading independent 4×4 specialists in the midlands, Melbourne Assembly Rooms manager Andy Heafield has helped to compile a guide to some of the food and drink available here in Melbourne.

Andy says the guide concentrates on the vast array of food and drinks available locally and that “Melbourne is home to many independent small retailers, and a walk around the shops is always recommended.”

He also recommends ‘Melbourne’s Pubs Past and Present’, a book recently published by the Melbourne Historical Research Group.

From Beer to Coffee

Sheila Hicklin, Leader of Melbourne Parish Council and a member of the MARs board, has lived in Melbourne all her life and has seen many changes. She says:

“It’s surprising how few traditional pubs there are today compared with 50 years ago. And how many more places you can have a coffee nowadays.”

Coston Crawford, the Derby Telegraph beer and pubs columnist, has written a foreword for the Melbourne Guide. He knows the community well and has featured most of Melbourne’s pubs in his column.

“In looking at the food and drink facilities, I think the best news is that they have improved a great deal in the last few years. The range of pubs in the town is fascinating in that it’s a microcosm of the modern pub scene nationally. There is everything from a unique micro-pub, through independently-run modern hostelries to traditional large chain owned pubs.”

He added a couple of interesting facts:

“I’ve had a quick tot up. If beer is your thing, a pub crawl of Melbourne, apart from being conveniently compacted within a mile, would bring you about 20 different traditional beers to choose from.”

Colston also says you would not have to leave Melbourne to taste the food of a different country each day of the week.

So if you are in Melbourne for the weekly market on a Thursday morning or for a day out, make sure you get a copy of the guide and check some of the food and drink treasures on offer.