Having tasted the joys of living in the inner north, the hunger for the finer things in life - in the culinary sense - has never been stronger. Thankfully, foodies are spoiled for choice with our quality providores. The king by name and nature is Carlton institution King & Godfree, which was established in 1870. But a stone’s throw away, on the opposite side of Lygon Street, is the renowned DOC deli and licensed café, and Gerwurzhaus (German for Spice House), which houses the A-Z list of exotic spices. Enoteca is an Italian word for regional or local wine shop, and there are several nearby, including the Gertrude Street Enoteca. Enoteca Sileno in Carlton North takes the experience to the next level, offering regular wine appreciation and cooking classes.
There’s also a range of destination supermarkets, from Brunswick’s Mediterranean Wholesalers, Gervasi Foodworks and BASfoods to Fitzroy North’s Piedemonte’s, Casa Iberica in Johnston Street, and Brunswick West’s Melba Food Hall, to bring the world into your home each and every day. And that’s without mentioning the boutique delights of Simon Johnson in Fitzroy or Albert Street Food and Wine in Brunswick, among many others. But if you’re after everything under one roof, the Queen Victoria Market in North Melbourne is a feast for the senses - from Tuesday to Sunday, excluding Wednesday. Whichever outlet you choose to whet your appetite, it’s reassuring that satisfaction is guaranteed.