Bianca Ling, aka Bianca in Melbourne, is one of Melbourne’s foremost lifestyle content creators. With over 400,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, you might think of her as a digital tour guide for eating, drinking and exploring in Melbourne. From brown-butter cheesecake ice-cream to First Nations feasting at Big Esso, here’s how she does Melbourne.
My local is…Dröm Bakery in Bayswater for their iced chai. My dog Benji and I love going there for our morning walk and the chai is like a little reward for getting our steps in early in the day. If I feel like grabbing a bite here, I get their breakfast bagel. It’s very satisfying.
I know I’m in Melbourne when figuring out the weather for the next day is an emotional roller coaster. Do I bring an umbrella? What about sunglasses? Maybe umbrellas for my sunglasses?!
In the mornings you’ll find me strength training and then going for a walk before I start work. I like to work out so I can eat more.
My defining food moment in Melbourne was when I started my first corporate job in the city. Our team lunches were always a great way to step away from the desk and explore the CBD. My colleagues introduced me to places like Supernormal, Palermo and MoVida, and I’m still ticking off new restaurants from my dining bucket list.
When I want to show the city off to friends from out of town, I like to plan a food and experience tour based on what they like. We truly have a huge amount of things to do and eat here – Melbourne is your oyster. And if you don’t like oysters, there’s always something else that will suit your tastebuds! Some quintessential Melbourne food experiences you have to check out while you’re here are:
– A Mont Blanc iced coffee at Good Measure;
– A brown-butter cheesecake ice-cream at Luther’s Scoops;
– A meal at Big Esso by Mabu Mabu – a fantastic way for people to experience Indigenous flavours;
– Drinks at Caretaker’s Cottage;
– A date night at Farmer’s Daughters – farm-to-table dining rich with local produce;
– A cooking experience at Free to Feed. Free to Feed is a social enterprise designed to provide empowering training and employment for refugees and people seeking asylum. Instead of a regular cooking class where you’re simply trying to follow steps, the experience is super meaningful. You cook a shared meal together with a group, and it’s more about connecting with people over stories. It’s very wholesome.
The best new thing I’ve found is this restaurant in Richmond called Love Letter – it’s a love letter to Melbourne’s diverse food scene. They serve old-school French bistro classics with modern Aussie flair and their steak and pasta nights are perfect for a cosy date.
When I want to go all out on a special meal I dive deep and go into research mode to find a great spot to match the occasion. It’s a bit intense, but I crosscheck Google, lifestyle publications, social media and reviews. I really love Japanese food – especially Kisumé and Yugen Tea House, though I haven’t tried Minamishima yet. Two of the coolest experiences I’ve had for special occasions recently were Oxi Tea Room and Matsu in Footscray. Oxi Tea Room is this incredible high tea experience that combines the founders’ experience in design and desserts to produce this African-and-Asian-inspired high tea. And Matsu in Footscray is one of the smallest omakase restaurants in Australia, seating just four people at a time.
One thing I hope never changes in Melbourne is our passion for food and drink. We’re very spoilt for choice with food in Melbourne and it’s because we have some incredibly talented and passionate people from all over the world working in the hospitality industry. My hope is that we continue to celebrate the joy of eating out and support the locals who put their heart and soul into the dishes we get to enjoy every day.
Follow Bianca’s adventures in Melbourne at @biancainmelbourne