Fans of Network 10’s The Cheap Seats will know the name. Have You Been Paying Attention stans might be familiar with it, too. And you’ll certainly know it if you tune into Nova’s spring breakfast show Mel, Matty & Susie O’Neill. Mel Tracina has taken more than a few laps around the media circuit, and this month, the host, MC, presenter – and as it turns out, formidable diner – settles into the big gig on the small screen hosting the new reboot of Big Brother.
But how does this up and coming media personality spend her time before and after tuning into the Diary Room? Find out in Tracina’s delicious and diverse How I Melbourne:
The best new thing I’ve found is a Turkish dessert bar called Cuppa Turca. They serve a range of desserts, but my favourite is their signature kunefe which is a layered, crispy pastry filled with a sweet stretchy cheese and soaked in syrup. They serve it on a hot plate with ice-cream and various toppings. They have a shop in Northcote and Campbellfield and I have been hanging to go back there.
My local is Brew Station in The Clarendon Centre. I go there every morning before work to grab myself a coffee (and maybe a sweet treat depending on how hectic my day is looking). Imas and her family own and work there, and they are the most beautiful people. It’s one of those places where I can say “just the usual, thanks” like they do in the movies.
When I want to celebrate an occasion with a special meal, I book a table at Her Bar. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is a vibe and in the same building you have a rooftop bar and a music room, so you can kick on after dinner. It’s a one-stop shop, and it’s close to Melbourne Central which means you can easily take public transport in and out.
When I want to show off the city to friends from out of town, I order us an Uber into the CBD and we spend the day or night eating and bar hopping at as many Melbourne institutions as we can fit in. The itinerary has to include a rooftop bar like Siglo or QT, a speakeasy (Nick and Nora’s or Mill Place Merchants are my favourites) and, if weather permits, Arbory Afloat or Ponyfish Island. Along the way, we can stop to shop at Melbourne Central or stores like Retro Star Vintage Clothing and get pictures of all the iconic Melbourne laneways. We then finish the night with either a kebab at Stalactites or a slice of pizza from the hole in the wall that is Pizza Pizza Pizza.
My favourite place to load up on supplies is markets! Melbourne has so many great ones to experience, like Queen Victoria Market, Footscray Market, Preston Market, South Melbourne Market – the list goes on. You can find affordable but great quality butchers and grocers whilst knowing that your money is going to local, family-owned businesses. Markets are bustling and full of all kinds of specialty stores. It’s a vibe! Where else can you buy groceries, get your belt resized and watch a Taylor Swift tribute concert whilst you order a coffee?
There’s no better value in the city than Shanghai Village Dumpling House (if you can handle the queue to get in). The place is a Melbourne institution that everyone should experience at least once. It is chaos once you get in the restaurant, but that is what adds to its charm – and the food is cheap and delicious, and it comes out quickly. The place is always heaving with people and for good reason.
And I wish more people would experience the excellence of Little Black Pig & Sons. This is a quaint, Italian fine dining restaurant in Heidelberg. It’s a seasonal menu that changes every couple of weeks and is decently priced. The chef even comes out to speak with every patron after their meal. It’s an underrated gem.
My defining food moment in Melbourne was queuing up at Gelato Messina in Fitzroy on a Saturday night in summer. Nothing makes you more Melbourne than seeing an eatery on social media and lining up with scores of strangers to experience it for yourself.
If there was one thing I could change about eating and drinking in Melbourne it would be not being judged by your coffee order. Let the half-strength, soy, caramel latte drinker order loud and proud without fear of prejudice. Likewise, let someone order a magic or doppio without being told they’re “so Melbourne”. Yes, this even extends to the person who orders a “cup of ’cino” (and we all know someone like that).
But the thing I hope never changes here is our desire to catch up around food and try new places. Melburnians know good food (and coffee), and we love trying new places, even if it means queuing up, and I love that about us.
Mel Tracina is host of Big Brother, premiering Sunday 9 November at 7pm. Watch on 10 and stream free on 10.com.au.