He established Broadsheet in 2009 at the age of 25 after returning from a stint in London to find that no Australian media outlets were reporting on Australian city culture in the way he thought people were experiencing it.
Through breaking news, features, event guides and insight from industry experts, Broadsheet has helped Australians discover and experience what makes cities tick for over a decade.
Between Broadsheet and co-founding Providoor, it’s safe to say Nick knows Melbourne like few others. Here’s how he lives it.
My local is… well, it depends on the time of day. I live and work in Fitzroy, so I can often be found at Napier Quarter, Marion or the Builders Arms.
My defining food moment in Melbourne was… I have at least one every day. It could be my morning coffee, a stroll around Prahran Market, maybe a bottle of wine and a steak at the bar at Gimlet, or a meal at home care of Providoor. Melbourne has a very specific and unique personality when it comes to food. It’s the envy of the world.
The best new thing I’ve found is Broadsheet Wine, Broadsheet’s new wine box. The team has just launched this and I’m so impressed with it. I get six bottles delivered at home, selected by a different restaurant each month. It takes that experience of discovering incredible wines at the hands of a professional in a restaurant, but I get to enjoy it all at home. Genius.
When I’m cooking up at home, I stock up at Prahran Market. There isn’t much I can’t source there, so it’s usually where I begin my shop.
If you looked in my fridge, you might be surprised to find Champagne. You should always have a bottle available at a moment’s notice. You never know when you’ll need one. Or even when you don’t.
And when I want to dazzle friends from out of town, I like to take them on a food crawl. We might start with a Negroni at Di Stasio, on to a wine and a bite at City Wine Shop, maybe an entrée at Embla then a few dishes at Supernormal, and then we’ll sink into either the Everleigh or Bar Margaux for a few cocktails to finish the night.
The last awesome Victorian thing I drank was a Mont Wine 2020 Pinot Noir. My old friend Martin Burns has recently launched his own label using fruit from all over Victoria. It’s all excellent, but the pinot is really something else.
If I could change one thing about eating and drinking here it would be the amount we order takeaway food on the back of scooters. The stuff that arrives 40 minutes later can’t really be described as food. It’s tepid and soggy, and almost certainly bad for your health and your spirit. Food is too important for that. If you’re tired or on your own, go sit at the bar somewhere and be a part of your community, or learn how to make a simple, quick and delicious dinner – you’ll be happier for it. Or order Providoor and make an occasion out of eating restaurant food at home.
But the one thing I hope never changes in Melbourne is France-Soir. It’s been around nearly as long as I have and I hope it always is.