18 Apr 2023
Tags: #geelong, #culture, #Dining, #laneways
Geelong is a happening and evolving city. It is home to iconic destination dining restaurants, a distinct cultural precinct and has a thriving laneway scene. Geelong is a city that has transitioned from its industrial past and turned into a creative, entrepreneurial hub.
It's a city re-invented. An eclectic and innovative community of makers are increasingly calling Geelong home with pockets of cosmopolitan venues for chefs, producers and entrepreneurs escaping the confines of the big cities. The heady mix of cultural, creative and heritage spaces and stories makes for an exciting combination.
Laneway culture
In and around Little Malop Street, Geelong thrives. Almost every doorway offers an experience that adds to the pulse of this precinct. Here you will find Geelong Cellar Door, a wine bar dedicated to Geelong wine, southern American style food and Blues at Pistol Pete's Food n Blues, a hidden 1930s speak-easy cocktail lounge in upstairs The 18th Amendment Bar, ramen and sake at Sober Ramen and the newest kid on the block is Geelong's ultimate dumpling destination - the Drunken Dumpling Bar.
BahJong is the newest kid on the block and is shaking up the dumpling scene, The Arborist has been designed to fit around the Fraxinus Excelsior Ash tree creating a benchmark of sustainability for restaurants and cafes to come and serving Middle Eastern share food, plus it has just opened a new rooftop bar. Nearby, Felix focuses on a celebration of seafood, vegetables, and fine beverages offering one of Geelong's most remarkable dining experiences. You'll find incredible Asian dishes on the grill at Sumi and wines from near and far at Union Street Wine Bar.
Destination dining
Gourmands can't go past Aaron Turner's iconic and award-winning Igni restaurant. There's no menu here, just the understated authority of a chef in control. Another hatted restaurant offering in Geelong is Tulip located on Pakington Street. An ideal destination for a truly memorable dining experience focused on produce driven dishes that celebrate local and sustainable food. For a breakfast outing, nothing beats watching the bathers on the waterfront from the gorgeous 1930s heritage-listed building at the Pavilion. ALMA channels modern South American cuisine and Geelong's bustling waterfront district has welcomed the intimate French bistro La Cachette , headed by chef Matt Podbury.
Further afield is 1915 Restaurant, a new large venue located in a former boiler house which has been beautifully brought to life at the Federal Mills site. 1915 serves up delicious locally-sourced, Mediterranean-inspired dishes that complement the top shelf wine, beer and spirit offerings. In the suburbs Bistrot Plume in Belmont offers an elegant and boutique French eatery, while Baah Lah in Pakington Street serves local, seasonal dishes served in ceramic plates and handcrafted bowls made by chef and owner Brian Anderson. His father's farm also supplies products like walnuts, apricots, boysenberries, and lemons to the restaurant.
Cultural Geelong
Visit the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre's magnificent five-storey dome structure with children's tactile area, archive collection, café and of course a library. Head over the road to the Geelong Arts Centre soon to be the largest regional space for creative and performing arts in Australia and plays host to an array of shows, such as theatre, opera, dance, comedy and live music. Geelong Gallery is one of Australia's leading and oldest regional art galleries with an outstanding collection including Eugène von Guérard's View of Geelong (1856) and Frederick McCubbin's A bush burial (1890).
Everything in the cultural hub located around the library and gallery is within easy walking distance and visitors will be amazed at how much cultural interaction can be achieved in just one day. There is a cultural buzz in Geelong which makes it well worth a visit in more ways than one.
The National Wool Museum explores the landscape through thousands of years of Wadawurrung culture to the more recent wool industry and is host to seasonal exhibitions. MoPA (Museum of Play and Art) is a creative intellectual fun learning and interactive space for young children. Just out of town is Narana Creations, an Aboriginal Cultural Centre that offers free visitor programs. Here visitors will find a gallery, native garden, retail space, café and performing arts area.
Boom Gallery, located just off Pakington Street, is a vibrant contemporary art and design gallery housed in an historic woollen mill and Focal Point is Australia's largest and best equipped public access darkroom, and print gallery space.
Geelong is located an easy one hour's drive from central Melbourne or can be accessed by train with regular V/Line services running from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station. Water access to Geelong and The Bellarine is available via Port Phillip Ferries with regular scheduled ferry departures operating 7 days a week.
For further information go to www.visitgeelongbellarine.com.au
