I've been going to the Knoxfield Milk Bar since my primary school days. I remember taking the…read morelonger route on my walk home just so I could pop in and grab some Fads for a dollar or so. I remember the days when I actually believed they looked like real cigarettes and I'd rush out to buy some on cold mornings so that I could loll them out of my mouth and breathe out big gusts of steam. I thought I was so cool. I've had some many experiences in this milk bar, some great and others not so good. When I was ten I remember the guy behind the counter would persistently shortchange me and try to make me think that I was bad at maths. Eventually I had to get my Mum to stand outside the shop and she would check my change and go in and yell at him if he gave it back wrong. Ah, those were the days. Mostly though I've had pretty all right experiences there. The shop itself is always stocked up and though the service is the same in any milk bar, it is still service. The bell rings, the staff member calls out hello and then I wander around until I find something. I approach the counter, give them my money; they repeat the cost and the amount I gave them before giving me my change. I haven't had a problem with them shortchanging me since I was ten - but maybe that's because they are scared I'll bring my Mum back in. She can be pretty scary when she's mad! At the end of the day, it's cheap enough and it's convenient. I've always been a fan.

This has to be one of the most dangerous places in the world for your waistline. The Gelato here is…read morethe best I've come across in Melbourne and living round the corner, I ate more ice cream than in any other period in my life. At the height of my addiction I was probably at two gelato cones a week. Coming back stuffed from restaurants down the road there almost always seemed to be a little spot left to fit in some white chocolate and noisette flavoured goodness. They say that ice cream sales go down when it gets cold but you can often spot Gelobar as it is the only ice cream shop with a queue outside in the depths of winter. In summer the queue can be way out the door so a long wait can be in store to satisfy your craving. I prefer the chocolate and nut based flavours over the fruity flavours, but I'm sure you can find out for yourself.

I wonder sometimes how much of Gelobar's current success is due to reputation. More and more, I've…read moreheard people say that the quality has really dropped in the last few years, and even that the service is pretty crap. I'm not able to make any comparisons because I only discovered Gelobar three years ago when I moved to Brunswick East. All I can say is that the gelato is really rather delicious. The Gelobar also happens to be on a stretch of Lygon Street in Brunswick East that's really buzzing with people on warm evenings, which is the perfect time to stop at Gelobar and get some icy sugar in a cone. The long wait in the even longer queue for a cold treat is made a little easier by people-watching and the anticipation of yumminess. I wouldn't go further than the gelato counter. The Italian pastries further along the counter are beautiful to look at but I'm not so keen on them. p.s. walked past Gelobar on Friday evening and it was closed, I'm guessing for refurbishments. Not sure when it'll be open again.

The local Milk Bar, good for last minute items or if you cannot be bothered with the extra 500m to…read moreWoolies. I've been in here a few times and just really shocked by the pricing in here. My housemate had fallen ill and needed some Soda Water, so instead of venturing a few more minutes down the road to Woolworths, i stopped in here and my god i left just as soon as i entered. I looked in the fridge and saw that a 2L Soda Water was around $4. This is something that the local Woolies stocks for 80c - $1. I understand that this small independent business is something of a dying sort but i'm not comfortable paying twice or three times as much for something i can get a few hundred meters down the road.

The name of this place suggests that this small family-run store, which has been here for over 30…read moreyears or more, is an in fact a convenience store. Phooey! I totally disagree with that and therefore refer to it as a milkbar, because that's exactly what it is. After all, milkbars are a dying rapidly and only a few now remain, like this one, and I'll be damned if I start referring to it as a convenience store. I don't know how many times I'd be on my way to work and completely forget to bring some change for the ticket machine on the tram. And, like a mirage in the desert, this little milkbar would come to my aid. It also looks after me on all those days when nothing can take away your troubles like an impulse buy of ice cream or chocolate on the way home. The prices can be a little higher than other places but for the people situated around this milkbar, and forgetful little me, the convince it provides more than outweighs the extra few dollars. Plus I quite enjoy the friendless and familiarity you get from regularly coming to a small place like this which you'd never get from a supermarket no matter times you go there or how much you spend. I applaud these guys for keeping the legacy of suburban milkbars alive.

Instant love…read more Elceed has such friendly helpful staff, a great menu and food that lives up to it. I had a hard time making a choice today, everything that came out looked good and made it one of the longest decision making processes ever. In the end you can't go wrong with french toast and I highly recommend both the menu french toast and what ever special french toast they might have. They do it right! Can't wait to head back in and make my way through the menu.

Nice smiley quick service and tasty fresh breakfast !…read moreHarissa hollandaise was a hit ! Matcha latte was disappointing as the matcha powder was still lumpy through the milk..... Apart from that lovely !

Carmen at Wing Sam grocery is extremely helpful and gracious with my mooncake order during 2020…read morelockdown. She accommodated my 5kms. My family is able to enjoy our mooncakes during the Autumn festival.

Win Sam has been around for years, but it's only in the last few years that I've been brave enough…read moreto enter and do some shopping for myself. We've become very willing to experiment in our kitchen since we discovered the food network on pay TV. Win Sam, along with others like Yeoh's and a couple of others, has become something of a regular addition to our weekly shopping trip. For me, the real drawcard is the freezer, because I love to buy steamed custard buns. They're like an addiction to me. Yes, they're better fresh, but I'm not yet at the stage where I'm confident making my own yum cha doughs for steaming. I often get that craving for yum cha, but being a bit cheap, this place helps save me quite a bit of cash. I really like this place.

Yyyuuummmmmmmm!!!!! Defs found a winner in this little cafe. Picked the worst day in Melbourne to…read moretake the pooch out for brunch, freezing, raining, windy, 7degrees. We stumbled across this place due to it being the only one with dry seating outside, under cover. The waitress was a lovely lady who bought out blankets for us, and took our orders asap. Kept coming to check on us etc Now to the food , my brunch buddy & I both ordered the brit , hash browns, poached eggs, cheese & a delish capsicum sauce. The coffee was on point, creamy, perfect texture & just yum! Will be a great place to head back to , maybe when the weather improves a little though.

Nice coffee for the outer burbs…read more Haven't tried the food though. Happy to come here again.

This cafe is so close to home, I don't know why I didn't try it earlier. It's fairly small on the…read moreinside, and the first table we were shown to was a little cramped, so they kindly sat us at another table which was perfect. There's a nice selection to choose from for both breakfast and lunch, and we all happened to settle on the same toasted sandwich which we all loved. The staff were friendly, the service was quick and the food was reasonably priced. While I don't drink coffee, the other two in my group do, and they said it was really good. I definitely won't leave it too long until I come back here again.

The Cappuchino is some of the best we have ever had. Owner Peter made us feel at home. Recommend…read moresitting upstairs by the window. The hash brown is a fried shredded potato very light but crispy and firm. Delicious. We had second Cappucinos even though they are large. 5 stars!

Whilst appearing to be a small premium wine bottle shop, Seddon Wine Store is best experienced as a…read morecasual 'wine by the glass' meeting point. The venue, with seating at high tables of 4, is quiet and intimate which is refreshing after noisy restaurants and bars - conversation flows easily whilst your eyes wander over the wall of fine wine imagining all the possibilities. The knowledgeable advice is also a highlight as staff here really do know their product whether it's Presecco or Piedmont they're quick to offer valuable advice to help you with your selection. A delicious selection of cold tasting plates are also on offer. Cheeses, olives, pates, cold meats and white anchovies are presented skillfully to complement the wine. Give it a try!

It probably says something about the area, but the strip that Seddon Wine Store is located on…read morecontains 4 bottle shops. The others are those chain store everything-but-nothing kind of places with cask wine, a lot of beer and premade shooters. Seddon Wine Store is to alcohol what a gallery is to art. Basically, it's small but thoughtful. They cover a range of price points, but they don't have mainstream over-advertised hangovers in a bottle. The owner, Simon, is often in the store and knows his stuff. He's always available for a chat and to dish some advice but isn't a vino snob. Most pleasantly of all, Seddon Wine Store now has an itty bitty wine bar located inside. Just a few tables, but goodness knows they have a great wine list to choose from, and some fabulous little things to munch on (think wagyu salami and nuts and whatnot). The biggest problem I can think of in fact, is that Seddon Wine Store is located directly between my house and the newsagent.