Invite me to a High Tea and I’m there! Well, anything which involves yummy cakes and food would do the trick. Jessie from Alternative Walking Tours in Melbourne (formerly known as Vintage Walking Tours) didn’t need to convince me too hard to go along and sample what she had to offer people who want to walk on the vintage side of Melbourne. There was a promise of some interesting Vintage stores, followed by a High Tea somewhere in Melbourne.
We were meeting up in the bustling Degraves Lane, in the heart of Melbourne City. This laneway is renowned for it’s great coffee and food which flows from many different cafes and restaurants. On this particularly chilly winter’s day, even the outside seating in the middle of the laneway was full with Saturday lunchers. We were fortunate enough to find an indoor spot to enjoy a coffee and a spot of people watching prior to meeting up with Jessie and the rest of the walking bunch.
Vintage Walking Tour
We headed down to the underpass of Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station to visit a small second-hand vintage shop called ‘Some Like It Hot’ where you can find some quality vintage clothing, shoes, jewellery and other bits and pieces. Across the passage was an alternative gift shop called ‘Subject To Change’. Their Tony Abbott pin-cushion and cleaning rags would make great alternative gifts!
Weaving through the alleyways of Melbourne CBD, Jessie led us to the smallest art gallery in Melbourne, the Trink Tank, where Melbourne artists showcase their work. After a quick stop, we moved onto the smallest cafe in Melbourne, Local Birds, where there was a little treat waiting for us in the form of shortbread birds! Unfortunately we didn’t get to sample their coffee as we had to keep moving.
Circa Vintage is one of those lovely places where you would have to have known about it beforehand or be guided to. The dresses there are genuine vintage pieces for all you vintage enthusiasts! There were some stunning pieces which would be fabulous for the Melbourne Cup Racing Carnival. The owner, Nicole Jenkins, has published a book called ‘Love Vintage’, where she shares her passion for collecting vintage fashion.
Next, we hop on a Tram and head out towards the more alternative side of Melbourne – Fitzroy. Fitzroy is well known for First stop is at Hunter Gatherer, a vintage and contemporary store full of clothing, accessories and bric-a-brac. You’ll find the perfect outfit here for your next vintage themed party or outing!
By the time we hit Emma’s Corsetry, we were ready for a vino to warm us up. Emma must have read our minds and had some champagne waiting for our arrival! This corset shop is worth making a visit to.
… finish the day with High Tea
Finally we get to have our High Tea at Grace Cafe in Fitzroy. Even though it was rather chilly, we were dining outside in a shipping container! Blankets were provided to give us some warmth as we feasted on delicious sanwhiches and cakes. The melting moments were to die for!
Discover our beautiful city
Walking through Melbourne’s CBD was a great way to discover hidden spots. Even if you regularly walk through the city, there will be many interesting places which you would have never stumbled across! Not only is a guided tour good for visitors to Melbourne, it’s great for us locals as well.
Do yourselves a favour and book a tour with Jessie of Alternative Walking Tours for a fun and informative afternoon. Make sure to wear comfy shoes! There are lots of different options for everyone – The High Tea Tour – The Vintage Lovers Tour – The Record Store Tour or even a Vintage by Bicylce Tour.
Discover Melbourne!
Make sure you read all 4 blog posts about the Vintage Walking Tour in Melbourne: