Eat like a local: Seddon

Emily, a writer who loves Seddon so much she set her debut novel A Million Things in and around there, gives us the inside scoop on where’s best to eat, drink and shop. Mum to twin boys and a cheeky cat, Emily knows the perfect places not just to make progress on her next awesome novel but where the kids will eat great food and have fun too.

Where do you go for your morning coffee?

“Baby Elephant for when I’m dropping off the kids at school. I’m a soy flat white kinda girl these days. The staff are lovely, it doesn’t matter who’s on. And it’s consistently good, which is hard to do.”

Brunch with friends?

“When mum comes to visit, we go to Common Galaxia. Breakfast is delightful as they always have something interesting. I love the house made granola and the mushroom and chilli dish is also very good. It’s nice to sit inside, as it’s a lovely, relaxed space. On the weekdays it’s quiet and calm, but the weekends can get a bit rowdy.”

Best burgers for the whole family

“We get takeaway from Sideshow Burgers on Victoria Street. The vegetarian burgers are brilliant, particularly the Bohemian Gypsy which is a green vegetarian pattie, followed by the haloumi and mushroom burger. Always grateful to have a good kids’ meal too, and their burger and chips come with a free juice. For an unhealthy meal, it’s a pretty good one!”

Drinks after work?

“Charles and Gamon has a great outdoor space, so it’s fab if the weather is good. But I just cannot resist the cocktail with chilli, ginger and lemongrass at Luxsmith. I should never have more than one but I just can’t help myself. They’re so good. Once you have one you have to have another just to prove that it was as good as you originally thought!”

You’ll find me shopping at…

“Happy Apple. It’s not cheap but it’s got all the things you run out of as well as the fancy stuff you didn’t know you needed but you really do! Cheese, tea, artisanal chocolate – I love Tony’s Chocolonely!“

For fruit and veg…

“You can’t go past Pompello. They also do lovely flowers.”

A great bakery?

“Sourdough Kitchen. The breads are so good, all of them, but the fruit bread in particular.”

Where do you pick up a great takeaway

“Can I just sneak across the border to Yarraville? We go to Pizza d’Asporto. The pizza is consistently good and I love it because it’s got a thin crust, is rarely soggy and they have great toppings. Simple, you know? Not a million things on the pizza is how I like it. The gamberino with chilli is my top pick.”

Seddon’s best kept secret is…

“Middle Eastern café Advieh is perfect! I love the leafy courtyard on the side, and it’s a great place for the kids. It’s always got cool tunes playing, and both the food and coffee are always good. And I mean good, good. I can’t go past the breakfast menu, I always have it even at lunch time. The Dukka is my favourite – it’s a poached egg on sourdough, topped with pesto, rocket, avocado, pecorino and homemade dukka. I love Advieh so much, my partner got them to cater my 40th birthday. And the staff are excellent with kids – I have two feral children and not once have they been anything less than welcoming. It’s the kind of place you can come to where you can relax and it’s like being inside someone’s house (someone you like, that is!).”

Seddon is a great place to eat because…

“Everything is in walking distance, so there’s not far to go home if you’ve over indulged (which has happened!). You can do a food crawl – go somewhere for dinner, somewhere else for drinks and then finish with ice cream before heading home.”

Your Seddon address book:

Baby Elephant: 33 Parker St, Footscray VIC 3011

Common Galaxia: 3/130 Victoria St, Seddon VIC 3011

Sideshow Burgers: 105a Victoria Street, Seddon VIC 3011

Charles and Gamon: Corner Charles and Gamon Street, Seddon VIC 3013

Luxsmith: 5 Gamon Street, Seddon VIC 3011

Happy Apple: 176-178 Victoria Street, Seddon VIC 3011

Pompello: 164 Victoria St, Seddon VIC 3011

Sourdough Kitchen: 172 Victoria St, Seddon VIC 3011

Pizza d’Asporto: 2-6 Ballarat St, Yarraville VIC 3013

Advieh: 71B Gamon St, Seddon VIC 3011