Local food and drink directory

 
Tables Community Garden
Township/suburb:
Heathmont
Municipality:
Maroondah
Notes (in their own words):

This garden is open to the public.

On the second Saturday of each month at 9.30am, they tend to the garden together, learn new skills and share stories around the morning tea table. Anyone from the local community is welcome.

Tabouli Rasa
Products:
Salads, hummus, dips and falafel
Local outlets:
Notes (in their own words):

Tabouli Rasa sell salads, hummus, dips and falafel. Their salads include: tabouli, beetroot and lentils, slow, quinoa and roasted veggies. Their dips include: natural hummus, beetroot hummus, pumpkin hummus, baba ganoush and Moroccan carrot. All of their products are vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, with no preservatives. All are made using products sourced from within Victoria.

Take Me Home
Products:
Pastas, gnocchi, pizza bases, pasta sauces and crostatas
Local outlets:
Own shop
Aunt Maggies, Brunswick
Aunt Maggies, Fitzroy
Balwyn Fruit Supply
Biviano and Sons, Fairfield
Brunswick Supa IGA
Fredericks Local Grocer, Richmond
La Manna Fresh, Brunswick
Leo's Fine Food & Wine, Heidelberg
Leo's Fine Food & Wine, Kew
Monaco's Deli, Camberwell
Renaissance IGA, Hawthorn
Signorellis Fresh Fruiterers, Balwyn North
Wild Things Food, Fitzroy North
Township/suburb:
Coburg
Municipality:
Merri-Bek
Notes (in their own words):

Take Me Home are a family run artisan pasta business. They make everything by hand using traditional techniques and their Italian family’s recipes. They do not use any preservatives or additives. They grow as many of their veggies as they can at their farm in Thorpdale (Gippsland) and, apart from that, use local ingredients where possible.

That’s Amore Cheese
Category:
Products:
Italian-style soft curd cheeses, including mozzarella, caciotta, bocconcini, ricotta, smoked cheese and matured cheese
Local outlets:
Own shop.
Local outlets:
IGA Gervasi Thomastown
Leo's Fine Food & Wine, Heidelberg
Leo's Fine Food & Wine, Kew
Psarakos Market, Bundoora
Terra Madre, Northcote
Toscano's Kew
Township/suburb:
Thomastown
Municipality:
Whittlesea
Notes (in their own words):

That's Amore Cheese cheeses are made using cow or buffalo milk locally sourced in Victoria.

Giorgio Linguanti grew up in Italy and migrated to Australia in 2004. Without a word of English, he got a job in a cheese factory where his interest and passion for making cheese ignited. After his experience in two different cheese factories, Giorgio started his own business, That's Amore Cheese, in 2008. He began with just one product – bocconcini leaf - but was soon also making burrata and smoked scarmorza. In 2010, That's Amore Cheese took over Donnybrook's cheese factory and, in 2015, they moved into a larger facility in Thomastown, which includes a retail outlet.

In their shop/deli, you can find their entire artisan cheese product range made daily in their factory right next door, along with high quality Italian cured meats, olives, local, other cheeses (local and imported), Italian products and fresh bread. You can get ricotta calda (hot ricotta) until 10 am every day. There is also a little cafe where you can enjoy coffee, porchetta, pasta, gnocchi, pizza and different kinds of hot dishes (or take away).

The 3 Ravens Brewing Company
Category:
Products:
A range of beers
Dan Murphy's
Preston Fresh Hood Market
Township/suburb:
Thornbury
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

Engineered by hand, 3 Ravens beers are the product of a craft brewing process in which traditional methods meet exacting standards. They take care to emphasise quality over quantity and use only the finest natural ingredients. Their beer undergoes a gentle filtration to remove fermenter yeast and the age-old process of bottle conditioning is then started with a small amount of fresh live brewers yeast. This creates a clearer, brighter beer unmasking and enhancing the flavour, aroma and body of their premium natural ingredients.

The Bearded Bee
Category:
Products:
Honey
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Forest Hill
Municipality:
Whitehorse
Notes (in their own words):

The Bearded Bee sells raw, unheated, local honey – their aim is to enable people to eat honey produced as close to their home as possible.

They believe in making a bee's life as peaceful as possible. Minimal interventions, a lifetime in the same place, and lots of good plants to forage. They place their hives with avid gardeners who respect the contributions of the humble bee. In return, the bees give them honey - but not at their own expense.

The Bearded Bee also provides bee and swarm removal services.

The Cake Stall
Products:
Cakes and croissants. Also, sausage rolls, pies and quiche.
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Eltham
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

The Cake Stall is a home-based patisserie who concentrate on quality ingredients for quality tastes. Their sweet products include: almond croissants, baked cheesecakes, tarts, flans, brownies, muffins and whole cakes. Their savoury products include: homemade sausage rolls, pies and quiche.

The Cheese Rebels
Category:
Products:
Soft cheeses
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Epping
Municipality:
Whittlesea
Notes (in their own words):

The Cheese Rebels make cheese and sell it in gift boxes. Their cheeses include triple cream brie, triple cream blue, goat feta and blue vein.

Hajo has a Masters degree in cheesemaking and has been making cheese since he was a child. He worked for a variety of small and larger cheese and dairy companies before setting up his own company in 2018.

The Farmers Yo Yo
Products:
Yo yo shortbread biscuits
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Blackburn North
Municipality:
Whitehorse
Notes (in their own words):

The Farmers Yo Yo make homemade, handmade, yo-yo shortbread biscuits made with all natural, all Australian ingredients. There are around 14 different flavours (including chocolate, coffee cream, lemon, mint slice, mocha, raspberry and vanilla). The Farmers Yo Yo family have been baking for 40 years.

The Fitzroy Mills Market
When:
Every Saturday (except for January), 9am-2pm,
Township/suburb:
Fitzroy
Municipality:
City of Yarra
Strathewen
Township/suburb:
Greensborough
Municipality:
Banyule
Notes (in their own words):

The Food Collective is an initiative of Diamond Valley Community Support which brings together a number of local delivery and donation partners, community organisations and individuals to address food security challenges for vulnerable and disadvantaged community members in the Diamond Valley Region. They do this by sourcing and supplying basic non-perishable food parcels of everyday necessities to those who are experiencing financial crisis and needing emergency relief assistance.

One of its main initiatives to date has been the establishment of community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food.

Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Their pantries are in:

  • Diamond Creek (St Johns Diamond Creek). Open 24/7.
  • Eltham (Eltham Lions Club). Open 24/7.
  • Eltham (St Margaret's Anglican Church). Open 24/7 and managed by LINC.
  • Hurstbridge (Hurstbridge Community Hub). Open 24/7 and managed by the Vines Baptist Church.
  • Panton Hill (Panton Hill Living & Learning Centre). Open 24/7 and managed by the living & learning centre.
  • Rosanna (Rosanna Fire Station Community House). Open 24/7 and managed by the community house.
  • Strathewen (Strathewen Primary School). Open 24/7 and managed by the school.
  • Warrandyte (Warrandyte Neighbourhood House). Open Wednesdays, 10am-midday and managed by Carenet.
  • Watsonia (Watsonia Neighbourhood House). Open 24/7 and managed by the neighbourhood house.
The Good Brew Company
Category:
Products:
Kombucha, kombucha vinegar tonics. Also brewing kits for kombucha, jun and water kefir.
Local outlets:
Alley Hens, Hawthorn
Apples and Sage Organic Wholefoods, Balwyn
Baan Thai, Coburg
BigBang Studio, Northcote
Burger Masters, Collingwood
Cafe Ray, Brunswick
Choukette, Brunswick
Eastfield Natural Foods, Croydon South
Farm Cafe, Abbotsford
Flakes, Brunswick; Food Plus Fuel, Brunswick
Fredericks Local Grocer, Richmond
Great Earth Health Store, Northcote
Green Field, Brunswick
Icecream Social, Thornbury
Inner North Brewing Company, Brunswick
Joes Market Garden, Coburg
Loafer Bread Organic Bakery, Fitzroy North
Los Hermanos, Brunswick
Madera Bar & Cafe, Northcote
Milkwood, Brunswick East
Oasis, Fairfield
Pachamama Wholefoods, Brunswick
Shakahari, Carlton
Summer Healing Yoga, Brunswick
Sushi Wushi, Eltham
Terra Madre, Brunswick
Terra Madre, Northcote
The Source Bulk Foods, Camberwell
The Source Bulk Foods, Collingwood
Tofu Shop International, Richmond
Transformer Fitzroy
Undercover Roasters, Abbotsford
Yarra Valley Smokery, Lilydale
Township/suburb:
Brunswick
Municipality:
Merri-Bek
Notes (in their own words):

The Good Brew Company brew kombucha and also help you do to the same. Their kombucha comes in a wide range of flavours and they also make brewing kits for kombucha, jun and water kefir. They believe that a good brew is a living brew. Local, sustainable and organic suppliers are used where possible. Their glass bottles are made locally from recycled glass and are untainted by glues so they can be easily re-used.

The Mrs & Co
Category:
Products:
Cereals and snacks
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Mount Evelyn
Municipality:
Yarra Ranges
Notes (in their own words):

The Mrs & Co make small batch cereals and snacks using wholesome, natural ingredients. Specific products include granola, gluten-free cereal paleo chunks and nut bars.

The Mushroom Co
Products:
A range of exotic mushrooms and mushroom kits
Township/suburb:
Ringwood
Municipality:
Maroondah
Notes (in their own words):

The Mushroom Company grows shiitake, shimeji, brown oyster, enoki, king oyster and black fungi mushrooms and sell them at farmers' markets. In winter, they grow chestnut mushrooms and nameko as well, and they are the only company in Australia to grow nameko. The mushrooms are grown as spawns in test tubes, then transferred to jugs with cooked grains, then transferred to mushroom bags. No chemicals are used. They also sell growing kits if you like to experiment with growing your own. The only thing they spray on their mushrooms is clean water. If you visit them at a farmers' market, Wendy will introduce all of the mushrooms to you, as well as some recipes for you to enjoy them.

The Mushroom Shed
Products:
Mushrooms, mushroom kits. Also herb and veggie seedlings.
Local outlets:
Bundoora Park Farmers' Market
Township/suburb:
Montmorency
Municipality:
Banyule
Notes (in their own words):

The Mushroom Shed is a local grower of swiss brown and white mushrooms and also provide 'grow your own' kits for people who want to grow their own mushrooms at home. They also do a wide range of herb and veggie seedlings, in pots/punnets - concentrating on heritage and unusual varieties, with over 40 varieties of heritage tomato seedlings available in Spring. You can see Mark and Helen at farmers' markets both locally and in other Melbourne suburbs. As a small producer, they sell only direct to the customer via farmers' markets (no wholesale), giving the customer ultimate freshness and an opportunity to talk directly with the grower.

The Mushroomery
Category:
Products:
A range of mushrooms and mushroom kits
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Alphington
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

The Mushroomery is a little urban mushroom farm which offers a variety of mushrooms to both the local community and restaurants, including oysters, lions mane and swordbelts. You can buy the mushrooms either as once-off purchases or via an ongoing subscription/arrangement. They also sell mushroom kits, mushroom pickles, mushroom mulch and mushroom garum. Plus, at markets, mushroom toasties.

They grow their mushroom in reusable buckets, rather than single use plastic bags, thus reducing waste.

As well as selling mushroom, Buttons, who is the owner of The Mushroomery, also wants to spread the knowledge of how mushrooms grow and what benefits they can have for both your and the environment's health. She feels that those of us in the urban bubble are losing connection and understanding of the food systems that support us. She hopes that her urban farm will be a visible place where people can learn more and that she can contribute to bridging the gap between rural and urban areas.

The Natural Pasta House
Products:
A variety of pastas, including spelt. Sauces.
Local outlets:
Notes (in their own words):

Manufacturer of artisan pasta, sauces, ravioli, agnolotti, gnocchi, cannelloni and lasagne, all made using premium local ingredients. No artificial ingredients, no bulking agents. All made on the premises, naturally and fresh.

The Old Emu
Local outlets:
Boccaccio SUPA IGA, Balwyn
Marco's Deli Cafe Foodstore, Blackburn
Olympus Delicatessen, Doncaster East
The Melbourne Deli, Bayswater
Township/suburb:
Box Hill North
Municipality:
Whitehorse
Notes (in their own words):

The Old Emu have been making quince paste for more than 25 years. It is handmade with quince and sugar with no added preservatives. The sweetened quince puree is cooked for several hours turning intense claret like colour as it thickens and sets. The paste retains its freshness and flavour for 2 years or more. The paste is available in 150g, 250g and kilo tubs.

Quince paste is principally used as an accompaniment to cheese: the sweetness of the paste teams beautifully with the sharper blue varieties, but also combines well with the soft creamy cheeses. When mixed with chicken stock and lemon juice, it makes a flavoursome sauce to serve with meat. It can also be used in the stuffing of roast turkey or chicken.

The Patch (La Trobe Community Garden)
Township/suburb:
Bundoora
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

This garden is open to the public.

The Patch is La Trobe University’s community garden located behind the Borchardt Library. Everyone is welcome to join and participate in their regular events, which include: gardening bees during semester; workshops; and social events (which often involve their harvests).

The Patch is always open, so feel free to water or do some weeding if it takes your fancy.

The Sweetest Moment
Products:
Vegan, gluten free, sugar free cakes, muffins, biscuits and pastries
Local outlets:
Notes (in their own words):

All products are freshly made in a home-registered kitchen with professional standards. The Sweetest Moment provides an alternative healthy choice for people wishing to eat good quality gluten free products. With many years of expertise in the baking industry, their aim is to provide good quality homemade patisserie products that satisfy and tantalise the taste-buds of those who try our products. Also, a lot of their products are mainly gluten-free as they feel there is a need to provide for those seeking alternative health diet.

(Featured image curtesy of www.sixinchheel.com/?s=eltham)

The Veggie Empire
Products:
Vegetable seedlings and seasonal vegetables
Edendale Farm (seedlings only)
Township/suburb:
Greensborough
Municipality:
Banyule, Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

The Veggie Empire grow fruit, vegetables and herbs at Beales Road Farm. They sell both seedlings and vegetables to the public. They also provide vegetables and herbs to the food relief program at Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough.

Beales Road Farm is a small regenerative urban farm in suburban Greensborough that operates under a landshare arrangement with local man Hayden Mclean, who generously shares his land with the team. The farm is closed to the public but keep an eye on social media for special events and offers.

The farm team comprises NDIS-funded team members Josh and Scott, plus supporting horticulturalists and other volunteers.

The farm includes a small propagation nursery where the team grow seedlings for planting out on the farm and for sale. This includes a shaded hard stand work area and a poly tunnel. The Veggie Empire would like to thank Local Food Connect, Nelson Alexander Real Estate, Somerset Organics and Yarra Valley Water, all of whom provided support for this development.

In 2021, Ann Stanley visited The Veggie Empire. Read her writeup of the visit.

Thornbury Church of Christ
Township/suburb:
Thornbury
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

They operate a food relief program, open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2.30-5pm. The produce available includes sourdough bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen pre-cooked meals and various pantry items. Anyone can come.

They are thankful to their regular suppliers, including Northcote Bakeshop, Bridge Darebin, Brumby's Bakery Strathmore, SecondBite, Foodbank Victoria, The Billy Cart Bread Co., Kneadful Things - Artisan Bakery, and Kinfolk & Northcote Lions Club.

There is a free community meal on the 4th Sunday of every month, midday-1pm (takeaway only during the pandemic). There are both roast meat and vegetarian options. They ask people to pre-order as it helps with numbers.

There is a pantry (Smith St Community Pantry), which is open 24/7 and is accessible from the footpath on the Smith Street side of the church property. Give what you can and take only what you need. As well as unopened non-perishable food, it often contains bread and garden produce plus toiletries and cleaning products. It is open for donations. Although it is located on the church premises, it is managed by local neighbours and friends who keep it clean and check it from day to day.

The pantry has its own Facebook page.

Most recently, they opened Think Local Community Cafe, which is a social enterprise business in the form of a mobile coffee cart that is open Monday to Friday, 6.30am-2pm. It will hopefully generate more funds to begin a weekly evening meal in the future.

Thrive, Diamond Creek
Township/suburb:
Diamond Creek
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

This garden is membership based. Membership is $20 annually for a whole family or $10 for a single person.

Thrive community garden is on a 1 acre block that has long been vacant due to the fact that it lies in a flood plain. While there is always the risk of further flooding, the soil is rich and ideal for growing. It was started in 2014.

As of Spring 2016, there were garlic, leeks, celery, silver beet and rainbow chard, snow peas, broad beans and various herbs, all doing well. There are around 30 fruit trees. There are also several large berry beds – boysens, raspberries and strawberries, along with gooseberries, black and red currants. Lavenders and calendulas, along with a wild flower bed, have been planted to attract bees and add more colour.

There is someone working at the community garden every Saturday afternoon between 1pm and 3pm, and on various days during the week. Everyone is welcome to come down and help out, and to take some of the crops that are growing there. It is a garden for all residents of Diamond Creek.

A food swap is held at the garden on the third Saturday of every month, 2-3pm.

Thriving Foods Farm
Products:
A wide range of vegetables. Also, eggs.
Certified Organic
Notes (in their own words):

Thriving Foods Farm is a regenerative, Certified Organic, chemical-free farm. Their produce includes: beetroot, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, broccoli, kale, leeks, lettuce (cos, green and red frilly), onions, parsley, pumpkins, radishes, silverbeet, spring onions, tomatoes and zucchini. They also sell eggs, where their chickens are pasture fed with a very low stocking density (10 birds per hectare).

Tonemade
Name:
Products:
Beef bone broth and jus
Certified Organic ingredients
Local outlets:
ACME Clinic, Montmorency
Synergy Fitness & Wellbeing, Templestowe
Notes (in their own words):

Tonemade's broth is a nutritious and delicious way to promote good gut health, boost your immunity and nourish your joints. It is available in both liquid and dehydrated forms. The meat, vegetable and spice ingredients are all Certified Organic. Tonemade simmer their broth for 48 hours to create a natural and readily absorbed source of minerals and amino acids. Medicinal ingredients such as ginger, turmeric and cinnamon not only add to the potential healing properties but also contribute to the taste.

Top Hundred Acres
Products:
Eggs (certified Free Range by FRFA).
Local outlets:
Farm gate - Friday & Saturday, 9am-5pm.
Health Bar Melbourne, Research
Township/suburb:
Yan Yean
Municipality:
Whittlesea
Notes (in their own words):

Top Hundred Acres' produce is nurtured from the ground up using sustainable, chemically-free farming practices. They supply pastured eggs and garlic fresh from their farm to local stores, cafes, restaurants, caterers and direct to you.

Their hens (around 1,000 in number) are not de-beaked or wing clipped; their stocking density is less than 700 birds per hectare; they are fed natural grains (no yolk dye or meat meal); and they are rotated to fresh pasture (using portable sheds and fencing).

Situated in the heart of the Plenty Valley, Top Hundred Acres' farm has been in the family for three generations and counting.

Triple G Community Garden
Township/suburb:
Epping
Municipality:
Whittlesea
Notes (in their own words):

This garden is membership-based but membership is free.

The garden is a creative place where people come together to grow fresh food, share, learn, relax and enjoy each other's company. The garden's core values are respect, honesty, integrity, inclusivity and creativity.

Turners Bakehouse Eatery
Products:
Sourdough bread, pies, cakes and pastries
Local outlets:
Own shop - 7 days a week
Township/suburb:
Mernda
Municipality:
Whittlesea
Notes (in their own words):

Turners Bakehouse Eatery is a historic bakery offering authentic sourdough breads, pies, cakes and pastries baked in its traditional wood fired Scotch oven that was built in the late 1890's by Charles & Stephenson Turner. After being closed in the 1940’s and left vacant for many years, the bakery has been lovingly restored. Their signature hand-made sourdough is made with a mother culture of wild natural yeast that is over 100 years old and which is fed and cared for daily. Ask for a tour of the bakery.

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