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Our founder, Colin Chee, believes that when you live in a small urban space, your city naturally becomes your backyard. This necessity fosters a deeper connection with the community and an awareness of hidden gems. In our new monthly series, we share the best local insights from people worldwide who have embraced their cities as their backyards.
What better way to start than the person who coined the phrase ‘My city is my backyard’? In our first edition, we have 24 hours with the Creative Director and Founder of Never Too Small, Colin Chee, as he shows us his favourite, and best hidden spots in Melbourne.
Head to The Grain Store and order the blue swimmer crab chilli scrambled eggs in a croissant with chilli caramel and chipotle aioli; this meal will keep you satisfied until dinner.
Definitely, Victoria Market, where I get my weekly shopping done—fresh produce at affordable prices! They also have The Melbourne Book Market at Queen Vic Market, offering new and pre-loved titles every Saturday and Sunday.
Grab and go at Waffle On in Degraves Street, a hole-in-the-wall deli for French baguettes. Grab a Le Parisien and a coffee, then head to the Yarra River. Sit there, devour the delicious baguette, and enjoy the river view!
Metropolis Bookshop is located on the 3rd floor of the Curtin House building on Swanston Street. It’s an independent bookshop specialising in the best of architecture, design, and popular culture books. It can be hard to find from street level. Still, once inside Curtin House, you can either catch a dingy, slow lift to level 3 or walk up the six-story Art Nouveau building, discovering other independent clothing shops, bars, and restaurants.
Art! The hidden gem of The Johnston Collection in East Melbourne showcases superb English Georgian, Regency, and Louis XV fine and decorative arts. Gifted by William Robert Johnston, a prominent Melbourne-born antique dealer and collector, the collection is displayed in his former residence, Fairhall. Visiting feels like stepping back in time.
The Great Hall inside the National Gallery of Victoria features a stained glass ceiling that is a symphony of colour and light, designed by Australian artist Leonard French. Put on your favourite music and look up at the ceiling—it's rather hypnotic!
My neighbours and I love to bring a bottle or two, a charcuterie board, hire a GoBoat for 2 hours along the Yarra River, and play some mahjong on the boat.
My favourite spot for people-watching, even to this day, is Caffé E Torta in The Royal Arcade. Ask the waiter for the window seat facing Little Collins Street, order a coffee, and observe the city's drama unfold. Bringing a book is a good idea and it can always serve to shield your face if you inadvertently catch someone's eye.
I would start at the rooftop bar Siglo on Spring Street for a G&T, where you also get a good view of the Parliament. Then, venture down to The Waiters Restaurant on Meyers Place, only a 3-minute walk from Siglo, for some humble classic carbonara with crispy bacon. Afterwards, take a 10-minute walk to Kariton Sorbetes for some artisanal Filipino ice cream inspired by the “dirty” ice cream carts that iconically roam the streets of the Philippines. You must try their Ube Halaya—purple yam gelato with purple yam fudge, blackberry jam, and caramelised coconut curds. You can have a happy food coma afterwards.
QT Melbourne, right in the middle of Melbourne City, was designed by the team from Indyk Architects. The gorgeous ‘industrial chic’ guest rooms were created in collaboration with the Indyk team and other local Melbourne artists. I haven't spent a night there personally, but friends who have stayed there brag about it a lot. Maybe I should try it for my next staycation. P.S. It also has a rooftop bar with a great view of Melbourne City.
Follow Colin on Instagram to see even more places he loves in Melbourne.
