It’s no secret Melburnians (yes, I had to Google that), take a certain pride in Melbourne’s cultural offerings. Though I haven’t been yet, I’ve heard many an Australian dismissively refer to Sydney as the Miami of the country, and Melbourne as their New York (or, maybe their Brooklyn).

Add on top of this the fact that the city is home to people from 140 different countries, and you can assume there is a thriving foodie scene within its borders.

In this video, Michaela Guzy of OhThePeopleYouMeet.com takes a tour of some of the great places to eat and drink around the city with local food writer and guide Monique Bayer, author of Devouring Melbourne, including stops at The Little Mule Co. coffee shop, Vic Market, Huxtable (a The Cosby Show-inspired restaurant — yes you read that right), St. Crispin and others.

By Matt Stabile

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matt Stabile is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheExpeditioner.com. You can read his writings, watch his travel videos, purchase the book he co-edited or contact him via email at any time at TheExpeditioner.com. (@TheExpeditioner)

The post A Foodie’s Guide Where To Eat And Drink In Melbourne appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

1) Shoreditch in London, U.K.

This East London neighborhood is by far the most painfully hip in all of Londontown (painful because of the high prices and really, really tight jeans). The bulk of the action can be found around Old Street and Brick Lane, where lanky girls and boys alternate chain smoking with pouting.

The area is peppered with intricate graffiti (or “street art” if we’re going to be pretentious), which makes it perfect for a daytime walk. But even in the daytime, make sure you don’t risk being caught without your Ray-Bans and attitude. Like any decent hotspot, the real fun happens at night at the slew of random bars, themed speakeasies and warehouse parties. The latest development in the area is Boxpark: a temporary (at least for the next five years) pop-up mall made out of shipping containers, featuring a mix of international and independent fashion designers as well as galleries and cafés.

2) Amsterdam-Noord in Amsterdam, Netherlands

With the amount of bikes in Amsterdam, it’s no surprise that this city is hipster friendly, but the crux of action is in the north. “I feel like I’ve been exiled to hipster island,” said the indelible Anthony Bourdain upon visiting the industrial, but oh-so-cool neighborhood of Amsterdam-Noord. The area is peppered with former warehouses and shipyards that are now outfitted as tricked-out offices, art studios and even a skate park. Even Red Bull and MTV got in on the action and moved there.

3) Shimokitazawa in Tokyo, Japan

In western Tokyo you’ll find a hub of cool indie and antique shops, galleries, resto-bars and live music venues. Shimokitazawa (pronounced SHEE-mo-kee-tah-zah-wah) is actually pretty tame compared to the neon glare of the rest of Tokyo, but it’s still a nucleus for young Toykoite culture vultures. Most streets are pedestrian-only; the small storefronts, which are mainly converted residences, lend to lazy exploring and browsing in the wealth of chill record shops and second-hand clothing stores.

4) La Roma in Mexico City, Mexico

A local described La Roma (also called Colonia Roma) and neighboring La Condesa as the East Village and West Village of Mexico City, respectively. Along Alvaro Obregon, vendors assemble to sell books, antiques and collectibles, while Calle Orizaba and Calle Colima is know as an art Mecca full of galleries (such as Galería OMR). Like the other hipster locales, La Roma mixes grungy roots with a fresh high-end influx. La Roma isn’t without a grime factor. The area — though upscale— has problems with prostitutes and squatters, but hipsters don’t scare easy.

5) Kreuzberg in Berlin, Germany

First off, it almost goes without saying that Berlin is a modern-day hodgepodge of hipster culture. In fact, it may be the hipster-est city in all of Europe. Hipsters of every sub-genre congregate at Görlitzer Park for impromptu jam sessions, DJ sets and brews (though they don’t have PBR) at the park bar, Das Edelweiss. Other activities are centered upon Oranien Strasse and Skalitzer Strasse where the nightlife magic happens.

6) Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia

Fitzroy’s main drag is Brunswick Street, full of cheap, vegan eats and funky, retro pubs. The area is packed with the usual mix of the beautiful and the damned: broke students, fashionistas, boho artists and of course 20-something hipsters. The neighborhood is bursting with creativity as depicted by the slew of always-curious street art and graffiti, which can even be observed via an official tour. Take it all in and enjoy. If you’re not feeling Zooey Deschanel enough, the neighborhood is also home to Rose Street Artists Market hawking handmade goodies like clothes, jewelry and homewares.

By Nicole Trilivas

[Al Volo by Chris JL/Flickr; Netherlands by zemistor/Flickr;  Shimokitazawa by Michael Vito/Flickr; ; La Botica Mezcalería by Alejandro De La Cruz/Flickr;  Cafe V, Vegetarian Cafe by hack man/Flickr; Untitled by Louisa Billeter/Flickr]

About the Author

Nicole Trilivas is the author of the novel, Pretty Girls Make Graves: A pretty girl’s ugly story told in borrowed voices. She is currently scheming away on her next novel, and being terribly bohemian by living off of canned soup and indulging in delusions of grandeur. Snoop around NicoleTrilivas.com for more glittery gems of information.

The post Top 6 Hipster Neighborhoods Around The World appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

I can honestly say that I’ve spent the summer hanging out with more Australians than any other nationality, American included, and I’ve learned a few things by doing so.

Number One: Australian beer is bad, with micro-brews and specialty beers almost non-existent.

Number Two: Australians love traveling to the U.S. because it’s one of the few places in the world where there aren’t hordes of other Australians (unlike England, Europe, and most of Southeast Asia).

Number Three: Sydney’s the city where travelers visit; Melbourne’s the city where travelers fall in love with the country.

And as this WSJ article explores, Melbourne’s nightlife varies somewhere in between offbeat and inviting, with its kitschy Cultural Revolution-themed bars, speakeasy-style supper clubs, and gin joints dedicated to obscure filmmakers. Yeah, this sound fun, forget stuffy opera houses.

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