There is an increasingly need for veganism to be as accessible and easy as possible for travellers. This is ever-so-important for Melbourne, the world’s most liveable city and named by Happy Cow as one of the most vegan-friendly cities globally. This is where Melbourne Vegan Tours steps in.
Melbourne Vegan Tours runs guided tours across many vegan-friendly areas around the city and regional locations. Melbourne Vegan Tours operates across inner-city vegan hotspots Fitzroy and Collingwood, and now, as south to St Kilda and the Mornington Peninsula. The vegan treats and knowledge that await tour guests of Melbourne Vegan Tours are abound and diverse. Vegans, new vegans and non-vegans are all welcome on tour.
Walking tours seem to be the best format for Melbourne Vegan Tours; a personable approach that allows guests to get to know one another at street level. Melbourne Vegan Tours’ newly launched three-hour ‘Vegan By the Beach, St Kilda Vegan Food Tour’ leads travellers through one of Melbourne’s most popular spots for exploring. What better way to explore it than from a vegan perspective.
It’s only fitting to meet at St Kilda’s iconic landmark on the palm tree-lined Esplanade, Luna Park, where Dan and Jess chat casually to the tour group about St Kilda’s history as a beachside destination. While I’ve spent many nights travelling here for live shows at The Espy and Prince of Wales, it’s now refreshing to experience vegan St Kilda during the day. What’s just as refreshing is Dan and Jess’ laidback approach to their walking tours.
While the tour doe stick to a timeline (three hours on this tour), Dan and Jess lead the group in a casual way. Rather than bombarding guests with a dizzying list of facts and figures, Dan and Jess give a rundown on the area. Then, they allow guests to ask questions while manoeuvring in between food locations and viewing the local sights along the way.
Melbourne Vegan Tours also lets the food do the talking, which is served up in generous amounts during the tour. If you have a special dietary requirement, then Melbourne Vegan Tours have you covered as well. Being a coeliac vegan, there was an ample amount of food ordered and eaten on this tour.
First stop, Bay City Burrito, claim to serve up the best burritos in Melbourne. While Bay City Burrito is not exclusively vegan, they do serve delicious and filling vegan meals like their pulled BBQ jackfruit soft tacos and tortilla chips loaded with guacamole, salsa and vegan cheese. The side serve of spiced popcorn cauliflower was another popular hit with tour guests.
Next stop, Sister of Soul, is St Kilda’s iconic vegetarian and vegan locale. It’s usually pretty tough to grab a table here, given its popularity, but that’s not a problem when you book with Melbourne Vegan Tours. What guests experience is Sister of Soul’s quintessential polenta jenga with a cauliflower puree and fried sage leaves. Spring rolls wrapped in lettuce then dipped in sweet chilli sauce, and gyozas are also served up. Options covered the diversity of the group – new vegans, established vegans, those with gluten issues or lactose intolerance.
For a sweet treat, it’s a short stroll to Piccolina Gelateria on colourful Acland Street. A small list of vegan flavours alongside its non-vegan menu items are all crafted from natural ingredients and traditional techniques. What’s more of a treat is learning that their gluten free waffles cones are vegan, too! What better way to experience Piccolina while saving on waste at the same time. This stop on the tour also exemplifies Melbourne Vegan Tours’ enthusiastic practise in including beverages and snacks as part of its tour price.
There’s ample time at each stop to chat with the rest of the tour group, even after a gelato stop as the group wanders to Good Love. This is a perfect choice at which to conclude the tour, as Good Love is an all-vegan bar and plant-based food hotspot. It’s quirky, colourful, and brimming with vegan love, from their loaded potato fries and pizzas with nut-based cheeses to their delectable ‘KFC’ bowl of greens, grains and battered jackfruit nuggets. It’s a sample table of some of the best vegan food in St Kilda. What’s more, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are on tap for those who want to wind down and still be able to drive home afterwards. Hot tip, try the Ruby Rose mocktail!
Guests of Melbourne Vegan Tours are then given the choice to head home to their lodgings or kick on after the tour, but not before guests are handed a goodie bag full of vegan treats from some of Australia’s best vegan manufacturers and makers. Yes, this is included in the tour price as well.
It’s clear that Dan and Jess love being around people, stand-out vegan food and vendors. They have a genuine ability to connect with guests and make them feel like they’re valued guests who are navigating veganism at different stages in their vegan (or non-vegan) journey. And this is what makes Melbourne Vegan Tours an unmissable choice for foodies; Melburnians seeking to explore new parts of Melbourne, those from interstate and even international visitors. As Dan and Jess say: “Come hungry!”
To learn more about Melbourne Vegan Tours, visit their website or read their interview with Fire & Tea here.
Melbourne Vegan Tours’ tour prices start from AUD$55.00 including food and drinks. Vegan By the Beach St Kilda Vegan Food Tour is priced from AUD$99.00 and includes three full meals with drinks and guided walking tour of St Kilda. Use this link to make your booking.
Keep up to date with all of Melbourne Vegan Tours’ happenings by visiting their Facebook and Instagram pages, too.
Disclaimers:
Melbourne Vegan Tours’ Vegan By the Beach St Kilda Vegan Food Tour visits four to five vegan businesses at their discretion and businesses’ availability.
Justine de Jonge of Fire & Tea was invited as a guest of Melbourne Vegan Tours. Justine also receives a small commission from any tours booked using the aforementioned booking link.
