Collingwood probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind when thinking of somewhere to go on a date. The area, however is quickly becoming the hipster capital of Melbourne. Luckily you don’t have to wear maroon pants and have a sleeve tattoo to go on this date; this one can be enjoyed by just about anyone.
You are going to need to start this date in the ‘am’. And doing anything in the ‘am’ requires coffee, so I’m suggesting you kick your day off at South of Johnston. Hidden behind the hustle & bustle of Smith Street, this hidden little gem is the perfect place to start your date. Housed in an old valve packaging warehouse, this cafe is far from average and serve a mean bean. Once you’ve had your caffeine hit for the day, head down to the bottom of Oxford Street.
Important to remember: Fitzroy is full of great cafes so feel free to pick your own, but this one is very close to your next stop.
Normally what is a dodgy parking lot has now been transformed into the coolest pop-up market in town. Created using shipping containers, milk creates and wooden pallets, The People’s Market is a temporary hub for music, art, food, booze and retail. Vendors such as the Super Cool and Mag Nation will help you finalise your Christmas shopping. Once you’re done shopping, grab a cold cider, some tasty street food and have a game of table tennis or croquet in the beer garden.
Important to remember: This market only runs between Thursday – Sunday and closes on December 23.
Hoping that you have yourself a nice afternoon, the next destination has only last week been officially opened. Naked for Satan is normally a perfect place for a first date. For those of you who have been fortunate enough to visit San Sebastian in Spain, you would know all about pintxos. They are delicious morsels of goodness held together by a toothpick and a piece of bread. Naked for Satan serves up these bad boys for only $2 a pop, and go by the honesty system of keeping your toothpicks and paying at the end. It ticks most of my 50FD boxes, atheistically it rocks, it’s cheap and now they have themselves a rooftop.
During recent maintenance work they discovered an unused goods lift in the building and since then they have been busy creating Melbourne’s newest rooftop bar, Naked in the Sky. Hovering above Brunswick Street, this bar has spectacular views of the city and Fitzroy. The team have encapsulated the coolness of Naked for Satan with a unique space that has a 15m long wooden bar full of beers on tap and in-fused vodka. Grab yourself a cold beer and settle yourself in for a long session in Basque country. And please, do not leave without ordering some of their pintxos and tapas.
Important to remember: As this place has only just been opened, I’m anticipating an influx of hipsters so get up there soon to avoid the crush.
You started this date in the ‘am’, by now it should well and truly be in the ‘pm’ of a great date that included a cool cafe, an super cool pop-up market and a brand new Spanish rooftop bar… Who would have thought that all this was possible in Collingwood.
- South of Johnston – 46 Oxford Street Collingwood
- The People’s Market – 64 – 68 Stanley street, Collingwood
- Naked in the Sky – 285 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
50 First Dates | Melbourne 