The Five Best Places for Healthy Snacks On-the-Go in Melbourne's CBD
Even the time poor can eat raw.
The Five Best Places for Healthy Snacks On-the-Go in Melbourne's CBD
Even the time poor can eat raw.
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when snacking in the city returned a very low success rate. A time when lunch breaks meant toasted focaccias, a $6 curry don with a gratuitous piece of broccoli (love you Don Dons) and a 90% chance of sushi rolls. It was a time when coeliacs stuck to rice cakes, and fruit salad was the only raw thing on any menu — a time pre-health food, pre-Paleo, pre-Emporium cafe court.
Maybe it was a more innocent time. Who knows. But in 2016 you can get acai bowls in takeaway containers, Brazilian cheese rolls made out of a mysterious Brazilian vegetable flour, almond milk that's been squeezed that morning and everything you've ever eaten 'cooked' now comes in raw form.
Of course, Mr Burger is still on the agenda. As is a peanut butter shake or a 3pm nip to Short Stop for a cruller. But for the days you're still feeling virtuous, it's nice to be able to grab something sans sugar — something that's actually going to fulfil some of your daily nutrient requirements. Whether you're on your lunch break or just passing through, here are five places you can drop into for something raw, gluten free and good for you.
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Stationed right next to Short Stop, Raw Trader has a bit of a hard sell. Whether it manages to lure any doughnut lovers from the queue or not remains unseen, but it definitely draws its own crowd of regulars looking for something sweet without the refined sugar. Their cake cabinet is a thing of wonder — at any one time they might have a raw choc mint slice, pecan pie, banoffee slice or rainbow cake. Sometimes they even have their own jam doughnuts.
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Yep, Pressed don’t just do liquids — they do solid food too. As of just recently, they’ve added a few filling menu items that go hand-in-hand with their grab-and-go, nutrition-focused philosophy. If you swing by for breakfast, you can grab one of three mueslis with their date almond mylk, or a very pretty coconut granola parfait. For lunch, raw zucchini pasta comes with basil pesto, rocket and walnuts. As expected, presentation is immaculate with glass jars stopped with cork lids. You’ll pay extra for the Pressed branding of course, but it’s good, clean food your body will thank you for.
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As just one of the eateries that make up the newly formed Archway dining precinct, Hunters’ Roots is definitely the healthiest. It’s in good company — 5 and Dime Bagels, Delhi Streets, T by LuxBite and Altius coffee all reside in the same Katherine Place space — but it’s the only one that can boast freshly churned ice cream and Kombucha on tap. On the menu is a super bright dragonfruit smoothie bowl, toast with housemade raspberry chia jam, juices and smoothies called Coco Jambo and Nutbush City. Coffee is from Industry Beans, too.
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Corporate cats of Docklands, unite! There’s a now a healthy refuge for you during lunch hour. Located on the bridge between Southern Cross and Etihad Stadium, Home Juice is a bit out of place in its big building surroundings — which in turn, makes it the perfect place to set up shop. As the name suggests, Home is all about juice, and their organic cold pressed juices and alkaline waters come in custom tall glass bottles, which can be reused or repurposed. Rushing to the office in the morning? Grab a bowl of raw cacao pops or chocolate chia pudding. Ducking out for lunch? There are a mound of raw salads and some amazing raw desserts too — we recommend the raw black forest cake.
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Peanut butter acai bowls. Gluten free bagels. Raw cheesecake. Sugar free paleo doughnuts that actually taste good. Sounds like a whole food living Instagram collage, but it’s an actual reality at Green Press. Stuck in a weird part of the city just off Little Collins, it’s hidden from the main street, but well worth seeking out — particularly if you’re gluten or dairy intolerant, or you’ve, say, just started the I Quit Sugar 8 week program. They cold press their own juice, make their own almond milk and cold drip coffee, and usually have a few salads and other goodies in the fridge as well. Make sure you get one of the Krispy Klean doughnuts though.
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