Overview
The festive season is here and, with it, the opportunity to have the best time with your mates (aka Friendsmas) and spend some quality time with the family — while also carving out some time for present shopping. But wait, do you hear that in the distance? Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingling all the way to Chadstone. The halls of The Fashion Capital are set to be decked with boughs of holly as the clocks tick closer to December 25. We have the ultimate festive guide to eating, drinking and being merry at Chadstone during the holidays.
EAT
Shoppers are spoiled for choice when it comes to staying fuelled for their retail therapy at Chadstone. Cityfields, one of the flagship foodie destinations at The Social Quarter, has much to offer diners. This all-day bar and brasserie serves modern European dishes, house-made soft serve and a healthy dose of sophistication.
For pan-Asian fare, holidaymakers can visit White + Wong's, a hatted New Zealand favourite with a contemporary Asian-fusion menu. For Italian, there's Cinque Terre — inspired by La Dolce Vita and the Italian Riviera. It is sprawled across three dining rooms and dishes up fresh seafood, homemade pasta and woodfired pizza. And what Christmas feast is complete without dessert? Enjoy gelato from Melbourne favourite Piccolina Gelateria, beloved for its old fashioned deliciousness and weekly rotating specials. If you're on the lookout for epic desserts for a festive feast, why not pre-order the Rocky Road gelato-filled Christmas pudding? Yum!
DRINK
After a big feed at Cityfield's bistro, you can treat yourself to a Christmas-inspired tipple upstairs at The Terrace. The rooftop bar and eatery focuses on snacking share plates for guests to enjoy while taking in the city skyline views from the balcony.
Punters can taste gochujang wontons, tempura oysters and savour uninterrupted views of Melbourne city at Sardine, the sister venue to White + Wongs, located upstairs from the pan-Asian eatery. The drinks menu runs to local beers, wine, mocktails and cocktails. Spice lovers should beeline towards The La, which marries chilli mango, lime, cranberry and maraschino with vodka. Peckish patrons can access the full White + Wong's menu from downstairs, but the bites and snacks section is particularly suited for the openair courtyard space.
If you're keen on a brewsky, you can head to UA Brewing Co.— a brewpub from Urban Alley Brewery. Why not enjoy the limited-edition 'The Quarter' hazy pale ale, brewed especially for and in Chadstone?
BE MERRY
Engage in some holiday hijinx with your mates at the Hijinx Hotel or enjoy Friendsmas at Holey Moley or Archie Brothers. Take the family on a tour of Chadstone's Christmas decorations and get a photo with Santa, or snap your own pic at the giant Christmas bauble.
Kids of all ages will love the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre as it gets into the holiday spirit. It is organising 'Letters to Santa', where guests can write a letter or a wish list or draw a picture and put it in the Christmas Mailbox to be sent to the North Pole, and visitors can get their photos taken with LEGO Santa. Children don't get all the fun, there will be a Christmas Adult Night Event on Friday, December 15, at 6pm where adults get free reign of the attraction.
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There are other festive activities happening throughout Chadstone. Keep an eye out for a massive The Elf on the Shelf hiding out at The Fashion Capital from December 1 through to Christmas Eve. The Elf on the Shelf reports back to Santa at the North Pole every night and then arrives back at Chadstone in a different location every day. Daily clues of his whereabouts will be posted on Chadstone's Instagram account. If you share a picture of The Elf on the Shelf to your public Instagram account before December 24, the hashtag #ElfOnTheShelf and follow and tag @chadstone_fashion, and you will go into a draw to win a six-night Bali stay thanks to Luxury Escapes. Terms and conditions apply, see more info on the Chadstone website.
You can't think about Christmas without thinking about presents. Get yourself set up for the holiday season early by taking advantage of holiday deals at The Fashion Capital. For your fashionable giftees, you can pick up some of the latest trendy items at DISSH, INCU and Sarah and Sebastian. Your mate who loves a good pilates or yoga class will thank you for a new mat or gear from Lululemon. Do you have a mate who loves cooking but never treats themselves to high-quality items? Check out Le Creuset for a present that will last a lifetime. Music lovers would love to deck out their homes with stylish yet functional speakers and music systems from Bang & Olufsen. And you can't go wrong with some goodies from Koko Black or T2.
After all that eating, drinking and merry-making, why not spend a night at the five-star Hotel Chadstone? Take a dip in the sleek rooftop pool, order a drink at the conservatory bar, treat yourself to a massage at the day spa and wellness retreat, or stretch out in the yoga studio before indulging in a satisfying meal at one of the two on-site top-notch restaurants.
Discover extended hours, real-time parking info and shopping guides on the Chadstone website.
Images: Chadstone, Pete Dillon