Local Guide: How To Spend A Day In Armadale

Nestled among beautiful heritage buildings and thoughtfully designed boutiques, the Assembly Label Armadale store feels right at home on one of Melbourne’s most charming retail strips. In fact, you can make a day out of experiencing all that Armadale’s High Street has to offer. From foraging through antique stores to indulging at wellness retreats and wine bars, here’s a guide to Armadale’s most fashionable thoroughfare. 

Go for brunch.

Albert’s 

If a late breakfast is on the cards, swing by Albert’s Wine Bar, which thoughtfully serves coffee and light meals from midday. Located behind High Street’s heritage-listed Kings Arcade, Albert’s is a new local favourite with a cafe by day, bar by night atmosphere. Stay long into the afternoon to really make the most of the wine list, which is updated regularly.

Lune 

A very welcome addition to the neighbourhood, Lune opened in Armadale in July this year and the cult-favourite croissanterie is a perfect fit for the suburb’s thriving cafe culture. The new location offers everything you love about Lune — twice-baked croissants, can’t-stop-at-one cruffins and sweet kouign-amanns — but with extra-indulgent interiors. Think Lune’s signature LED lights and brutalist concrete elevated with weathered brass and marble. 

Ned’s 

Ned’s may be a newcomer to the neighbourhood, but this European-inspired bakery brings a well-established reputation with it. Let the aroma of stone-milled artisan bread wash over you as you order a coffee and gorge on baguette sandwiches and sweet pastries.

Schedule a spa appointment.

Willow Urban Retreat 

You could easily spend an entire day at Willow Urban Retreat, an inner-city wellness sanctuary comprised of a day spa, yoga studio and cafe. Treatments draw on both Eastern and Western philosophies and the minimalist design is intended to enhance the healing process, including purified air systems and non-toxic building materials. Book a movement class, schedule a therapeutic spa session, take time out in the infrared sauna and then go for lunch.

Do some vintage shopping.

The Assembly Label Armadale store is surrounded by the best vintage shops in Melbourne. In fact, High Street is particularly famous for its galleries and antique dealers, which first arrived in the 1940s. There’s a store for every budget, taste and interest, from collectibles, jewellery and art to mid-century furniture, retro homewares and rare antiquities. 

Make dinner reservations.

Amaru 

When the occasion calls for something special, you can’t go past Amaru. This intimate restaurant offers a tasting menu that will take you on a culinary journey using Australian ingredients and international techniques, and everything from the food to the wine list and interiors is executed thoughtfully and simply, with a strong focus on warm hospitality.

Orrong Hotel 

For a relaxed pub lunch or dinner, head to Orrong Hotel, High Street’s recently reopened art deco pub. After a loving restoration, the Orrong has reclaimed much of its original charm — the design proudly shows off the old floorboards, working fireplaces and decorative plasterwork on the ceilings. And as for the food, it’s classic pub fare done well, with weeknight specials. Honest, unfussy dining.

Go for drinks.

Victor Churchill 

Anthony Bourdain described Victor Churchill as “the most beautiful butcher shop in the world”. This artisanal butcher has built a legacy on providing high-end restaurants with the best ethically-sourced meat, and now customers in Melbourne can buy these premium products, too. The Armadale location has to be seen to be believed — it feels like a luxury fashion boutique and there’s a grand 12-seat wine bar where guests can indulge in Champagne, caviar, cocktails and Victor Churchill produce. 

Auterra 

The best part of a restaurant meal is often the snacks you devour in one to two bites, which is exactly what you’ll find at Auterra. The menu is all about mouth-watering morsels designed to accompany a superbly curated wine list, which boasts lots of exciting producers and impressive options. This new wine bar is by chef Clinton McIver (his other restaurant Amaru is across the road), so you can expect local produce, creative flavours and a convivial atmosphere.