The Belair Lip Bombs
Full cream milk - keep it simple stupid
Taste Maker is a food guide from creatives, artists and professional eaters. Follow → Instagram → Previous Guests
The Belair Lip Bombs are an indie-rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Check out their album Again, out now via Third Man Records.
Where do you live most of the year?
We live in Melbourne, all scattered between Frankston, the Inner North and Flemington. It’s a great city to make music in and live - there’s constantly great new bands emerging, and always a great gig on. It’s also an incredible city for food. The more we tour the further away Melbourne can feel though.
What do you look for in a restaurant when you walk in?
Before entering the door, good reviews are important. Yelp is very useful when travelling the States, and keeping track of good eateries across Europe can be a life saver whilst touring. One bad meal can really throw off your day, particularly when you’re in a constant battle between convenience vs nutrition while travelling. Anything with vegetables on the menu is (usually) a winner.
What is your final meal?
As a band it would probably be Italian food. A combination of great neapolitan pizza and pasta - delicious.
3 dream guests for dinner? (They can be alive or dead) Why?
Stanley Tucci (obviously), Chris Martin (because he screams good dinner etiquette) and Stuart Anderson (because the dinner would be hosted at Singing Bird Studios in Frankston - he’s cooking).
TBLB’s Taste Maker Guide
Breakfast: Green Refectory, Brunswick
Order: Literally anything, everything here is so good and well priced. Best coffee in Brunswick too. Large flat white in a mug hits hard. Great selection of juices, cakes and lots of great brekky options. They have just expanded into the adjacent shopfront too, which has dramatically improved the dining experience. Highly recommend.
Coffee: Lobbs Cafe, Brunswick
Order: Flat White, full cream milk - keep it simple stupid. A great place to spot Melbourne micro influencers.
Lunch: Good Days Hot Bread, Brunswick
Order: Bahn Mi, XO Pork Roll, Viet Iced Coffee. It’s very hard to find bad Vietnamese cuisine in Melbourne, but anything run by Good Days is a must try.
Special dinner: Marquis of Lorne, Fitzroy
Order: Going to the Marquis of Lorne is an elevated pub experience. It still has the classic Aussie pub feel, but the food is definitely a cut above. I feel like there are new Gastro pubs popping up every week in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, but this one is still a favourite. We came here for an end of year band dinner last year - here’s some of what we ordered:
12x NATURAL OYSTERS, SHUCKED TO ORDER W/ MIGNONETTE
PAN-FRIED BARRAMUNDI W/ SPROUTING CAULIFLOWER, JAMON & GARLIC SAUCE
ASPARAGUS W/ YUZU & STRACCIATELLA
APPLE & ALMOND CRUMBLE W/ CINNAMON CRÈME FRAICHE
To drink - If we are celebrating, prosecco. Otherwise A pint of Stomping Ground ‘Gipps St’ Pale Ale.
Casual dinner: Hotel Lombardo, Coburg
Order: Some of the best Pizza in Melbourne here, and a great bar. The staff pour a beautiful pint of Guinness, too. The menu is simple but everything is really good. It’s an easy place to go to meet friends or on a date if you don’t know where to go! Casual and fun. Some favourites:
Aranchini (3) Pea and Saron, with Cayenne and Guindilla Aioli.
Pork and fennel sausage, Tomato Base, Pork & Fennel Sausages, Chili, Mozzarella, Basil
Margahreta, Tomato Base, Fior di Latte, Mozzarella, and Basil
Pint of Guinness
Special shoutouts
Scattered across Melbourne:
Old Man Drew, Ascot Vale
The John Curtin Hotel, Carlton
Leonardos, Carlton
Mister Truong’s, Brunswick West
Donatellos, Brunswick
Pacinos, Flemington
Red Door Corner Store, Northcote
Ovens Street Bakery, Brunswick
True North, Coburg
Grandview Hotel, Brunswick West
Sporting Club, Brunswick
Commonfolk Coffee, Frankston