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Lygon Street is the home to numerous Italian restaurants. Populated with Italians who migrated in the 1950s, Italian-speaking families can be seen strolling or eating at a restaurant. Lygon Street marks the location of Australia’s first pizzeria and espresso machine. As a sweet tooth, I was excited to see so many gelaterias! The street is lined up with two-storey Italian restaurants (and dessert shops!), decorated with red, green, and white rather than tall glass buildings like in the CBD. Most restaurants have both an indoor and alfresco outdoor dining space, and can sit 40-60 people. Price ranges from very cheap to around $80 for two people, with rarely luxurious restaurants—suitable for nearby university students.

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The ambience is very different to what I’m used to of the loud, busy city like Bangkok. Lygon Street is quiet and relaxed. One similarity would be that both countries have strong culinary identities, and are proud to showcase it to the world. When I visited areas populated by Thais outside of Thailand (i.e. Sydney’s Thai Town), I can see the similarity it has with Lygon Street—casual restaurants serving simple, authentic dishes rather than exquisite high-end dishes.

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The lectures and readings allowed me to understand historical influences on cuisine, and thus why Lygon Street is dominated by Italian restaurants. I’ve become aware of various interpretations of Italian cuisine in Melbourne, and how it’s been influenced by Australian culture. We visited a so-called “authentic” Italian gelateria offering Wheat-Bix gelato…is that Italian? There were also vegan soy gelato free of dairy and sugar…is this what traditional gelato is? Nonetheless, evolving cuisines (and gelato) are exciting, and I’m always up for a tasting!