Sunday in Williamstown

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As a suburb with quality cuisine, quirky watering holes and gentle sea-breezes caressing golden sand St Kilda gets all the press. However across the other side of Melbourne's brown river rests the village-like suburb of Williamstown.

Close to the city but maintaining its own unique identity, Williamstown is a wonderful place to spend a romantic getaway or a day with the family (because you have children now you are not permitted to romance, parents doing it being deemed as "gross" or some such).

If you choose to spend a Sunday out in Willi ( stop sniggering !) allow me to guide your itinerary:

Breakfast:
Odd Spot Café *

Run by a chef who is clearly a morning person (because the joint shuts at 4pm) this café gives you simple breakfast fare, served spectacularly well. As with any café breakfast it should be spent over the broadsheets discussing the things that matter. Here are some topics to get you going should you find a lull in the conversation:
Who has less credibility, Julia Gillard or Tony Abbot (this could keep you going till lunch)
What is the difference between a café latte and a flat white?
Who would win out of a fight between Stephen Segal and Chuck Norris?
What do we do with the exquisite calories we've been unable to resist inhaling? Well I'm glad you asked:

A Morning Stroll:
Hobsons Bay Trail

For a brisk morning walk head down to Maddox Road in North Williamstown and jump on the Hobsons Bay Trail bandwagon. This section is particularly scenic and does end at a venue where you can reinsert the calories you just burnt off.

Lunch:
If the Odd Spot breakfast has worn off and you are enjoying the beachside surrounds at the Esplanade end of the trail you could pop in for a coffee and cake at the Esplanade Café . If you're looking to wow a paramour take them to Sirens and let them coo in appreciation of your credit limit. If the kids are with you head to the Rotunda and grab some fish n chips at the canteen to enjoy picnic style in the Botanic Gardens .

Afternoon Delight:
Should you not be requiring sleep due to your circadian rhythms and full stomachs (good lord, you are a machine and I doff my cap to thee) you could spend the afternoon solving the world's problems at the traditional local that is the Stags Head Hotel . If you're after healthier activity you could continue down the Esplanade, past the historical old forts to Williamstown station and take the walking trail that follows the old train line past the Britannia Hotel

Alternatively the kids may enjoy a visit to the St Johns Museum or, more likely, the promise of having something bought for them at Williamstown Craft Market (provided it's the third Sunday of the month). Yes, allow consumerism to support a local artist/craft-hobbyist rather than Mattel.

Dinner:
Still with me? Ok, let's make this simple:

For the family it's hard to beat the Lion Dance Restaurant .

For a pub feed I highly recommend the gastro-pub Bettenay's at the Prince Albert Hotel .

For the romantic-I-don't-care-about-the-price-damn-it option you can't go past The Strand

Now you've eaten all that food for god's sake exercise the next day!

#cafes
#escape_the_city
#family
#food_wine
#misc
#west
#williamstown
%wnmelbourne