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Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive Officer, Melbourne Convention Bureau
My favourite places:
Top three restaurants
Donovans is the epitome of beach-side chic. Designed to have the look and comfort of a beach house, the restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto the beach. At Donovans I love to sit in its Library room and devour some rustic dishes – especially the baked oysters - before heading out to the enclosed Veranda to do some people watching.
Red Spice Road is a unique South East Asian-style dining experience in the heart of Melbourne. I often visit the restaurant with a group of friends or colleagues and share a few dishes – the pork belly is my absolute favourite.
Nestled in one of Melbourne's iconic laneways (Oliver Lane off Flinders Lane), Coda is the perfect place to take large groups. With extensive set menus which include delicacies such as Coda’s famous quail lettuce delight and buffalo, zucchini and mint fritters, Coda always exceeds my expectations!
Top three bars
Sitting on top of the European and Supper Club, Siglo Bar is high up in the trees overlooking Parliament House. With its chequered rooftop floor and extensive wine list, it feels like you’re in the heart of Paris. Here I enjoy tucking in to a glass of Australian Shiraz and some foie gras as I watch the sun go down over the city. 2/161 Spring St, Melbourne
Bar & Billiard Room, Hotel Lindrum: I find Hotel Lindrum’s Back Bar the perfect spot to relax and unwind by enjoying a quiet glass of red on one of the comfortable sofas or classic leather armchairs that surround the cosy fireplace.
Captain Baxter is located in the heart of St Kilda; Melbourne’s beachside playground for over 160 years. Here, I like to have a cocktail or two and share a plate of tasty pan fried calamari, while overlooking the beach at sunset.
Top three hot spots
Enjoying a drink while overlooking Melbourne’s city skyline is an experience I will never fail to recommend. Crown Metropol’s 28 Sky Bar & Lounge has a five metre floor-to-ceiling glass façade and an extensive range of boutique beers, local wines or exclusive cocktails.
It is always a pleasure to pop into Dockland’s artisan Mill & Bakery and let the smell of bread and pastries engulf me. The Bakery has an on-site mill, where the flour used to make the mouth-watering breads, pastries and cakes sold here is ground while you watch.
South Wharf Promenade’s Gasolina is a real novelty. Set on the banks of the Yarra River and on the doorstep of the Melbourne Convention and exhibition Centre, Gasolina is a real motorcycle workshop and its wood fired pizza is delicious!
The Melbourne Convention Bureau is an economic business development organisation, with its core function to secure international and national conferences, incentive travel reward programs and other business events for the state of Victoria by working with associations, corporate organisations and event planners from around the world. MCB’s vision is to make Victoria one of the world’s most successful conference destinations and to generate billions of dollars for the state economy. www.melbournecb.com.au