Melbourne Food and Wine Festival: River Graze

The 2016 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival kicked off Friday March 4 with a series of Longest Lunches spread right across the state. If the festival events were flashing lights, the whole of Victoria would sparkle between the 4th and the 14th as local and international chefs, wineries and producers put on meals, master classes, tastings and more in celebration of the annual event. 

The CBD especially has an extra air of joviality this year, with the whole of Southbank coming together for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival “River Graze” – on until Sunday March 6, 2016. 

From the Melbourne Arts Centre all the way down to the Convention Centre - stalls, bars, restaurants, wineries and cellar doors, complete with live music and entertainment have come together for a weekend of fun for big and little foodies alike.  

Enjoy Fatto snacks, wine and olive oil tastings at the Olive Garden, savour a range of Proseccos from the King Valley at Prosecco Road, indulge at Food Truck Alley or venture further down the walk to Crown Live for Gradi’s Pizza Fest. 

Visitors will also enjoy an abundance of seating and a range of activities on throughout the weekend, including grape stomping at Oakridge within Crown Live and steam boat rides to experience River Graze by water.

For ice cream, bread and cheese (everyone’s favourite things) visit Urban Dairy, an activation in Queensbridge Square that will run for the entire festival celebrating all things old school milk bar; newspapers, dairy and bread. 

(get down before Sunday to enjoy New York’s renowned Big Gay Ice Cream, who have created a Tim Tam Sundae especially for the event.)

Finally, if you reach Melbourne Convention Centre before falling asleep in the sun with a belly full of food (please don’t do this) you will reach the City Cellar, a beautiful, grassy spot where Victoria’s best regional wineries have set up cellar doors for our tasting pleasures. 

There really is nothing better than traversing Southbank and enjoying the best in food and wine that Victoria has to offer in one prime location right along the Yarra River. 

For a list of events throughout the festival visit www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au 

By Jessica Williams.