We have visited Melbourne twice. The first time was on a whim when we decided the Space Coast was calling our name. On that foray, we discovered Eau Gallie – much to our delight.
The second time, we went to attend an Easter Sunrise service at Hightower Beach. We found the perfect one put on by The Trinity Wellsprings Church in Satellite Beach. On each occasion we had a chance to walk the streets of historic Melbourne.
That’s worth a trip on its own. The area encompasses a number of city blocks and is a compendium of boutiques, breweries.jewelry stores, gift and specialty shops, cafes, clothing stores and restaurants. One literally could spend hours here (I know, we did.)
Places to Eat
Possibly our best find was Meg O’Malleys Restaurant and Irish Pub. It was a great dining experience and their scones are to die for. However, there are just a ton of other places along East New Haven Avenue. There’s restaurants like The Hurricane Creek Saloon & Kitchen, The Mangetsu Sushi Bar & Korean BBQ, The Burger Place and La Crepe De France to name a few of the ones we still would like to try.
We would say that the best breakfast place in Melbourne probably is Backwater. It’s where we had one of the best breakfasts we’ve had in Florida.
If you’re a drinker there’s Hell ‘n Blazes or The Quarters Brewing + Arcade for a local flair.
We found Jacqueline’s Bakery & Cafe while strolling up the street. It is Melbourne’s epicenter of French artisan breads and pastries. They serve breakfast and lunch menus as well as a selection of cookies, pastries, breads and ice creams.
All Kinds of Shops
The downtown area has all kinds of shops. And when we say all kinds of shops, we mean all kinds of shops. There’s The Russian House with all things from the Soviet Union, The Flop Shop for all your flip flop needs, Beach Bumz Arts & Gifts Ect, Fancy Flamingo, Two Feathers Gallery, Glitter Alley and Rain Tree – one of the most eclectic shops we have ever seen.
One of our best finds was a little shop called From Olives and Grapes. It is one of a two store chain (the other is in nearby Cocoa Village) that specialize in specialty olive oils and vinegars. We have used these products for years and find them healthy, delicious and a wonderful low calorie alternative to traditional dressings.
There are rows of chrome fustis with such delights as traditional 18-year-aged dark balsamic vinegar, Tuscan herb-flavored extra virgin olive oil, aged pure Vermont maple balsamic vinegar and blood orange infused extra virgin olive oil – to name a few. The nice thing is that you may taste before you purchase.
In addition to the vinegars and oils, they also carry a selection of risotto from Italy, pesto, jams, pasta and a number of gluten-free items. And if you aren’t certain how to use these products, they have plenty of books and recipes to assist you.
As we said, there are lots of things to do around the Space Coast and Melbourne is a wonderful starting point to explore. That being said, The Harbor City itself has a lot to see and do. We’d say from the spectacular sunrises, to the great eateries and the wonderful little shops, you can’t go wrong spending a weekend here.