Carousel, the Good Life, and Good Food at Albert Park Lake

The Carousel, is an events center with a café attached.  It is on the edge of The Lake in Albert Park – such a great position.  It’s a stunning experience to sit on the deck outside the cafe,  sip coffee, while swans and ducks float by, joggers pant past and walkers chat as they amble along.

The main venue is used for wedding receptions and other catered-for events.    The entrance to the building is imposing.  That’s the reception entrance.  I am writing here about the café with the entrance tucked around the side.

The café is popular in the weekend.   Everyone pitches up here; bikes, joggers, walkers, families out for a stroll and breakfast groups. There are no bookings for breakfast so you front up and get your name written on the window in texter with the number in your party.

Last Saturday our party arrived and we were written on the window with a number 5. We hung around outside with the dogs and visualized empty tables.  It was cold enough for us to visualize the empty table being inside which was a pity because when it arrived the table didn’t have a view. There is an open deck in front of the café and on a warm day the windows are opened up, so if you are inside, you get the feeling of being outside

The coffee is very good and it made up for the cold wait outside and by then we were ready for breakfast.  The food is fine.  Not great but good enough to go back.  A nice touch is having a water jug with mint and lemon left on the table.

The jug of water adds style to a Carousel Breakfast.

This is ‘The Carousel Breakfast’. The mushrooms have flavour!

The muffins are worth trying especially if you arrive when they still warm from the oven.  This one is Blueberry and white chocolate.

The Carousel is quieter during the week.  This makes it more relaxing and there is no need for the texter and the window.  It is a place full of light with some of the best views in Melbourne.  It’s worth going for the views and of course a walk in the park.

Swans wander around chewing the grass.  As you can see in the photo they are numbered with a wide band around their neck.  Can any one tell me why?  It looks very uncomfortable for them.

Getting There:-

The Carousel,  22 Aughtie Drive,  Albert Park Lake, is open from 8am every day and shuts around 3.30 to 4.00pm

The easiest way is by car and as a bonus it is $2.00 for all day parking in the weekend. This is not the same during the week.  Be prepared to pay more.

Tram 96, the light rail, takes you along the back of the Park.  Get off at the Wright Street station and walk across Albert Park towards the lake.

You can also take any tram that goes down St Kilda Road as far as the St Kilda Junction.  Get off at High Street and walk to the park from there. As it crosses St Kilda Road, High Street becomes Lorne Street.  You walk done Lorne Street to the Park .  Remember you have to walk around the lake to get to the Carousel.