Asking anyone outside of Canberra what they think of it, you’ll most likely get the response, “There’s nothing to do there”.
For us coastal city elites perched on our figurative ivory towers, it’s easy to view the nation’s capital as a cultural wasteland. Its roads are suspiciously wide, its planning too intentional, and its vibe thumps with all the vigour of a cadaver’s heartbeat. However, we at Yellowbelly are here not only to tell you that you’re misinformed, but that you’re flat out wrong. For transparency, this roly-poly writer spent a week in Canberra with a bias. I’m glad to report that I’ve been checked. Canberra’s charms lie hidden just beyond the war memorials and views of Parliament House. It’s a city still malleable, defining its identity through every new cafe, brewery, restaurant, and creative space. Please enjoy our love letter to the place where roundabouts are the size of suburbs and streets are named after political jargon. Maybe after watching, you’ll agree that Canberra is where you’d rather be.
Below is the list of everywhere we went both on and off camera. Also I threw in a bunch of places that we need to go next time (trust me, we’ll be back):
Food
- Barrio Collective
- BanMe
- The Italian Place Enoteca
- Kita
- Lolo and Lola
- Fyskwick Markets
- Eighty Twenty Canberra
- Tikka Stand Food Truck
- Sonoma Braddon
- Gianni’s Italian
- Lunetta
- Paranormal Wines
- The Old Canberra Inn
- Rama’s Fijian Indian Cuisine
- Yum Cha CBD
Shopping and everything else
- Kakumei Canberra
- KIN Gallery
- Garmes
- Platform Gallery
- The Floriade
- The National Gallery of Australia
- Hive
- Fold Projects
- Cockington Green Gardens
Thanks to Jo, Rei, and Tallis for filming, taking pics, and being on camera. Shout-outs to all the senior drivers who tailgated me and made driving thrilling.
