Pretentious DJs that only spin vinyl: North Carlton’s Foodscape
The foodscape I endeavoured with Nadia and Matteo circulated the cozy and ‘cool’ suburb of North Carlton. With pop-up events, wine bars, and local DJs mixing with vinyl, it felt like the perfect utopia of Melbourne’s culinary scene.
We chose three restaurants that juxtapose each other more than complement. Paris Go; ‘authentically’ Parisian, French-waiters dressed in white button tops with aprons, free bread and an abundance of butter. Cordelia; new-wave Melbourne style, stainless steel tables, young hot chefs, and an almost exclusively Victorian wine list. And, Heart of Carlton; everything is priced at $4, pasta shapes are mixed with whatever leftovers await, and suspiciously good coffee. Until remembering the profit margins of a simple iced coffee (usually).
I was at a loss for words with little ability to find commonality for my blog until interviewing three people from the three venues.
Common thread: challenges authenticity in rejecting tradition for its local audience.
North Carlton is a fascinating biome for restaurants to thrive in (Carlton North area guide 2026). There is room for flexibility, bravery and seasonality. Even in Paris Go, advertised as authentic, does the restaurant complicate the very idea. The chef we interviewed noted they use Victorian produce, adapting French techniques and recipes to fit what can be found locally. This itself contradicts the idea of ‘terroir’ and specifically, the AOC system, but rather performs a transported authenticity that creates a hybrid space (Keeling 2020).
As someone littered with hybridity (Wasian background and its consequences), I realise exactly why North Carlton fascinates me; it is a realistic depiction of the globalised world. It is dynamic, exciting, and extremely rich in audacity when it comes to consistently evolving our culture.
Citations:
Carlton North area guide 2026, Time Out Melbourne, viewed 12 March 2026, <https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/things-to-do/carlton-north-area-guide>.
Keeling, P 2020, AOC Wine: Decoding French Wine Classifications, Wine Folly.