This isn't the closest fruit and veg shop to my house so I don't come here unless I happen to be on…read moreSydney Road and it happens to be a convenient time to do some vegetable shopping. The first few times I came here I thought they were rather pricey compared to my local fresh produce shop, but a recent visit has led me to change my mind. La Manna had lots of good deals going, and I managed to find tarragon there, which I hadn't found in other stores in the neighbourhood. I don't know if I just never get the nice, smiley staff member at the cash register, or if none of them smile or make an attempt to be friendly, but that's just how it goes in La Manna. It would be nice if they were nicer to me, but if it were that easy for everyone to be nicer to each other, there would probably be less fighting in the world. How on earth did I go from fruit and veg to more peace and love in the world please? I think it's time for afternoon tea break.

Last Sunday my partner and I did something we've never done before... we awoke before 9am. But more…read moreimportantly, we got our butts out of the house and decided to stock up our fridge for the week (and stock it healthy.) La Manna is just a short walk away and is an absolutely gem of a local grocer. Piles of fresh fruits, veggies, flowers and all that other healthy stuff that you look at in the supermarket but always walk right past. You know the ones - quinoa, freekah, sunflower seeds and anything green... We stocked our basket sky high with enough veggies to feed a small family and smugly strutted out on to Sydney Road - proud smile on our face for all that we had achieved before 10am on a Sunday - and all for just a few clams! A highly recommended destination when you want the best and freshest veggies without the hefty price that can often come along with them.

Five reasons why Little Saigon is the shizz nizzle…read more.... 1. Free samples of delicious tropical fruit in winter. There's nothing like biting into a creamy custard apple or juicy papaya in winter. Instant mental transportation to the fair and dreamy isles. 2. The cheapest avocados in the western world. Last week I bought 12 perfect avocados for 7 dollars. This should be enough to make you drop everything and run to Footscray but if it isn't, I give you number 3.... 3. Stuffed tofu (legendary) 4. Those little Vietnamese crepes with minced pork and fish sauce. I like to bring them to work and annoy all my sour puss co workers with their delicious stank. 5. Bags of limes for 2 dollars. It's constantly margaritaville at my house now.

This is one of the great market experiences of Melbourne. Vietnamese sellers yelling out "$1.99"…read moreand monotone sounds just to get attention. There are Fruit samples to try in abundance and the hustle and bustle of people pushing through the crowd. This is one of the best places in Melbourne to get super cheap fresh veggies and fruit, plus harder to find Asian ingredients (that are not stocked elsewhere). Go in the late afternoon on Saturday or Sunday for some bargains and the big push and shove of eager shoppers!

The biggest of the Brunswick fruit vendors, Russel's Fruit and Veg aka the Brunswick Market is a…read moregreat one for doing a big shop. It covers fruit and vegetables that are both in and out of season, and are priced to reflect this. There're some really great deals on the seasonal output, though like anywhere, you do have to hunt through the pile to get to the good stuff. Eftpos is available for purchases over $10, and there are a host of specialty meat stores and delicatessens lining the walk in through the mini-mall. It's geared to people buying in bulk but there're also some bargains to be had for the solitary shopper. It's always a good place to find stuff the other local fruit and veg shops don't have in store.

It's a little hidden, and you must journey through a strange land of foreign music and fresh cuts…read moreof meat, but for the price vs. quality equation Brunswick Fresh Fruit Market is a must. Just off a tram stop on Sydney Rd, you can be back in the city in less than twenty minutes.

These guys are taking advantage of the lockdown by sending inferior groceries when ordered online…read morethrough UBER most of the vegies were old and dry the fruit was even worse, example rock melon rotten inside, apples and oranges rotten inside, tomatoes thawed out most likely frozen, these giuys are lucky they are outside my 5 km limit. DO NOT BUY FROM THESE THIEVES!

I thought that it was cruel of the wandering ragtime trio, hired by the Sydney Road traders…read moreassociation, to play "Yes, We Have No Bananas" outside Vinnies Fruit. Vinnies Fruits did have banana but they were very expensive. I bought some mandarins, kiwi fruit, onions and bok choy. Then I noticed that they also stocked anchovies amongst their small section of other groceries. And ended up also buying 3 bottles of chinotto that were on special.

I had no idea what to idea what to expect when I first walked in here some years ago. I most…read morecertainly wasn't expecting such a cavernous space filled with so many shops selling all manner of edible delights. The stalls in Brunswick Market really capture the multi-cultural essence of Sydney Road, and the variety here is impressive. Within this huge building you'll find halal butchers, a mini supermarket, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, aromatic spices, exotic sounds from far and away, and vibrant fabrics. It's rather an exciting place to accidentally stumble into so get stumbling.

Don't expect anything too smart..it's pretty down at heel and not exactly bustling but there's…read moresome really good and inexpensive food to be found here. My favourite is the Italian butcher right down the end, if you're an offal fan he usually has a good selection and his pork is always good...and I reckon he has the best sausages in Melbourne. There's also a large fruit and veg shop which has good quality produce and is also well priced and the fish shop is also worth checking out.

Flemington Fresh Centre is an old fashioned greengrocer on Racecourse Road. The range of fruit and…read morevegetables here is so fresh you'll want to live on salads! Compared to the nearby supermarket, Flemington Fresh Centre offer far better value for money and service; you even have the option of phoning ahead to place an order for pick up, or having a standing weekly order with the store. Another advantage of shopping at this local grocer is that there's a greater emphasis on produce that is currently in season - you won't end up paying astronomical prices for fruit that's been flown in from the other side of the world because it's the wrong time of year for Australian growers.

With so many second hand markets around these days, it's really a hit and miss as to whether you…read morewill luck upon scoring a good find for a decent price. Fitzroy market is a small market at the Fitzroy Primary School that has a well edited selection of clothes, books, shoes, bits and bobs. There is definitely an element of 'Fitzroy cool' at the market, with a younger range of sellers. Note, when I say younger, I'm talking 20-30s (which is the age bracket I fall in). This is one of my favorite markets around at the moment.

Great little local market held in the grounds of Fitzroy Primary School on the third Saturday of…read moreevery month in 2012 (it's previously been the first Saturday of the month). Mostly secondhand clothes, records, toys and bric-a-brac - almost always at very reasonable prices. Not many food and drink options: a sausage sizzle and a very good coffee stall, but there's plenty of other cafes and bakeries nearby on Smith or Brunswick Streets if that doesn't take your fancy. Entry by gold coin donation.

The best way to have lunch on Wednesday if you are in or near Melbourne University campus. There…read moreare a lot of nice spots to buy take away meals (falafel, bagels, juices, coffee, ...) or some vegetables to take home. You can eat it on the campus grass in a cool atmosphere and kind music.

I am so surprised no one has raved about this place yet!…read more It's possibly the greatest IGA I've ever been to. There is an excellent range of products: fresh fruit and veg - check, all your normal grocery items - check, booze - check, deli stuff - check, hardware and light bulbs and bits - check, American candy and soda - check. The best part, in my opinion, is the enormous range of gluten free products, larger than any other store I've been to! You can get bread, baguettes, crackers, pasta as well as biscuits, wafers and most excitingly a gluten free version of a KitKat type thing! The staff are lovely, it's always well stocked and you can find unexpected delights too. Prices are pretty good, some stuff is a little expensive but that's the price of convenience, right? And it's open til 11PM so there's heaps of time to grab what you need. Check it out!!