Food & Market Tours
Queen Vic Market at dawn, dumplings on Little Bourke, fresh pastries in South Melbourne, spice stalls in Footscray. A full day tasting your way through Melbourne's food scene with someone who loves a good feed.
A day built around your appetite.
Melbourne's food scene is huge and varied, and a market tour with the right support worker takes you through it stall by stall. You might try the cheese counter at Queen Vic, the dim sum carts in Chinatown, the fresh sourdough at South Melbourne Market, or the baklava stalls tucked away in Brunswick.
Your support worker plans the route around the foods you love and the ones you want to try. They know which stalls open early, which ones have the best samples, and where to grab a table when you need a breather between stops. You set the pace, and the day follows your appetite.
These tours work for people who love cooking, people who love eating, people who are curious about different cuisines, and people who want a social, sensory day out that revolves around something they enjoy.
Experience info
- Half or full-day tours (4-8 hours)
- 3:1 support worker
- Spending money for food purchases
- NDIS Core Supports funded
What a food and market day includes.
Every tour is planned around your tastes.
Planned market route
Your support worker maps out the markets and food stops based on what you want to eat and explore. The route is planned, but flexible enough to follow your nose.
You walk through the Queen Vic Market deli hall at 8:30am. The olive stall owner hands you a sample of something you can't pronounce. You buy a whole tub.
Door-to-door transport
Your support worker picks you up and drops you home at the end. If the tour covers multiple markets across the city, all the driving between stops is sorted too.
After Queen Vic you drive to South Melbourne Market for the famous dim sims. Your support worker knows where to park so you're inside in two minutes.
Dietary & sensory planning
We plan around your dietary needs and sensory preferences. If crowded market halls are overwhelming, we time visits for quieter periods and know which sections are calmer.
The main hall at Queen Vic is packed by 10am, so you started at the outdoor fruit section where there's more space and the morning sun is warm on your back.
Tasting & sampling stops
Melbourne markets are built for tasting. Your support worker knows which stalls offer samples and helps you order at busy counters.
The cheese vendor at Prahran Market lines up five different samples on a board. You point to the one with truffle. Your support worker asks for a wedge to take home.
Take-home goodies
Markets are good for picking up ingredients, snacks, and treats to bring home. Your support worker carries the bags and keeps track of everything you've picked up.
By midday you've got fresh bread, a jar of local honey, and a bag of Turkish delight. Your support worker packed a cooler bag in the car for the cold stuff.
Photos & memories
Your support worker photographs the colours, the stalls and the food so you can share the day with family and remember your favourite finds.
You're holding up a massive donut from the American Doughnut Kitchen van, powdered sugar on your chin. Your support worker gets the shot before you take the first bite.
A market tour, start to finish.
Your support worker picks you up early and you're at Queen Vic Market before the crowds hit, walking through the deli hall at 8:30am while the olive stall owner hands you a sample of something you can't pronounce. You buy a whole tub. You wander the fruit and veg sheds, stop for a coffee, and pick up a bag of fresh bread on the way out. From there it's a short drive to South Melbourne Market for the famous dim sims, then a walk through Prahran Market in the afternoon, where the cheese vendor lines up five samples and you point to the one with truffle. By the time you're heading home you've got a cooler bag full of local produce, a phone full of photos, and a full stomach.
Who this is for
- People who love food, cooking, and trying new flavours
- Anyone curious about Melbourne's multicultural food scene
- People who enjoy the energy of markets and outdoor stalls
- People who want practice with social interactions like ordering
- Anyone who wants a sensory-rich day out with structure
- People who enjoy bringing home fresh ingredients and treats
Tell us which markets you want to explore.
We'll sort the route, transport and support, and bring someone keen to eat their way through the day with you.
Get StartedWhat a food and market tour costs.
What it costs
Pricing for a market or food tour follows the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. The amount depends on the type of support and whether the tour runs on a weekday, evening, weekend or overnight. If you don't have a plan category that covers it, you can pay fee-for-service instead. Either way, cost is confirmed with you in writing before the tour starts, so there are no surprises at Queen Vic or Prahran Market.
Am I eligible?
Food and market tours are usually funded under Assistance with Social & Community Participation, a Core Supports category. If your plan includes it, a support worker can be matched to your tastes and booked in. Your support coordinator can check whether your plan covers it. If no plan category fits, or you have no plan, fee-for-service is available.
Where we work
We're based in Thomastown and run market and food tours across Greater Melbourne, including the northern, western and eastern suburbs. Regional Victoria is available for many day trips too. Overnight food and market getaways further afield can be planned as well.
How to start
Tell us your favourite foods and the markets you've been wanting to explore and we'll plan the route around you.
Tell us what you like to eat and we'll plan the route.
Pick the markets and cuisines you're craving. We'll plan the route.
Call (03) 9968 7766