A highlight of any trip to Geelong is a stroll along cosmopolitan Pakington Street. Either end of the three-kilometre-long thoroughfare has its own distinctive heartbeat, from the northern end’s High Street-style shopping and cafes, to the upmarket boutiques and cool crafts at the ‘river’ end.
Pakington Street, Geelong West
At the north end of 'Pako', as the locals call it – and the start of any day at all, really – is the award-winning King of the Castle, serving Padre Coffee and sandwiches, wraps and treats made using ingredients sourced predominantly from local suppliers.
Pakington Street has always been a melting pot of the diverse communities that surround it, playing host to an annual multicultural street party in February, Pako Festa, which is not to be missed.
The same diversity is represented in the many upmarket lunch and dinner options, from Singaporean-inspired BAAH-LAH! Dining to the multi-award-winning Tulip restaurant, featuring an impressive modern Australian menu.
Or, for something delightfully different, stop in at Australia’s first licensed cheese train, Splatters, where you’ll pay by the plate for cheesy treats that arrive on a conveyor belt.
