Bayside Fruit & Flowers

Waaah! (insert my Asian grandpa’s kung fu voice) Port Melbourne’s first Asian Grocery store!
(And back to me again) I’ve a long history with this place from back in the day when a Chinese man ran this as a green grocer choosing only the best local produce, then later when his half Jamaican son Rob and his fierce Hong Kong Aunty took over on his retirement. It’s where I ate the first orange in years that actually tasted like it should, and it came from a Victorian farm. I gave up supermarket fruit and veg after that.
But anyway, since they left the shop has limped along slightly. Quite adrift among expensive gourmet grocers and the biggest supermarket in the district… well…until now.
Under new management again, we now have Vietnamese owners who have asserted a strong point of difference and decided to give half the store over to Asian groceries. They have selected the best items from the best brands IMO. The selection of Vietnamese groceries in particular is exceptional and well priced. I may never need to go to Little Saigon Market again for pantry items. All my favorites are here.
But you’ll also find Asian pantry staples like Korean BBQ sauce, soy sauce, Sambal Oelek., Malaysian spice pastes and various South East Asian Chilli sauces. There are prawn, crab and sesame crackers, lup cheong, the best rated fish sauces, noodles, flours, phở and bo kho spice mixes, tofu, proper frozen fresh dumplings. And even cook at home South Melbourne Market Dim Sims and springies… possibly very interesting if you’re one of the many AFL football types in the hood.
Don’t know what something is? Just ask for guidance. Of course there is still fresh fruit and veg, flowers and pots of orchids on offer. And Mr Sticki’s favourite local orange juice in the fridge that they manage to sell cheaper than at the local IGA and Brewsters store.
Do I sound happy? You know it!