Rowena Parade Corner Store

Apparently this is where the writers for Neighbours got the set design inspiration for the general store that Harold ran. It’s really cute and retro.
The menu is limited, but there are some great dishes on there. The S.M.E.R.T.A (smoked salmon, mayo, egg, rocket, tomato and avocado) is absolutely delicious. I dream about it.
The coffee, sunny courtyard, water out the front for dogs and how the windows open up wide when it’s lovely weather are also fantastic.

Awesome.
Definitely a time-​capsule feel, but also a just a classic «third place.» Neighbors drop by to say hello to friends, people hang out over coffee, the wifi’s free, the food’s good and the coffee’s great. Warm, welcoming and fun. Worth going out of your way for some cloudy day.

Aside from the free wifi, Rowena parade feels like a time capsule of Milk Bar that used to sit on every major Melbourne suburban street.
It’s probably now more of a romanticised version of a Melbourne Milk Bar, but that’s not to say it’s not authentic. Rowena is still in the same Greek family (given away by the large Greek mural on the wall) — you can often see several generations sitting at the tables and behind the counter.
It still functions as a Milk Bar — you can still buy milk there, but it’s probably not the place for your weekly shop. That said, they definitely do have the essentials — and they also stock a some great homemade take-​away meals — and when I say homemade, they genuinely do seem homemade.
I’m a big fan of the Rowena burger, which has caramelised onion just right. My only gripe with their breakfasts is they don’t butter the bread — which seems to be to some people’s taste, but not mine.
The service can be variable. Very much depends on the people on the day — That said, it’s always friendly. You just sometimes need to put up a smoke signal to get served. Also, they won’t split bills, so if you’ve got a large group, be prepared to sort the maths out yourself.
Out the back there are some longer tables and a sunny garden. You need to walk though the kitchen to get there — which initially feels a little weird, but rest assured it’s common practice.