I spent most of my first year eating and drinking here. More eating over anything else. I still remember the first, brief visit I took to Republica on the beach. This bar and restaurant sits along St Kilda’s esplanade, as inviting in the winter as it is in summer.
Winter months give the sea a rougher look but you can keep warm inside near the fire or drop by to admire the way the waves hit the shore. Summer is a whole other story. Every open space is taken, the swinging seats are a popular grab to dine at or even the outdoor seating near the stage. Expect live music on Sundays and food deals throughout the week.
My favourite chips are here and I reckon everyone should have a taste. I’ve always tried to figure out why they’re so good. Maybe it’s the aioli they’re served with or the cooks use some sort of special random ingredient that I’ll never know about. Either way, I love them and always must find someone to go along with me because at $10.50 a huge bowl, I can never finish them on my own.
Second favourite is the fried chicken with jalapeno and lime mayonnaise ($14), it comes with a zesty lime to squeeze over everything on the plate. It’s another smaller dish that I can’t finish on my own. You receive your quantity’s worth at Republica!
The first time I ever tried oysters was here. Not the most fun experience for me because if you know me well, you know I’m not a seafood kind of girl. I bought six of their freshly shucked oysters for $25, I ate two. Which is an accomplishment by my standards. Since then I’ve gone on to try oysters occasionally and I’ve got to say, they’re slowly growing on me.
This isn’t the most popular backpacker hangout considering prices are a little higher than your usual Acland Street hang, but I’ll always pick Republica as the place to be along the beach.
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