I had a fabulous trip to Brisbane a few weeks ago! As well as visiting the fabulous Mind Body Spirit Festival, I also checked out some other fantastic natural, new age places Brisbane has to offer.

Here are some of the highlights.

Mondo Organics. I had dinner with these gorgeous ladies (from left to right) – Debra, me, Vanessa and Alisha. Mondo’s is a fabulous organic restaurant in West End. Everything was wonderful. The food was divine, the service friendly and the atmosphere relaxed and casual. My dish (on the left) was crisp pork belly and braised cheek, charred gem lettuce, celeriac puree and shallot. The other girls all had (on the right) the sous vide duck breast, sarladaise potato, onion puree, red cabbage. Both were amazingly melt in the mouth and full of flavour. The restaurant has gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options, making it perfect for all four of us who have special dietary needs. Check out the Mondo Organics website.

Northey Street Organic Markets. Alisha and I braved the drizzly, cold Sunday morning and headed to Northey Street for the famous organic markets. We were in foodie heaven. So much beautiful, fresh, organic produce at great prices. You can get everything from fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and pantry items at great prices. We chatted to the guy at the Buchi kombucha stall, where Alisha was kindly given a huge jar of scoby! I bought some ready made kombucha to take home (you can sample it first- yum). The markets are on every Sunday from 6-10.30am, just north of the city in Windsor. Check out the Northey Street website for more details.

Northey Street City Farm. After our wander around the markets, we went next door to the Northey Street city farm (it’s a  community permaculture garden). You can do workshops, yoga classes, playgroups, tours or join up and become a volunteer. We had brunch at the funky Chai Cafe. They have organic, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options. We had real, brewed chai tea on almond milk, toasted GF pumpkin and pesto sandwiches and GF muffins. Yum!  It is a fabulous place to just come and chill out with the family. There is a playground area close by for the kids to have a run. Check out some more info at the website.

Fundies Wholemarket. Yes, I do like to visit health food stores on my holidays! Fundies is a fantastic family owned store in Paddington. We stocked up on a few essentials (like Pukka tea!) and had a quick snack. Alisha had a plate of mixed salads and we both had some freshly squeezed juice. Can you tell how good it was from my facial expressions? Paddington is a great suburb for all things natural and new age! We also stopped in at Biome eco store and Presents of Mind and found lots of cool things. Paddo is also a great place for second-hand, vintage clothes. I could easily live here!

Brisbane City. I had all of Monday to explore Brisbane city on my own and I found some fabulous places! First, I had breakfast at Vege Rama in Adelaide Street. I had stewed apple and rhubarb, topped with a crunchy granola and a dairy free coconut custard and a spirulina and chia juice (pictured bottom left). I had to go back for afternoon tea for a slice of raw blueberry ‘cheesecake’ as well. Amazing real food – local, organic, vegetarian. Next up, I had a relaxing aromatherapy massage at Perfect Potion in Albert Street. The girls here are fantastic and I grabbed a few beautiful things (oils, books and chai tea) to take home with me as well. Do visit if you get the chance – it’s bliss!

Lunch was a real treat. I had heard of the fabulous Raw n Juicy on Facebook and eventually I found it. It is right up the northern end of Adelaide Street, tucked into a corner. The trek was worth it though! All the food here is 100% raw, organic and gluten-free. I had some really delicious raw, vegan nachos for lunch and enjoyed every mouthful. The staff are so happy and friendly (and they all look super healthy). This is Brissy’s best kept secret! After lunch I had to check out my favourite eco haven on the other side of Adelaide Street. Biome has everything eco-friendly from water bottles to make up to Aussie-made gifts. You can easily spend an hour in here just browsing and chatting to the gorgeous staff. I picked up a bamboo hairbrush I have had my eye on for a while and some cute cards.

Whew! It was a full-on, action-packed weekend. I had a fantastic time and was so thrilled to discover these amazing people with a passion for good health, whole foods and a natural, eco-friendly lifestyle.

Thanks for having me Brissy, see you next year!

What natural, healthy, new age places do you like in Brisbane?