17 November 2023 · Mazda Stories

Bayside's Best Eateries In The Mazda CX-60

We joined Ben Shewry for a ‘Tour de Burbs’, hitting some of his favourite Melbourne spots, in the First-Ever, All-Hybrid Mazda CX-60 PHEV. Our entire journey was powered exclusively by the CX-60’s high-capacity 17.8 kWh battery and large 100 kW electric motor, without once needing to engage the petrol engine.

The first stop? Coffee.

Nestled on the corner of South and Chapel Roads, Custodian Kitchen brews some of the best coffee on the south side. From a piccolo to cold brew, Custodian knows coffee, and they know it well. After grabbing a cup of joy, Ben jumped straight back into the CX-60 driver’s seat.

Next on the agenda, Ben decided to take us to his favourite little sandwich haven, Applehead Deli, for breakfast. This humble and homely deli is tucked away in Mentone, slinging standout sangas and scrolls to Southsiders. The menu, loosely based on that of a New York-style deli, boasts the likes of a Reuben, meatball sub, a chicken and pickle toastie and a spicy tuna melt. Nearly everything is made in-house, including the sauces, pickles and marinades.

Carb loaded, and fully caffeinated, we hit the road toward the coastal suburb of Beaumaris – a bayside pocket that’s the perfect stop to walk-off breakfast.

Beaumaris is a living treasure trove of mid-century modernism, and Ben led us on a walking tour, wandering and exploring the streets to admire and appreciate the mid-century homes that define this unique suburb. With no two homes the same, each is a testament to the architects, designers and artists who have shaped this neighbourhood.

Our appetites then led us back to the CX-60 P50e for a smooth 14-kilometre drive to Sri Dwaraka, an unassuming lunch spot, serving affordable, flavour-packed South Indian cuisine. Ben assures us that everything on the menu would not disappoint, making Thalis the perfect selection - a traditional meal that includes a variety of dishes served on a single platter.

We then ventured just four kilometres down the road to Waverley Antique Warehouse for an afternoon of antique shopping. Ben has a passion for giving antiques a new life in his own home. Founded in 2011, this warehouse is a gold mine packed with stock, spanning thousands of square metres of endless stalls. We spent the afternoon scouring for unique homeware gems.

Our big day on the road concluded with a leisurely 23-minute drive in the CX-60 to Ben’s most frequented Malaysian restaurant – Four Seasons Laksa. This family-owned favourite dishes up some of the best piping hot traditional Malaysian laksa - there's no question as to why Ben returns again and again.

It’s safe to say the Mazda CX-60 PHEV proved to be the perfect companion for a day on the road. Its comfortable and inviting interior, intuitive technology and signature Jinba Ittai driving dynamics made navigating suburban streets and highways a breeze, while the zero-local emissions journey was easily tackled on a single battery charge, with volts to spare.

A purely electric range of up to 76km* at speeds of up to 100km/h is possible in the Mazda CX-60 PHEV. This comfortably exceeds the average Australian daily commute by almost five times – and leaves ample charge for additional local leisure trips.

The efficiency is just as impressive for the petrol-hybrid powertrain, which offers a combined fuel consumption of just 2.1l/100km*.

For his Tour de Burbs, Ben was driving his own Mazda CX-60 P50e Azami Takumi, finished in Rhodium White – a new Mazda Takuminuri paint colour.

*Fuel consumption, electric range and CO2 figures are based on ADR 81/02 test results. They are useful in comparing different vehicles. They may not be the results achieved in practice. This will depend on traffic and road conditions and how the vehicle is driven.