Our Pilates Founder Brooke Pitt on What She Loves Most About Melbourne
From wellness retreats to baby boutiques, Brooke Pitt shares her favourite local spots.
Model. Influencer. Multi-business owner. Mum to be. Brooke Pitt — née Hogan — wears many hats. Since appearing on Australia's Next Top Model in 2013, the much-loved Australian has made a name for herself helping other women prioritise their physical and mental health. She's also built a strong following showcasing her flair for minimalist fashion and conscious beauty. But how does Brooke slow down and spend time for herself? And what does that look like when she has a day free in Melbourne?
To celebrate the launch of Brooke Pitt's new fitness app Our Pilates, we asked her to share her favourite wellness spots in Melbourne — from inner-city restaurants to scenic walks and boutique shops (which all look a little different now she has a baby on the way).
What Brooke Loves Most About Melbourne
"Other than the obvious delicious restaurants and cafes and our endless options of things to do and see, I feel that the people in Melbourne really make this city so great. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I love walking down the street and smiling at a stranger and getting a warm smile back."
Photos: Willow Urban Retreat. Arbory, Green Cup.
Where Brooke Eats & Drinks in Melbourne
"For breakfast or lunch, I absolutely love Willow Urban Retreat —the bowls are heavenly! When I head out for a drink (or a mocktail these days), I love visiting Arbory during the warmer months. Green Cup is my go-to for acai bowls and smoothies!
For dinner, my favourite spots are Yakimono, Grill Americano and Supernormal. I love the atmosphere at Yakimono, it's perfect for a date night and equally as great for a girls' dinner. My favourite dish is the Kingfish Sando.
When I visit Grill Americano, I can't go past an eye fillet steak. The restaurant itself is so classic and beautiful. It makes you feel like you're in NYC!
At Supernormal, my favourites are the prawn and chicken dumpling and the lobster roll. We love sitting at the bar and watching the chefs plate up the food."
Photos Albert Park Lake, The Memo.
How Brooke Spends 24 Hours in Melbourne
"I love a walk around Albert Park Lake with a side of some retail therapy on High Street. I'm deep in baby buys at the moment, so The Memo is my current guilty pleasure! I'd then head back to our hotel to relax and unwind; a bath is always a good choice. Then, I'll venture out for a drink and dinner.
When it comes to self care, I'm dying to try Comma! I received a voucher for my birthday and I'm hopeful I might be able to squeeze in a pregnancy massage before the baby arrives!"
Images: Camilla and Marc, Scanlan Theodore, Venroy.
Where Brooke Shops in Melbourne
"In Melbourne, you can't go past High street. There's such a great selection of shops (and cafes). I love Camilla and Marc, Scanlan Theodore, Venroy and ShÈ."
How Our Pilates Came About
"Hannah and I first met in 2021 when I was receiving physio treatment from her due to some knee injuries from running. We then went into lockdown, and in order to progress with my running, Hannah filmed some Pilates classes so I could work on my strength.
At the time, all studios were closed, and people weren't able to exercise like normal. I was feeling amazing after each class and decided to share them with my audience to help other people feel happy and energised, too.
We quickly noticed that everyone loved Hannah's teaching style as much as I did, and they wanted more. Fast forward a few months, and we launched Our Pilates in March of 2022.
It's been an amazing year with lots of growth. We've launched our app, grown our community, held in-person and live events and released hundreds of new classes, resistance bands, and even a recipe e-book."
Which Our Pilates Classes to Try First
"I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant, so my favourite classes are a little different to what they used to be! I usually love high-intensity exercise, so my favourite classes were our energise and sweat classes. At the moment, I'm leaning more towards lower-intensity classes that have a good combination of strengthening and stretch. My favourites at the moment are: Pregnancy Core Essentials and Peach Perfector."
Loved our catchup with Our Pilates founder Brooke Pitt? Stay fit and healthy by visiting these boutique fitness studios, and treat yourself to a meal at Melbourne's best healthy cafes. Or, look after your body and mind with a walk in the great outdoors at one of these picturesque hikes near Melbourne.
