Readers often ask us about the best hidden bars in Melbourne, but in a city such as this, secrecy is overrated. While locals and out-of-towners alike would prefer the air of exclusivity that comes with stumbling upon a hidden gem in Melbourne, the truth is that this city’s exacting standards are so high that anywhere and everywhere is a reliably good time.

Melbourne’s best cafes, restaurants and pubs are all tied together by the throughline of storied Victorian produce. But bartenders also benefit from all those pristine ingredients, using them in creative ways to craft signature cocktails that blow minds by the day. Couple this with well-sourced wine lists and a strong connection to great local breweries and you have a bar scene to rival cities like London, New York and Tokyo.

Below, we’ve rounded up an inch over 40 of what we feel are the best bars in Melbourne right now, from Fitzroy all the way to Footscray. And we’ve gone broad with it as well, listing our favourites so you’ve got a solid guide whether you’re searching for the best bars in Melbourne CBD or a cosy little rooftop with an outsider’s perspective of Melbourne’s jagged skyline.

1. Beverley Rooftop, South Yarra

Best For: After work rooftop drinks high above South Yarra.

Set 24 floors above South Yarra, Beverly Rooftop smartly maximises its stunning 270-degree Melbourne skyline views. It doesn’t exactly fit the bill for anyone seeking hidden bars in Melbourne, but it’s still underrated enough that it feels exclusive.

Take in stunning 270-degree Melbourne skyline views.

You’ll find this excellent cocktail bar on the rooftop of Goldfields House on Chapel Street, brimming with sophistication, high-end wines (including a generous by-the-glass selection) and signature concoctions using top-shelf spirits.

Beverley Rooftop is underrated enough that it feels exclusive.

Equal attention has been given to the food, pitching Beverley Rooftop as a dinner destination as much as a place for office workers to peel away from the 9-5. There’s hardly a better place to be in Melbourne when golden hour peeks through that breezy glass ceiling and the space springs to life. Just note that, on most days, Beverly calls last drinks at 11pm, so this isn’t the late-night haunt that defines many other Melbourne cocktail bars.

Swing by for after-work drinks.

Address: Level 24/627 Chapel St, South Yarra

2. Capers, Thornbury

Best For: Inventive cocktails inspired by classic Greek dishes

Capers is a homely Greek bar on High Street, just a quick skip from Thornbury Station.

Cousins Christian Evripidou and Anastasios Konnari have kept the space minimal with nods to their upbringing, spurring Greek bar snacks and stiff cocktails to match.

Capers serves up stiff cocktails.

Fill the table with those colourful mezze plates and pair them with thoughtful signatures like the Greek Salad Martini, which takes Tanquerey Gin and builds it with martini bianco, vinegar shrub, cucumber, tomato and olive brine. It may sound gimmicky, but this deliciously fresh concoction is a consistent crowd-pleaser.

Pair your drink with colourful mezze plates.

Address: 843 High St, Thornbury

3. Black Pearl, Fitzroy

Best For: A charming atmosphere and a stiff classic cocktail

Black Pearl has been a Fitzroy institution for over two decades and constantly manages to reinvent itself with world-class cocktails and immaculate service. A highly efficient team of dapper bartenders stand at the ready, always up for a chat about pretty much anything while layering those spectacular in-house creations and matching them with upscale bar bites.

Head upstairs to The Attic.

After a refurbishment in 2015, the two-level space (upstairs bar, The Attic, is just as good) looks like it was ripped from a vintage Hollywood movie set. Locals are fiercely proud of what’s on offer at Black Pearl, so you’ll find the place packed on any given night. Be prepared to wait.

Fortunately, Black Pearl is open until 3am on Wednesday through to Monday so there’s plenty of time to climb onboard this trend-setting cocktail bar.

Black Pearl has reinvented itself with world-class cocktails.

Address: 843 High St, Thornbury

4. Bouvardia, CBD

Best For: A dapper British vibe with highly technical cocktails

Despite Melbourne’s constant flow of new bar concepts, there’s no formula as reliable as some classic minimalism and a highly curated drinks list.

Settle into the green marble bar at Bouvardia.

This is what owner Abjar Kasho does exceptionally well with Bouvardia, taking cues from classic London speakeasies with a moody space enlivened by gem-coloured furniture and a green marble bar.

Bouvardia evokes a dapper British vibe.

The cocktail menu is short and exacting, listing technique-forward signatures on the one-pager. The selection changes regularly but the bartenders are unquestionable when it comes to balance, flavour and creativity.

The cocktails burst with exciting flavours.

Don’t shy away from the team’s zero-alcohol cocktails either, as this is usually where you get a real sense of the skill required to refine the low-to-no alcohol movement.

The moody space is enlivened by gem-coloured furniture.

Address: 2/169 Bourke St, Melbourne

5. Byrdi, CBD

Best For: Subversive cocktails inspired by gastronomy and local produce

The bartenders at Byrdi build cocktails with almost scientific precision, nodding to the fact that exacting standards always lead to the best flavours. The menu’s robust, reliable and reasonably priced list of signature cocktails changes frequently, but regulars would riot if a few classics were shunned.

A non-negotiable is the O.My Crusta, with Tasmanian apple, fermented yacón, tomato honey, and burnt mountain pepper wood crusta. It’s not only the best cocktail on the menu, but a shining example of how eccentric and open-minded this CBD cocktail bar is.

Given that Byrdi is located in a food precinct, Ella, it’s also spitting distance from Melbourne Central, making it one of the most accessible cocktail bars in Melbourne CBD.

Address: 211 La Trobe Street GD075, Melbourne

6. Black Kite Commune, CBD

Best For: Dramatic interiors, unexpected bar bites and classic cocktails

Inspired by the swanky supper clubs of the 20th Century, Black Kite Commune is a class act with a theatrical design focused around a stunning golden tiled bar.

Black Kite Commune serves up premium signature cocktails and smart bar snacks.

Owner Ben Luzz has built a big, moody atmosphere that shuns modernity for something more timeless and dramatic, elevated by a solid list of premium signature cocktails and smart bar snacks. The kitchen is known for playing around with unexpected produce, so don’t be surprised if the bartender suggests some crocodile meat to cut through your Old Fashioned.

Open until 1am every day of the week, Black Kite Commue has quickly become a late-night favourite in the CBD and a regular haunt for office workers when the mood strikes for something much more compelling than beers at the pub.

Head to Black Kite Commune for unexpected bar bites.

Address: 211 La Trobe Street GD075, Melbourne

7. Whisky & Alement, CBD

Best For: A comprehensive selection of the world’s best whiskies

Whisky & Alement has been noted as one of the world’s best whisky bars since it opened in 2010. And that reputation has endeared for over a decade, despite healthy competition in the area.

Select from the world’s best whiskies.

You’ll find this well-dressed ode to the brown stuff on Russell Street, featuring around 1,000 rotating whiskies from across the world. Everything from Scottish single malts to rare Japanese whiskies typically cover the glowing back bar, while an adjoining bottle shop stocks some hard-to-find bottles.

Whisky & Alement is perfect for certified whisky lovers.

The staff are thorough in their knowledge about the wide world of whisky, and you’ll often find them leading educational sessions and monthly tastings in partnerships with the world’s biggest distilleries.

Discover hard-to-find bottles, from Scottish single malts to rare Japanese whiskies.

Address: 270 Russell St. Melbourne

8. The Elysian Whisky Bar, Fitzroy

Best For: Whisky drinkers with a taste for rarities and hard-won classics

Open until 1am Tuesday through Saturday, The Elysian Whisky Bar is an ode to brown liquor with a firm grip on rarities and education. There are just under 300 whiskies on display at the bar, which was opened by ex-Whisky & Alement alumni Kelvin Low and Yao Wong.

Pop by The Elysian Whisky Bar to soak up the all-class ambience.

You’ll find whiskies from all over the shop, tracing tried-and-true regions like Japan and Ireland, to lesser-appreciated pockets like Holland, Germany and India

Sink into the comfortable leather seats and let a dram or two take the edge off. You’ll want to spend a few hours soaking up the all-class ambience, complemented by simple food like cheese and charcuterie.

There are just under 300 whiskies on display at the bar.

Address: 113 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

9. Bar Thyme, Footscray

Best Bar: Interesting wines and one of the best house spritzes in Melbourne

Move away from Melbourne’s love of perfectly balanced cocktails and explore some of the best wine bars outside the city, starting with Bar Thyme. The menu here changes weekly, sporting French bistro classics that pair with a strong focus on funky wines.

Bar Thyme is one of the best wine bars outside the city.

As one of the only wine bars in Footscray, Bar Thyme doesn’t want to offer anything substandard. The selection here is proudly unconventional, favouring fascinating drops championing Australian and European producers.

Choose from the classic food menu on offer.

If you are in the mood for cocktails, you’ll find mostly classics and a local line-up of spirits. Don’t forget to try the house Spritz, made of lemon and thyme syrup with dry sherry and sparkling wine.

Order French bistro classics at Bar Thyme.

Address: 227 Barkly St, Footscray VIC 3011

10. Commis, Collingwood

Best For: A playful food menu and funky local wines

Three ex-staffers from Carlton North’s legendary Gerald’s Bar sprouted Commis in Collingwood towards the end of 2023. And it seems they learnt a thing or two about cobbling together a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels like a big step forward for Melbourne wine bars in general.

Commis has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. (Image: Tizia May)

Commis is modern, playful and unpretentious, keeping it simple with exceptional service taken alongside a seemingly endless wine list and produce-forward bar bites. You can even get in on the daily staff meal for just $15, but don’t leave without trying the excellent crab and ricotta cakes served with smoked corn.

Dine on the playful menu. Image: Tizia May)

As it’s fairly low-key compared to Collingwood’s livelier spots, Commis is only open until 11pm Tuesday through Saturday.

The ambience at Commis is modern, playful and unpretentious. (Image: Tizia May)

Address: 56-58 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066

11. Don’s, Prahran

Best For: Making new friends over wine and pasta

If there’s one constant truism in Melbourne, it’s that Don’s in Prahran knows how to party. This Chapel Street bar is always buzzing with the local community, hidden away with a hard-to-find entrance just a stone’s throw from Prahran Market.

Alex Gavioli’s handsome wine bar feels like a warm hug each time you take a spot at the 12-metre communal table and start firing off orders from the wine list. Talking to strangers is a must, and leaving with new friends is expected.

Simple snacks like garlic flatbread and sardines on toast are best followed by pasta or a show-stopping fried chicken sandwich. As such, make sure you’re just as hungry as you are thirsty.

Don’s is just a stone’s throw from Prahran Market.

Address: 202 Commercial Rd, Prahran VIC 3181

12. Manze, North Melbourne

Best For: Buttery Mauritian food paired with local wines

If there was any modern wine bar Melbourne locals can’t seem to get enough of, it’s Manze.

Hospitality hotshot Nagesh Seethiah opened this cosy Mauritian wine bar and restaurant alongside journalist Osman Faruqi and visual artist Jason Phu back in 2021 and instantly satisfied Melbourne’s undying need for something new and different.

Grab some crab with masala butter or traditional rougaille lalo and play around with the rotating wine list. Like most other Melbourne wine bars, Manze is dedicated to showcasing why local producers are some of the best growers in the world.

Address: Shop 2/1/5 Errol St, North Melbourne

13. Caretaker’s Cottage, CBD

Best For: A swig of English charm and a simple drinks list

In 2023, Caretaker’s Cottage ranked as the 23rd best bar in the world as part of the World’s 50 Best series. The acclaim is not unfounded, turning this heritage bluestone cottage into a transportive space that feels unlike anything else in Australia.

Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks and Matt Stirling lead the charge at this award-winning Melbourne bar, which sits just 50 people at a time. The almost bucolic charm plays a big part, as does the simplicity. All you’ve got is expertly balanced cocktails, a tight list of Australian craft beer, and a transportive interior that could place you anywhere in the world, from a small English pub to a New England roadside shack.

Regulars will pop in just for the Guinness on tap, while awe-struck visitors are typically busy working their way through cocktails that put slight twists on classics but are mostly hinged on familiar flavours.

Address: 139-141 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

14. Navi Lounge, Yarraville

Best For: Sophisticated dining and exceptional gastronomic cocktails

With just 33 seats, fine dining institution Navi is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne. Not only that, but the adjoining Navi Lounge also offers some of Melbourne’s best cocktails.

Fine dining institution Navi is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne.

The kitchen’s firm grip on inventive gastronomy spills into each cocktail in this moody space next door to the dining room. Service is gold-standard and the ambience is one of pure decadence, filling that frame with creative concoctions like a caper leaf and cod fat martini and fan-favourite Royal Blood, which builds anise myrtle amaro with blood orange, spiced rum and mezcal.

Go for the 8-course dinner menu available Wednesday through Saturday.

Nothing is without careful consideration at this stylish cocktail lounge. The generous by-the-glass wine list is just as worthwhile, and the beers nod to some of Melbourne’s best breweries like Hop Nation and Two Birds.

Inventive gastronomy spills into each cocktail in this moody space.

Hungry? Go for the 8-course dinner menu available Wednesday through Saturday and make sure your table has one of those eye-opening cocktail flights for the perfect match.

Delight in creative concoctions at this stylish cocktail lounge.

Address: 83b Gamon St, Yarraville VIC 3013

15. Odd Culture, Fitzroy

Best For: Experimental drinks, unexpected beers and full-flavoured bar snacks

Once upon a time, it was a rarity to see a Sydney-born concept make its way down to Melbourne. But Odd Culture made the trek to the very appropriate suburb of Fitzroy.

Expect full-flavoured bar snacks at Odd Culture.

The hybrid bottle shop and bar takes a broad, experimental approach to its drinks list and you’ll almost always find something new to fuss over. The team favours yeasts, ferments and skin-contact wines, as well as subversive imports from obscure French vineyards and Japanese natural wineries.

Snag a spot in the al fresco dining area.

You’ll want to either work across the bar’s 12 taps or take your palate on a run through Odd Culture’s signature cocktails, such as the sour Negroni with a vermouth fermented from cherry-flavoured beer.

The food is also wildly imaginative. While the bites menu isn’t as extensive as the Odd Culture up in Sydney’s Newtown, you’ve still got unexpected snacks like the signature chicken liver pate with house-made crisps and fish sauce caramel.

Pair your beer with house-made crisps.

Address: 296 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

16. One or Two, CBD

Best For: Cocktails after dinner in Chinatown or a late-night dram

After stints at some of Melbourne’s best cocktail bars such as Above Board and The Everleigh, Andy Chu has opened his dream venue in Chinatown with One or Two.

The interior is jazzed up with dark, moody lighting. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

The bar is perfect for pre- or post-dinner cocktails or a late-night dram of rare scotch. Equal attention is given to both signature concoctions and whiskies that are so rare you might not even spot them at The Elysian.

Head to One or Two for pre- or post-dinner cocktails. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

Although it’s far from a dichotomy. One or Two offers plenty to drinkers of all persuasions, although the Asian-inspired cocktails seem to be the most popular amongst the bar’s growing base of regulars.

Chu is committed to creating a dynamic bar with offerings that change regularly, even bringing in guests from some of the world’s best bars to showcase a broad spectrum of beers, wines and spirits.

One or Two is famous for Asian-inspired cocktails. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

Address: 18 Celestial Ave, Melbourne VIC 3000

17. Marion Wine Bar, Fitzroy

Best For: A big blow-out with clients or a special occasion with friends

Hospitality giant Andrew McConnell runs his signature wine bar as a sister operation to next door’s Cutler & Co, on Fitzroy’s famous Gertrude Street. Framed by exposed brick walls with touches of black leather and dark wood, the well-dressed Marion Wine Bar is the perfect setting for its laborious wine list.

Exposed brick walls frame the classy Marion Wine Bar. (Image: Visit Victoria)

McConnell has pulled together a seemingly endless list of options that even the hardiest of wine enthusiasts will find appealing. Exploration is key, and just about every major grape variety is ticked off several times over.

Pick from a seemingly endless list of food and wine options. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Most tables will be plastered with bottles of premium wines but there’s also a generous by-the-glass list and the food menu is classic McConnell, with upscale bar bites using local produce and substantials like pasta and steak.

Raise a glass streetside. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 53 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

18. HER Bar, CBD

Best For: A big night out with Melbourne’s trendiest crowd

Slide across that pink terrazzo floor and right up to the bar at HER, the crown of this ambitious concept by the same team behind Melbourne’s iconic Arbory.

Nab an al fresco seat at the rooftop dining area of HER Bar. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The four-storey house of hospitality hosts many different concepts, but those serious about their liquor should stick to the ground-floor HER Bar. The theatrical space springs to life at night, where leather banquettes are full of chatter, raclette cheeseburgers and clinking Champagne glasses.

The design features a curated vinyl collection. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Subtle twists on classic cocktails are bread-and-butter at HER Bar, but the wine list is just as solid with a robust selection of locals and imports platforming mostly small producers that are rarely seen in bars like this.

HER Bar pours classic cocktails with a twist. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 270 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

19. March, Collingwood

Best For: A classy evening with inventive cocktails in an expensive setting

Part of Peter Gunn’s acclaimed fine diner, Ides, this atmospheric wine bar is an attempt to wash Collingwood with a sea of calm and sophistication. While on paper, March may seem like a pretentious addition to one of Melbourne’s most influential culinary experiences, it’s all very casual and far from stuffy.

Pride of place is a spot at the black-and-gold marble bar, where bar snacks like sweet and sour fried quail are best paired with whatever the staff recommend. The menu changes far too frequently for us to name any solid favourites, but a consistently high standard guarantees a good time. Just make sure you’ve got your credit card on you.

Address: 90 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066

20. The Everleigh, Fitzroy

Best For: Some of the best cocktails in Australia

There mightn’t be any cocktail bar in Melbourne that hasn’t pulled at least some influence from The Everleigh. The world-class establishment has been constantly elevating Melbourne’s cocktail scene since it opened in 2011, bringing some golden era swagger to Fitzroy as a counterbalance from all the hipster tropes.

Opt for The Bartender’s Choice at The Everleigh. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Inside, a stunning marble bar and a series of leather-bound booths give a masterclass in world-building. You could be anywhere in the world at The Everleigh, from Paris to New York City. But there’s still something distinctly Melbourne, possibly caked into the relaxed service and echoed by the local ingredients.

The Everleigh has elevated Melbourne’s cocktail scene. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The smartest idea is to almost always opt for The Bartender’s Choice and let this small army of top-tier movers and shakers take care of you for the night. The attention to detail is unparalleled, and that quality spills over to the simple bar snacks like sardines, charcuterie and chicken liver pate.

The ambience and quality of drinks are truly world-class. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: Level 1/150-156 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

21. Bar Margaux, CBD

Best For: Late-night tipples in the CBD with classic French food

French-styled Bar Margaux is much more than its mouth-watering signature burger. While the kitchen is famous for its superlative offerings, the space works just as well for a moody late-night tipple in Melbourne CBD.

Bar Margaux is renowned for its excellent offerings. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Time your visit between 10pm and midnight for a Golden Hour supper menu, where the food is affordable and you won’t have to fork out as much for some premium Champagne. Similar to the food, the bar prefers reliable classics done well, so cocktails like a traditional Martini or Manhattan are a must.

Pop by Bar Margaux for a moody late-night tipple. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: Basement/111 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

22. Hope St Radio, Collingwood

Best For: A communal vibe and banging tunes

Is this the coolest wine bar in Melbourne? Many locals certainly think so, with Hope St Radio quickly becoming one of the trendiest spots in town thanks to its simple, relaxed approach and unique concept.

Hope St Radio is an incubator for Melbourne’s creative scene. (Image: Peter Frederick Cole)

It almost feels like a rebellion against Melbourne’s more premium-looking options, appropriately bare and simple with the radio station broadcasting from the space in Collingwood Yards.

The focus is on community and inclusivity so the crowd here is always incredibly diverse and welcoming. The warmth extends to the menu, with well-sourced wines and bowls of pasta, best shared while in conversation with local DJs and chefs. It’s an incubator for Melbourne’s creative scene.

Pull up a chair in the homey Hope St Radio bar. (Image: Peter Frederick Cole)

Address: 35 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066

23. Bar Romantica, Brunswick East

Best For: Piping hot pizza and Italian wines.

One of the most authentic Melbourne venues comes alive when it’s packed to the rafters; so it helps that this happens so often.

Bar Romantica nods to its Italian past. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Once an iconic 24-hour pizza/dive bar, clad with fluorescent lights and laminate tables, Bar Romantica is now a sophisticated wine bar and restaurant that nods to its Italian past.

Wood-fired pizzas are served hot and puffy, alongside wines from small, sulphur-free bespoke makers. Yes, it does its predecessor justice (they kept the pool table), but also reimagines nuanced appeal in a suburb blessed with countless late-night joints.

Pick from the Italian wines on display. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 52/54 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC

24. Death or Glory, Prahran

Best For: A playful night out with American classics

Death or Glory is about as Chapel Street as you can get. Located across the road from Revolver Upstairs, and next to the Cash for Anything pawn shop – a drink here is a lesson in local institutions.

Walls are lined with decorated skateboards (a nod to the iconic Prahran skate park), the staff are all local, and the characters you’ll find inside are an ode to the suburbs best.

The menu features a selection of American classics, meaning you’re guaranteed a full stomach. And if you’d like to immortalise it, stay for a memento in the photo booth.

Address: 218 Chapel St, Prahran VIC 3181

25. Monty’s, Fitzroy North

Best For: A focused drinks list and rustic interior

If you could bottle what Fitzroy North is ‘supposed’ to feel like, Monty’s would sell it in droves. In fact, they somehow manage to package a quintessential Fitzroy experience, sans the bells and whistles found at many of its peers.

Sip to the sounds of LP’s from the turntables.

There are only two beers on tap (one being their own), and 11 bottles on the wine list. Oh, and the food is prepared by 1000 Lire, and Just Falafs right next door. Simple enough for you?

Take a seat at the recycled church pew up the back, a bench stool, or a deep booth down the side and sip to the sounds of LP’s from the turntables tucked alongside the bar.

Choose from Monty’s 11 bottles on the wine list.

Address: 209 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North VIC 3068

26. Fargo & Co., Richmond

Best For: Killer cocktails in a heritage setting

Every city has a bar that tries its hardest to set the benchmark like Fargo does. Housed in a 1900s heritage State Bank, the setting has been re-purposed as an all-day bar, still retaining nods to its original colonial charm.

For locals, it’s the place to go for a mix of killer cocktails and beautiful people. It’s also home to one of the area’s best bottomless brunches.

Address: 216 Swan St, Richmond VIC 3121

27. Kewpie, Fitzroy

Best For: Cheap pizzas and dancing

When a devastating fire ravaged Bimbo Deluxe in 2018, the owners had two options. They could close their doors for good, or they could go back to the drawing board, and pivot to evolve the much-loved space into something bigger and better. Thank god they chose the latter, accompanied by a name-change with Kewpie.

Since dropping the ‘Deluxe,’ the self-styled dance bar has shone in a way that does justice to the original. Revisit old favourites like $5 pizzas and infused vodkas, while saying hello to some welcome contemporary additions while partying the night away on one of Melbourne’s best rooftops.

Address: 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

28. Madame Brussels, CBD

Best For: Drinks in an immersive themed garden

Back when rooftop bars were all the rage in Melbourne, Madame Brussels was the Alice in Wonderland-shaped hole that satisfied the keen sky-goers.

Have a cold pint on the rooftop.

This adorable themed bar sits on the outdoor roof in an enclave of the CBD, nestling itself nicely between the neighbouring concrete masses. It feels strangely other-worldly for its location, resting on the laurels of great decor and an equally great drinks menu.

Relish in Madame Brussels’ signature cocktails.

Indulge in the garden-party lifestyle, and get used to the service of Pimm’s, punch, rosé, and chicken sandwiches by staff in tennis whites.

The food menu is equally satisfying as the drinks.

Address: 3/59 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

29. Tetto Di Carolina, South Yarra

Best For: A transportive setting inspired by the Mediterranean

Tetto Di Carolina screams opulence from the get-go.

Dine the finest offerings at Tetto Di Carolina. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

Much like its much-loved downstairs neighbour, Bar Carolina, this intimate cocktail bar pays ode to the best of elegant Europe.

Drink Mediterranean-inspired cocktails. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

The cocktail list will transport you straight to the Mediterranean – Italian Americano’s, Aperol’s and Espresso Martini’s do it best. There’s also Champagne with hefty price tags and food that blurs the lines.

Cheers to a romantic date night at Tetto Di Carolina. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

Their six-metre bar features walnut stools for punters, alongside terrazzo tiles on the floor. Just don’t get lost on the way to the bathroom, the dimly lit ambience may make it hard to find your way back.

This intimate cocktail bar pays homage to the best of elegant Europe. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

Address: Level 1/48 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141

30. Mr West, Footscray

Best For: Affordable local beers in a casual setting

A former $2 shop was given a new lease on life when Mr West entered the building.

Find local craft beers, cider, wine and cocktails at Mr West. (Image: Visit Victoria)

It’s space-on-space at this bar slash bottle shop. The upstairs heroes exposed concrete and timber, with upcycled furniture making way for an extensive array of seating. Oh, and there’s also a rooftop courtyard, satisfying anyone seeking Melbourne’s best rooftop bars.

Get acquainted over drinks at Mr West. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Across the 24 taps, you’ll find local craft beers, cider, wine and cocktails, but if you’re hungry, Mr. West encourages you to jump on your favourite app and have food delivered from a local restaurant. Now that’s just good business.

Address: 106 Nicholson Street Mall, Footscray VIC 3011

31. Beneath Driver Lane, CBD

Best For: Underground speakeasy vibes, classic cocktails and vintage blues tunes

Many argue that for a city as concerned with retaining charm as Melbourne, so many of its concealed spaces are underused. Beneath Driver Lane makes a case for the opposite, proving that many venues are doing the subterranean-style justice.

Amble down Beneath Driver Lane for excellent beers on tap. (Image: Kim Jane Photography)

Housed in an old bank vault, inside you’ll find classic cocktails, warm blues music, seasonal cocktails and French-inspired bar food served until 3am. Seven days a week.

Order a smoked cocktail. (Image: Kim Jane Photography)

The air of privacy is addictive for locals so you’d typically find all types of people tucked away down this space, drinking well past midnight.

Spend an intimate date night at this low-lit bar. (Image: Kim Jane Photography)

Address: Shop/3 Driver Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

32. Leonard’s House of Love, South Yarra

Best For: Melbourne’s best-fried chicken washed down with a cold beer

It’s hard to sum up somewhere as iconic as Leonard’s, given the venue means so many different things to so many different people. Regulars pack this place out throughout the week, partying well into the early hours of the morning on weekends.

Sit down for a cold beer at Leonard’s House of Love.

The ‘70s American-style bar is prolific when it comes to burgers, fried chicken and cheap booze, both curing and causing the worst kind of hangovers since 2015.

Get your hands on this indulgent burger.

Address: 3 Wilson St, South Yarra VIC 3141

33. Prudence, North Melbourne

Best For: A community vibe and loud music

Community shines at this cosy, local hangout. Stop at Prudence for a local experience packed with exceptional music, further attested by the fact this space used to be a record store.

You’ll find other sonic nods speckled throughout. Staff members put their favourite LP’s on every night, and vintage records are proudly displayed alongside a wide array of spirits.

The spirits list in question is extensive, in addition to a generous selection of wines, showcasing the best local and international drops.

Address: 368 Victoria St, North Melbourne VIC 3051

34. Gerald’s Bar, Carlton North

Best For: A homely atmosphere and affordable imported wines

With plenty of experience helming relaxed restaurants, owner Gerald Diffey and manager, Mario Di Ienno, quickly made Gerald’s Bar a home away from home for many Carlton residents.

Drink al fresco at this relaxed bar in Carlton North.

Inside you’ll find a snug, lively wine bar where guests are encouraged to throw their walnut shells on the floor. They’re also encouraged to indulge in the well-stocked wine list, which features a hearty selection that rotates depending on both seasonality, and the tastes of informed staff.

Gerald’s Bar has a homely yet lively wine bar atmosphere.

Address: 386 Rathdowne St, Carlton North VIC 3054

35. Above Board, Collingwood

Best For: World-class cocktails by some of Melbourne’s best bartenders

Exclusivity reigns supreme at Above Board – a small intimate cocktail bar with only 12 seats and no standing permitted. What also reigns supreme, is owner Hayden Lambert’s commitment to unpretentiousness.

Sink into a cold one at Above Board.

He decides which labels will be served that night, and conceals them behind the bar post decanting. This means that most patrons can’t even be sure what they’re drinking. It’s the perfect place for those who care less about labels, and more about a bespoke experience.

Sit back on one of only 12 bar seats.

There are around 25 cocktails on the menu – both signatures and updated classics. However, unexpected combinations are common, so sit back (on one of only 12 bar seats) and watch the magic unfold before you.

Sip on the classic cocktails on offer.

Address: 1/306 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066

36. Whitehart Lane, CBD

Best For: A hipster haunt with al fresco seating

Whitehart is what happens when you build a bar from steel beams and shipping containers. The result is pretty ‘Melbourne’ – translating to a venue where cool people come to a cool place to drink cool things in cool novelty containers.

Crowds collide at Whitehart Lane’s cool and chic space. (Image: Duncographic)

Graphic designer Daisylegs created digital projections for the space, enjoyed on either the ground floor or elevated loft space.

Whitehart Lane was built from steel beams and shipping containers.

The drinks list focuses mostly on cocktails and local beers, with an added wine list for those in the mood.

Share fruity cocktails with your mates at Whitehart Lane.

Address: 22 Whitehart Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

37. Bar Liberty, Fitzroy

Best For: After-work wines and exceptional food any day of the week

Ask any Fitzroy local their favourite watering hole and Bar Liberty will come up. The venue is known around Australia as one of Melbourne’s best wine bars for many reasons.

The graffiti art outside Bar Liberty is unmissable. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This place does things a little differently. Oxidised wine served as an aperitif, bread comes with scissors and vegetable juice is used to dress scallops. In this case, however, different is good.

Bar Liberty is a favourite among Fitzroy locals. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Predominantly a wine bar, drinks are like the space itself: light and unpretentious. And while that’s a common theme for Melbourne, this beloved wine bar refines the classics in a way that always feels fresh and innovative.

The best time to head along is on a Sunday afternoon, when the sun is out and day drinking becomes an art form.

This beloved wine bar makes fresh and innovative takes on the classics. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 234 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

38. Siglo, CBD

Best For: Classic Melbourne views and expensive Champagne

Climb to the top of a wraparound timber staircase and you’ll find a cube of industrial steel, glass and neon. This is Siglo, an absolute must for those looking for the best rooftop bars in Melbourne.

Settle into Siglo in the CBD. (Image: Visit Victoria)

An old favourite of the Melbourne CBD, pull up a Parisian wicker chair to panoramic views of Parliament, the spire of St Patrick’s Cathedral and the domes of the Princess Theatre.

Pull up a Parisian-style wicker chair. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Tables are donned with white cloths fringing a terrace, and the focus is on classic cocktails, spirits and Champagne, as well as a selection of fine Cuban cigars and bar snacks.

Siglo is one of the best rooftop bars in Melbourne. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 2/161 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000

39. Oh Loretta, Northcote

Best For: Strong drinks and a strong sense of community

The folk at Oh Loretta love a stiff drink, or five. God knows they’ve earned it, being a bar run (and frequented) by veteran hospitality workers.

This space is a shout-out to proud veterans of the food and beverage trade, who have spent decades taking orders, turning tables and being run off their feet. It’s their turn to enjoy a good liquor cabinet, which is where Oh Loretta shines.

Their drink philosophy is to taste and test every glass, only stocking wine, cocktails and beer they are passionately in love with. And with plenty of experience in the industry, we’re very sure you can trust their judgement.

Address: 324 High St, Northcote VIC 3070

40. Howler, Brunswick

Best For: Rowdy live music and a solid beer list

Lots of venues try to tick every box, but not many do it as innovatively as Howler. Part al-fresco zone, part bespoke theatre, part live music space – it would be remiss to dub this multifunctional, multifaceted hub as just a bar.

Howler is a multifaceted hub with rowdy live music. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Entry is via the car park directly opposite Brunswick City Baths, and inside you’ll find a vibrant crowd convening at the custom-built bar. Manned by cocktail guru Chris Lemulu, order one of his specialties, or perhaps something from the immaculate list of worldwide beers.

Join the vibrant crowd at Howler. (Image: Visit Victoria/Paul Philipson)

Address: 7-11 Dawson St, Brunswick VIC 3056

41. Heartbreaker, CBD

Best For: Getting carried away on a school night

A classic good-time venue, Heartbreaker is brought to you by Michael Madrusan – owner of The Everleigh.

Where that venue zigs, however, this one zags. Here, caution is nowhere to be seen, in an American-style rock ‘n’ roll bar that begs for a wild night out. This theme is further elevated by the jukebox in the corner, loaded with close to 100 rock albums from 1968 to 1980. Choose wisely.

Hop over to Heartbreaker for a guaranteed good time. (Image: Visit Victoria/Julian Kingma)

Gone are restrained, sophisticated bespoke orders, replaced instead with a wild selection of rapidly-poured classics. The best part? It’s open until 3am Wednesday through Sunday in case you’re feeling like some bad mid-week decisions.

Heartbreaker offers a fantastic selection of classics. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 234A Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Read our guide to the best restaurants in Melbourne.

The post 41 of the best bars in Melbourne for 2024 appeared first on Australian Traveller.

People typically think of Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast when discussions about Australia’s best patches of sand arise. And yet, many forget that beaches in Melbourne do indeed exist.

Moreso, there are some genuinely fantastic beaches that have been propped up over the years, from popular spots like St Kilda Beach and Brighton Beach to lesser-known favourites like Mentone and Williamstown.

From Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula, these are the best beaches you’ll find in and around town ordered by distance from the city centre.

1. South Melbourne Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 5.3 kilometres

The tiny Princes Pier at South Melbourne Beach (also known as Port Melbourne Beach) is one of the most charming in the state and perfect for sunset photography. And while casual strolls and privacy may be what this Port Phillip Bay beach is best known for, the usual conditions are still decent enough for a swim. Although not for a surf.

Calm waters make South Melbourne Beach ideal for swimming. (Image: Visit Victoria)

As one of the closest patrolled beaches from the heart of Melbourne, this stretch of sand is most popular amongst visiting families with limited time who mightn’t want to drive out to Brighton or Half Moon Bay.

You’d generally find locals walking their dogs, playing beach tennis, or visitors scurrying off from the nearby cruise ship terminal. It may not be the most popular, but the solitude is part of the appeal.

Stroll along the esplanade on a sunny day. (Image: Visit Victoria)

2. St Kilda Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 7.3 kilometres

St Kilda Beach is to Melbourne what Bondi is to Sydney. And while that may seem like a rather crude comparison, consider that this historic suburb also lays claim to some of the best restaurants in Melbourne like Stokehouse and Cafe Di Stasio, as well as the fabulous Captain Baxter rooftop bar.

Walk from the sand to the doorstep of Melbourne’s best eateries. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With so many great places to eat and drink after a swim, it’s no surprise that most Melbourne visitors head straight here when the sun is out, while families will appreciate the proximity to Luna Park.

Admire the city skyline from St Kilda Beach. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Conditions at St Kilda Beach can vary but the relatively calm waters make it a good spot for novices to practice surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. You can also hire equipment nearby if you’d like to SUP.

Enjoy a weekend by the seaside in the historic suburb. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A pro tip would be to hang around until later in the day and walk down St Kilda Pier, where you might spot some fairy penguins milling around.

Sunsets are nothing short of spectacular on St Kilda Pier. (Image: Tourism Australia / Time Out Australia)

3. Elwood Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 9.8 kilometres

Just around the corner from St Kilda, Elwood Beach is much quieter but no less exciting and an easy pick for one of the best beaches in Melbourne. Although it doesn’t feel like it, you’re still quite close to the city so it’s an ideal option for hurried visitors, who want something that sits between the action of St Kilda and the solitude of South Melbourne Beach.

Walk from Point Ormond Lookout to Elwood Beach and spot the city skyline behind you.

Given it’s still a bay beach, the conditions at Elwood Beach are almost always calm and perfect for swimmers while surfers may want to monitor throughout the day. It’s more of a family-friendly beach as a result, flecked with picnic goers throughout the week or anyone keen on a more peaceful SUP away from the crowds.

4. Brighton Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 13 kilometres

 Defined by its multi-coloured row of beautiful bathing boxes on the foreshore, Brighton Beach is one of Melbourne’s most picturesque, complemented by views of the distant CBD skyline. While St Kilda Beach gets its Bondi vibe from the communal atmosphere, Brighton feels like a short stroll on L.A.’s famous Venice Beach.

Brighton Beach is arguably the most picturesque spot in Melbourne. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Yet it has its own identity. Conditions vary greatly, and the exposed beach can get quite windy resulting in some fairly decent waves and rip holes. That’s why plenty of novice surfers prefer this Melbourne beach over nearby alternatives, with a good middle ground between entry-level waves and more serious ones.

The area’s generous spread of breezy restaurants, galleries and cafes is a big attraction for swimmers and sunbathers as well, with popular options including Sons of Mary and the classic Fish Tank.

The famous bathing houses are perched on the lush seafront enclave of Brighton. (Image: Visit Victoria)

5. Williamstown Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 14 kilometres

Looking back over Melbourne from Gem Pier is one of the most beautiful views in Victoria, which makes Willy Beach particularly popular for New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Williamstown Beach is just a step away from the local train station, making this a greatly accessible patch of sand for visitors who may not have the luxury of time on their side. The very active foreshore offers playgrounds, sporting facilities, and several solid options for a post-swim feast as well as classic Aussie fish and chip shops that line the Esplanade.

Make a day of it at Williamstown Beach.

Yet be weary of the variable conditions. The Western end is generally calmer and is patrolled by The Williamstown Surf Life Saving Club, while some other sections can be quite rocky and exposed to strong winds throughout the year. Of course, that’s great news for surfers, but less so for those just wanting a peaceful swim.

6. Half Moon Bay

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 19.4 kilometres

Given its crescentic shape, Half Moon Bay is fairly protected from Melbourne’s temperamental weather conditions, keeping the water calm throughout the year. As such, it’s also very popular for boating and more relaxed water sports like SUP. Although, surfers have been known to enjoy the beach’s relative privacy when conditions are appropriate.

Half Moon Bay is one of the prettiest spots for a swim near Melbourne.

The sense of place and maritime history gives this beach its personality, especially the 1870s battleship, the HMVS Cerberus, that was sunk here in 1926 to create a breakwater for the Black Rock Yacht Club.

Swimmers should stick to the southern corner where the water is calmer and there are generally fewer rip channels compared to the rocky northern section. The Half Moon Bay Surf Life Saving Club patrols this part of the beach and there is ample parking around.

7. Mentone Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 25.9 kilometres

Much like Frankston Beach, Mentone is another highly rated hidden gem that visitors often bypass but locals swear by. You’ve got another bay beach here, so conditions favour those lighter activities like swimming and SUPing while only beginner surfers have patience for the light waves.

The western part of the beach is considered the best dog beach in Melbourne with a generous off-leash policy on the sands. That’s a big reason why you’ll mostly find locals up and down the four-kilometre stretch.

Mentone Beach is a dog-friendly haven.

8. Mordialloc Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 28.6 kilometres

Mordialloc’s communal design is what makes this a hidden favourite amongst regulars who typically end the day at Sunny Boy Beach Club or cook up their own feast in the dedicated BBQ and picnic area. Known by locals as Mordi Beach, this is another one of those stretches of sand that is more popular amongst families than groups of mates, offering plenty to do from well-worn bike paths to a sturdy 300-metre pier that’s great for sunset.

Find serenity and space to roam at Mordialloc Beach.

The sand can be quite rough for some but the conditions are stable and ideal for swimmers who want to shy away from the more popular Melbourne beaches. Mordi is also a fantastic, very peaceful seaside town so it’s always worth exploring further out if it’s your first time here.

9. Frankston Beach 

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 56.3 kilometres

Crystal clear water and some of the best sand in Melbourne. Many locals would claim Frankston Beach as the number one reason to jump in a car and take the hour drive outside of the CBD. Although they’d be quiet while doing so, careful to not let the secret spill out.

Frankston Beach remains a bit of a local secret.

The sturdy and quite long trestle pier is usually packed with fishing enthusiasts and conditions are generally very stable for swimmers throughout the year. Although the primary reason most make the trip down is to spend the entire day in the charming seaside town of Frankston, with its high standard of restaurants and cafes.

Find plenty of shops and eateries near to the beach.

Surfers might want to bypass this one, but swimmers and sunbathers generally agree that this is the best beach on Port Phillip Bay.

10. Dromana Beach

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 84.5 kilometres

There are so many beaches across the Mornington Peninsula that it’s impossible to pick any front-runners. Although Dromana Beach is certainly a top-tier option with its clear turquoise waters and idyllic swimming conditions.

Catch uninterrupted views of Dromana Beach from above onboard Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The foreshore has plenty of barbecue spots, while the small fishing pier typically sees a lot of action year-round because there’s less competition.

Take an afternoon stroll on the 200-metre Dromana Pier. (Image: Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism)

While the sand can be quite coarse and visually unexciting, the surrounding hiking trails certainly help push up the visual appeal of this family-friendly beach. The nearby Arthurs Seat State Park is certainly a stamina test, but those who want to see the summit without the sweat can take the Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola for incredible views across Port Phillip Bay with Melbourne’s skyline in the background.

Port Phillip Bay is stunning from above. (Image: Tourism Australia)

11. Mount Martha Beach 

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 78.7 kilometres

Clear blue water, idyllic golden sand, and the most beautiful bathing boxes on the Mornington Peninsula. Brighton Beach may be Instagram famous, but locals know that the most beautiful beach outside of Melbourne is Mount Martha.

Set foot on the idyllic golden sand of Mount Martha Beach. (Image: Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism)

The pleasant conditions give Mount Martha a very European feel and the water clarity regularly attracts snorkellers, given the beach has many little nooks populated by extensive reef and weed beds. Expect to spot a huge variety of species like whiting, flathead, garfish, and snapper.

The vibrant turquoise blue waters at Mount Martha Beach beckon. (Image: Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism)

12. Gunnamatta

Distance From Melbourne CBD: 103.5 kilometres

Gunnamatta is greatly exposed to the full force of the Southern Ocean and so conditions are generally very harsh yet incredibly exciting for more experienced surfers. That makes this beach, part of the bountiful Mornington Peninsula National Park, the most popular for anyone seeking consistent breaks and gigantic waves.

That also means you probably wouldn’t find anyone here who isn’t charging at the water with a surfboard in hand. Gunnamatta can be quite risky, but anyone who likes watching the drama unfold usually kills time on the sand while watching thrill seekers navigate the high swells.

Claim a patch of sand at Gunnamatta Beach.

Here’s how to spend 72 hours in Melbourne.

The post 12 Melbourne beaches to visit (yes, they exist) appeared first on Australian Traveller.

Where are the best cafes in Melbourne? That question would fly around this sprawling city multiple times per day. But, of course, there’s no definitive answer. Finding the best Melbourne cafe is like searching for the best sushi in Tokyo. Every cafe is good. Just like every piece of sushi in Japan’s capital will blow your mind.

But we have our favourites – just under 40 of them – that we’ve listed to help guide you through one of Melbourne’s strongest traits. And yes, while Melbourne CBD and surrounds have the lion’s share of our favourite cafes, we’ve tried to keep a wide scope, so you’ve got help when you’re looking for, say a North Melbourne cafe, or maybe a decent cafe in South Melbourne.

1. Noisette, Port Melbourne

Best for: Starting the day with French pastries in the heart of Melbourne.

You’ll find Noisette just a short walk from the city, bursting with French flavours, coloured by a beautiful display of cakes and pastries, and scented by a waft of freshly baked bread.

Follow the scent of freshly baked bread and pastries to Noisette.

Noisette’s crowd-pleasing doughnuts help offset the mid-week slump for many city workers, but it’s best to stick with the French staples. A perfectly flakey pain au chocolate will get you far any day of the week. And those traditional soft and buttery croissants are some of the best in town.

A taste of France in the heart of Melbourne.

It’s not the healthiest way to start the day, but Noisette’s comforting classics are hard to resist on those slower-than-usual mornings.

Address: 84 Bay St, Port Melbourne

2. Hardware Société, CBD

Best for: Indulgent French breakfasts in a Parisian-styled cafe.

Hardware Société is one of the best French cafes in Melbourne, anchored by a pop of Parisian charm with treats sourced from The Continental.

Find Hardware Société smack bang in the heart of Melbourne CBD.

Think fresh pastries with lemon curd yoghurt, favourites like a slow-cooked beef brisket Croque Madame, and, for the health-conscious, a big bowl of bircher muesli with blueberry vanilla compote, poached rhubarb and maple pecans.

Brunch arrives generously plated.

You’ll find that most of the regulars opt for brunch so, even though Hardware Société is smack bang in the heart of Melbourne, the breakfast crowd moves fast.

A pop of Parisian charm helps Hardware Société stand out from the crowd.

Address: 10 Katherine Pl, Melbourne

3. The Kettle Black, South Melbourne

Best for: A classic Melbourne brunch in a cosy setting.

The Kettle Black is a pioneer of Melbourne’s iconic cafe culture, coming from the same team behind Top Paddock and Higher Ground. The chic terrace house that hosts this beautiful cafe has been treated with soft oak timbers and polished concrete, set against mismatched green furniture and marble tiles.

The chic terrace house is a renowned Melbourne brunch spot.

While The Kettle Black has been operating for years, the menu is still a trendsetter for Melbourne’s best cafes. Try the Tiramisu Croffle for something indulgent. The croissant and waffle hybrid is topped with tiramisu cream and oozes with espresso syrup, cocoa nibs and raspberries.

Soft oak timbers and green furniture feature in the light-filled space.

If you spot it on the day’s menu, push for a healthier morning glow with the kitchen’s seasonal avocado topped with lime, crème fraiche and a poached egg. Or try the seminal blueberry and ricotta hotcakes with seasonal berries, maple syrup and whipped cream. It’s the dish that made the cafe a renowned Melbourne spot in the first place.

Brunch is a colourful collection of delicious eats.

Address: 50 Albert Rd, South Melbourne

4. Phat Milk, Travancore

Best for: Inventive twists on Melbourne breakfast staples.

Phat Milk is one of the more underrated cafes near Melbourne CBD. The team’s dedication to doing cafe staples their own way gives them an edge in this hyper-competitive space.

Pistachio rose acai bowl with Kakadu plum.

Every Friday and Saturday, the kitchen also pulls in some Middle Eastern influences by cooking up Sajj – unleavened flatbread used in Arabic cuisines. Get the triple cheese sajj melt if you’re feeling a bit dusty from the night before.

Phat Milk is renowned for creating inventive milkshakes.

You won’t find standards like eggs benedict on the menu. Instead, go for the pistachio rose acai bowl with Kakadu plum. Yes, it may be Instagram fodder, but the kitchen clearly knows what it’s doing with these wild flavours.

The cafe infuses Middle-Eastern influences into all they do.

Address: 208 Mt Alexander Rd, Travancore

5. Elephant Cafe, Flemington

Best for: A dog-friendly cafe with uncomplicated breakfast classics.

You won’t find any swinging trunks at Elephant Cafe in Flemington, but you will start the day with some of the area’s most loveable fur babies. This dog-friendly cafe keeps things simple, focusing on consistency and cafe classics done well.

Most locals stop by for a coffee, but those with a bit more time will hang for an hour or two, indulging in dishes like the brunch-only benny salmon with poached eggs, cream cheese, pesto, capers, herbs and hollandaise sauce on fluffy brioche toast.

Address: 135 Mt Alexander Rd, Flemington

6. So & So, Travancore 

Best for: Starting the day eating breakfast in a beautiful garden.

So & So is another Travancore hotspot that gets by with its dog-friendly policy, as well as an expansive outdoor garden. While inside is cosy, the garden helps So & So stand out amongst Melbourne’s best cafes, framed by pot plants, watering cans and pallets. The green space feels like an oasis of calm for city workers before they head to the city to start their day.

Step inside to find an oasis of calm.

Get the signature Blacksmith. This tasty dish is loaded with braised beef brisket served with Dijon mustard and caramelised onion. Not feeling savoury? Go for the Belgian hot waffle with yoghurt, fresh fruit and pear syrup.

Brunch comes fully loaded with all the classics.

Address: 206 Mt Alexander Rd, Travancore

7. Darling Cafe, South Yarra

Best for: Meeting friends for breakfast before checking out the NGV.

Darling Cafe is an iconic East Melbourne spot, soaking up the artsy setting of South Yarra but holding on to its own identity as a convenient meeting spot for locals and travellers.

Soak up the artsy setting of South Yarra.

Given its location on Darling Street, you’ll find a mixed crowd at this busy Melbourne cafe any day of the week. The menu focuses on quality, locally sourced ingredients and specialty coffee, served alongside an extensive range of pastries, smoothies, juices and a few cheeky breakfast boozers.

Specialty coffee is served alongside an extensive brunch menu. (Image: Julian Lallo)

Keep it simple with chilli scrambled eggs flecked by roasted mushrooms, chilli sambal, whipped goat’s cheese and pickled jalapeno on fluffy Turkish bread. Anyone with a sweeter tooth should go for the French Toast, beautifully done with lemon curd, caramelised apples, whipped double cream and salted caramel on a cinnamon-spiced brioche slice.

Address: 2 Darling St, South Yarra

8. Rockabye Candy, Altona

Best for: Breakfast by the beach out in Melbourne’s west.

What’s better than starting your weekend right at the beach? Smell the fresh air of the ocean at Rockabye Candy, situated on the foreshore of Altona Beach in Melbourne’s West. Whether you’re brunching on your own, with family, kids, or friends.

The cafe has such a strong local following, mostly thanks to the Rockabye breakfast, complete with grilled bacon, swiss and tasty cheese, and homemade relish. Another tasty option is the smashed avocado with a sweet pomegranate and mint twist.

Address: 32 Pier St, Altona

9. Convoy, Moonee Ponds

Best for: Something a bit different from Melbourne’s favourite breakfast dishes.

Convoy opened towards the end of 2022, giving Moonee Ponds an easy pick for local favourite with a sprawling 140-seat space. The team behind Collingwood’s Terror Twilight stepped their breakfast game up with this beautiful space, head-turning with its warm timber and stone tiling.

Dine al fresco at Convoy. (Image: Kate Durham)

The breakfast and brunch menu takes cues from all over the world without overdoing it. Everything remains rather simple and flavour-forward, with highlights including a Japanese-accented okonomiyaki waffle with a fried egg and miso mayo, and a braised lamb shoulder eggs benedict.

Brunch is served … a braised lamb shoulder eggs benedict. (Image: Kate Durham)

Start your morning out on the wraparound deck with a plate of either of these two dishes in front of you then follow that up with a Saturday stroll around Moonee Ponds.

Get your coffee to-go and explore the area on foot. (Image: Kate Durham)

Address: 109 Pascoe Vale Rd, Moonee Ponds

10. Sunhands, Carlton

Best for: A simple brunch with plates full of fresh Melbourne produce.

Sunheads does the best brunch in Carlton. Opening at 10am each day, this popular Melbourne cafe takes on a more sophisticated format as the day rolls on, transforming into a beautiful wine bar, deli and shop.

Elevate your brunch game at Sunhands. (Image: Nicholas Wilkins @nicholas_wilkins)

While anyone looking for a classic Melbourne brunch will also find plenty to satisfy, you won’t spy any chilli scrambled eggs on the Sunhands menu. Instead, go for a produce plate of seasonal vegetables, house-made preserves, local cheeses and smoked alpine trout.

Sunhands transforms from a cafe into a beautiful wine bar, deli and shop as the day unfolds. (Image: Tess Metcalf)

Address: 169 Elgin St, Carlton

11. Higher Ground, CBD

Best for: Breakfast meetings with clients in the CBD

Breakfast at Higher Ground is a power move. The same team behind Top Paddock and The Kettle Black opened this soaring CBD cafe in 2016 in a heritage-listed former power station on Little Bourke Street.

Higher Ground is housed in a heritage-listed former power station.

Energy is Higher Ground’s main trade. From 7am to 5pm each day this eclectic space is buzzing with excited chatter and clinking glasses. Almost 10 years in and you’ll still find queues out the door, even though this massive spot can accommodate plenty of guests at a time.

Patrons fill six interconnected levels. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Across six interconnected levels, Higher Ground masters the art of breakfast in Melbourne. You’ll find Melbourne standards like chilli scrambled eggs and spanner crab benedict. You’ll even see the blueberry and ricotta hotcake that made the group’s other cafes so iconic. But the best dish might just be the soft shell crab banh mi with pickles and gochujang aioli.

The excellent service and high energy help the food taste that much better.Address: 650 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

12. CIBI, Collingwood

Best for: A traditional Japanese breakfast in a beautiful space.

Beautiful, minimal and consistent. Japanese cafe CIBI in Collingwood is one of Melbourne’s best offerings and something locals are fiercely proud of. The retail and cafe concept is overseen by couple Zenta and Meg Tanaka, who opened this Collingwood institution in 2008.

CIBI is a retail space and cafe in one. (Image: CIBI)

Walk past the beautiful homewares and furniture on sale to a small space dedicated to breakfast and brunch. The cafe’s signature grilled salmon with tamagoyaki, vegetables, potato salad, rice and miso soup is a traditional way to start the morning in Japan. Here, the Tanakas have given it a Melbourne twist with top-shelf local produce.

Traditional Japanese cuisine is served. (Image: CIBI)

Address: 33-39 Keele St, Collingwood

13. Florian Eatery, Carlton North

Best for: An unpretentious atmosphere and some of the best breakfast food in Melbourne.

Walk into Florian Eatery and you’ll find shelves lined with cookbooks and jars of house-made preserves. This Carlton North cafe is serious about sourcing the best produce possible, keeping the ambience light but the flavours heavy and robust.

Food is big on flavour at Florian.

The unpretentious vibe is why many locals would come here to escape from Melbourne’s most transient trends. Grab the simple Farmer’s Breakfast for the best experience. The plate comes with various cured meats, cheeses, boiled eggs, house-made pickles, fruit yoghurt and rye bread. Everything represents a local producer or supplier, best ordered with an Allpress coffee or soda from nearby Strangelove.

Locals come here for the unpretentious vibe.

A specials menu is scrawled across a blackboard and typically lists health-conscious dishes made with the best market ingredients of that week.

Address: 617 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

14. Auction Rooms, North Melbourne

Best for: Starting the day with a big breakfast plate full of Melbourne’s finest produce.

The team behind one of Melbourne’s best coffee shops, St ALi, opened Auction Rooms in 2016. All these years later it’s still referenced as the gold standard in North Melbourne for anyone wanting a fantastic start to the day.

A head-turning blue facade sticks out like a sore thumb in the area, welcoming people from 7am to 4pm daily with a soulful menu big on Mexican, American and Middle Eastern flavours.

It’s hard to peel yourself away from that tiramisu French toast if you’re in the mood for pure decadence but keeping it simple is always recommended at Auction Rooms. Grab one of the kitchen’s beautiful breakfast boards with grilled chorizo, smoked salmon, potato rosti, soldiers, a soft-boiled egg and chia pudding.

Address: 103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne

15. Lankan Tucker, Brunswick West

Best for: Nutty breakfast curries to start the day differently in Brunswick.

You won’t find any chilli scrambled eggs or avo on toast at Lankan Tucker. This Brunswick favourite is all about Sri Lankan breakfast plates and curries, in addition to baked goods and Melbourne-grade coffee.

Hip Hopper is a must-try at Lankan Tucker. (Image: Shevan J Photography)

The bright, light-filled cafe is the perfect start to the day, especially when you’ve got some of that filled roti steaming in front of you, ripe for dipping in a breakfast curry. Or you can try those texturally perfect breakfast wraps stuffed with fresh ingredients.

The iced Milo is an indulgent treat. (Image: Shevan J Photography)

Note that Lankan Tucker is closed Monday through Wednesday, so think of it more like a weekend breakfast spot.

Embrace a hearty start to the weekend. (Image: Shevan J Photography)

Address: 486 Albion St, Brunswick West

16. Operator25, CBD

Best for: A five-star brunch near the heart of the CBD.

Led by ex-Bacash chefs, Operator25 is a strong statement in favour of bringing more style to your typical Melbourne brunch. Morning starters from this kitchen are every bit as classy as what you’d expect in the evening, which is why this kitchen is confident enough to only open until 4pm each day.

The impressive all-day breakfast menu changes often but star dishes include the five-spiced Peking duck leg served with roti, egg, spring onion and a cucumber salad, beef bulgogi tacos, and the vegetarian big breakfast. Most regulars would pop by here for one of the city’s best breakfast tortillas, and you can always expect friendly service beyond Melbourne’s already lofty standards.

Melbourne’s hard-to-impress coffee enthusiasts also find solace in Operator25’s produce-forward approach. Award-winning barista Mikael Jason leads the coffee program, which uses beans from Code Black and blends from the acclaimed Cartel Coffee.

Address: 25 Wills St, Melbourne

17. Wild Life Bakery, Brunswick East

Best for: A cheese toastie and a coffee to start the morning in Brunswick East.

Wild Life Bakery is one of Brunswick East’s most popular morning starts any day of the week. Huw Murdoch’s tiny bakery and cafe was born out of a mission to learn from the world’s finest bakers, giving the know-how to craft this ode to baked goods, where customers can see the bread-making process from clear circular windows.

You’ll find one of the best cheese toasties in Melbourne at this spot, as well as a range of daily sandwiches, salads and baguettes all using Murdoch’s 24-hour fermented sourdough. The studious Melbourne baker is also well-versed in coffee so grab a cup of Market Lane’s finest to help get the day organised. 

Address: 90 Albert St, Brunswick East

18. Emil’s Cafe, Pascoe Vale South

Best for: The best Middle Eastern breakfast in Melbourne.

An old-school milk bar has been turned into Emil’s Cafe in Pascoe Vale South. While you won’t find many must-try hospitality spots out in this Northern suburb, this homely all-day bruncher is worth a trek outside of the CBD.

A former milk bar in Pascoe Vale South is now one of the city’s best cafes.

Run by John and George El-Khoury, the cafe is pitched as Australian-Arabic and favours Middle Eastern breakfasts.

Australian-Arabic cafe champions authentic Middle Eastern cuisine.

Grab the signature eggs benedict with slow-cooked beef ribs, rosti, tahini hollandaise and kimchi pear if you’re indecisive, or for something bigger go for the Emi’s Big Breakfast which comes with poached eggs, za’atar grilled flatbread, sujuk, haloumi, shakshuka, sauteed spinach and potato hash.

Emil’s Cafe evokes a homey feel.

The El-Khoury brothers built this cafe out of their childhood home, so when you’re in the main dining room, you’re actually having your breakfast in what was once their living room.

You’ll find photos that prove Emil’s Cafe was once their childhood home.

Address: 347 Reynard St, Pascoe Vale South

19. Light Years, Hawthorn East

Best for: Big, bold flavours and classic Melbourne breakfasts.

Given the calming-open design and abundance of natural light, Light Years is a great cafe for remote workers in Hawthorn East.

On any given day, you’ll spot locals furiously hitting their laptops while a plate of candied bacon toast with smashed avocado, poached egg and house hummus sits in front of them.

The breakfast menu at Light Years is a mix of comfort food and fresh produce.

A love of fresh produce and comfort food goes hand-in-hand in the Light Years kitchen. The all-day menu likes to take Melbourne’s favourite breakfast dishes and give them a health-conscious twist.

Try the chilli scrambled eggs with smoked beetroot or a farm-fresh Big Brekkie with two poached eggs, bacon, Angus beef sausages, tomato relish, roasted mushrooms, hash browns and sourdough.

Address: 132 Camberwell Rd, Hawthorn East

20. Ona Coffee, Brunswick

Best for: A simple brunch taken with some of Melbourne’s best coffee.

Finding Melbourne’s best coffee shops is an entirely different conversation, of course. The sheer multitude of styles makes the local coffee scene one of the world’s best. But there are coffee shops, and then there are cafes. Most of these venues fit the bill for both, but few can slot into their category perfectly.

Catch up over brunch at ONA Coffee.

Ona Coffee in Brunswick is one such business. As the flagship for the Canberra-based specialty roaster, coffee nerds will find little to complain about. Those life-giving hits of caffeine are treated very seriously here.

The menu boasts creative and vibrant dishes.

But the brunch options are just as good. Refined classics is the approach, so you’ll find chilli scrambled eggs, tiramisu pancakes and beef rib eggs benny on the menu. But don’t look past the very filled prawn roll – a potato roll stuffed with poached prawns and house-made hot sauce, pickled onion, and iceberg lettuce served with a side of crispy potato chips.

Address: 22 Ovens St, Brunswick

21. Au79, Abbotsford

Best for: Starting the day with a vegan big breakfast and a perfect cup of coffee. 

Locals from Abbotsford and Richmond make this old motor garage part of their weekly schedule. Starting the morning by heading over to Au79 now comes standard for the area, positioning this Nicholson Street cafe at the centre of the community.

Au79 is a former motor garage reimagined into a bright and airy cafe.

The name is a statement of intent. Au and 97 are, respectively, the chemical symbol and atomic number for gold and this fact is proudly signposted with metallic gold marking the black building. The interior isn’t as regal but the pared-back atmosphere makes room for a bakery, patisserie and an on-site roastery.

Favourites from the breakfast menu include the mango waffle with lime jelly and passionfruit curd, and the vegan big breakfast with toast, potato hash, mushrooms, sauteed greens, avocado and cherry tomatoes.

The Melbourne oasis houses a bakery, patisserie and an on-site roastery.

Address: 27/29 Nicholson St, Abbotsford

22. Babka, Fitzroy

Best for: Traditional Eastern European breakfasts and the best challah in town.

Babka is an Eastern European bakery and cafe in Fitzroy that has, for almost 20 years now, been a training ground for some of the city’s best bakers. The cafe doesn’t offer the typical Melbourne breakfast dishes but sticks true to its influence with traditional borscht, house-made pies and challah.

While it’s more of a pop-in, pop-out venue, this is still a popular way to start the day for Fitzroy locals. Its legendarily long queues could rival that of nearby Lune Croissanterie.

Address: 358 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

23. Second Home, Eltham

Best for: a cafe you’d want to live in and food you wish you could make daily.

Much like Eltham, Second Home is the perfect example of old-world Melbourne. Aligned with the architectural reputation of this leafy suburb, Jason M Jones’ popular cafe is set in a renovated 1973 building originally designed by local architect Alistair Knox.

Order the signature Hearty Home big breakfast.

Just the right amount of natural light peeks in through the Skylight, presenting the kind of homely cafe you’d find on a movie set. Everything about Second Home is designed like a warm hug and a light handshake; even the charmingly casual wording of the menu.

Don’t hesitate to order the signature Hearty Home big breakfast. The top-quality produce plate includes poached eggs on sourdough with smoked bacon, herby tomato, rhymed roasted mushrooms, pork and fennel sausage, and avocado.

The inviting garden setting.

Address: 21 Brougham St, Eltham

24. Small Graces, Footscray

Best for: Sampling the best of Victorian produce out in West Melbourne 

Small Graces is all about a network of Victoria’s best produce. Owners Diego Portilla and Rebecca Howell have a long history with Victorian produce and tight connections with some of the region’s best local farmers and producers.

The couple’s enviable network powers this underrated Melbourne cafe, highlighting ethically sourced ingredients at every turn and maintaining complete transparency.

Nab a table outdoors and check out whatever specials are scrawled on the big chalkboard near the kitchen. While there is a menu, you’ll want to work with the dishes that change regularly and always follow the best produce available that week.

Address: 57 Byron St, Footscray

25. Bawa Cafe, Hawthorn

Best for: An uncomplicated breakfast in a light-filled space in Hawthorn.

With a design that brings the outside in, Bawa Cafe in Hawthorn is an incredibly relaxed way to start your day.

Grab a timber booth and work through the all-day breakfast menu. You won’t find anything surprising here, but Bawa Cafe is set on using excellent local produce for maximum flavour.

For something fresh, the super green salad should keep you going for the rest of the day, while the eggs benedict with smoked ham hock terrine remains the menu’s most popular item for good reason.

Address: 248 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn

26. Code Black, Brunswick

Best for: An all-rounder option with excellent coffee and food.

Code Black is a cafe and roasting house in Brunswick and an important fixture of the city’s broad coffee scene. Everything about Joseph Haddad’s masterwork is designed with excellence in mind, from the formidable coffee bar with two hard-working machines to the unflappable service.

Code Black is a roasting house and cafe in one.

While Code Black now has a few locations around Melbourne, this Brunswick flagship sets itself apart with an excellent menu. Highlights include the chilli scramble with shiitake mushrooms, glazed pork belly, Asian herbs and prawn crackers, and the Nicoise salad with Fremantle octopus escabeche, nduja aioli and red endive.

Code Black sets itself apart with an excellent menu.

The menu is served up until 5pm each day so you’ve got plenty of time to get some brunch in.

Address: 15/17 Weston St, Brunswick

27. Mammoth, Armadale

Best for: Surprising flavours blended with some of Melbourne’s favourite breakfast dishes.

Mammoth is a South Melbourne cafe with a serious following. You’ll find this spot on the corner of Malvern Road and Beatty Avenue, usually with a hefty wait time.

Mammoth is worth the wait.

Regulars come here for the kitchen’s worldly touch, which focuses mostly on European flavours but brings in clever nods to Asian and Middle Eastern flavours.

The menu is a blend of European, Asian and Middle Eastern flavours.

You’ll be tempted by the chilli scrambled eggs and gorgeous chia bowl, but opt for the Spanish Omelette. This masterpiece is flecked with chorizo, potato, caramelised red onion, goat’s cheese, and paprika before being served on a rustic slice of sourdough. It’s the best example of why Mammoth is worth travelling for.

Find Mammoth on the corner of Malvern Road and Beatty Avenue.

Address: 736 Malvern Rd, Armadale

28. Saint Dreux, CBD

Best for: A katsu sandwich so good you’d think you were on the streets of Tokyo.

Missing your trip to Tokyo? Head on over to Saint Dreux and it’s like you’re right back on the streets of Shibuya. The sleek, minimal cafe is run by the fine folk at Bench Coffee Co. and features its own katsu sandwich bar.

Similar to what you’d find across Japan, Saint Druex is one of those cafes that only does one thing, but does it perfectly. You’re pretty limited in choice here, with the menu mostly made up of different types of katsu sandwiches and Bench Coffee Co.’s popular single origins and blends. If you feel like starting the day with a sugar hit, the bar also serves excellent black sesame castella cake.

Saint Dreux will transport you to the streets of Shibuya.

Address: Emporium Melbourne, shop LG-30/287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

29. Arlo, Elwood

Best for: Starting the day with chicken waffles in one of Melbourne’s most relaxed suburbs.

Despite the healthy competition that lines Ormond Road, Arlo emerges as one of the best cafes in Elwood and a smart choice for breakfast or brunch.

Start the day right with vibrant brunch plates at Arlo.

The bright exterior leads to a warm dining room that keeps many of the building’s original features intact. Here you’ll find locals chatting away the early afternoon over plates of mushroom steak or a big serving of Turkish eggs.

Chicken waffles are the ultimate source of comfort food on a rainy day.

Most, however, would have the signature Chicken Bang sitting in front of them. The crunchy waffle is topped with cinnamon-spiced fried chicken and streaky bacon drizzled with kimchi butter and maple syrup. The indulgent dish isn’t something you’d have every week. But on a rainy day. There’s no better comfort food in the area.

Address: 133 Ormond Rd, Elwood

30. Proper & Son, South Melbourne

Best for: Sampling the strongest flavours of South Melbourne Market.

Proper & Son has a simple and effective concept: wherever possible, the kitchen only uses the produce that can be picked nearby. That is, from the vendors of South Melbourne Market’s massive Food Hall.

Eugene Lavery’s cafe is built with recycled timbers and kitschy printed wallpaper, framing the open kitchen where guests can watch the market’s best produce being whipped into dishes like a potato and leek squeak with smoked salmon and egg, and hotcakes with lemon curd, fruit and maple.

Don’t forget to grab one of Lavery’s homemade sodas or a nice cup of Toby’s Estate beans.

Address: 13 & 14/322 Coventry St, South Melbourne

31. Carter Lovett, Elsternwick

Best for: A farm-style breakfast with top-shelf produce and plenty of options.

Carter Lovett is often overlooked for South Yarra cafes and Elwood favourites. But Elsternwick locals are incredibly proud of this cosy spot, which is open all day but is most popular for its elevated breakfast offerings and chirpy service.

Some Cumberland sausage served with chilli fried eggs and zucchini relish will never lead you astray. But just about everything presents something new for the Melbourne crowd. The vanilla bean panna cotta with gluten-free muesli and poached pear is great for those wanting something different for breakfast. But it pays to keep it simple, with the mushroom omelette one of the best things on the menu.

Address: 329 Glen Huntly Rd, Elsternwick

32. Clementine, South Melbourne

Best for: An easy start in the CBD with creative breakfast and brunch dishes.

At first glance, there’s nothing particularly noteworthy about Clementine. It’s a nice, bright and friendly cafe on the ground floor of a South Melbourne office building. There are plenty of those around Melbourne. But the big selling point here is consistency: great food, Duke’s coffee and flakey pastries.

Clementine delivers consistently good food and service. (Image: Alex Squadrito)

Glen Bagnara runs a tight kitchen focused on those big, bold flavours like lobster Florentine, a breakfast souffle, or the Scotch egg with wagyu mince and green pea puree. It may look like your typical cafe, but Clementine does things its own way and sticks out beautifully in the South Melbourne sprawl as a result.

Big, bold flavours dominate the menu. (Image: Alex Squadrito)

Address: 67-69 Palmerston Cres, South Melbourne

33. Little Rogue, CBD

Best for: A relaxed start to the day with a big plate of hotcakes and a warm cup of coffee.

You’ll find the entrance to Little Rogue down the iconic Drewery Lane, giving it an air of exclusivity that many tourists tend to overlook. Locals aren’t so easily distracted, so Little Rogue has a massive local following.

The Japanese and Korean-inspired cafe serves quality small-batch roasted coffee from Shamble Coffee Roasters, as well as special imported blends and single origins. Getting the coffee program perfect was a big focus for the team, who also got creative with the food menu.

The most popular order at Little Rogue is those gorgeous maple thyme hotcakes with strawberry compote. But you’ve also got easy winners like miso roasted cauliflower steak and a breakfast sandwich with pork spam, sunny egg, hash brown, cheddar cheese and Carolina mustard sauce on a thick slice of sourdough.

Address: 12 Drewery Ln, Melbourne

34. Pillar of Salt, Richmond

Best for: An uncomplicated breakfast in the heart of Richmond.

As one of the best Richmond cafes, Pillar of Salt has plenty of mouths to feed throughout the week. Considering how busy it gets, the efficient and personable service is impressive, ensuring very little wait time between ordering and eating.

The menu reads like Melbourne’s greatest (morning) hits but there’s more going on than refining popular trends. The food here is homely and consistent, from the pistachio pancakes and smoked salmon benedict to the simple mushroom bruschetta.

Address: 541 Church St, Richmond

35. Napier Quarter, Fitzroy

Best for: A classy start to the day with simple European dishes.

Napier Quarter is to breakfast what Gimlet is to supper. It’s an all-class affair, drawing a dramatic European design to build an elegant Parisian atmosphere. The food and drink on offer is equally impressive.

Find simple European dishes at Napier Quarter. (Image: Annika Kafcaloudis)

Owner Eileen Horsnell prides herself on strong connections in the hospitality industry, as well as Napier Quarter’s talented kitchen team who turn out a rotating menu based on local suppliers.

The menu changes frequently but expect uncomplicated dishes like the nduja fried eggs with pickled scapes and soft curd, and the signature anchovy toast.

Address: 359 Napier St, Fitzroy

36. Wide Open Road, Brunswick

Best for: A great deal of breakfast options with excellent cups of coffee

The team at Wide Open Road are proud coffee nerds; you can tell from the range of styles of coffee on offer. Even the hardiest coffee snobs can’t help but admit Wide Open Road is one of the best cafes in Melbourne. If not the very best.

Wide Open Road satisfies even the hardiest of coffee snobs.

The northern suburbs staple is bright and vibrant, aligned with the prevailing design language of typical Melbourne cafes. The menu is also quite similar to what you’d expect from just about any cafe around Melbourne.

Nab a booth in the classy cafe.

Wide Open Road is different, however. Everything from the energetic service to the atmosphere speaks to the kind of attention to detail that separates a good cafe from a great one. To make the most of your visit, stick to crowd favourites like the thyme-roasted field mushrooms, a beautiful bacon sandwich with scamorza and provolone, or the fried halloumi toastie with beetroot relish and avocado.

Address: 274 Barkly St, Brunswick

Planning a trip to Melbourne? Find a collection of the very best restaurants, experiences and so much more in our comprehensive travel guide to Victoria’s capital city.

The post Spoilt for choice! Here are 36 of the best cafes in Melbourne appeared first on Australian Traveller.

The best Melbourne restaurants demonstrate a keen understanding of one thing: all you need to satisfy customers is local produce, good technique and restraint. Letting Victoria’s best ingredients speak for themselves is what dining out in Melbourne is all about, which is why the city is leading the charge of the loosely drawn concept of modern Australian cuisine.

Below, you’ll find more than 50 of the best restaurants Melbourne has to offer, from fine-dining stalwarts like Vue de Monde and Donovans to some of the best new restaurants in Melbourne like hot 2023 openings Reine & La Rue, Alta Trattoria and Julie.

Consider this your ultimate dining to-do list. Embrace it from top to bottom or skip ahead to your preferred corner of Melbourne below.

Melbourne CBD and surrounds
Northern suburbs
Eastern suburbs
Southern suburbs
Western suburbs

Melbourne CBD and surrounds

1. Vue de Monde, CBD

Best for: Luxury dining 55 floors above Melbourne CBD.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Remarkable city views that stretch out to the Dandenong Ranges are a given when you’re 55 floors above Melbourne CBD. For many years, Vue de Monde, currently on the observation deck of Rialto Towers, has been the state’s signature fine dining experience and a reliable showstopper for those wealthy and ravenous in equal measure.

Backed by studious service, executive chef Hugh Allen has now moved away from the Euro-stylings of the restaurant’s formative years and pushed to redefine what “modern Australian” really means, using only the finest native ingredients and a confident splash of restraint across an impressive 18-course feast.

The result is a singular set menu that changes so often it’s impossible to keep up, whether it’s for a weekend lunch or weeknight dinner. That said, all roads inevitably lead to that legendary signature souffle – the only thing on the refreshed menu that remains.

Address: 55 Rialto Towers, 525 Collins St, Melbourne

2. Pascale Bar & Grill, CBD

Best for: Elegant grill classics in a stylish dining room.
Cuisine: European

The Parisian end of Collins Street is perfectly mirrored by Pascale Bar & Grill’s provocative design that’s as playful as it is classy. QT Melbourne’s signature restaurant fires on all cylinders from breakfast to dinner, reiterating the talents of Executive Chef Nic Wood who has built this into one of the city’s most valued European brasserie-style dining rooms.

An attractive open-plan space seats just 60, meaning a high staff-to-guest ratio and consistently excellent service, as well as a genuine sense of privacy not often associated with buzzy hotel restaurants.

Refined classics is the pitch, lifted with flair from the open kitchen paired with top-tier Victorian produce for classic dishes like the signature QT Black Angus Rib Eye 350g with Cafe de Paris, and the brilliant Berkshire pork cotoletta with an optional add-on of Venella burrata.

Enjoy elegant grill classics at Pascale. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: Level 1/133 Russell St, Melbourne

3. Grossi Florentino, CBD

Best for: Upscale Italian food in a heritage dining space.
Cuisine: Italian

Classic hospitality defines Grossi Florentino, which opened in 1928. Decadent handmade pasta with expensive ingredients still dominates the menu, with signatures like hand-cut fettuccini peppered with rock lobster still shouldering acclaim for Guy Grossi’s flagship kitchen.

Gather at Grossi Florentino’s grand mural room. (Image: Kate Shanasy)

The lunch and dinner service has barely changed throughout the years, landing on a hard-won consistency that all restaurateurs dream of. Head along in the afternoon where a more affordable prix-fixie menu gives you the highlights without breaking the bank.

Dig into the special Agnello Arrotolato dish at Grossi Florentino. (Image: Kate Shanasy)

Address: 80 Bourke St, Melbourne

4. Soi 38, CBD

Best for: Thai street food hidden in an unassuming parking garage.
Cuisine: Thai

Shoot down a laneway off Bourke Street and you’ll find Soi 38 piggybacking off an above-ground concrete parking garage. It’s the kind of hard-to-find hidden gem that makes Melbourne’s dining scene so exciting.

Lunch service is all vats of simmering broth and hand-cut boat noodles, but come evening and the kitchen fires up gas burners for each table. The traditional Thai BBQ menu evokes the backstreets of Bangkok, lifting simple street food with local produce.

If you’re asking for the best Thai restaurants in Melbourne, don’t be surprised if Soi 38 is the first recommendation.

Address: 38 Mcilwraith Pl, Melbourne

5. French Saloon, CBD

Best for: A great balance of traditional and modern French food in a Melbourne laneway.
Cuisine: French

Following almost three years as a function space, Con Christopoulos’ crowd-pleasing French Saloon on Hardware Lane is back better than ever. Head chef Luke Fraser proves his worth on this corner of Little Bourke Street with a stellar menu unconcerned with very little but perfecting classic French and matching that with an extensive wine list.

Match classic French food with an extensive range of wines at French Saloon. (Image: Visit Victoria)

While weekends are still reserved for events, this loft-like space is the perfect mid-week date night with a cosy, romantic ambience that’s classy but completely unpretentious. Best French restaurant in Melbourne? Competition is fierce but this kitchen is certainly up there.

French Saloon gives off a cosy and romantic ambience. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne

6. Flower Drum, CBD

Best for: Refined Cantonese classics and gold-standard service.
Cuisine: Cantonese

Enter through the red door in Market Lane and take a short ride in the elevator to the first floor to find one of the most endearing culinary institutions in Australia – Flower Drum. Considered the best upscale Cantonese restaurant in the country since 1975, the formidable eatery is hinged on refined classics.

Victorian produce has given the kitchen simple ways to elevate standards like succulent Peking duck and mud crab. But it’s the entire experience that ensures the space is always flooded with regulars, from the gold-standard service and old-school hospitality to the simple, moody lighting that makes the space still feel like a hidden treasure all these decades later.

Address: 17 Market Ln, Melbourne

7. Gimlet at Cavendish House, CBD

Best for: Old-world glamour with immaculate service and stiff drinks.
Cuisine: European-Australian

Few Melbourne restaurants have represented a seismic shift in the city’s dining scene as well as Gimlet at Cavendish House. Stalwart restaurateur Andrew McConnell is at the top of his game with this well-dressed restaurant and bar, which has turned a 1920s building in the CBD into a grand and glitzy powerhouse of hospitality.

Gimlet at Cavendish House is set within a grand 1920s building. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This Acme & Co-designed venue is popular for Martini-fuelled long lunches and swanky client dinners, but it’s just as viable to pull up a seat at the black-and-gold marble bar and dine alone. All types of people walk through those doors, impatiently waiting to clamp their teeth down on juicy southern rock lobsters, seafood salads and coal-roasted meats.

Long lunches and juicy burgers are the order of the day. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 33 Russell St, Melbourne

8. Reine and La Rue, CBD

Best for: Grand dinners in a cathedral-esque space.
Cuisine: French

Nomad Group’s Jacqui Challinor and ex-Nomad chef Brendan Katich are the masterminds behind the transformation of the cathedral-esque Melbourne Stock Exchange building into Reine and La Rue.

The Reine and La Rue delivers delectable dishes. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Much like Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet, the grand 140-seat Reine makes a strong case for ambitious adaptive reuse projects being the way forward for Melbourne’s dining scene. A stunner like this could never be a new build, wearing its age proudly with vaulted ceilings, dual bars and solid granite columns.

Dine inside a cathedral-esque space at Reine & La Rue. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Food is expensive but generously plated with a focus on marrying old-world French flair with top-shelf Australian produce. Flirt through the 40-seat courtyard and you’ll find yourself at the exclusive eight-seat La Rue, a wine bar with the same menu and, unsurprisingly, faster service.

French flair marries top-shelf Australian produce. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 380 Collins St, Melbourne

9. Kenzan, CBD

Best for: Traditional Japanese perfected in an unassuming space.
Cuisine: Japanese

As one of the original Japanese restaurants in Melbourne, Kenzan is still a shining example of how simplicity, consistency and great service are sometimes all you need. Since 1981, this Collins Place fixture has been perfecting traditional Japanese food, betraying its rather drab location on the lower level of a food court with outstanding quality.

Co-owners Kazu Murayama, Yuki Munehiro and Boeing Cho haven’t splashed on any expensive interiors. Kenzan doesn’t look like it should be as good as it is, but between that melt-in-your-mouth tuna belly and grilled eel with sweet soy sauce, there’s no mistaking this for anything but one of the best Japanese restaurants in the city.

A local tip is to head along for lunch instead of dinner, where the same menu is offered but prices are slightly lower.

Address: Collins Place Lower ground floor, 45 Collins St, Melbourne

10. Grill Americano, CBD

Best for: Excellent Tuscan feasts wrapped in vintage glamour.
Cuisine: Italian

Chris Lucas’ large-format Italian steakhouse, Grill Americano, is always a big night out. Warm, classic hospitality is all crisp white jackets and cinematic tableside cooking, relying as much on character as exceptional food and an impressive 2,000-bottle wine cellar.

Dine on exceptional Italian cuisine at Grill Americano. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The signature Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a whopping 1.2-kilogram T-bone, can usually be found on every table, flanked by essential sides like potato focaccia and mac ’n’ cheese with prosciutto.

And there’s something about the venue’s irrepressible energy that elevates the food. Sinking into those plush banquettes immediately evokes the vintage grills and brasseries that once defined Melbourne, reaffirming Lucas as one of Melbourne’s most alluring and creative hospo gurus.

The space delivers an irrepressible energy that elevates the food. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 112 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

11. Mamasita, CBD

Best for: Classic refined Mexican food in the heart of Melbourne CBD.
Cuisine: Mexican

Widely considered the best Mexican restaurant in Melbourne, Mamasita. relies on much more than just tacos and tostadas (although they are a cut above average as well).

Chef Martin Zozaya changes the menu to reflect the seasonal shifts of Mexico; fresh dishes inspired by Mexico’s Pacific coast define the menu in the summer months while winter is all about meatier, heavier plates like slow-braised beef brisket with chimichurri, onion and hibiscus pickle. Seasons are distinctive here, which speaks highly of the diversity of Mexico’s historic cuisine.

Take the highlights alongside hand-press tacos and an extensive list of mezcals and tequilas. Cocktails are big business at Mamasita, so make sure at least two of those brilliant smoky margaritas end up on your table.

Address: 11 Collins St, Melbourne

12. Atria, CBD

Best for: Sky-high fine dining in Melbourne CBD.
Cuisine: Modern Australia

For 2023, one of the hottest new restaurants in Melbourne was Atria. Posh, dramatic and appropriately dressed, this polished fine diner is perfect for those looking for rooftop restaurants with city views in Melbourne. After all, it’s located on the 80th floor of the snazzy Ritz-Carlton Melbourne.

You just can’t beat these 80th floor views of the city. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Dramatic sky dining wouldn’t be nearly as appealing if the food wasn’t half as impressive as the view. Thankfully, executive chef Michael Greenlaw (ex-Vue De Monde) raises the bar with uncomplicated dishes leaning heavily on Victoria’s best produce seared by a powerhouse woodfired grill.

Indulge in carefully curated dishes at Atria. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Seafood, steak and fresh vegetables might sound rather standard for a modern Australian restaurant in Melbourne but Atria does simplicity so well. A distinct love of native ingredients is obvious, as is Greenlaw’s love of showcasing lesser-known seafood like longsnout boarfish and grass whiting.

Don’t forget to browse the globe-trotting wine list. The book of varietals is more like an encyclopedia, with both classic back vintages and modern drops sharing the spotlight.

Address: 650 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

13. Freyja, CBD

Best for: Australian ingredients expressed with Nordic techniques and light, healthy food.
Cuisine: Nordic, Australia

Freyja occupies two floors of the 1880s Olderfleet building on Collins Street, proudly showcasing its heritage guts with original details like a spiral staircase, restored brick and vintage blue leather banquettes.

The dining space at Freyja makes the most of its heritage building. (Image: Arianna Leggiero)

Named for a Norse goddess, this dramatic dining room expertly blends Scandinavia’s love of pickling, smoking and preserving ingredients with modern Australian cuisine. And the results are fantastic, from the lunch-only traditional Smorrebrod with rainbow trout, potato and seasonal herbs, to dinner service classics like duck served with daikon, mustard leaf, black currant and coriander seed.

Chef Jae Bang has Michelin hats under his belt and the pedigree shows in his delicate, open-minded dishes that are always serving up something new. For the best experience, fork out for the $159 Taste of Freyja menu which comes with an $85 add-on option of fresh, exciting and natural wines.

Indulge in the Taste of Freyja menu at least once. (Image: Arianna Leggiero)

Address: 477 Collins St, Melbourne

14. Thai Tide, CBD

Best for: A relaxed meal out with friends.
Cuisine: Thai

Melbourne, like every other city in Australia, has so many Thai restaurants that sifting through them all would be exhausting. Thai Tide, however, easily stands out from the pack by focusing heavily on regionality.

Enjoy a relaxing dinner with friends at Thai Tide. (Image: Arianna Leggiero)

Split across two dining rooms, Merica Chaungvat’s energetic kitchen moves away from Issan staples like pad Thai towards dishes like osso buco khao soi, pad kee morat (basically a spicier pad Thai), and pad kee mao. Share-style plates and soups you’d usually find in places like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are also served here and matched with a list of Australian natural wines.

Come with friends to make the most of the share-style plates. (Image: Arianna Leggiero)

Beautifully attentive, unobtrusively quiet service helps the relaxed atmosphere resonate. A dinner at Thai Tide is a more low-key affair, designed for good conversation, great food, and very little else.

Address: 171 Bourke St, Melbourne

15. Warabi, CBD

Best for: Inventive Japanese set menus in one of Melbourne’s best hotels.
Cuisine: Japanese

The 29-seat kappo experience at Warabi is the most premium experience you can have in Melbourne’s outrageously stylish W Hotel on Flinders Lane. For the uninitiated, kappo is very much like omakase, instead where the latter refers mostly to sushi and sashimi, the former has a wider palate and can include other dishes as well.

Priced at $285 per person, the set is usually around nine courses and is completely unexpected, leaving the direction up to the chef and the kitchen’s produce of the day. Sitting at the wraparound bar, watching chefs tinker in an open-plan kitchen, just adds to the theatre of it all.

Unlike many omakase experiences in Melbourne, the style at Warabi is as social as it is intimate, offering a more energetic evening than your usual whisper-quiet sushi session.

Address: 408 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

16. Farmer’s Daughters, CBD

Best for: A focused regional dining experience transporting guests from Melbourne to Gippsland.
Cuisine: Modern Australia

When it comes to countries like Thailand and China, Australian restaurants nod to regionality and authenticity. Rarely would you find a modern Australian kitchen with a laser focus on just one region of the country, which is why Farmer’s Daughters is such an interesting pitch.

Experience farm-to-table dining at Farmer’s Daughters.

Peruvian chef Alejandro Saravia Pastuso has conjured a triple-stacked ode to Gippsland, inspired by a produce tour he took that championed the region’s natural beauty and its storied produce.

As such, each level of Farmer’s Daughters has been designed after the bucolic wonder of Gippsland, from the ground floor deli to the restaurant in the middle and the gorgeous triangular rooftop bar. All three extoll the joys of country dining, backed by excellent service and a consistency most restaurateurs can only dream of.

Lunch or dinner at Farmer’s Daughters offers one of the best farm-to-table dining experiences in Melbourne.

Step into the dimly lit Farmer’s Daughters’ classic dining interior.

Address: 95 Exhibition Street, 80 Collins Precinct, Melbourne

17. Maha, CBD

Best for: Epic Middle Eastern feasts for lunch or dinner.
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Shane Delia’s pride and joy is still one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Melbourne. The generous, indulgent feasts of roasted chicken breast or slow-roasted lamb shoulder surrounded by several mezze plates at Maha will never get old.

Book ahead to secure a reservation at Maha.

As one of Melbourne’s favourite restaurants, it’s equally difficult to score a reservation for lunch or dinner. Effort is rewarded by a gregarious, highly sociable atmosphere.

Note that the set Soufra menu is exactly the same for lunch service and it’s slightly more affordable ($95 versus $110) so head along in the afternoon if you’re on a budget.

Indulge in a Middle-Eastern feast.

Address: 21 Bond St, Melbourne

18. Ishizuka, CBD

Best for: Traditional Kaiseki dining in a relaxed basement dining room.
Cuisine: Japanese

You don’t often find authentic Kaiseki cuisine outside of Japan. This historic, degustation-style way of eating is similar to an omakase, but it’s much broader than just sushi and sashimi.

Ishizuka, located in a basement on Bourke Street, celebrates the art of Kaiseki with a set of around 12 delicate courses. There are only 16 diners at a time, so the intimate atmosphere and attentive service help block out distractions to keep the focus on flavour.

It’s expensive. At $315 per person, this set is more of a special treat than a monthly visit. But what you’ll get for that price is immaculate Japanese flavours, following the typical course of a Kaiseki menu. Wine matches are available for an additional $150 per person, and there’s a non-alcoholic option for $80 per person.

Experience traditional Kaiseki dining at Ishizuka.

Address: 139 Bourke St, Melbourne

19. Aru Restaurant, CBD

Best for: A sophisticated Modern Asian feast with unique cocktails and a classy atmosphere.
Cuisine: Modern Asian

Bouncing off the heavy acclaim they built with Sunda, the Windsor Melbourne hospitality group has turned sister restaurant Aru into one of the city’s finest hubs of modern Asian flavours.

Settle into the elegant fine dining space at Aru Restaurant.

Graceful service, a busy open kitchen with chefs crowding around a woodfire hearth, and warm design mean lunch or dinner at Aru is a classy affair. A delicious one too, with elevated dishes like king green prawn rice noodles with pork crackling, coconut and garlic chives, Moreton Bay bug fried rice with spiced crayfish and bottarga, and a brilliant 14-day dry-aged duck with rhubarb, black cabbage and bamboo.

Where Sunda is a more typical fine dining experience, Aru turns more towards generous plating and stomach-filling feasts. Not only that, but the cocktail menu is one of the city’s most unique with modern concoctions you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

Dine on modern Asian cuisine with a twist.

Address: 268 Little Collins St, Melbourne

20. Supernormal, CBD

Best for: Inventive modern Asian sliced with fine Australian produce in a fun setting.
Cuisine: Modern Asian

Andrew McConnell’s iron-clad grip on Melbourne’s dining scene just wouldn’t have been possible if he didn’t venture into modern Asian with the brilliant Supernormal. As one of Melbourne’s favourite restaurants, the slick, colourful dining room always gives off the right vibe for a big night out, and the food is just as energetic.

You’ll spot Japanese flavours spliced with Chinese and Korean when looking through the ever-changing menu. You’ll need at least one of those New England lobster rolls on the table, best taken with pork ribs, Spencer Gulf prawns, those brilliant prawn and chicken dumplings, and maybe that Milawa chicken with green harissa and miso butter. Flavour combinations at Supernormal are clever, satisfying and creative.

Dine on inventive modern Asian cuisine at Supernormal. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 180 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

21. Lee Ho Fook, CBD

Best for: A refined Cantonese feast with some of the best dumplings in town.
Cuisine: Cantonese

After moving from Collingwood to the CBD in 2015, Victor Liong swapped the industrial Melbourne look of his popular Chinese restaurant for something a bit more airy and seductive. The Duckboard Place iteration of Lee Ho Fook is dim, sexy and elegant.

But just because the aesthetic has changed, doesn’t mean the award-winning food has. Liong’s parade of chefs still dishes up some of the best Peking duck you can find in Melbourne. Here, a 10-day dry-aged duck is imported from Macedon and slow-roasted before being dished up with steamed pancakes, quince hoisin sauce and several side dishes.

But just about everything at Lee Ho Fook will hit the mark, from the Glacier 51 toothfish to prawn toast with salted egg yolk butter. The best approach is to dig deep for the $160 per person banquet menu with a Chinese tea pairing for an additional $50.

Address: 11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne

22. Nomad, CBD

Best for: A special occasion dinner before a show at the Regent Theatre.
Cuisine: European, Middle Eastern

Nomad Group is making some power moves in this city. While the dramatic Reine and La Rue has quickly become one of the coolest restaurants in Melbourne, let’s not forget that its Victorian debut was the local iteration of the group’s signature Sydney restaurant, Nomad. This version is just as clever, with a beautiful 100-seat space beneath the Adelphi Hotel.

Sink into the comfortable brown banquettes at Nomad. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Once your eyes gaze over the open kitchen and epic charcuterie display, sink into those angled brown banquettes and dive into Brendan Katich’s sturdy open-flame cooking. Some of Nomad Sydney’s best dishes, like the kingfish ceviche, have been imported but a vast majority of the food here is exclusive to Melbourne. The charcuterie selection is a must, of course, followed by fast favourites like a sugarloaf cabbage and ricotta pie, dry-aged pork cutlet with golden raisins, and BBQ wagyu tongue with vine leaf salsa verde and labneh.

Note that lunch and dinner are available seven days a week. But the best way to experience Nomad Melbourne might be the $85 pre-theatre menu followed by a show at Regent Theatre.

Order something special for dinner at Nomad. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 187 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

23. Tipo 00, CBD

Best for: Rich handmade pasta in the heart of Melbourne CBD.
Cuisine: Italian

Many consider Tipo 00 to be the best Italian restaurant in Melbourne. Some would say Australia. And it’s hard to argue against what this petite CBD dining room has got going for it – beautiful handmade pasta, excellent wine, and efficient service.

Tipo 00 is set in the heart of Melbourne. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You’ll have to contend with the after-work crowd if you want dinner, so the best time to pop into Tipo 00 is in the afternoon. Lunch here is a veritable smorgasbord of Italian flavours, from the Moreton Bay bug spaghetti and wagyu mafaldine, to charred octopus and what we feel is the best tiramisu in Melbourne.

The authentic Italian dishes never disappoint. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

24. Osteria Ilaria, CBD

Best for: An easy reminder of how adaptable and delicious Italian cuisine can be.
Cuisine: Italian

Osteria Ilaria comes from the same team behind Tipo 00. And the endearing focus on high-quality, handmade pasta and modern Italian dishes is just as effective in this modern kitchen.

A simple chef’s menu for $105 per person is usually the way to go if you want to experience the kitchen’s greatest hits. But the a la carte menu is full of exciting twists, pulling on other European countries to show how adaptable Italian cuisine is.

You might start with a potato tart served with smoked eel and either salmon roe or oscietra caviar, then you’ll move on to fresh starters like Abrolhos Island scallops with sage and artichoke before rich, hearty pasta like paccheri with pork and rabbit ragu. Or you could ditch pasta altogether and go for something like the lamb backstrap with mountain pepper polenta.

The menu is so wide-ranging and creative that just one visit won’t quite cut it for this Little Bourke Street favourite.

Address: 367 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

25. Hardware Club, CBD

Best for: Excellent pizza and pasta in a simple space on Hardware Lane.
Cuisine: Italian

Located on the first floor of the heritage-listed Hardware House on Hardware Lane, this 65-seater is serving up some of the best pizza in Melbourne. Co-owner Nicola Dusi commands the most out of that small woodfire oven behind the bar, offering simple, delicious pizza and house-baked bread along with a menu of pasta and mostly coastal dishes.

Expect speedy service and consistently good food at Hardware Club.

The approach at Hardware Club is very much aligned with classic Italian recipes but there are also a few surprises like roasted bone marrow toast with salsa verde and fried capers, burrata with spicy nduja jam and gremolata, and a hearty pork and fennel sausage wheel with silverbeet and shallots.

The simple design and speedy service further Hardware Lane’s convivial charm, pushing Hardware Lane as an any-day-of-the-week option for visitors looking to have a fun, relaxed night out.

The 65-seater restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere.

Address: 43 Hardware Lane Upstairs, Melbourne

Northern suburbs

26. Enter Via Laundry, Carlton North

Best for: Inventive Indian food in an exclusive setting.
Cuisine: Indian

After starting as a 10-person degustation concept run out of chef Helly Raichura’s Box Hill home, Enter Via Laundry spent some time popping up in various locations before landing on a permanent location in Carlton North. Now, this cosy kitchen is placed as one of the best Indian restaurants in Melbourne.

The wildly popular dining room serves 20 guests at a time, maintaining a very homely vibe as Raichura highlights historic Indian dishes from regions not often discussed in the food world. Her sense of creativity is unmatched, often digging up centuries-old recipes and translating them for a comprehensive essay on Indian food.

Due to the intimacy, service is always whisper-quiet and very attentive. The feeling of exclusivity is key, so you won’t even be given the exact address until you book.

Indulge in Indian dishes at the intimate dining in Enter Via Laundry.

Address: Nicholson St, Carlton North

27. The Carlton Wine Room, Carlton

Best for: A comforting bistro vibe where the food is chosen to complement the wine – not the other way around.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

The best wine bar in Melbourne? You’ll be hard-pressed to find a neighbourhood wine bar with as many recommendations as this beauty on the leafy corner of Drummond and Faraday Streets in Carlton.

Sample signature vinos at The Carlton Wine Room. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Carlton Wine Room occupies a gorgeous 19th-century building, working those heritage bones with a sharp sense of style. A marble bar looks over a communal table for the main show, although there are five levels in total including a bluestone cellar that can be booked for private dining.

The wine list of around 100 bottles gives the expert team a nice scope for regulars looking for some new favourites, while the food leans towards modern Australian with ideas borrowed from across Europe.

Not only has it become one of the best places to eat in Carlton, but the classic bistro comfort more than justifies the trek from just about anywhere in Melbourne.

The food at The Carlton Wine Room complements the wine. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 172-174 Faraday St, Carlton

28. Kazuki’s, Carlton

Best for: Elegant Euro-Japanese food on Lygon Street in a very calming dining room.
Cuisine: European, Japanese

Saori and Kazuki Tsuya moved their popular fine diner from Daylesford to Carlton in 2018. And the increased visibility has paid off, positioning Kazuki’s as one of the most popular restaurants on Lygon Street right now.

Step into the calming dining room at Kazuki’s.

Moreton Bay bugs, ocean trout, lamb, snapper. This is a masterclass in fine Australian produce flicked through the wide-ranging filter of a European-meets-Japanese hybrid cuisine. The results are endlessly satisfying, usually delivered with a seven-course set menu and either a “classic wine” or “fancy wine” pairing.

Treat yourself to lavishly-designed dishes at Kazuki’s.

The soft, zen-like interior reflects the minimalism of the food. Each dish demonstrates incredible restraint, favouring simplicity like all the best restaurants in Melbourne do.

Kazuki’s champions minimalist dishes.

Address: 121 Lygon St, Carlton

29. Al Dente Enoteca, Carlton

Best for: Good quality, affordable Italian food in the heart of Carlton.
Cuisine: Italian

What grew from an Italian delivery service during the pandemic is now one of the best restaurants in Carlton. Andrea Vignali and Davide Bonadiman pitch Al Dente Enoteca as a casual wine bar and shop with a stylish restaurant attached.

Valued for its approachable fine dining, the kitchen is classic Italian with beautiful handmade pasta and simple, uncomplicated dishes like Victorian-aged duck breast served with Jerusalem artichoke. Although most would come here for pasta dishes like saffron spaghetti with Moreton Bay bugs and paccheri with tuna toro and nduja.

Local winemakers are showcased extensively with the wine menu while the bartenders whip on subtle twists on negronis and do a surprisingly noteworthy highball.

Address: 161 Nicholson St, Carlton

30. Flint, Fitzroy

Best for: Smoky flavours and rustic cooking using top-shelf Victorian produce.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

There are only a small handful of restaurants in Australia that are run almost entirely on fire, smoke and charcoal. Nicki Morrison’s beautiful Flint is one of them, inspired by a traditional Argentinian steakhouse, swapping ovens for natural heat.

The popular Smith Street restaurant is intimate, stylish and relaxed while the kitchen pumps out incredible steaks and roasted vegetables that’ll challenge the way you think about humble carrots and potatoes.

Fan favourites, like smokey venison tartare with fermented beet, buckwheat and pickle, ensure a sizable list of regular clientele, so be sure to book ahead of dinner service. Flint is one of the most popular restaurants in Melbourne for lovers of superb grilled meats and cooked seafood.

Address: 199 Smith St, Fitzroy

31. Cutler & Co., Fitzroy

Best for: Classic Melbourne fine dining with an unpretentious menu and friendly service.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Andrew McConnell’s handsome fine dining institution is still as sharp as ever. As one of the best restaurants in Fitzroy, this kitchen is classic Melbourne. And if you’ve been paying attention to this list of Melbourne’s best restaurants, you’ll know that this instantly means two things: simplicity and great produce.

Meat, fish and vegetables rule the very uncomplicated menu, best taken either as part of the $180 per person five-course set menu or the high-value Sunday lunch set that’s very light on the wallet at $95.

Either way, what you can expect from Cutler & Co. is classic friendly service, and share-style dishes like the signature hay-baked chicken with herb butter and bread. Timeless, refined and oh-so-satisfying.

Address: 55/57 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

32. Bar Liberty, Fitzroy

Best for: Exciting Eastern European food refined for Melbourne’s high standards.
Cuisine: Polish

Head chef Zackary Furst highlights his Polish heritage via the food at Fitzroy’s irresistible Bar Liberty. Pierogies, which are potato and cheese dumplings, are served with sour cream and caramelised onions alongside various flatbreads and more substantial dishes like pork collar steak.

An approachable wine list helps drive it all home for the popular hipster hangout, displaying a very of-the-moment collection that favours young winemakers and low-intervention wines but still has more than enough room for the recognisable classics.

The food and wine at Bar Liberty are consistently good. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Service is as casual and laid-back as the decor, fitting seamlessly into Fitzroy’s reputation as one of the most welcoming and diverse suburbs in Melbourne.

Address: 234 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

33. Alta Trattoria, Fitzroy

Best for: A hyper-focused Italian dining experience nodding to the Piedmont region.
Cuisine: Italian

Modelled after the intimate, wine-centric trattorias you’d find scattered around Piedmont, Alta Trattoria is easily one of Fitzroy’s best Italian restaurants. And one of its most attractive, favouring a bucolic look with forest green hues and interior olive trees.

A passion project for Carlo Grossi (of Grossi Florentino) and sommelier James Tait, the venue only opened in 2023 and already has a large and loyal following.

Alta Trattoria is always a full house.

The straightforward menu tracks regional classics like tajarin with rabbit ragu, spaghetti alla chitarra, and whole roasted lamb rump served with lentils and pancetta.

Given wine is such a strong focus, it’s pretty much mandatory to have some Barolo sitting on the table. Tait also showcases some of his favourite French and Australian growers, but for the most part, the wine list is glued to the Piedmont region.

Dine at this wine-centric trattoria for a meal to remember.

Address: 274 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

34. Etta, Brunswick East

Best for: Interesting Asian flavours and a massive wine list.
Cuisine: Modern Asian, Middle Eastern

This smart, handsome wine bar is as low-key as they come, preferring the humble neighbourhood approach over anything flashy. But Etta is still a big deal, presenting an intelligent range of Asian and Middle Eastern flavours helmed by head chef Rosheen Kaul.

Catch up with your mates over a bottle of wine or two at Etta. (Image: Annika Kafcaloudis)

Kaul, who penned a James Beard-winning book on the Chinese-Australian culinary identity a few years ago, gifts Brunswick a homely spot to sip natural wines and browse a seriously flavourful menu. Here she puts up interesting plates like red curry rice salad with grilled octopus, and rainbow trout with grilled pippies, Korean chilli, and flowering garlic.

A 250-bottle wine list holds the other end of the experience, representing some of the world’s finest growing regions with a preference towards textural, distinctive wines. You’ll be leaving with a new favourite or two, especially if you’ve left it up to the knowledgeable staff to choose.

Expect a homely spot with a seriously flavourful menu.

Address: 60 Lygon St, Brunswick East

35. Ides, Collingwood

Best for: A subversive dining experience where set menus change frequently.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ex-Attica sous chef Peter Gunn found a permanent venue for his high-concept IDES back in 2016, setting up in Collingwood with just 36 seats and an arrestingly casual space. He learned well from Ben Shewry’s masterful kitchen, building beautiful set menus with only the best local produce and wiping the slate clean frequently.

A frequent change in approach is anchored by Gunn’s heady creativity, testing boundaries with four to six-course menus and always keeping things interesting. Locals have become so enamoured with the chef’s spontaneity that IDES is often one of the first answers you’d get when asking after the best fine dining restaurants in Melbourne.

Address: 92 Smith St, Collingwood

36. Smith St Bistrot, Collingwood

Best for: Whimsical design and classic French food.
Cuisine: French

Scott Pickett’s sense of style has become more sophisticated as the years pass. Smith St Bistrot has to be one of the most attractive dining rooms in Melbourne right now, with its romantic old-world Parisian interior, cobbled with antique mirrors, plush burgundy banquettes and lavish chandeliers.

Much like Hubert in Sydney, stepping into Smith St Bistrot is like entering a time capsule set for the glitzy 1920s. Such a swanky setting is filled with dirty Martinis, caviar service and Daniel Southern’s fun twists on timeless French classics.

Braised snails in puff pastry are an easy fan favourite, but the real showstoppers are the signature mains. Think dry-aged wagyu with mushroom duxelles and green peppercorn sauce and an excellent Humpty Doo barramundi served with sauce bouillabaisse and confit fennel. It’s all-class for what is now one of Pickett’s best restaurants.

Address: 300 Smith St, Collingwood

37. Smith and Daughters, Collingwood

Best for: Creative vegetarian food with top-shelf Victorian produce.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

If you’re looking for good vegetarian food in Melbourne, the top suggestion is likely Smith and Daughters. This dinner-only destination is leading the charge for the meat-free movement in Melbourne, with most items on the menu completely vegan and absolutely delicious.

With its high-energy atmosphere and quick service, chef Shannon Martinez has very little to worry about as her team shop around plates of BBQ sugarloaf with mustard cafe de Paris sauce, shiitake and crimson pearl croquettes, and hashbrowns with smoked mushroom XO.

There are a few menu items that should satisfy those with a love of meat and seafood, but for the most part, consider this Cambridge Street favourite the best of all the many vegetarian restaurants in Melbourne.

For locals wanting vegan-friendly restaurants with gluten-free options in Melbourne, it’s almost become second nature to make a beeline straight for this Cambridge Street favourite.

Address: 107 Cambridge St, Collingwood

38. Estelle, Northcote

Best for: Fun, social dining with top-shelf ingredients and simple flavours.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Melbourne has many notable chefs constantly spiking the city with culinary magic. Yet few are as prolific as Scott Pickett, who has been leading the state’s food conversation for decades via restaurants like Matilda and Saint Crispin.

The simple approach of exacting technique married with the state’s finest produce always works. Pickett understands this incredibly well, which is why this head-turning venue, split between a wine bar, a main dining room, and a courtyard, is always going to impress.

Whether it’s firing up the pit for a Sunday spit in spring or forcing couples to square off over the last bite of hot honeyed BBQ quail, dining at Estelle is consistently fun, social and deeply satisfying. A bold, traditional wine list, with mostly big names from Australia and beyond, certainly helps.

Dining at Estelle is consistently fun, social and deeply satisfying.

Address: 243-245 High St, Northcote

39. 1800 Lasagne, Thornbury

Best for: Several versions of lasagne baked perfectly and paired with Italian wines.
Cuisine: Italian

There will be no prizes for guessing what kind of food 1800 Lasagne serves. It’s all about the comfort food classic here, with several different versions of lasagne available to mix and match with classic spritzes, rosé on tape or super reliable Italian prosecco.

Founder Joey Kellock started 1800 Lasagne as one of Melbourne’s best delivery services. Now, the restaurant in Thornbury has expanded the product and has proven one of the suburb’s most valuable venues.

The 50-seat restaurant is split between a front bar, dining room, a small laneway area, and a breezy courtyard out back. Wherever you sit, you’re guaranteed some of the best lasagne you’ve had in your life, from the hearty bolognese version with minced beef and pork to a spectacular vegetarian lasagne with eggplant. Huge salads are available to balance the piles of fromage.

Quirky and unique themed restaurants in Melbourne miss more than they hit, but Kellock has found a niche well worth the price of admission. It’s not quite a fit for anyone looking for romantic candlelit dinner spots for couples in Melbourne, but the fun atmosphere does make for the perfect date night.

Address: 653 High St, Thornbury

Eastern suburbs

40. Julie, Abbotsford

Best for: A romantic setting and subversive, seasonal menus.
Cuisine: European

This quaint 50-seater, simply named Julie, continues the city’s love affair with small, homely eateries that tourists always, regrettably, seem to brush over.

The rotating menu centres around Julie Blum’s kitchen garden, not only defining the venue’s idyllic, dream-like quality but providing the lion’s share of produce which Blum then whips into home-style classics. European influences are paramount, but Blum’s worldly approach to seasonal cooking always manages some pleasant surprises.

Julie delivers homely classics with a European influence. (Image: Michael Gardenia)

Address: 1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford

41. Tien Dat, Box Hill

Best for: Affordable Vietnamese food with subtle Chinese influences.
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Box Hill is a smorgasbord of high-quality, affordable Asian restaurants that dance around favourites like Thai and Vietnamese. But it’s the latter that’s best represented in the multicultural suburb, particularly at Tien Dat on Carrington Road.

There’s nothing particularly alluring about the space itself. It’s as plain as they come, largely unchanged since the Pham family first opened doors in 1983. The large menu means plenty of choices and several dishes that skirt the interesting blend of Chinese and Vietnamese flavours like spicy salt and pepper squid and duck handrolls.

Yet, it’s the traditional recipes that hit the hardest. Bowls of exceptional pho and delicious rice paper rolls are a must, as are signatures like banh cuon, which is a fermented rice batter filled with seasoned ground pork, mushrooms and shallots.

Address: 3 Carrington Rd, Box Hill

42. Minamishima, Richmond

Best for: High-end sushi with dazzling private dining rooms and a true sense of occasion.
Cuisine: Japanese

Sushi master Koichi Minamishima dominates the hearts and minds of anyone who has a deep love of fine Japanese cuisine. Reservations are exceedingly difficult to come across for this acclaimed 40-seat restaurant, which is the sushi chef’s first solo outing and is generally considered the benchmark for Japanese food in Australia.

The peak offering, a 15-course sushi omakase, takes place at the long bar but bigger groups would want to splash out for one of the private dining rooms with their own sushi bar and sushi chef.

As expected, the experience at Minamishima changes daily and is strictly driven by the availability of certain delicacies and fresh local seafood. Any path you choose is going to lead straight to unadulterated sushi bliss, but make sure you’re taking advantage of the tightly curated selection of sake as well.

All food prepared by Sushi master Koichi Minamishima demands respect. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 4 Lord St, Richmond

43. Untitled, Cremorne

Best for: A relaxed mid-week dinner or impressive Saturday lunch.
Cuisine: European

Opened as a sister venue to nearby cocktail lounge Ugly Duckling, Untitled is a slick 100-seater from co-owners Andrew Ryan, Daniel Vid and David Abela.

Rich walnut, textured oak and a gorgeous art collection help build a mature, classy atmosphere that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Just stepping inside feels like you’ve swapped the grit of Swan Street for the arresting calm of an art gallery. After all, both Ryan and Abela are passionate art collectors.

Pull up a chair at the slick Untitled restaurant. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The unfussy European food is perfect for any day of the week, opting for casual charmers like chilli crab linguine with confit garlic and salmon roe, and pork cotoletta with celeriac remoulade and a caper and sage butter.

Mostly Australian growers feature on the tight wine list although there is a great deal of classic French and Italian producers as well. Don’t be afraid to chat with the team about exploring new varietals; the service here is notably relaxed and welcomes you like an old friend.

The European menu at Untitled is notably good.

Address: 236 Swan St, Cremorne

Southern suburbs

44. Yugen Dining, South Yarra

Best for: Moody design, creative Japanese food and herbal teas.
Cuisine: Japanese

Who knew you could mash a Chinese doughnut with classic prawn toast and make it work?

Creativity is key at Yugen Dining, which has quickly become one of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. And much like Amaru out in Annandale, an ex-Vue de Monde star is leading the charge.

Yugen’s creativity shines through in every dish served.  (Image: Visit Victoria)

That is, Stephen Nairn, a former tea sommelier who has built two stunning venues stacked on top of one another. The first, Yugen Tea Bar, gets by with its award-winning angular design and unique offering, while the underground Yugen Dining frames mostly Japanese-adjacent flavours with stone walls and a mesmerising amber glow.

The best way to play is by reserving a spot at the six-seat omakase bar, where chef Alex Yu’s exacting experiments with Japanese and Australian produce are anchored by pure decadence and immaculate service.

The elegant dining space is a real showstopper. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 605 Chapel St, South Yarra

45. Yan, South Yarra

Best for: A buzzy Asian smokehouse with bold flavours and unique dishes.
Cuisine: Chinese and Japanese

Narada Kudinar is obsessed with smoky flavours, so consider Yan an easy pick if you’re looking to dial in the distinct flavours of smoked king prawns, grilled corn with teriyaki butter, and beef short ribs with sansho pepper.

Embrace the buzzy atmosphere at Yan.

The brief here is wide-reaching but mostly favours the delicacy of Cantonese cuisine, pairing that with East Asian-inspired cocktails in a high-energy atmosphere that’s best for bigger groups.

Kudinar has designed most of the menu to pair well with smoke, although there are just as many star items that aren’t imbued with the distinctive flavour. Although even the signature Hong Kong milk tea layer cake can’t escape the chef’s obsession, making use of both black tea and milk tea powder as well as punchy smoked rum.

Dine on bold Asian flavours at Yan. (Image: Arianna Leggiero)

Address: 22 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

46. France-Soir, South Yarra

Best for: Perfectly cooked steak and schmoozy dinners in the heart of South Yarra.
Cuisine: French

Considered the best steakhouse in Melbourne, France-Soir is the city’s stately gentleman, a scene of important client dinners, general schmoozing and expensive bottles of wine. Cited as the best restaurant in South Yarra, the doors of this dazzling French steakhouse first flung open in 1986.

Celebrity spotting is a common sport for those seated at the bar, but anyone seated at their tables has their eyes on one thing and one thing only, the food. Expect beautiful, classic, understated French food like classic steak frites, snails in garlic butter, and pork sausage with mustard.

It isn’t common knowledge amongst visitors, but you can BYO for lunch between Monday and Thursday. And there’s no corkage charge. Those heading for dinner, however, will need to contend with the extensive wine list – a compendium of French varietals with over 1,000 bottles listed from the approximately 6,000 bottles in France-Soir’s tightly packed cellar.

Address: 11 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

47. Stokehouse, St Kilda

Best for: Perfect views of St Kilda beach and upscale seafood dishes.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Wide-ranging views of Port Phillip Bay pull on one of Melbourne’s best perspectives while diners sit under an award-winning installation made of 2,000 glass tubes glowing in bright pink.

Take in beachfront views at Stokehouse. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Stokehouse, which opened in 1989 and has persevered through tragedy (a kitchen fire destroyed the venue in 2014), still presents as one of the most attractive dining rooms in the state. And it’s best experienced at lunchtime, on clear days when those floor-to-ceiling windows prove their worth and St Kilda springs to life.

Stokehouse overlooks St Kilda Beach. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Reliably fresh seafood is why most walk through the doors, but the kitchen is just as nifty when it comes to land produce. Yet it’s hard to look past signatures like spaghetti with local rock flathead and fish collar nduja.

Stick to sand-level for the more approachable Stokehouse Pasta & Bar, keeping things casual but still matching those lofty standards. You’ll get a sense of why Stokehouse is considered one of the top-rated seafood restaurants near the Melbourne waterfront.

Don’t go past the seafood at Stokehouse. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 30 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda

48. Donovans, St Kilda

Best for: Homely fine dining on St Kilda Beach.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Kevin and Gail Donovan have gifted Melbourne something wholly unique with Donovans. This St Kilda classic is a homely fine diner right next to the golden sands of the historic suburb’s iconic beach. And it’s just as relaxed, brimming with personable service and a home-away-from-home ambience.

Family photos and mismatched furniture sit around this little “house on the beach”, stripping away any air of pretension and welcoming guests to a fine home-cooked meal. Australian and New Zealand produce crawl across the broad menu, which favours simple dishes like spanner crab ravioli and slow-cooked lamb shoulder.

The vibe at Donovans is cosy and homey.

Address: 40 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda

49. Cafe Di Stasio, St Kilda

Best for: Classic fine dining Italian not far from St Kilda Beach.
Cuisine: Italian

Cafe Di Stasio is another one of St Kilda’s best restaurants and a great pick for lunch or dinner. It’s not far from the sands of St Kilda Beach, is consistently regarded as one of the top Italian restaurants in Melbourne, and has been serving locals since 1988 under the steady hand of owner Ronnie Di Stasio.

Cafe Di Stasio delivers classic Italian fine dining.

On entry, it’s hard to tell that this restaurant has been around for decades. The dining room looks decidedly modern with its glowing masks and textured walls, full of well-dressed locals stabbing at the popular seasonal set lunch menu, and suits entertaining clients at night.

It’s all tied together by exceptional, straightforward pasta dishes like spaghetti vongole veraci and hearty mains like cotoletta alla bolognese, paired with a wine list that keeps it the old-world classics as a nod to Cafe Di Stasio’s cashed-up regulars.

Cafe Di Stasio’s interior looks minimalist and modern.

Address: 31 Fitzroy St, St Kilda

50. Amaru, Armadale

Best for: A masterclass in global cuisines married with Australian ingredients.|
Cuisine: Modern Australia

Clinton McIver’s worldly 34-seat fine diner trumpets the sterling reputation he built as the former sous chef at Vue du Monde. His experience has given him the culinary know-how to pull on so many cuisines and somehow execute it all flawlessly.

Amaru is a 34-seat fine diner in Armadale.

There aren’t many restaurants in the country, let alone the world, that can maintain a wide scope while still coming across as composed and balanced. The fact that Amaru can do it so well is a testament to McIver’s instinct.

The kitchen is thoughtful, endlessly creative, and well-versed in many different regions, pushing an ever-changing menu that in the past has included crowd-pleasers like roasted Flinders Island wallaby tail dumplings with saltbush butter.

Taste your way around the creative menu.

Address: 1121 High St, Armadale

51. The Good Room, Highett

Best for: Family-style Greek feasts with a social atmosphere.
Cuisine: Greek

Located on the first floor of The Hellenic House Projects on Highett Road, The Good Room is the latest project from ex-MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris. While The Press Club and Gazi are no more, Calombaris looks to restore Melbourne’s love of family-style Greek cooking with the help of head chef Anthony Thalassinos and an arrestingly casual dining room.

Feast on Greek classics at The Good Room in Highett.

The casual Kitchen downstairs focuses mostly on souvlaki and potato cakes loaded with taramasalata, as well as George’s reliable feta chips, while the upstairs dining room is geared towards epic Greek feasts. Unsurprisingly, the signature slide-off-the-bone lamb shoulder has proven a faultless fan favourite.

Do note that you can only grab lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, while The Good Room only opens from 4pm every other day.

Address: 515 Highett Rd, Highett

52. Attica, Ripponlea

Best for: Creative set menus that tell stories and use only the finest local ingredients.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ben Shewry has created something remarkable and wholly unique at the world-renowned Attica.

Often cited as one of the best restaurants in Australia, Attica is largely responsible for changing the national conversation on what “modern Australia” means, leaning heavily on native ingredients, as well as both local and personal stories to build a homely, dinner-only dining room that’s as sophisticated as it is dynamic.

Attica uses only the finest local ingredients.

Imaginative set menus feel like culinary novels, helped by an equally exploratory wine list and classic, easy-going hospitality. All elements work to posture Attica on the global stage as one of the city’s most captivating and important kitchens.

Savour sophisticated dishes at Attica.

Address: 74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea

53. Entrecote, Prahran

Best for: Elegant French food in one of Melbourne’s most stylish dining rooms.
Cuisine: French

Would you believe that one of the best French restaurants in Melbourne began life as a pop-up? Entrecote was never meant to be a permanent fixture when it opened in South Yarra in 2014, yet popularity was so immediate that the brasserie’s swift exit would likely lead to a riot.

Entrecote is one of the most elegant French restaurants in Melbourne. (Image: Lillie Thompson)

Instead, Entrecote remained the signature restaurant of South Yarra before it moved to a new location on Prahran’s Greville Street in 2021. Now with enough space for 200 diners, a jazzy Parisian design, and a raw seafood bar, this hub of fine French food is firing on all cylinders.

Expect to feel transported to Paris. (Image: Lillie Thompson)

Pick up some lobster frites if it’s a special occasion and make sure to stop the caviar trolley as it darts between the tables. Of course, you could just go straight for the kitchen’s signature steak frites served simply with herb sauce and browse the long wine list or ask for one of the bar’s astutely balanced, French-inspired cocktails.

Nab a spot inside the French-inspired Entrecote restaurant. (Image: Lillie Thompson)

Address: 142 Greville St, Prahran

Western suburbs

54. Navi, Yarraville

Best for: Affordable degustation menus and intelligent, simple cooking.
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Opt for the $95 per person Saturday lunch set menu at Navi if you’re on a budget. This high-quality degustation offers incredible value and perfectly showcases chef Julian Hill’s grasp of farm-to-table dining.

The 33-seat dining room pulses with Hill’s calm, clever cooking and rests largely on the intimate atmosphere and quiet, unobtrusive service. You’ll find that the menu changes frequently, but a strict dedication to technique guarantees you’ll be walking away satisfied.

Most dishes have only one or two other ingredients, with Hill preferring to fully showcase the star ingredient. The chef is somewhat of an auteur, with Navi showcasing his love of ceramics as well – Hill made every plate in the restaurant, matching well with those textured charcoal walls.

Address: 83b Gamon St, Yarraville

55. Matsu, Footscray

Best for: A premium omakase experience exclusive to four diners at a time.
Cuisine: Japanese

There are only four seats at Matsu, all facing chef-owner Hansol Lee as he presents a high-end Japanese dining experience out in Footscray. Yes, one of Melbourne’s most multicultural western suburbs is an odd choice for such a premium offering. However, Lee would have always been operating in the shadow of Minamishima’s supremacy if he had stuck to the CBD.

Prepare for an adventurous multi-course meal at Matsu. (Image: Harvard Wang)

Whether it’s crayfish with nori, or oysters with caviar and ponzu, Matsu’s $210 multi-course omakase menu represents outstanding value and is executed with flawless precision. What’s on offer will change frequently, as per the nature of an omakase menu, but Lee has already done well to establish Matsu as easily one of Melbourne’s best Japanese restaurants.

Try Matsu’s premium omakase experience. (Image: Harvard Wang)

Address: 157A Barkly St, Footscray

Outside Melbourne

56. Chae, Cockatoo

Best for: One of Melbourne’s most exclusive dining experiences, surrounded by the Dandenong Ranges.
Cuisine: Korean

Set in the scenic town of Cockatoo, just about an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD, Chae is one of the most hard-won reservations in the country. This small Korean restaurant, nestled by the Dandenong Ranges, can only seat six lucky diners at a time. But the experience goes far beyond a sense of intimacy and exclusivity.

Chef Jung Eun Chae pours her heart and soul into every dish she makes.

Owners Yoora Yoon and chef Jung Eun Chae have turned a section of their home into this incredibly popular restaurant, hinged on Chae’s healthy obsession with homemade ferments and garden produce.

Treat yourself to a warm and hearty Korean stew.

There are only four sittings a week, totalling just 24 diners per week. It’s more like a dinner party hosted by your very astute and creative friend. One who recognises the need for simplicity to truly express those bold Korean ferments. The menu changes frequently but previous crowd-pleasers have included dishes as plain-on-paper as tofu stewed with grilled fish and steamed rice, and cold noodle soup with soy milk.

Address: 33 Mountain Rd, Cockatoo

The post 56 of the absolute best restaurants in Melbourne in 2024 appeared first on Australian Traveller.

When you think of an iconic distillery in Melbourne the names Four Pillars and Starward usually come up first. Yet, as you’ll see below, there is so much scope for Melbourne’s craft spirits that you could easily thread in a distillery crawl when you want an alternative to the city’s best pubs and cafes.

If there’s anything that distinguishes Melbourne’s best restaurants, it’s the keen understanding that produce consumed as close to the source as possible results in a superior dining experience. The same logic applies to spirits; the closer you are to the source, the better.

This is why sitting down at a Melbourne distillery and working your way through the state’s best craft spirits is always worth your time. You don’t have to venture far to find a top-quality gin distillery in Melbourne, or a great whisky distillery.

Below, you’ll find 16 of the city’s best and also a few regional gems worth travelling for. Whether you’re gathering a few mates for a whisky tasting or taking a date on a gin-making class, these spots will have you praising the state’s boundless creativity.

1. Starward, Port Melbourne

Best for: Award-winning whisky and an insightful distillery tour

As the most awarded whisky distillery in Melbourne and a pioneer in Australia’s booming whisky scene, Starward is most likely the first stop for any fans of the brown stuff.

Experience Melbourne’s booming whisky scene at Starward. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Since 2007, this stalwart distillery has been producing mostly young, intensely drinkable whiskies with a preference for those sweeter flavours garnered from sherry, red wine and bourbon casks.

Melbourne’s temperamental climate means whiskies tend to absorb oaky flavours much faster than they would in other regions, giving Starward plenty to play around with as the team experiments with local ingredients for expressions like Nova and the highly acclaimed Two Fold.

Dive into a whisky tasting. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Book ahead for a behind-the-scenes tour where all stages of the whisky production process are discussed before you dive into a whisky tasting with two 15ml pours. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to taste two unreleased whiskies straight from the barrel.

Address: 50 Bertie St, Port Melbourne

2. Little Lon Distilling Co., CBD

Best for: A charming heritage bar set and experimental craft gin

Little Lon Distilling Co. lucked out when the team scored this charming heritage-listed brick building just a stone’s throw from the State Library. The cottage houses one of the best gin distilleries in Australia, proudly intimate – there are only 20 seats in the tasting room – and always busy.

Little Lon Distilling Co. is set within a charming heritage building in the CBD. (Image: Little Lon)

Little Lon’s awarded gins are also placards for the area’s sketchy past, each inspired by a notorious individual who once roamed the nearby streets. The lychee-flavoured Little Miss Yoko, for example, is named for a sex worker who lived in the cottage in the early 1900s. As such, Little Lon’s unique gin-making class doubles as a Melbourne history lesson.

Little Lon’s gins are named after notorious locals from Melbourne’s history. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 17 Casselden Pl, Melbourne

3. Bathtub Gin Co., Williamstown

Best for: Unique gins and excellent pizza

While the name references an amateur way of making gin, Bathtub Gin Co. is anything but basic. This popular micro-distillery in Brunswick is home to some of the best small-batch gin in Melbourne, which is saying a lot given the state’s eternal love of all things botanical.

Don’t miss this popular micro-distillery in Brunswick.

A great range of flavours sits behind this experimental bayside distillery, which makes the most of local Victorian produce and caters to a broad scope of tastes. The interesting cherry-infused Best Day Ever gin makes a unique G&T, while the hardy, barrel-aged Mighty Apollo, with a solid 60 per cent ABV, will satisfy anyone who prefers some classic navy strength.

Take a seat at the bar and order some classic pizza or a charcuterie board to go with your gin tasting. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Brunswick for good reason.

Brave a tasting of the navy-strength, barrel-aged Mighty Apollo.

Address: 25 Aitken St, Williamstown

4. Dukes Distillery, South Wharf

Best for: Craft gin with big, unique flavours

Re-shaping a former motorbike workshop in South Wharf, Duke’s Distillery is one of Melbourne’s most adventurous with a comprehensive offering that includes a towering 500-bottle wine wall for anyone not in the mood for spirits.

After years of working with grapes, the small team of winemakers behind this cellar door pivoted towards small batch spirits and liqueurs. The focus on flavour has certainly carried over with unique offerings like oyster shell gin, and pineapple coconut vodka.

The cocktail-tasting flight will take you through the fascinating range; best paired with light antipasto plates.

Step inside the cellar door of Dukes Distillery for a cocktail-tasting flight.

Address: 25 Dukes Walk, South Wharf

5. Cedar Fox Distilling Co., Coburg North

Best for: Its stylish bar with classic gin cocktails done exceptionally well

You’ll find Cedar Fox Distilling Co. near the station in Coburg North, inside a gutted former warehouse with a slick green onyx bar and all the tools needed to produce top-shelf small-batch gin.

Pull up a chair at the bar and settle in for a tasting flight. (Image: Kate Arnott)

The label is a favourite amongst Melbourne’s best bars, pumping out incredibly adaptable gins that work perfectly in martinis. As such, the martini flight is the best way to go here, offering up three mini martinis that change regularly based on what’s popular.

In terms of food, you’re getting standard distillery fare here. Indulge in all the cheese, charcuterie and olives you could ask for. And if you’ve had your fill of gin, there’s always a list of local beers.

Address: 11 Mantell St, Coburg North

6. Reed & Co, Bright

Best for: Produce-forward craft gin with native ingredients

When chef Hamish Nugent moved on from Tani Eat & Drink in 2016, he used his culinary skills to spearhead a new regional distillery out in the Victorian town of Bright and start playing around with the ever-adaptable profile of gin.

Sample the full scope of gins on offer with a gin-tasting flight. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Nugent’s background comes in great use for Reed & Co, mashing up botanicals for unique gins like the flagship Remedy Gin, which has notes of eucalyptus, pine and mountain pepper.

When he isn’t foraging, Nugent is leaning on local farmers to supply ingredients like apples and green tea, all of which are used to create these interesting botanical profiles that keep Reed & Co. front and centre in discussions on the best Melbourne gins.

Given the range is so wildly diverse, a gin-tasting flight is the only way to do Reed & Co Distillery justice so tuck into a sample of some of Nugent’s latest and greatest before walking away with a bottle of your favourite.

The gin at Reed & Co is worth the drive to Bright.

Address: 555 Bourke St, Melbourne

7. Brunswick Aces, Brunswick

Best for: A pioneering zero-alcohol range with rich flavours

Sitting at the head of the zero-alcohol movement, Brunswick Aces is one of Australia’s most modern gin distilleries and a constant source of inspiration for local bartenders. Stroll inside and you’ll see the full range of the distillery’s innovative products, including those from other no-alcohol labels like Non and Heaps Normal.

Brunswick Aces is one of Australia’s first non-alcoholic bars.

Set in a nondescript warehouse neighbouring popular Temple Brewing, this Melbourne distillery makes full use of its unique stills, which co-founders Stephen Lawrence and Cameron Hunt have placed behind a big glass window. Guests can watch the magic happen at any time.

The award-winning Brunswick Aces features a bold blue interior. (Image: Griffin Simm)

The team’s unique process leads to intensely flavourful distillates that mix well in classic cocktails like the coconut and cucumber-accented King Louis which uses the label’s signature Hearts Sapiir and its notes of wattleseed and citrus.

Address: 124 Weston St, Brunswick East

8. Patient Wolf Distilling Co., Southbank

Best for: A two-hour bottomless gin tasting and refined classic cocktails

Having outgrown its original location in Brunswick a few years ago, Patient Wolf Distilling Co. has ramped up production in Southbank and shot forward as one of the most anticipated craft gin labels in Australia.

A converted red-brick warehouse plays host to Patient Wolf Distilling Co.. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Now shaped into a converted red-brick warehouse, the Patient Wolf team have much more capacity to pound out those perennial award-winners like the classic Melbourne Dry Gin and the Rouge Barrel, the latter of which gets its flavour from French oak barrels.

Premium gins are expertly mixed into classic cocktails. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Park yourself at the head-turning brass-topped bar for an excellent cocktail menu covered in classics with a few surprises. If you’re feeling extra leisurely, dial into Patient Wolf’s two-hour bottomless gin package. You’ll get a full 120 minutes of unlimited G&Ts, spritzes (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and a healthy selection of charcuterie and antipasto, as well as a guided gin tasting.

Address: 34-36 Market St, Southbank

9. Saint Felix, Mordialloc

Best for: A bold range of signature brandies and interesting cocktails

Urban Ground, a converted car-wrecking site out in Mordialloc is a great representation of Melbourne’s creative hospitality scene. Not only is this sprawling setting home to a vibrant food truck park, but the grounds also host a health food cafe and Saint Felix, a fruit-obsessed distillery specialising in brandy.

Find Saint Felix at Urban Ground within a converted car-wrecking site out in Mordialloc. (Image: Dean Schmideg)

Distiller Xavier Nalty, who co-founded Urban Ground with Robert de Santis, leads production with the help of an 18th-century Portuguese copper still and a love of bold flavours. The signature and most popular brandy is anchored by the super strong flavours of cacao and cherry, but Nalty also keeps things broad with a range of full-flavoured gins and one very unique yuzu and sencha green tea spirit.

Book a tasting session at Saint Felix. (Image: Dean Schmideg)

The small bar offers tastings and food pairings, so anyone looking for unique spirits should skip the food trucks entirely and head straight to this hidden gem.

Saint Felix offers food pairings with tastings. (Image: Jord Price)

Address: 1 Lamana Rd, Mordialloc

10. Naught Distilling, Eltham

Best for:  A sophisticated gin tasting of award-winning expressions

Founder and head distiller Chris Cameron has brought plenty of well-deserved awards over to Naught Distilling and its exceptional inner-city cocktail bar. And while Melbourne has more than its fair share of gin distilleries refining classics and paving their own way forward, there’s something about Naught that has made it one of the city’s brightest stars.

The still is in full view of the tasting area at Naughty Distilling. (Image: Jana Langhorst)

The distinction comes from an air of sophistication that hits as soon as you enter the Eltham operation, with handsomely dressed staff and table service moving away from the typical bar-in-a-distillery experience and towards something a bit more high-class and intimate.

Take your pick from the drinks list or sample a range with a tasting flight. (Image: Graham Denholm)

Eyeing off that powerful German-made copper still while working your way through Naught’s well-built classics while snacking on some charcuterie and tinned seafood is the ideal way to go. Order up a gin-tasting flight, which if you’re lucky will include the immensely popular Sangiovese Gin made with full-flavoured Yarra Valley grapes.

Address: 2/32 Peel St, Eltham

11. Anther Gin, Geelong

Best for: Classic gin cocktails and fresh Australian flavours

Head out to Geelong and park yourself at the gorgeous, red-bricked warehouse that hosts the modestly-sized Anther Gin. Founded by Dervilla McGowan and Sebastian Reaburn in 2016, the small-batch gin label is serious about fresh botanicals and native Australian plants, taking the classic approach with highly localised flavours.

The juniper-loving signature Anther Gin is loaded with fresh pops of eucalyptus, lemon gum and finger limes – brilliant for a headstrong G&T. But the entire range is worth working your way through so grab a tasting board of three different expressions matched with tonics and botanicals. Better yet, a three-course “meal” of Anther’s signature serves will hit all the right spots for lovers of time-honoured gins.

Address: 33 Mackey St, North Geelong

12. Fossey’s Distillery, Carlton

Best for:  A massive range of spirits and single malts as well as creative small plates

While Fossey’s Distillery knows Melbourne’s love of small-batch gin is too strong to ignore, this regional distillery pays just as much attention to vodka, whisky and rum.

There’s no wrong choice when it comes to choosing a drink here.

There are over 20 house spirits to try at the Lygon Street bar, including the delicious Redgum Rum, which has been matured on 100-year-old Redgum staves and finished in oak barrels for a very strong, unforgettable profile. You’ll also find butterscotch whisky, moonshine, and blood orange vodka.

Yet the gins give this distillery its cult status for locals. Head distiller and owner Steve Timmis plays around with native botanicals like desert lime and pepperberry – and sometimes goes rogue with Christmas pudding – and constantly stretches the idea of what gin could (and should) taste like.

Prepare to be surprised by the flavours infused into your gin at Fossey’s. (Image: Carlton Inc)

Go for the very hands-off gin-making masterclass if you want to put yourself in his shoes, then follow that up with a few hours at the bar sharing spirits over small plates of food that almost always uses the spirits in sauces and marinades.

Address: 209 Lygon St, Carlton

13. Four Pillars Gin, Healesville

Best for: The quintessential gin-making experience in regional Victoria

Four Pillars is now the most renowned gin distillery in Australia, having been coated in multiple awards since Matt Jones, Stuart Gregor and Cameron Mackenzie powered up the stills in 2013.

Four Pillars is firmly cemented as the nation’s most renowned gin distillery. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The carbon-neutral Healesville distillery produces over a million bottles of Four Pillars gin per year. There’s barely a bar in Australia that doesn’t at least have the core range on offer, including signatures like the classic London Dry Gin, the hugely popular Bloody Shiraz Gin and seasonal releases like the Four Seasons Christmas Gin.

Slip into the dimly lit and intimate setting at Four Pillars Gin. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Surrounded by the might of the Yarra Valley, the cellar door is like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory for gin lovers. Hang out in the sprawling gin garden or one of several bars with a gin flight in front of you. Better yet, take a gin masterclass at the cellar door so you can focus on each of the key ingredients, from Tasmanian pepperberry and Lemon myrtle to classic juniper. It might even spawn a new career path for you.

The Four Pillars’s cellar door is like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory for gin lovers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 2A Lilydale Rd, Healesville

14. Loch Brewery & Distillery, Loch

Best for: A great range of beers, gins and single malt whiskies to appeal to all tastes

The organic growth for Loch Brewery & Distillery has remained steady since co-founders Craig Johnsson and Melinda Davies started ageing single malt whiskies back in the early 2000s. While waiting for the whisky to mature, the duo started brewing beer as per old English recipes, favouring those deep, dark stouts and natural ales to balance things out for a growing clientele.

Loch is home to one of Melbourne’s finest breweries and distilleries specialising in botanicals. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Eventually, grape-based gins became the bread and butter for this distillery out in the regional Victorian town of Loch. Much like the beer, there was a preference for classics like London dry gin and a signature, The Weaver, with five hyperlocal botanicals.

Take your pick from a range of tasting paddles. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The diversity paid off. Loch’s whiskies constantly sell out and those gins are stocked on the top shelf of some of the best bars in Melbourne. As such, you’ve got options when you want a tasting paddle at Loch.

Address: 42/44 Victoria Rd, Loch

15. Animus Distillery, Kyneton 

Best for:  An off-the-beaten-track road trip and unique range of gins

You’ll find the highly underrated Animus Distillery’s cellar door on the historic strip of Piper Street in Kyneton, which is just over a one-hour drive from Melbourne CBD. You’re in luck if you find those old-world Chesterfield couches empty; this distillery can get very busy with its vibrant cocktail bar and signature tasting flights featuring vapour-pressed gin.

Animus Distillery produces top-quality gin using a gravity-fed carbon filter system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

What started as a garage project in Fitzroy North is now very much the heart and soul of the Kyneton community. Since 2015, the Animus team has been producing top-quality gin using a gravity-fed carbon filter system and a broad spectrum of ingredients both from Australia and overseas.

Find the charming cellar door in Kyneton. (Image: Visit Victoria)

While there are many gin labels in Victoria, the distinction here comes from those more vegetative and herbaceous notes. A great representation is the signature Arboretum gin with its infusion of strawberry gum leaf, lemon thyme, rosemary, oranges and bush tomato. This expression is often the favourite in the bar’s mini G&T flights.

Explore the unique range of gins on offer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 1/89A Piper St, Kyneton

16. Westside Ale Works, South Melbourne 

Best for: A mixed crowd of beer and spirit lovers, plus a stack of board games

As both a brewery and distillery, Westside Ale Works in South Melbourne is widely known for bold American-style IPAs nodding to a SoCal influence. But there’s also a great range of four-grain whiskies, dark rum and gin.

The broad scope means you’ll find a very mixed crowd in this converted warehouse, posted at the very relaxed, uncomplicated bar. A great mix of table and board games are spread across the space, while 30 taps take care of the beer drinkers and a tight list of cocktails showcases the diverse range of spirits.

Address: 36 Alfred St, South Melbourne

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There’s nothing quite like diving straight into a sea of stallholders at one of the many Melbourne markets that occur throughout the year, whether they’re farmers showcasing the latest growing season or imaginative local designers putting their best foot forward. The atmosphere, the affordable prices, the conversations and the endless source of inspiration – a good Melbourne market always brings the local community together.

Below, you will find 31 of the best markets Melbourne locals can’t seem to get enough of, from seasonal events like the Big Design Market Melbourne to food meccas like the Night Noodle Markets and the plethora of farmers markets that power Melbourne’s best restaurants, cafes and bars.

Weekend markets in Melbourne

Melbourne has many weekend markets that are integral to the city’s diverse shopping scene. From innovative local designers to stallholders offloading their pre-loved treasures, everyone is given a platform to share the love when Saturday and Sunday mornings roll around.

1. The Rose Street Market, Fitzroy

Open: Every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm

Find unique gifts, spanning art, fashion, design, jewellery, homewares and furniture. ( Image: Visit Victoria/ Artwork by Aaron Mackenzie)

The Rose Street Market in Fitzroy is inspired by similar markets in world-class cities like London and New York, focusing mainly on local designers across different categories. As one of the best weekend markets in Fitzroy, this is the place you’ll want to go for rare finds and unique gifts, spanning art, fashion, design, jewellery, homewares and furniture.

This popular Melbourne market also has an eatery and rooftop bar, serving up some affordable eats and drinks for a more accessible alternative to all the surrounding restaurants and bars.

Address: 60 Rose St, Fitzroy

2. Coburg Trash & Treasure Market, Coburg

Open: Every Sunday from 8am to 1pm

Coburg’s weekend market is messy in the best way possible. The controlled chaos is akin to a massive garage sale, with Coburg Trash & Treasure nailing the phrase “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”.

Many locals come here to offload their pre-loved wares, so you’ll find rare vintage treasures like videos, CDs, vinyl, plants, toys, car parts, art, books and more. There’s no such thing as junk.

Address: 155 Newlands Rd, Coburg

3. St Kilda Esplanade Market, St Kilda

Open: Every Sunday from 10am to 4pm

The iconic Luna Park looms over the St Kilda markets.(Image: Visit Victoria)

The St Kilda Esplanade Market is the most recognisable weekend market in Melbourne, having been around since the 1970s. And it’s a true shopper’s paradise, set against the golden sands of St Kilda Beach with over 100 stalls from Melbourne’s best makers.

The market is easily accessible on tram 16 or 96, taking just 15 minutes from the CBD to reach a sea of trinkets, accessories, designer fashion, handcrafted artwork and more.

Although many of St Kilda’s best restaurants are nearby, it’s worth bringing your appetite to the dedicated food zone as well. You’ll find cuisines from all over the world, from souvlaki to Dutch pancakes.

Address: The Esplanade, St Kilda

4. Melbourne Book Market, CBD

Open: Every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm

Melbourne Book Market is located at Queen Victoria Market every Saturday and Sunday, swelling with a curated collection of over 5,000 new and pre-loved titles from every era you can think of.

The amount of knowledge here is insurmountable and quite overwhelming. It pays to discuss with all the stall holders at this market, chatting about classics and new releases to get an idea of what will appeal to you the most.

Some of the city’s most experienced booksellers, illustrators, book creators and authors regularly pop by the market to showcase their favourite titles, new and old, in Queen Victoria Market’s D Shed.

Address: D Shed, Queen St, Melbourne

5. Red Hill Community Market, Red Hill

Open: The first Saturday of every month between September and May from 9am to 2pm

The Red Hill Community Markets boasts over 300 stalls to browse.

This historic Melbourne market has been around since 1975, often considered one of the most fruitful days out for those who want to go shopping in Melbourne. Over 300 stalls feature every Saturday for the Red Hill Community Market, set in the picturesque locale of Mornington Peninsula.

Yes, you’ll have to drive about an hour of town to dive into this maze of pre-loved treasures, but it’s worth it. An easy $5 parking will get you access to a massive, colourful variety of goods, from vintage fashion and boutique local designers to art and homewares. There are several produce stalls and breakfast stalls so bring your appetite.

It’s worth the drive outside of Melbourne to visit these community markets.

Address: 266 Arthurs Seat Rd, Red Hill

6. Camberwell Sunday Market, Camberwell

Open: Every Sunday from 6:30am to 12:30pm

With a distinct love of retro fashion, unique antiques and collectibles, the Camberwell Sunday Market is a great choice for anyone looking for interesting gifts and home decorations across more than 350 stalls.

Set in a Suburban car park, the long-running markets are frequented by a young crowd shopping for vintage clothes and pre-loved vinyl records as well. The broad scope of what’s on sale at the Camberwell Sunday Market makes it one of the most diverse in Melbourne. There have even been stories of people finding rare items and going on to sell them to international art dealers for much more than the sale price.

Address: Corner of Station Street, Camberwell

7. Kensington Markets, Kensington

Open: Every third Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm

Kensington Market is smaller and more focused than some of the other Melbourne markets that have been at it for quite a while. You’ll find around 70 specialty stores at Kensington Town Hall on the third Sunday of every month, highlighting mostly inner-city makers and local craftsmanship.

The range of goods on offer is highly curated and fiercely local, ranging from designer fashion through to homewares, ceramics, kids wear and visual art. There are also homemade treats and coffee to keep you going.

Address: 30-34 Bellair St, Kensington

8. Fitzroy Market, Fitzroy

Open: Every Saturday from 9am to 2pm and every Sunday from 10am to 3pm

The Fitzroy markets feature 75 stalls bustling with second-hand goods

Fitzroy Markets is one of the best markets in Melbourne and perfectly reflects its trendy setting. In almost a decade, the market has grown from a small boutique collection of locals selling their wares to around 75 stalls bustling with second-hand goods.

Given the popularity of the market, it’s likely you’ll find the lion’s share of Saturday’s best market finds in the entire city. There are plenty of handmade items from innovative designers and a nice spread of food stalls as well.

Address: Napier St & Greeves St, Fitzroy

Farmers markets in Melbourne

From Melbourne’s best restaurants and bars to the city’s famously diverse cafe scene, eating and drinking exceptionally well is threaded into the Melburnian lifestyle. The state’s best produce dictates those famously high standards; which you can experience first-hand at any number of Melbourne’s farmers markets as fresh seasonal produce passes directly from the growers and farmers to you.

9. Regional Farmers Market, Abbotsford

Open: Second Saturday of every month from 8am to 2pm

The popular Regional Farmers Market at the historic Abbotsford Convent happens on the second Saturday of every month, focusing on food security and sustainability from some of the state’s best farmers. Also serving as a strong platform for female representation in the food industry, the farmers market seeks to evolve discussions about produce and the journey of Victoria’s storied food scene.

Note that there is a $2 entry fee, and all proceeds go towards the Abbotsford Convent.

Address: 1/3 St Heliers St, Abbotsford

10. Gasworks Farmers Market, Albert Park

Open: The third Saturday of every month from 8am to 1pm

Homemade condiments at Gasworks Farmers Markets in Melbourne. (Image: Eduard Ingles)

On the third Saturday of every month, the historic Gasworks Arts Park welcomes the popular Gasworks Farmers Market. It’s a great way to work through a leisurely Saturday morning, with many Melburnians turning out to browse top-shelf Victorian produce direct from the state’s best farmers and specialty makers.

Find everything from just-laid free-range eggs and fresh fruit to freshly cut flowers that give the vibrant award-winning market pops of colour. The park’s resident artist studios are also open during the day so make sure to check out some of the latest works before or after your grocery shopping.

Treat yourself to fresh flowers. (Image: Eduard Ingles)

Address: 21 Graham St, Albert Park

11. South Melbourne Market, South Melbourne

Open: Wednesday to Sunday from 8am to 4pm

Freshly baked goods from Agathe Patisserie always go down a treat.

Dating back to 1867, the South Melbourne Market is another one of the city’s best farmers markets with an absolute smorgasbord of fine Victorian produce, premium meats, craft spirits and street food. You’ll also find plenty of fresh flowers at this market, as well as a few cafes.

Numerous renowned stalls make a regular appearance, including South Melbourne Dim Sums and Agathe Patisserie.

Spend the morning tasting your way through the markets. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 322 – 326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

12. Oakleigh Market, Oakleigh

Open: Every Wednesday from 7am to 4pm; every Thursday and Friday from 7am to 6pm; every Saturday from 7am to 1:30pm

Given the area’s strong Hellenic influence, the Oakleigh Market is set apart from other Melbourne farmers markets with its strong Mediterranean accents.

For more than 50 years, this bustling hub of fresh produce has been serving the community, right alongside an additional Sunday market at the nearby Rotary Club with 140 stalls selling all kinds of treasures.

Address: 12-18 Chester Street, Oakleigh

13. SloFlo WeFo Farmers Market, West Footscray

Open: The second Saturday of every month from 9am to 1pm

The focus here is on forging a slower, richer and more meaningful relationship with local growers.

Set in Barrett Reserve in West Footscray, the SloFo WeFo Farmers Market is one of the most modern produce markets in Melbourne, presented by Slow Food Melbourne.

Designed to promote a slower, richer and more meaningful relationship with local growers, the market showcases the best Victorian produce with a particular preference for local artisan makers. The idea is to reduce food miles, with a hyperlocal approach that guarantees unrivalled freshness.

Address: Essex Street, West Footscray

14. Coburg Farmers Market, Coburg

Open: Every Saturday from 8am to 1pm

You’ll find the Coburg Farmers Market every Saturday set inside the grounds of Coburg Primary School. Focused and deeply rooted in community, you’ll find just 30 stalls slinging fresh fruit and vegetables alongside coffee, deli meats, take-home meals and flowers.

Visitors often head here just to grab some delights from Milawa Cheese Company, who are regulars at the weekly farmers market.

Address: 92 Bell St, Coburg

15. Veg Out Farmers Market, St Kilda

Open: Every Saturday from 8:30am to 1pm

Head out to St Kilda bright and early on a Saturday to find the Veg Out Farmers Market. Just a short walk up from the beach, right next to the area’s community garden, this collection of local produce showcases some of the state’s finest growers alongside small food businesses that sell simple fare like pies, pastries and coffee

Address: 12 Chaucer St, St Kilda

16. Carlton Farmers Market, Carlton

Open: Every Saturday 8am to 1pm

Grab some freshly baked goods from Ned’s Bake pastries and some liquid gold from Bad Bees Honey at Carlton Farmers Market. This simple collection of stalls may be one of the smallest in Melbourne, but the quality of stalls speaks for itself.

You’ll also find fresh flowers, dog treats, and the occasional visit from ethically bred farm animals to keep the family-friendly atmosphere going.

Note that there’s an optional $2 entry fee that can only be paid by card. All proceeds go towards supporting the Carlton North Primary School, which is where this farmers market takes place each Saturday.

Address: 6054/60 Lee St, Carlton North

17. North Essendon Farmers Market, Essendon

Open: The third Saturday of every month from 8am to 1pm

The North Essendon Farmers Market only pops on up the third Sunday of every month and is a popular spot for mid-afternoon picnics in Lincoln Park. Set yourself up in the leafy areas while picking at rotating stalls offering all types of fresh produce, alongside baked goods, gourmet pies, fresh juices, and some of that famous brownie banana bread from Brownie Kitchen.

Each iteration is slightly different, with a range of family-friendly activities as well including yoga and face-painting.

Address: Lincoln Rd, Essendon

Night markets in Melbourne

While some of Melbourne’s best night markets have since shut up shop, you can still find a handful of delicious food stalls after you clock off during the week. These night markets tend to be packed full of life, smoke and some of the best casual food slingers in the state.

18. Summer Night Market, CBD

Open: Every Wednesday night from 5pm to 10pm (summer only)

Every December through to mid-March, the Summer Night Market takes over Queen Victoria Market each Wednesday, with a huge range of food trucks, festive bars and fashion stalls. There’s also great live music to help pick up the vibe.

Given most of Melbourne’s longer-running night markets have since shut, this seasonal night market usually draws a huge crowd for a Wednesday night so it’s wise to show up early and grab some seats before darting around the many food stalls.

Address: Queen Street, Melbourne

19. Chinatown Market Day, CBD

Open: The third Friday of every month from 4pm to 11pm

If you’re looking for a good market in Melbourne then head on down to Chinatown on the third Friday of every month. The bustling Chinatown Market Day feels like a celebration each month, turning Hefferman Lane into a sizzling, smoky scene of dumplings, rice, noodles, cakes and satay.

Address: Heffermen Lane, Chinatown

Flower markets in Melbourne

Freshly cut flowers straight from the best farms and growers in Victoria. While there are very few dedicated flower markets in Melbourne that are open to the public (most of them are wholesale), you can still find plenty of florists scattered amongst other stalls, selling beautiful fresh flowers and flower arrangements.

20. Prahran Market, Prahran

Open: Every Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday from 7am to 5pm; every Sunday from 6am to 5pm

Prahran Market is a great place to pick up fresh produce and flowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The famous Prahran Market has more than just flowers, but the number of options here positions it as the best place to go when you want top-quality blooms. Scattered amongst the spread of artisan cheese and baked goods, Clara’s Flowers is the stall you want with a great variety of fresh flowers and flower arrangements.

Although there are multiple florists on hand to help you find exactly what you need, including a nursery that you can browse for inspiration.

Address: 163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra

21. Santospirito Flowers, Yarraville

Open: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6am to 12pm; every Tuesday and Thursday from 4am to 12pm; Saturday from 4am to 10:30am

Buy fresh flowers direct at Santospirito.

While not exactly a market with multiple stores, Santospirito Flowers is pitched as the only wholesale flower market within five kilometres of Melbourne CBD. And it’s an absolute haven for those who love everything about freshly cut, perfectly preserved flowers, plants, foliage and sundries.

The growers showcase blooms picked straight from their farms out in Torquay, displayed in a huge warehouse that has plenty of undercover parking and can get quite busy on weekends.

Address: 1 Minnie St, Yarraville

Food markets in Melbourne

As with Melbourne’s best farmers markets, these food markets are dedicated to the sharp, seasonal flavours of the state. Pull up a chair (or grab a picnic blanket) and wrap yourself in these very energetic Melbourne markets.

22. Queen Victoria Market, CBD

Open: Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 6am to 3pm; every Saturday from 6am to 4pm; every Sunday from 9am to 4pm

Find vintage gems for sale inside the Queen Victoria Markets.

The most famous market in Melbourne can fall under most categories in this guide. However, Queen Victoria Market is best known for its incredible range of food, scattered across 600 stalls that specialise in all types of treats, as well as specialty produce, unique gifts and fashion.

Given this market is very much part of the furniture for Melburnians, you’ll spark a heavy debate if you’re asking for suggestions on the best food stalls at Queen Victoria Markets. We recommend smoked sausages at Polish Deli; Basque cheesecake at M&G Caiafa; Japanese katsu sandwiches from Meet Sando; coffee from Little League; and dessert from American Doughnut Kitchen.

Mork Chocolate is a go-to stall for visitors to the Queen Victoria Market. (Image: Kristoffer Paulsen)

Address: Queen St, Melbourne

23. Welcome To Thornbury, Thornbury

Open: Wednesday to Friday from 4pm; Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to late.

Welcome to Thornbury offers a diverse spread of food trucks and regular events, (Image: Visit Victoria)

While not technically a market, we can’t get enough of Welcome to Thornbury’s diverse spread of food trucks and regular events. It’s always a party here, from the huge beer garden to the rotating list of trucks that come from around Melbourne and Geelong.

The best time to head along to this bustling food truck park is in the evening, when the neon comes alive, and the crowds turn out to make every night (except Mondays and Tuesdays) feel like one massive celebration of Melbourne’s food scene.

Address: 520 High St, Northcote

24. Dandenong Market, Dandenong

Open: Every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 7am to 4pm; every Sunday from 9am to 4pm

Welcoming well over five million visitors per year, Dandenong Market is one of the most established in regional Melbourne. Over 150 years of history sits behind this beloved food market, which is so big that it includes an entire fresh fruit and vegetable hall, and one just for meat, fish and deli produce.

On select days, the market welcomes various street food stalls which you can sample on a guided group tour.  And while fresh produce lures most of the crowd, the real reason to head along to Dandenong is that it’s one of the most culturally diverse markets in Australia. Load up on produce from all corners of the globe, from India to Ethiopia, demonstrating exactly why Melbourne’s best restaurants are so innovative and pull from so many different cuisines.

Address: Clow Street and Cleeland Street, Dandenong

25. Preston Market, Preston

Open: Every Wednesday and Thursday from 8am to 3pm; every Friday from 8am to 6pm; every Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 3pm

Buy direct from the farmers at Preston Markets.

Melbourne’s massive Preston Market opens every Wednesday through Sunday, showcasing some of the city’s best food vendors. It’s always worthwhile for food lovers to head on into this busy food market, presenting a diverse, selection of stalls from popular spots like South Melbourne Dim Sum and 888 Street Food.

All your weekly staples are on sale at Preston Markets.

Popular casual restaurants from all over Melbourne show up for this five-day-a-week foodie celebration, threading some of the city’s best suburbs into one big plate of multiculturalism.

Gourmet deli meats and cheese are in abundance at Preston Markets.

Address: 30A The Centreway, Preston

Special occasion markets in Melbourne

Melbourne loves a seasonal market. From big celebrations of local designers to Christmas blowouts, these are the one-off markets that help capture Melbourne’s irrepressible energy.ther ins

26. The Big Design Market, Carlton

Open: Varies by season

It’s worth timing your visit to Melbourne around this market. (Image: Blake Walshe)

Taking over the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton, The Big Design Market is one of the most anticipated seasonal shopping hubs in the state. Every so often, this massive celebration and showcase of the best designers from Australia and New Zealand pops up with 250 stallholders selling all types of treasures.

The annual Big Design Market is an excellent place to find a gift for a loved one or yourself. (Image: Blake Walshe)

Usually set for May and December, the market pops up for around three days and offers a great range of ceramics, homewares, jewellery, clothing, lifestyle products, art prints and more. Plus, the food and drink offering is just as well-curated, with some of Melbourne’s best showing out from Wonderbao and St ALi to Pizzini Wines and La Tortilleria.

The Big Design Market takes over the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton every year. (Image: Blake Walshe)

Address: 9 Nicholson St, Carlton

27. German Christmas Market, Fitzroy North

Open: Various dates in December from 5pm to 9pm

Who says Europe should have all the fun? The German Christmas Market at Deutsche Schule in Fitzroy North brings an extra sweet slice of Bavarian festive joy to Australia’s cultural capital every December.

Christmas carols deck the halls while locals get their Christmas shopping done with unique gifts and foods, including Austrian jewellery, German biscuits and, of course, massive pretzels. Stroll through the stalls with a cup of Glühwein in hand to celebrate the silly season.

Address: 96 Barkly St, Fitzroy North

28. Boho Luxe Market, Various Locations

Open: Various dates throughout the year

Find a curated selection of some of Australia’s best makers and designers. (Image: Marie Luise)

The nomadic Boho Luxe Market pops into Melbourne now and then with a curated selection of some of Australia’s best makers and designers. Catch boutique jewellers, fashion designers, illustrators and just about every creative expression under the sun, worked into a colourful array of stalls.

Affordable prices and interesting wares aren’t the only reason to head along to Boho Luxe Market whenever it pops up (usually February and December – for a Christmas edition). There are often themes whenever the market is on, taking curation even further so you can focus more on what you want, and less on what you don’t.

Address: Various locations throughout the year

29. Queen Victoria Market Christmas, CBD

Open: Dates vary in December

The most iconic markets in Melbourne take on a new form in the lead-up to Christmas. While the date varies each year for the Queen Vic’s Christmas edition, it’s always worth paying attention to what this bustling marketplace has in store for the silly season.

Stock up on seasonal treasures while Santa roams the Queen Vic and live music keeps the vibes high. Regular stores are always open with a few seasonal pop-ups, so every year is slightly different.

Address: Queen St, Melbourne

30. Finders Keepers Market, Carlton

Open: Dates vary throughout the year

Finders Keepers is an extravaganza of retro fashion and design. (Image: Samee Lapham)

Pick up gourmet condiments and treats at the markets. (Image: Samee Lapham)

The Finders Keepers Market is where Melbourne’s love of hand-crafted fashion and accessories reaches its peak. Guests enter an open-air extravaganza of retro fashion and design at this pop-up three-day shopping event, where more than 250 stalls sell everything from slow fashion to stationery.

Local and interstate makers come to sell their artworks at the Finders Keepers Market. (Image: Samee Lapham)

The biannual design market takes over the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton and usually happens in both mid-July and mid-October with an easy $6 entry price.

Find sweet treats on sale alongside homemade wares. (Image: Samee Lapham)

Get a pick-me-up from the margarita stand while you shop. (Image: Samee Lapham)

Address: 9 Nicholson St, Carlton

31. Night Noodle Market, CBD

Open: Dates vary each November

Set on the north bank of the Yarra River, right by Federation Square, the Night Noodle Market is always a rousing success for Melbourne. Part of the city’s Good Food Month in November, the incredibly popular food market brings in mostly Asian cuisines across dozens of stallholders showcasing new and creative dishes, as well as old classics.

It always gets busy at these night markets, especially when the sun drops, so it pays to rock up early and plan which stalls to tackle first before your favourite dishes sell out. From Gelato Messina to Wonderbao, you’ve got a mighty range of choices ahead of you. Needless to say, your appetite should be ravenous.

Address: Queen St, Melbourne

For more travel tips and insider recommendations, read our Melbourne travel guide.

The post 31 of the best markets in Melbourne to visit every day of the week appeared first on Australian Traveller.

There are numerous picturesque hikes near Melbourne, from the Yarra Bend Loop to Neds Gully Track, all varying in difficulty, terrain and distance. So next time you’re feeling like you need to bathe yourself in nature, leave Melbourne’s storied restaurants, cafes, bars and museums behind and head on out to these 13 glorious hiking trails.

Easy hikes in Melbourne

 If you’re after some easy hikes in Melbourne then take note of the below options, all featuring relatively smooth trails that are wheelchair accessible, have very few obstacles or elevation gains, and are suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.

1. Yarra Bend Loop, Fairfield

Time from Melbourne CBD: 15 minutes 

Starting from the Studley Park Boathouse, the Yarra Bend Loop is an easy 9.5 kilometres and should take you around two hours to complete. This trail is a popular hike for families and couples with the added benefit of being within 15 minutes of the CBD.

The loop spans Yarra Bend Park, Studley Park and Dights Falls with plenty of natural landscapes to admire along the way. The parks also have numerous other signposted trails that are much shorter, but given it is an easy drive from the city, most visitors don’t mind hiking the longer loop and making a day of it.

The historic Studley Park boathouse is set on the Yarra River. (Image: Parks Victoria)

Distance: 9.5 kilometres
Getting there: Take the 15-minute drive to Studley Park Boathouse
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking and toilets are available at the boathouse

2. Steavenson Falls, Marysville

Time From Melbourne CBD: 1.5 hours

One of the best Melbourne hikes for beginners is this inspiring jaunt up to one of Victoria’s highest waterfalls. The roaring magic of the impressive 84-metre waterfall is a pot of gold at the end of a very short, easy hike that’s framed by majestic eucalyptus trees.

Steavenson Falls holds the title of Victoria’s highest waterfall. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You’ll find this path just outside of the town of Marysville, which is northeast of Melbourne. The path is very well-maintained, winding up the side of the hill to a top viewing platform for stunning views of the cascading falls.

Distance: 700 metres
Getting there: Take the 1.5-hour drive to Steavenson Falls car park
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Picnic areas, toilets and parking are all available near the car park

3. Organ Pipes National Park, Calder Park

Time from Melbourne CBD: 30 minutes

Organ Pipes National Park is another super easy hike near Melbourne CBD, home to unique rock formations including the namesake Organ Pipes; it’s endlessly photogenic.

Organ Pipes National Park gets its namesake from this unique rock formation. (Image: Parks Victoria)

It should only take you just over an hour to complete the three-kilometre loop, taking you through a river valley that screams serenity and sucks you out of Melbourne’s endless hustle.

Tessellated Pavement, a mosaic-like basalt outcrop, is one of the star attractions. (Image: Parks Victoria)

This one is a great way to reset the mind and refocus your energy, given it cradles you in nature and has too many visual distractions for you to even think about the city. Given its proximity to the CBD, this is a popular choice for a family outing should the whole crew want to take advantage of nature close to Melbourne.

Distance: Three kilometres
Getting there: Take the 30-minute drive out to Organ Pipes car park
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking and toilets are available near the car park

4. 1000 Steps Walk, Ferntree Gully

Time from Melbourne CBD: 40 minutes

Melbourne’s most popular bushwalk, 1000 Steps, takes place in the cinematic Dandenong Ranges National Park. The park, which has numerous other trails including the magical Sherbrooke Falls, is known as one of Australia’s most beautiful sights so this is very much considered a rite of passage for locals.

Venture out on the 1000 Steps Walk in the Dandenong Ranges National Park. (Image: Visit Victoria)

It’s part of the larger Kokoda Track Memorial Walk so you can easily continue down that path if you so wish. However, 1000 Steps is the most accessible and the best part of the trail, offering an easy, life-affirming walk that’s only slightly moderate so would be suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

The Kokoda Track Memorial Walk is dedicated to Australian troops who fought during WWII in Papua New Guinea. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The trail is a popular spot for bird watching, with both bushlands and wetlands bringing in an abundance of rare species. Make sure you learn about the walk’s close association with the Australian Military Force with a series of signs retelling an important part of local history.

The scenic bushwalk is steeped in history. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Distance: Three-kilometre return
Getting there: Take the 40-minute drive to Ferntree Gully Picnic Area
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking, picnic areas, toilets and a cafe are all available near the starting point

5. Red Hill Rail Trail, Red Hill

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Whether you start at Merricks Station Reserve or Red Hill Recreation Reserve, the Red Hill Rail Trail is easily one of the best hikes just outside of Melbourne and should only take you around two hours to complete.

Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, the path follows a former railway line taking you through an incredible part of the Mornington Peninsula hinterland. You’ll stroll through various orchards, a few vineyards and plenty of farmland, featuring many points of interest without stalling you with any steep climbs. It’s perfect for a family outing or a meditative day outside of Melbourne.

Distance: 9.5 kilometres
Getting there: Take the 1 hour and 15 minutes drive to Merricks Station Reserve
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking and toilets are available at the reserve

Moderate hikes in Melbourne

If you’re after some more challenging hikes in Melbourne then take note of the below options, some of which feature steep climbs and treacherous areas that need to be navigated with caution. Some parts of these trails may be wheelchair accessible, but most will have limited accessibility considering there may be obstacles and elevation gains. They are suitable for people of all ages if they have intermediate fitness levels.

6. Hanging Rock Summit Walk, Newham

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1 hour

Numerous trails lead from the Hanging Rock Reserve car park, and they are all various distances. Most are quite easy and appropriate for all ages and fitness levels, with trails defined by the six-million-year-old formations of the Macedon Ranges.

The ease and maintenance of the trails means you’ll find many families taking the stroll as well, making this one of the most popular day trips from Melbourne. Not only does the Hanging Rock Summit Walk offer a unique hiking experience, but it’s also one of the most relaxing: a perfect set-up to practice mindfulness while hiking.

Aim for the top of Hanging Rock’s summit, which is slightly steeper and requires a higher level of fitness. You’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful vistas in the state.

Distance: Varies
Getting there: Take the one-hour drive to Hanging Rock Reserve Park
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking and toilets are available at the reserve

7. Sherbrooke Falls Trail, Ferntree Gully

Time from Melbourne CBD: 40 minutes

If 1000 Steps is too busy, a great alternative would be to venture a bit deeper into the Dandenong Ranges Tourist Track and conquer the slightly more challenging Sherbrooke Falls Trail.

From O’Donohue Picnic Ground, you will take a short hike beneath the towering canopy for about 2.4 kilometres as you venture deeper into the picturesque area. Given that 1000 Steps is much better recognised (it’s Insta-famous after all), you’re more likely to find a bit of that peace and tranquillity on this track.

Distance: Three-kilometre return
Getting there: Take the 40-minute drive to Ferntree Gully Picnic Area
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking, picnic areas, toilets and a cafe

8. Bushrangers Bay and Cape Schanck Trail, Mornington Peninsula

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1.5 hours

As one of the best hiking trails on the Mornington Peninsula, this epic 10-kilometre journey takes you through inspiring, postcard-perfect views of Bushrangers Bay while following the well-marked Cape Schanck Trail.

The walk traces the picturesque coastline of the Mornington Peninsula.  (Image: Visit Victoria)

The coastal walk tracks plenty of bushland while leading to the rugged cliffs of the picturesque southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula. During the trek, you’ll likely spot many kangaroos going about their business. Stop at some of the hidden gem beaches of Bushrangers Bay on your way up to the lighthouse which marks your turnaround point. The walk is part of the much larger Mornington Peninsula National Park.

Cape Schanck Lighthouse offers jaw-dropping views. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Distance: 10-kilometre return
Getting there: Take the 1.5-hour drive down to Cape Schanack and you’ll spot the starting point by the Boneo Road car park
Accessibility: Much of the hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Picnic areas, toilets and parking are all available at the starting point

9. Flinders Blowhole, Mornington Peninsula

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1.5 hours

The Flinders Blowhole is one of the most stunning hikes outside of Melbourne, and it’s suitable for all ages and fitness levels. It’ll only take around an hour to make the loop, passing by incredible rock formations and dramatic cliffs before reaching the namesake Flinders Blowhole. Watching the waves crash through a narrow opening is impressive at any time of day, backed by stunning views of the ocean.

This easy-to-moderate hike is found just outside of the town of Flinders, which holds plenty of cafes, shops and galleries that you can explore before or after your coastal adventure.

Distance: 2.5 kilometres
Getting there: Take the 1.5-hour drive down to Blowhole car park
Accessibility: The hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Parking and toilets are available at the starting point

10. Werribee Gorge Circuit Walk, Bacchus Marsh

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1 hour

Werribee Gorge Circuit Walk, like the more challenging Lerderderg Gorge Circuit, starts from either the Myers or Quarry Picnic Area car parks near Bacchus Marsh. The hike should take you around 4.5 hours to complete and is most popular for its mid-hike swimming hole, so make sure to bring your swimmers.

You’ll mostly be passing through incredible rocky woodlands as you trek to the gorge rim, offering endless photo opportunities or just bringing you out of your head and into nature with unforgettable scenery.

Distance: 10-kilometre return
Getting there: Take the one-hour drive down to either the Myers or Quarry Picnic Area car parks
Accessibility: Only part of the trail is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Picnic areas, toilets and parking are available at either starting point

11. Flinders Peak Walk, You Yangs National Park

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Located in You Yangs Regional Park, the Flinders Peak Walk is a moderately difficult hike just over an hour outside of Melbourne CBD. It’s easily one of the most popular for intermediate and expert hikers, offering a broad view of Melbourne’s skyline as well as Geelong and Port Phillip Bay.

You’ll pass some massive boulders along the way to the peak and should have plenty of company with kangaroos and koalas in the park.

Conquer the moderately difficult Flinders Peak Walk. (Image: Parks Victoria)

The well-signposted trail is surrounded by some of the most beautiful parts of the regional park so this is a popular day trip for nature lovers and picnickers.

Rewarding views await at the summit. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Distance: 3.2-kilometre return
Getting there: Take the 1 hour and 15 minutes drive down to Turntable car park
Accessibility: Much of the hike is wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Picnic areas, toilets and parking are all available at the starting point

Hard hikes in Melbourne

Some of the most challenging hikes in Victoria can be found under two hours outside of Melbourne. Below, we’ve listed two of those arduous paths, which may feature treacherous areas and steep climbs. They are only appropriate for experienced bushwalkers and hikers and may not be suitable for people without a sufficient level of fitness. 

12. Lerderderg Gorge Circuit, Bacchus Marsh

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1 hour

Be warned, this is one of the hardest hiking trails in the state and an incredibly popular path for more experienced hikers. This 13-kilometre loop trail is found near Bacchus Marsh with an elevation gain of around 386 metres, following the Lerderderg River downstream with inspiring views.

The popular trail can be very steep in some areas and isn’t quite as well signposted as some of the other popular hikes in Victoria. Dogs aren’t allowed as such, but you’ll spot plenty of other people enjoying the impressive scenery year-round.

Note that some sections of this challenging hike may be mildly washed out if water levels are high so you could encounter some river crossings along the way.

Distance: 13-kilometre return
Getting there: Take the one-hour drive to either Myers or Quarry Picnic Area car park
Accessibility: This trail is not wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Picnic areas, toilets and parking are all available at either starting point

13. Neds Gully Track, Cathedral Ranges

Time from Melbourne CBD: 1 hour and 40 minutes

You’ll want to be equipped with a sufficient level of fitness and some bushwalking experience before tackling Neds Gully Track. This steady uphill hike is located just under two hours outside of Melbourne and is known as the most exciting of the many trails that zip around the Cathedral Ranges.

You’re heading on up to a peak that’s around 840 metres above sea level. It’s very well-marked and straightforward, but once you reach those drier woodlands the track gets much steeper and more arduous. Safety is paramount so make sure you are well prepared for a hike and take your time – the wildlife is very active in this area, so you’ll spot many kangaroos and koalas. Your reward: some of the best views in Victoria.

Take Neds Gully Track in the Cathedral Ranges. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Distance: 4.5-kilometre return
Getting Here: Drive one hour and 40 minutes to Neds Gully Camping Area
Accessibility: This trail would not be wheelchair accessible
Facilities: Picnic areas, toilets and parking are all available at the starting point

How to prepare for a hike in Melbourne

If you’re wondering how to pack for a hike in Melbourne, then you’ll first need to consider what kind of distance you’re looking at. Packing for a two-kilometre hike and a 10-kilometre hike are slightly different.

First and foremost, you’re going to need comfortable shoes or hiking boots with strong grip. Some of these hikes can be slippery, especially the harder ones. Not having the right footwear is a recipe for disaster.

Check the difficulty grade of a hike before setting out. (Image: Visit Victoria)

For all of the hikes listed above, it’s a good idea to bring sun protection as well as plenty of water. If you’re tackling those harder hikes like Neds Gully Trail, then it’s advisable to bring trekking poles. And while most of them are well-maintained with significant signage, it’s always a good idea to bring a map and a compass for navigation on longer trails. Always pack a first aid kit just in case.

Pack supplies suited to the length of your hike. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You’ll also want to consider the weather. The best time for hiking in Melbourne is generally during the cooler months like March, April and May (autumn) or September, October and November (spring). This means the trails will be less crowded and it won’t be as hot.

Wildflowers bloom in You Yangs Regional Park in spring and early summer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Finally, should you bring your dog? There are many dog-friendly hikes in Melbourne but do pay attention to any specific park and trail regulations. Regional parks are usually okay with dogs as long as they are on a leash, but National parks in Victoria generally do not permit dogs.

Dogs are welcome at Lerderderg State Park. (Image: Parks Victoria)

The post 13 incredible hikes in Melbourne appeared first on Australian Traveller.

You don’t need to drive out to Peninsula Hot Springs or Daylesford and Hepburn Springs for the total relaxation and profound rejuvenation of a luxury day spa. Melbourne has many excellent day spas in and around the CBD, each with their unique twists on classic treatments and products that’ll leave you feeling brand new every time.

From high-end hotel spas to independent spas in suburbs like Collingwood and Cremorne, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to relaxing in a way that best recharges you. Skincare, massages, light therapy, saunas – the day spas below offer various treatments with a holistic approach to health and wellness.

1. Chuan Spa at The Langham, CBD

High above Southbank’s flood of tourists, the Chuan Spa offers a tranquil retreat where pampering meets inner peace. Chinese culture and aesthetics define the Chuan Spa experience, so go with the (Feng Shui) flow and try the Tao of Detox package. Featuring exfoliation, algae wrap, massage and a facial that will leave you with skin plumped and mind and body aligned.

Stay zen after your detox with a dip in the saltwater Jacuzzi and take in the spectacular views across the city skyline.

Where: The Langham, Melbourne, level 9/1 Southgate Ave, Southbank
Prices: View the spa menu

2. Crown Spa at Crown Towers, Southbank

There aren’t too many places that do justice to the word regal, but the Crown Spa is one of them. Plush lounges and velvet curtains set the scene for indulging in a truly lavish experience with the Pure Gold Radiance Facial.

Embrace a truly lavish treatment at Crown Spa.

Products from premium brand La Prairie are combined with specially selected masks and heat treatments to leave you looking refreshed and radiant. It’s no wonder celebrities are frequently spotted here: it’s glitzy, glamorous and you’ll be treated like royalty.

Spend time in the Aqua Retreat after your treatment.

Where: Level 3, Crown Towers, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
Prices: View the spa menu

3. Park Club Health and Day Spa at Park Hyatt, CBD

The Park Club Health and Day Spa is a hidden oasis within the hustle and bustle of the CBD. With décor that would be equally at home in a Roman palace, the Park Club is inner-city luxury at its finest.

Escape the frenetic pace of the city inside the spa at Park Hyatt.

Opt for the Ginger Renewal treatment and you’ll leave smelling as good as you feel, with lavender exfoliation followed by a ginger oil massage it’s sure to make the stresses of daily life fade away. Perfect for sneaking out of the office for a long lunch break – just don’t let the secret out.

Slip away to the spa at Park Hyatt for a treatment to remember.

Where: 1 Parliament Square Off, Parliament Pl, Melbourne
Prices: View the spa menu

4. L.M. Spa at Lancemore, Werribee Park

It’s hard to believe the luxurious L.M. Spa is just a 30-minute drive southwest of the CBD. The spa is housed within a 19th-century mansion, set upon sprawling manicured gardens that leave you feeling as though you’ve been transported to a scene from Downton Abbey rather than outer Melbourne.

The luxurious L.M. Spa is housed within a 19th-century mansion.

Get the gals together for a day trip and spoil yourselves with the Girls’ Day in Package, including champagne, cakes, hand and spa treatments and use of all the spa facilities. The Mansion Spa offers the perfect little getaway, and you won’t even have to leave Melbourne.

Splurge on a Girls’ Day in Package.

Where: Escarpment Rd, Werribee VIC 3030
Prices: View the spa menu

5. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, CBD

The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne only opened in 2023, so the hotel’s signature spa has been getting plenty of attention in the wellness community. If you’re looking for a five-star hotel spa experience in Melbourne, it’s hard to overlook the thoughtful, tailored packages that make up the Ritz-Carlton Spa menu.

Enjoy an indulgent swim at The Ritz-Carlton Spa.

For a great date idea, the $240 couples bath ritual only takes 30 minutes and takes place high above Melbourne’s skyline in an aromatic bath with rose petals and rose otto treatment oil, plus Champagne and chocolates. Standalone massages start from $230, although most are $300 and offer a comprehensive treatment along with high-end products.

Sign up for a five-star hotel spa experience at The Ritz-Carlton.

Where: 650 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Prices: View the spa menu

6. Holism Retreat, Chadstone

This day spa in the fashionable M Gallery Hotel Chadstone takes a more – hence the name – holistic approach to wellness in Melbourne. Based on the principle of interconnectedness, Holism Retreat’s treatments are designed so guests can explore themselves across skincare, yoga, meditation, massage, education and light therapy.

Holism Retreat takes a holistic approach to wellness. (Image: Sophie Miller)

Stick around after your morning yoga class for a clean breakfast, a swim in the hotel’s intimate rooftop pool, and a high-end spa treatment that’ll leave you feeling confident and content.

Indulge in a feel-good light therapy at Holism Retreat. (Image: Sophie Miller)

Where: Inside M Gallery Hotel Chadstone; 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone
Prices: View the spa menu

7. The Feel Good Hood, Hawthorn

The Feel Good Hood is a not-for-profit wellness centre that also offers gym access and personal training. The team behind it are so inextricably linked to the community that the centre’s swimming program, Feel Good Dips, is easily one of the best things to do in Hawthorn for both locals and visitors.

Take an ice bath or infrared sauna at The Feel Good Hood.

If you’re wondering where you can take an ice bath in Melbourne, head straight to this hidden gem. There’s also an infrared sauna for when you want to sweat those chills away.

The wellness centre also offers gym access and personal training.

Where: 14 Church St, Hawthorn
Prices: View the spa menu

8. Willow Urban Retreat, Armadale

A fixture of the local health and beauty circuit, Willow Urban Retreat in Armadale is another Melbourne day spa that takes a more holistic approach to wellness. Except now it’s been reflagged as Endota Melbourne, joining a larger community of days spas in Australia popular for in-house products and star treatments.

With a Whole Foods cafe attached, Endota products and an infrared spa, there are plenty of reasons to stick around after your treatment.

Where: 1205 High St, Armadale
Prices: View the spa menu

9. Sense of Self, Collingwood

Designed as both a bathhouse and a day spa, Sense of Self is Collingwood’s most comprehensive and modern wellness offering. In addition to the usual day spa treatments, this large venue also offers a mix of bathing, sauna and cold plunge experiences, in addition to traditional massages.

Sense of Self is a bathhouse and day spa in one.

The menu is quite broad, so you could pop in for something as quick as the 30-minute Gua Sha facial with a four-step Mukti Organics cleanse, or a 90-minute remedial massage designed to address deeper muscular issues.

Opt for a Gua Sha facial for the ultimate treat.

Where: 30-32 Easey St, Collingwood
Prices: View the spa menu

10. Relinque Urban Retreat, Ivanhoe

Relinque Urban Retreat is a luxury day spa in Ivanhoe, regularly luring guests with premium treatment suites and a modern yoga and Pilates studio. Like most of the other entries on this guide to Melbourne’s best day spas, the offering goes far beyond your traditional spa, with water therapy, facial therapy, body therapy and several wellness packages.

Relax in premium treatment suites at Relinque Urban Retreat.

For their peak offering, go for the $465 Release package, conceived as the ultimate wellness experience with body exfoliation, jet steam shower, Gua Sha stone ritual, a signature full body massage and more. You also have the option of shorter, more affordable treatments like the standard deep tissue massage.

Relinque Urban Retreat caters to every wellness need.

Where: 19 Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe
Prices: View the spa menu

11. Blanc Spa, Prahran

Blanc Spa is part of Hawksburn Village on Malvern Road. This day spa in Prahran is relatively simple but the service, attention to detail and reasonable prices help elevate the experience. The spa menu offers a lot of variety across facials, skin corrections and massage treatments, and there’s also a shop with high-quality skincare and wellness gifts.

Enjoy a relaxing facial at Blanc Spa. (Image: Blanc Spa Photography)

If you want basic, opt for the $170 60-minute Relaxation Massage and add on some premium beauty services for a full reset. This is also a spa that offers couples treatments, as well as a 4.5-hour Mont Blanc ritual that includes an APEX facial, Crystal Body Exfoliation, a signature De-Stress Ritual and a Deluxe Spa Pedicure with a hefty price tag of $1,000 per person.

Pop into Blanc Spa for a relaxation massage. (Image: Blanc Spa Photography)

Where: 572 Malvern Rd, Prahran
Prices: View the spa menu

12. Little Company

With a presence in Byron Bay as well, Little Company is one of Melbourne’s best luxury day spas and a calming oasis of wellness offerings curated with pure pampering in mind. Facials are the signature treatments, like the $189 60-minute LTCO Ritual Facial, but the extensive spa and massage menu has plenty of options.

Settle into the calming oasis at Little Company.

Non-invasive skin treatments like NanoFusion are also on offer, as well as an LED Red Light Room so you can pop in for a quick 20 minutes of rejuvenating light therapy. Skincare is front and centre, offering something a bit different to your usual Melbourne day spa.

Little Company is one of Melbourne’s best luxury day spas.

Where: Montalto Pl, Collingwood
Prices: View the spa menu

13. Natskin Skin & Body Therapy, Ringwood North

Natskin Skin & Body Therapy stocks great products, offers affordable massage treatments and specialises in couples and groups. Grab a Warm Stone Massage for $150 and pick up some Aspect skincare after a $190 advanced hydration facial. The team here obviously know the ins and outs of wellness when it comes to taking care of the skin and body so take advantage of the expert knowledge and leave knowing exactly what your body needs and when.

There’s even an option to buy a $1,345 All Year Indulgence package which includes credit for either 12 one-hour treatments or six two-hour treatments in 12 months, with each consisting of a classic facial, signature massage and stone massage, spa pedicure and manicure, and body salt exfoliation.

Where: 176 Warrandyte Rd, Ringwood North
Prices: View the spa menu

14. Botanica Day Spa at The InterContinental Melbourne, CBD

As the resident spa at the long-standing InterContinental Melbourne, Botanica Day Spa is your classic five-star hub of tranquillity. Being part of one of Melbourne’s most highly regarded hotels comes with that kind of standard, matched with indulgent day spa treatments including facials, therapeutic massages and several different body treatments.

The signature Botanical Escape treatment is the best representation of what’s on offer. Using top-quality products, guests begin with a foot soak before a hot-stone back massage and a custom anti-ageing Elemis facial based on individual skin concerns.

Where: 495 Collins St, Melbourne
Prices: View the spa menu

15. Sunlighten

There aren’t too many day spas in South Melbourne but Sunlighten does just fine. The wellness hub is mostly focused on sauna and Infrared therapy while placing great importance on a supportive environment.

Unlike most of the other top spa experiences in Melbourne, you won’t get a massage or facial at Sunlighten. All that’s on offer is research-based Infrared therapy, as mentioned above, as well as oxygen therapy designed to confer various health benefits such as increased alertness and improved sleep.

Where: 359 Clarendon St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Prices: View the spa menu

16. Norbu Urban Retreat, Cremorne

From cellulite-busting Endermologie and light therapy to massages and facials, Norbu Urban Retreat is Cremorne’s best spa experience and has one of the longest spa menus in Melbourne.

Treat yourself to a relaxing 40-minute massage at Norbu Urban Retreat.

The approach here is to book a treatment and then add on various other wellness experiences such as infra-red therapy for $25 or a foot soak and circulation booster for $40.

Massages are, however, the speciality here and they are very affordable. A standard 40-minute massage with oil would set you back $115.

Where: 30 Swan St, Cremorne
Prices: View the spa menu

17. V Hotel Spa, CBD

Considering it’s one of the highest-rated day spas in Melbourne CBD, you’ll need to book far in advance if you want a treatment at the stylish V Hotel Spa on Little Collins Street.

Comprehensive spa packages nail the affordable luxury trend with high-quality products and fantastic service. You’ll find that many groups tend to gravitate towards this particular spa, which is why the spot specialises in couple’s massages and also offers a three-hour Hen’s Spa Package for $235 per person.

You can also choose standalone massages such as a deep tissue massage, a hot rock massage, or remedial massage therapy, and then relax across the wellness hub’s hydro-steam room and series of spa baths.

Where: 630 Little Collins St, Melbourne
Prices: View the spa menu

For more tips, first-hand advice and inspiration, read our travel guide to Melbourne.

The post 17 most indulgent day spas in Melbourne appeared first on Australian Traveller.

Scouting for the best burgers Melbourne has to offer is an arduous task (as is choosing between the best restaurants). There are so many of these spots dotted all over the city that if you stopped any 10 locals and simply asked, “Hey, who is doing the best burgers in Melbourne,” you’ll get 10 different answers.

And yet, there must be a way to curate it down to a foodie hitlist, which is exactly what we’ve done for you here. Below you’ll find the best burger places in Melbourne; ones that have consistently passed the state’s famously high standards for one of the most recognisable and beloved comfort foods in the world.

Anthony Bourdain once said that in a perfect world, you should be able to eat a burger with one hand. He also mused that there’s a certain “tectonic slide” that occurs when you start to add other products and overcomplicate things, breaking the structural integrity.

Both things are true, which is why a good, classic burger is largely preferred over the modern trend of adding everything from deep-fried mozzarella patties and onion rings to a perfectly good hamburger.

And yet, we find that the two approaches can be just as enjoyable as the other. It depends on your mood (and what kind of calories you want in your day). So we’ve considered all shapes and sizes when it comes to finding the best burger in Melbourne, from simple American burgers to Australian burgers (you know, the ones with beetroot and/or pineapple) and the more modern over-the-top burger mostly engineered for the Instagram crowd.

1. Butchers Diner, CBD

Why we rate it: Classic American diner burger that’s perfect for a late-night feed.

Open until midnight Tuesday through Thursday (and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays), Butchers Diner is the kind of place you go when you want something other than kebabs and pizza after a night out in the CBD.

Con Christopoulos, who also operates the excellent French Saloon, takes the American diner concept and runs with it. Inside red and grey tiles and orange benches help push the gimmick while the menu is anything but ordinary.

Think blood sausage and devilled egg rolls, a hotdog with slow-cooked octopus and house-made lap cheong, and the humble cheeseburger; the showstopper keeps things classic with a 160g beef patty, aged cheddar, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, sauce and mayo for just under $18. The cheapest hamburger is just $12 if you’re on a budget.

Grab a classic burger at Butcher’s Diner after a night out in the CBD. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 10 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

2. Gimlet at Cavendish House, CBD

Why we rate it: Elegant, produce-forward burger in one of Melbourne’s flashiest dining rooms.

While Gimlet is typically a scene of lavish dinners splashed with Southern Rock lobsters and perfectly cooked steaks, the kitchen’s supper menu (served only past 10pm) takes a different turn.

Andrew McConnell’s glitzy old-world bar is hyper-specific about its $28 gourmet cheeseburger. This beauty is served simply with the perfect build of dill pickles, white onions, butter lettuce, house-made sauce, and two slices of American cheese.

Dine in Gimlet, one of Melbourne’s flashiest dining rooms. (Image: Visit Victoria)

All those fresh ingredients are stacked with a thick, juicy patty combining chuck and brisket sourced from O’Connor Beef in Gippsland, sitting pretty in a fluffy, slightly chewy potato bun. It’s one of those classic restaurant burgers Melbourne locals will be loving for years to come.

You simply can’t have a conversation about the best burgers in Melbourne CBD without a mention of Gimlet.

Dive into Gimlet’s deliciously indulgent burger. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 33 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

3. Bar Margaux, CBD

Why we rate it: Juicy double burgers with rich bone marrow sauce served with a stylish ambience.

Bar Margaux feels like after-hours at a busy French bistro in Manhattan no matter the time of day. Those classy dishes like steak tartare and escargot are excellent whether for dinner or lunch, but burger aficionados will want to show up past 10pm for the Golden Hour supper menu.

Arrive after 10pm to order the juicy double burgers from the Golden Hour supper menu. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This short and sweet list offers a burger, frites and a beer for cheap and is the most affordable way to get your hands around the kitchen’s glorious creation. The signature Bar Margaux burger comes with not one but two Wagyu patties, bacon, organic cheese and a mind-bending bordelaise sauce that’s made with bone marrow, shallots, port and pepper.

Slap all that on a milky brioche bun and you’ve got yourself what many consider the single best burger in Melbourne.

Address: Basement/111 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

4. Easey’s, Collingwood

Why we rate it: A multi-floor behemoth with train cars on the rooftop and perfectly formed American-style burgers.

Opened in 2015, Easey’s has since become a tried-and-true Collingwood institution and one of Melbourne’s foremost hubs of comfort food in all forms. Burgers, hotdogs, tater tots, deep-fried potatoes and even dim sum all feature on the extensive menu, which has evolved over the years to borrow ideas from all over the world.

Everything from the Louisiana fried chicken sandwich to the Oklahoma fried onion cheeseburger, which features onions smashed into two beef patties, reiterates a peerless knowledge of the ultimate “dude food”. After all, owner Jimmy Hurlston did write an actual book on burgers.

Hurlston forced Melbourne’s foremost burger kings and queens to step their game up when this ambitious multi-floor venue opened. Head up to the rooftop for the best experience, where you can eat in one of three different graffiti-laden train carriages that have been decommissioned and now call Easey’s home.

Address: 3/48 Easey St, Collingwood VIC 3066

5. Leonard’s House of Love, South Yarra

Why we rate it: A deeply atmospheric log cabin with rich brisket and short rib patties.

Don’t gorge yourself on poutine and popcorn chicken as soon as you walk into this slightly dislocating log cabin. Resist the tempting sides for those artful burgers, put together with a great sense of indulgence without the excess.

The signature cheeseburger comes loaded with rich beef brisket and a short rib patty which is then layered with melted American cheese, a secret burger sauce, pickles and lettuce.

It may not be a traditional American cheeseburger, but Leonard’s kitchen has landed on a style that could very well be the finest comfort meal in the city. There is stiff competition, of course, but no discerning local would disagree with you if you slapped this beast with your “best burger in Melbourne” stamp.

Address: 3 Wilson St, South Yarra VIC 3141

6. The Beast, Brunswick East

Why we rate it: Loud music, a grungy pub and classic sloppy burgers.

This pub-like burger joint on Lygon Street opened in 2012, coming from the same team behind popular bars Ferdydurke and Section 8. The difference with The Beast is that there’s a bigger focus on food while still retaining that throughline of raw, grungy design, relaxed service and loud music.

A regular schedule of live music ensures The Beast is almost always rowdy and full of energy, pitched as somewhat of Melbourne’s answer to Sydney’s legendarily grungy Mary’s. And the burgers are just as good, stacked on a menu that runs through the classics like a messy number with wagyu beef, jack cheddar, house-made chilli paste, pickles, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and jalapeno miso aioli.

The Beast serves up classic sloppy burgers in a vibrant atmosphere.

Address: 80 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057

7. Andrew’s Hamburgers, Albert Park

Why we rate it: Simple hamburgers done well in a classic Melbourne diner.

The original is still one of the best. Flipping meat sandwiches since 1939, Andrew’s Hamburgers is the oldest burger joint in Melbourne, unconcerned with modern trends and sticking to the honest dictum of simple, ugly and delicious.

Founder Andrew Georghiou has left his nephew George in charge of the grill, which handles simple chicken, steak or beef burgers which are all offered with numerous old-school add-ons. Think egg, bacon, tomato, cheese, pineapple and beetroot. You won’t find any deep-fired mozzarella patties or poutine to squash between those buns; just deliciously easy burgers delivered cheap and fast.

Grab some potato cakes on the side and a soft drink out of the fridge. This timeless diner has found the perfect formula and wisely sticks to it despite fierce competition.

Address: 144 Bridport St, Albert Park VIC 3206

8. Juanita Peaches, Brunswick

Why we rate it: Light, crispy fried chicken and rich beef patties stacked onto fresh ingredients.

The now closed Beatbox Kitchen, one of the most popular Melbourne food trucks, rested on a reputation for solid, well-made gourmet burgers that hit the spot at music festivals and various other events. While the nomadic burger joint is no more, its legacy lives on at Juanita Peaches in Brunswick.

Sharing space with the popular All Day Donuts, this bastion of deep-fried deliciousness pumps out some of the best fried chicken in Melbourne, as well as fries, burritos and various sandwiches. But it’s the simple cheeseburger that rightfully attracts all the hype.

This delicious burger stacks American cheese, dill pickles and mustard mayo with a 120-gram, coffee-rubbed and grass-fed beef patty which is given extra flavour from confit shallots. Slapped between a steamed potato bun, it’s an easy reminder that simple and fresh is always best.

The humble cheeseburger is the star of the show at Juanita Peaches. (Image: Chris Middleton)

Address: 12 Edward St, Brunswick VIC 3056

9. 300 Grams, various locations

Why we rate it: A consistent, affordable burger shop with four locations in Melbourne.

The best burgers in Northcote can be found on High Street at this small shopfront. 300 Grams, an easy pick for Melbourne’s best burgers, barely squeezes between the strip’s many boutiques, glowing with a distinctive orange hue with a few seats scattered in front.

There are eight burgers on the menu, tracking all the classics including the signature 300 Gs burger which weighs exactly 300 grams. The kitchen has struck a nice balance of flavours between those two buns, with a beef patty, Westmont pickles, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato and signature house-made burger sauce.

And while the signature is a must-try, the best option here is the fried fish burger, the Scalable, with crumbed fish, tartare, cheese, lettuce and pickles served on a steamed and toasted bun from Port Melbourne’s best French cafe, Noisette.

Note that 300 Grams also has three other locations in Coburg, Richmond and Prahran.

Address:

313 High St, Northcote VIC 3070
91 Gaffney St, Coburg VIC 3058
184 Swan St, Richmond VIC 3121
203 High St, Prahran VIC 3181

10. 8Bit, Footscray

Why we rate it: Fun, video game-themed burgers loaded with flavour.

Themed on video games with options like the Golden Axe, Altered Beast and Zelda (a vegetarian burger with a chickpea, corn and quinoa patty), 8Bit is one of Melbourne’s most popular burger franchises.

Satisfy your burger cravings at 8Bit. (Image: Visit Victoria)

So popular that it was one of the first state-born burger chains to expand to other cities. Popularity has simmered since then, with only the original store in Footscray remaining. But you can still expect high-quality burgers at this pixelated Droop Street classic.

If you’ve worked up an appetite, grab some potato gems and chilli cheese fries on the side then take your pick from eight different burgers and various add-ons. The best? The Altered Beast with beef, bacon, cheese, grilled onion lettuce, special sauce and BBQ sauce.

Order one of those video game-themed burgers with fries on the side. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 8 Droop St, Footscray VIC 3011

11. Huxtaburger, Various Locations

Why we rate it: Pioneering burger chain that’s a cut above the typical fast-food burger.

The first Huxtaburger opened as an extension of former Collingwood institution Huxtable in 2012, sparking a major push-back against mass-market burger chains and spurring an appetite for fast-casual burgers with quality ingredients. Since then, franchises like Royal Stacks and 8Bit have taken off but there’s no denying Huxtaburger’s influence.

Order the lot at Huxtaburger for a truly indulgent feast.

Now with outposts outside of Melbourne, Huxtaburger remains ferociously popular amongst locals. Simple burgers with grass-fed Wagyu patties and silky plant-based sesame seed buns are complemented by essentials like tomato, cheese, pickles, lettuce and bacon. Not much else.

There are also a few vegetarian and plant-based burgers, the best of which takes a spicy bean and quinoa patty and loads it with flavour from jalapenos, sriracha, cheese, mustard, tomato sauce, tomato, lettuce and sweet fire pickles.

Note that there are three Huxtaburger locations in Melbourne in Collingwood, Hawthorn and Footscray.

Head here for fast-casual burgers made with quality ingredients.

Address:

106 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066
681 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122
1/32 Leeds St, Footscray VIC 3011

12. Betty’s Burgers, Various Locations

Why we rate it: One of the most consistent burger franchises in Australia.

Betty’s Burgers is another one of those ever-growing burger chains that has squashed the monopoly once retained by the unholy trinity of KFC, McDonald’s and Hungry Jacks. Born in Queensland, the concept has now spread to multiple locations across Melbourne and is now known as one of the most consistent burger shacks in Australia.

Betty’s Burgers was born in Noosa but has taken up residence all around Australia, including Melbourne.

You could get away with calling it the Down Under version of Shake Shake, given the burgers are bursting with fresh flavours and keep it simple with all the expected options. The most surprising is the vegan burger, with a crispy puff rice patty layered with tomato, lettuce, pickles, onion and spicy vegan mayo.

Address:

97 – 103 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tenancy 2, 222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
261 Clarendon St, South Melbourne VIC 3205

13. Mabels, Toorak

Why we rate it: Classic cafe cheeseburger with a focus on quality ingredients.

It took 15 years to perfect the fried chicken recipe used at this homely bakery and cafe in Toorak. And while it may be better known for its elegant cakes and highly prized pies, the fried chicken burger is easily one of the best you’ll find in Melbourne.

Don’t be fooled by the cakes, this place whips up some of the most memorable burgers in Melbourne. (Image: Lumea Photo)

Owners Cassandra Hanna and Joshua Green stealthily slide onto this round-up of Melbourne’s best burgers simply because of that fried chicken sandwich.

But the all-day cafe menu also offers a beautiful classic cheeseburger for $15 and a vegetarian cheeseburger for $16 – both are just as good and fit the bill when you’re looking for an under-the-radar burger that rivals the likes of Andrew’s and Danny’s.

Mabel’s fried chicken burger has been 15 years in the making.

Address: 525 Malvern Rd, Toorak VIC 3142

14. Fat Jaks, St Kilda

Why we rate it: St Kilda hotspot with many different styles of burgers.

You’ll find Fat Jaks in Acland Street Plaza in St Kilda, presenting a more on-the-go alternative to the area’s restaurants and cafes. While most American-inspired burger bars echo the streets of Manhattan and Chicago, this kitchen proudly represents the South with Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and a long list of meaty numbers using 100 per cent Australian grass-fed beef.

For anyone who wants something a bit more interesting, the Arabian Nights is a sure-fire palate-pleaser with a beef patty stacked with American cheese, sujuk, egg, diced onion, shredded lettuce, chipotle ketchup, pickles and chipotle mayo.

While Fat Jaks is opened for lunch or dinner, this beloved burger joint is best experienced at lunchtime right after a dip at St Kilda Beach.

Address: 205 Barkly St, St Kilda VIC 3182

15. Royale Brothers, Brighton 

Why we rate it: Sunny spot not far from Brighton Beach with excellent American burgers.

If you’re feeling like something a bit heavier after a swim at Brighton Beach, slide on up to Church Street where you’ll find the pop culture-loving Royale Brothers. Owners Daniel Vaughan, Guy Mainwaring and Tim Purton-Smith added this burger bar to their popular cafe, Pantry, after two decades of serving the community and it’s been packed ever since.

Pulp Fiction fans will want to go straight for the Royale With Cheese, for the gimmick if nothing else, but the menu is packed with quality burgers as well as double and triple-stack options. The range, which includes various beef, chicken, pulled pork, fish and pinto bean burgers, is given consistency by soft, sweet milk buns.

And in true American diner style, the menu also lists various slushies, thick shakes and loaded fries. Those on a diet need not enter.

Address: 1 Church St, Brighton VIC 3186

16. The John Curtin Hotel, Carlton

Why we rate it: Greasy American burgers with a side of live music.

Beloved for its stacked program of live music, The John Curtin Hotel is one of Lygon Street’s most endearing venues. You know the deal – old gig posters half peeled off the walls, a questionably sticky band room, and authentically greasy American-style pub food to go down beautifully on any given day.

Bond over juicy American burgers at The John Curtin Hotel.

Instead of having its own kitchen, the pub welcomes Sonny’s Fried Chicken, which also has a location at The Gem in Collingwood. The menu here is powered by an expensive important pressure-fryer that pumps out perfect buttermilk fried chicken not dissimilar to what you’d get at Juanita Peaches (also on this list of Melbourne’s best burgers).

As such, deliciously cheap fried chicken burgers are the order of the day, best enjoyed right before you sweat it out on the dance floor to Melbourne’s best up-and-coming bands.

The fried chicken burger makes for a great cheap eat.

Address: 29 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053

17. Fat Bob’s Bar & Grill, Moorabbin

Why we rate it: Authentic American-style diner with a big burger menu.

Anyone seeking American burgers in Melbourne would usually stick to the CBD, but it’s worth the trek out to Moorabbin for this highly indulgent kitchen. Fat Bob’s Bar & Grill is a greasy spoon unconcerned with being anything but a classic hamburger spot.

Squashed into an industrial area, the venue is like a brightly-coloured beacon of fatty, fried foods. And those classic foil-wrapped burgers are the best of them, peaking with the Jack-O which comes with a 180g beef patty smashed with tomato, red onion, fontina cheese, mustard, cos lettuce and house-made sauce.

There are 13 handcrafted burgers on the menu, including a brilliant 24-hour pulled pork number with crisp slaw, grilled pineapple and Carolina BBQ sauce.

Address: 80A Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin VIC 3189

18. Lulie Tavern, Abbotsford

Why we rate it: Californian vibes, a fun rooftop bar and large American burgers.

Free pool, loud rock ‘n’ roll and big American-style burgers. Lulie Tavern is a deeply atmospheric bar that’s crowned by the incredibly relaxed Half Moon Fever rooftop bar, postured as one of Abbotsford’s greatest hits.

Sink your teeth into this juicy, saucy treat at Lulie Tavern. (Image: Jake Roden)

If you want to pop by for a quick burger, don’t worry about trying to fight the crowd for a spot on the top floor. Pull up a seat downstairs and order classic diner-style comfort food like buffalo wings and fish tacos before dipping into the main act.

Those burgers are consistently some of the best you’ll find in the area. Just authentic, well-made American burgers like the Whopper which comes with beef, cheddar, pickles, ketchup, house-made sauce, lettuce, tomato and more onions than you could ask for.

The signature chicken burger washed down with a cocktail is the ultimate indulgence.

Address: 225 Johnston St, Abbotsford VIC 3067

19. 1090 Burger, Richmond

Why we rate it: The very specific way of making burgers gives the kitchen more control over flavours with unique options patties and fresh ingredients.

Grass-fed Black Angus from Mt Beauty gives 1090 Burger a competitive edge in Richmond. The light, well-balanced meat helps Son Nguyen smash together these perfect hand-formed patties that are then complemented with just a few fresh ingredients for some of the best burgers in Melbourne.

Nguyen’s very specific process gives his burgers a very sharp flavour, assisted by a nine-ingredient marinade that goes big on the umami profile to balance the freshness. He treats burgers like art and diners benefit from the consistency, best illustrated by the signature 1090burger that can be ordered as a single or double with just lettuce and red onion.

For anyone after a great vegetarian burger, he also does a unique taro-and-potato patty that’s a step up from the usual chickpea and quinoa burger. Wash it all down with a salted caramel shake or some local brews for something a bit different to your usual burger cravings.

It’s the nine-ingredient marinade that gives the burgers at 1090 their competitive edge.

Address: 181A Swan St, Richmond VIC 3121

20. Kustom Burgers, Thornbury

Why we rate it: Fun car theme and classic American burgers in Thornbury.

If you can peel yourself away from the eternal temptation of the Welcome to Thornbury food truck park, walk further up High Street and park yourself at Kustom Burgers.

Now that Truck Stop Deluxe is sadly closed, Kustom Burgers founder Paul Hendrie keeps the mechanic theme alive with an American-style diner designed after his love of cars. Inside you’ll find an entire pick-up truck and the burgers themselves have names like FJ Holden, F150 and Hot Rod.

The latter, the Hot Rod, is the pick of the litter for those who like things hot. Squashed between a bun of your choice is a 100% grass-fed patty, bacon, American cheese, onion, jalapenos and your choice of hot sauce. The hottest: hero chilli sauce with habanero and chipotle with a rating of 120,000 Scoville Heat Units.

Address: 861 High St, Thornbury VIC 3071

21. Hello Harry, various locations

Why we rate it: Rich smashed beef patties stacked with simple, fresh ingredients.

Although the smash burger trend has mysteriously died down in Melbourne, Hello Harry is keeping the tradition alive with its signature smashed beef patties. The franchise, which has locations all over Australia, is highly underrated when it comes to discussions about Melbourne’s best burgers.

Dig into Hello Harrys’ hectic burgers.

That’s mostly due to the simplicity. Again, when it comes to burgers, minimalism always works best so this St Kilda kitchen is a great choice when you want something nice and refreshing like the Big Kahuna with smashed beef, mayo, grilled pineapple, tomato, crispy bacon, cos lettuce and BBQ glaze.

Chow down on a delicious chicken burger.

Note that Hello Harry is also located in Lilydale.

Address:

107 Acland Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
245 Main St, Lilydale VIC 3140

22. College Dropout Burgers, Ivanhoe

Why we rate it: A locally owned business that survived a global controversy and bounced back better than ever.

The most controversial burger shop in Australia award goes to College Dropout Burgers. Musician and fashion designer Kanye West and his team attempted to sue founder Mark Elkhouri for using West’s likelihood and song names for the menu. The case has since been thrown out and College Dropout Burgers is benefitting from the buzz.

Find modern spins on the classics at College Dropout Burgers.

The buzz goes far beyond the news headlines as well. The burgers here are some of the best in Melbourne right now, showing off Elkhouri’s creativity with modern spins on classics like a Big Mac-adjacent beast, the signature Graduation smash burger and the heart-pounding College Dropout with a double beef patty and fried chicken.

Address: 91 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe VIC 3079

23. Danny’s Burgers, Fitzroy

Why we rate it: Classic diner burgers that are best enjoyed closer to midnight.

If it weren’t for Andrew’s Hamburgers in Albert Park, Danny’s would be the oldest burger shop in Melbourne. Since 1945, this Fitzroy North joint has been pumping out classic late-night burgers until 3am. Although recently, Danny’s opening hours have been capped at midnight each day.

You can still get a plain hamburger for less than $10 at this St Georges Road institution, delivered plain with an old-school seeded bun, fresh ingredients and a very rich beef patty. Use the money you’ve saved to add on a few steamed dim sum and tuck into a true Melbourne tradition.

Address: 360 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North VIC 3068

For more of Melbourne’s best eats, read our guide to the city and get stuck into all Melbourne has to offer.

The post The 23 best burgers in Melbourne and where to find them appeared first on Australian Traveller.

Where do I get the best coffee in Melbourne? The most common question any visitor to Australia’s largest city would ask, and one with dozens of different answers. The truth is, there’s no particular spot doing the best coffee Melbourne has to offer; there are many. Good coffee is peppered all across this eternally charming urban sprawl.

Close your eyes and pick a suburb in Melbourne. You’re guaranteed to find at least two or three spots serving excellent coffee for your morning (or afternoon) pick-me-up. There are a few reasons for this, including an uncompromising quest to source the world’s finest coffee beans with a crop-to-cup mentality and complete transparency.

When Melbourne’s coffee roasters started to focus on provenance, the city’s coffee culture took off. To the point where Melbourne is now considered one of the best cities in the world for coffee lovers.

From Ona Coffee in Brunswick to Migrant Coffee in Footscray, we’ve listed our 27 favourite coffee shops in Melbourne, so you’ve got a handy guide no matter where you find yourself in this great city.

1. Seven Seeds Coffee Roasters, Carlton

The name Seven Seeds is inseparable from Melbourne’s cultural identity. What co-founders Mark Dundon and Bridget Amor started in 2007 has gone on to define Melbourne’s new-age coffee scene, putting a larger focus on traceability and provenance and raising the bar more than just a few notches.

Seven Seeds redefined Melbourne’s coffee scene when it opened in 2007.

Unsurprisingly, the Carlton coffee shop is an essential stop on any coffee tour of Melbourne. Precision is painted on the faces of the baristas who stand behind Seven Seeds’ busy coffee bar, extracting plenty of character out of every bean and then cupping roasts daily. That superior taste, smooth quality, and expressive profile of your coffee is the result of pure dedication.

Seven Seeds Coffee Roasters serves seriously good coffee.

Address: 114 Berkeley St, Carlton VIC 3053

2. Patricia Coffee Roasters, CBD

Many locals would swear Patricia is doing the best coffee in Melbourne CBD. and while that’s never going to be a clear-cut argument amongst Melburnians, it’s hard to deny what Seven Seeds alumni Bowen Holden and Pip Heath have done with Patricia Coffee Roasters.

Join the queue for a caffeine fix at Patricia’s.

The standing-room-only coffee bar is stylish and exacting, signposted by the snaking queue of corporate types punching down the laneway off Little Bourke Street. Contrasted with the dark grey building that hosts Patricia, the space is bright, buzzy and slick with a beautiful marble bar known for some of the smoothest coffee around.

Guest coffees and polished pastries from some of Melbourne’s best bakeries are listed alongside the to-the-point menu that offers black, white or filter coffee. Since 2016, the team has been roasting its own seasonal espresso blends off-site, but you can also pick from other great roasters.

Make your choice and get a move on; excellence breeds impatience in a city as accomplished in coffee culture as Melbourne.

Patricia Coffee Roasters makes seasonal espresso blends off-site.

Address: 493-495 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

3. Industry Beans, Fitzroy

Known for their fine, structured blends, Industry Beans is another name that cannot be left out of the conversation when talking about Melbourne coffee. With cafes in the CBD, Fitzroy and Chadstone, the team’s top-quality blends and single origin are widely accessible and some of the most popular specialty coffee beans in Melbourne.

Find Industry Beans cafes located in the CBD, Fitzroy and Chadstone. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Backed by a thriving wholesale business and several interstate outposts, it’s impressive just how much consistency co-founders Trevor and Steven Simmons have managed to maintain despite the tremendous growth.

Savour a morning pick-me-up at Industry Beans. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The Fitzroy original is often the first suggestion you’d get when looking for the best espresso in Melbourne. The large cafe, which also offers an excellent all-day food menu, offers just about every style of coffee you could think of given the wide range of beans roasted and cupped each day.

Get creative with your coffee order – there’s just about every style you could want on offer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 345 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000

4. Monk Bodhi Dharma, Balaclava

Monk Bodhi Dharma is a micro coffee roastery and teahouse in Balaclava, dedicated to delicious vegetarian food and excellent coffee.

While Melbourne’s top coffee shops tend to go heavy on the technical side of things, the baristas at this eccentric health-centric cafe are proof that sometimes all you need is a quality product and a simple process.

The cafe’s own Disciple Roasters keeps the bar stocked with several single-origin beans at any one time, often favouring those lighter, fruitier profiles that match well with the healthy food on offer. A daily batch brew is very popular here, but the most typical order would be the bar’s special biodynamic and organic almond milk coffee.

Address: 202 Carlisle St, Balaclava VIC 3183

5. Migrant Coffee, Footscray

You won’t find many coffee shops in Footscray, which is why most locals head straight to Migrant Coffee each morning. Co-owners Melodee Malazarte and Stacey Earsman have put together a very distinctive cafe that serves good coffee alongside Filipino, Thai and Māori food to reflect their respective backgrounds.

Migrant Coffee has the market cornered in Footscray. (Image: Leah Traecey)

The reliable Coffee Supreme supplies the beans, best enjoyed out in the courtyard during the day when an espresso and a bagel are just what the doctor ordered.

Find a fusion of Filipino, Thai and Māori food on the menu. (Image: Maysie Lecciones)

Backed by great, personable service, Migrant Coffee is an integral part of the Footscray community and a fine example of how a good quality coffee shop will always be the focal point of any suburb in Melbourne.

Address: 3/576 Barkly St, West Footscray VIC 3012

6. Proud Mary, Collingwood

Proud Mary, a Collingwood institution, is a legend of Melbourne’s very modern coffee scene. Although it opened in 2009, the queue this cafe attracts still bursts outside the door and around the block in the mornings and early afternoons.

Key to this constant flow of demand is, of course, great specialty coffee served from a huge brew bar and a small army of grinders handling Proud Mary’s various blends and single-origin espressos. But it’s also the variety, with the bar just as adept when it comes to cold drip, AeroPress and V60 coffee.

Owner Nolan Hirte found a way to take back control over flavour by welding together two Synesso machines so that each single-origin blend has its own extractor. This ensures unmatched consistency, best paired with the excellent cafe food at lunchtime. Think potato hash with poached eggs and Adelaide Hills bacon, a house made truffle sausage hotdog, and avocado on toast with kimchi, pear, daikon and tofu cream.

Yes, Proud Mary is not just one of Melbourne’s best coffee shops, but also one of Melbourne’s best cafes in general.

Address: 172 Oxford St, Collingwood VIC 3066

7. Aunty Peg’s, Collingwood

Aunty Peg’s comes from the same team behind Proud Mary. But while Proud Mary is very much a city cafe, Aunty Peg’s is dedicated entirely to the art of coffee, with one-on-one barista sessions, masterclasses, retail and tours of a working roastery all on the cards.

Think of it as an incubator for Melbourne’s coffee culture and a barista training centre; not just one of the best coffee shops in town.

From masterclasses to tours, Aunty Peg’s is for serious coffee connoisseurs.

You’ll find that the busiest time is Saturday morning, where at 10:30am each week Aunty Peg’s offers free cuppings of seasonal blends and staff favourites. Plenty of coffee enthusiasts would pop by here throughout the week to stock up on equipment. The shop has all kinds of coffee goodies, like Clever Dripper, AeroPress, French Press and V60 devices.

Take a seat at the cement bar and order some cold brew on tap or watch as one of three roasting machines produces the perfect shot.

Address: 200 Wellington St, Collingwood VIC 3066

8. Market Lane Coffee, Prahran

Melbourne locals tend to shy away from chains. The formula for most of the popular coffee shops in Melbourne is to have one big roastery and maybe one or two cafes as an extension (and a kind of cellar door). Market Lane is an exception. Founder Fleur Studd and roaster Jason Scheltus have multiple venues across Melbourne, including ones on Queen, Collins and Victoria streets in the city, and a stall in Queen Victoria Market.

Market Lane Coffee is well-versed in the art of coffee roasting and drinking. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The most popular outpost, however, is Market Lane Coffee Prahran Market, benefitting from the buzzy atmosphere with great quality coffee and bags of beans shoppers can take home, showcasing Melbourne’s best roasters with notes on both tasting and provenance.

Address: Prahran Market, Shop 13/163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141

9. ONA Coffee, Brunswick

Originating in Canberra, ONA Coffee has gone on to spread across the East Coast, propping up numerous stores including this beauty in Brunswick. Unlike its other stores, ONA’s Melbourne flagship is large, bright and centred around an interactive coffee bar with over 20 styles to choose from.

ONA’s specialty coffees are meticulously prepared with love.

Everything from batch brews and pour-over coffee to iced coffee, cold brews and single-origin espresso can be ordered from the bar. But it’s often the experimental brews that get the most love from locals (this is Melbourne after all), and the list changes quite regularly so you’re always guaranteed something new and interesting.

The cafe also serves a select menu with standout items such as a pistachio cranberry bircher.

Address: 22 Ovens St, Brunswick VIC 3056

10. St ALi, South Melbourne

Mark Dundon founded St ALi in 2005, spurring a movement towards higher quality product and leading the push for a more refined coffee culture in Melbourne. Three years later, he sold the coffee company to current owner Salvatore Malatesta before going on to sprout Seven Seeds – another of Melbourne’s most recognised coffee empires.

St ALi’s ambience is laid-back and casual. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The white brick facade of this Yarra Place fixture maintains its cult-like status amongst locals with a dynamic kitchen that’s every bit as valuable as those hard-working coffee machines. You’ll typically find locals packing the place out in the early afternoon for a classic Melbourne brunch and what is easily the best coffee in South Melbourne.

The outdoor setting provides the perfect space to catch up over coffee during the warmer months. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Address: 12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne VIC 3205

11. Plug Nickel, Collingwood 

Plug Nickel is another strong reason why Collingwood is often seen as the best Melbourne suburb for coffee lovers. The sparkling cold brew on tap is all you’d need to become a convert, delivered as a full-bodied, velvety coffee that’s been slow-brewed for superior purity.

Don’t miss out on a cup of the sparkling cold brew on tap.

If you’re here for more than just coffee, grab a falafel roti wrap or roast chicken toastie from the lunch menu before ordering your brew. The team here typically use Black Ethiopia Sunglow or White Raspberry Candy blends from ONA Coffee for their espresso, so your palate is in very good hands.

Address: 7 Peel St, Collingwood VIC 3066

12. Brother Baba Budan, CBD

Along with Traveller Coffee, Brother Baba Budan is one of Melbourne’s favourite coffee shops and part of the pioneering coffee company, Seven Seeds. It’s slightly larger than its nearby sister venue, taking its name from a legendary merchant famed for smuggling seven coffee seeds outside of Yemen, hence the name of the overarching business.

Try the coffee of the day at the Brother Baba Budan coffee bar.

The self-described “humble latte slingers,” serve up toasted sandwiches, cakes and pastries, best paired with whatever coffee of the day is being showcased behind the bar. With all types of coffee equipment for retail, including drip coffee bags and cold filter casks, lining the walls, this is the city’s most essential hub for Melbourne’s fussiest coffee drinkers.

Find toasted sandwiches, cakes and pastries on the menu at Brother Baba Budan.

Address: 359 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

13. Traveller Coffee, CBD

Traveller Coffee is one of several cafes that have sprung up from the ever-growing Seven Seeds empire. Here, Seven Seeds coffee powers a diminutive grab-and-go spot off Crossley Street, brewed behind a European-style bar that’s lined with cakes and pastries from modern French bakery, Brioche by Phillip.

The offering here is almost identical to what you’ll find at Brother Baba Budan on Little Bourke Street, which is also on this list of Melbourne’s top-rated coffee shops. That means a coffee-of-the-day championing what’s new and exciting at Seven Seeds’ Carlton cafe and roastery, listed alongside all your typical styles of coffee.

Traveller Coffee is one of the city’s premier coffee shops.

Address: 2/14 Crossley St, Melbourne VIC 3000

14. Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters, Brunswick

Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters opened in 2009 as an extension of A Minor Place from founders Jono Hill and Hootan Heydari. The latter has since departed the business, and A Minor Place has since been sold, but Hill still carries this legacy well with an expansive, industrial space serving top-quality coffee and breakfast until 3pm every day.

The popular Brunswick cafe is best known for its Bathysphere blend, which uses beans from coffee-growing meccas like Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia and Brazil, taking pride of place on the menu along with filter roasts that are best expressed as pour-over coffees.

Like most other coffee shops in Melbourne, Wide Open Road is very precise about technique, which guarantees you’ll be tasting the best version of the many different blends on offer.

Address: 274 Barkly St, Brunswick VIC 3056

15. Stagger Lee’s, Fitzroy

Serving Proud Mary coffee beans, this popular Fitzroy cafe is very specific in the way it goes about its business each day. There are no blends at Stagger Lee’s, so all coffee lovers will find single-origin espresso and filter coffee, both masterfully delivered by a Mahlkonig EK 43 grinder for clean, precise extractions.

Linger over brunch at Stagger Lee’s with a copy of Proud Mary’s coffee.

The Proud Mary crew works closely with Brazilian farms to source superior single-origin beans that have been engineered to work beautifully with milk. Those who prefer black coffee will usually find two rotating options behind the bar, which also has a big enough kitchen to work in a sizable cafe menu where bacon sandwiches and Spanish baked eggs go down well for the mid-afternoon crowd.

Address: 276 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

16. Everyday Coffee, Collingwood

With its larger roastery in Collingwood and a smaller cafe in Melbourne CBD, Everyday Coffee is another strong presence in Melbourne’s advanced specialty coffee scene. Food-wise, don’t expect much but refined classics using top-shelf Victorian produce.

When it comes to coffee, Everyday proudly displays a selection from Melbourne’s most creative roasteries alongside the team’s own roasts which are mainly used for espresso and filter coffee.

The hard-working La Marzocco Linea takes good care of the city crowd that snakes around the block come lunchtime. Everyday’s beans lean towards those bigger, bolder tastes so most locals would go straight for black for purity of expression. Yet milky coffees are just as good here, speaking highly for the range of roasts that the Everyday team processes through Bureaux Collective.

Find a selection of Melbourne’s most creative roasteries at Everyday Coffee.

Address: 36-38 Sackville St, Collingwood VIC 3066

17. Padre Coffee, Brunswick East

With the coffee roaster in Brunswick East and a small outpost in South Melbourne Market, Padre Coffee is another big name for Melbourne’s coffee snobs. And to think it was all started by a software engineer, Marinus Jansen, in 2008.

The corner cafe in Brunswick East is an excellent spot to start your day.

While Jansen’s background isn’t in coffee, the co-founder put together a talented team that sources green coffee beans from around 30 estates to create house blends alongside several single origins. Their light and slightly fruity Daddy’s Girl blend works beautifully for espresso, and it is often cited as one of the most adaptable signature blends coming out of Melbourne.

The Daddy’s Girl blend at Padre’s has garnered plenty of attention.

If grab-and-go is your vibe, stick to the city store. But you’ll want to make your way to the East Brunswick original for the regular schedule of barista, roasting and cupping courses, with Padre doing its part in fostering the inescapable growth of Melbourne’s position as one of the best cities in the world for coffee lovers.

Address: 438 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057

18. Dukes Coffee Roasters, CBD

An icon of Flinders Lane, Dukes Coffee Roasters is carved into the heritage Ross House while also operating an appointment-only roastery and training centre out in Richmond. It’s another well-oiled engine holding up Melbourne’s undying love of coffee, offering its own blends and single-origin beans sourced primarily from South America and Africa.

This Flinders Lane icon is a must-visit on your coffee-tasting itinerary in Melbourne. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Most people looking for organic coffee in Melbourne CBD would head straight here, so if you’ve got a machine at home, this Flinders Lane spot should be your first stop.

Expect to queue for this top-notch brew. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The team’s openness to experimental roasting techniques has given Dukes a wide range of flavours so many locals make it a point to check back in every so often to see what’s new. As such, there’ll be a queue on any day of the week, so bring your patience as much as your love of coffee.

Address: 247 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

19. Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird, Gardenvale

Once the world’s sole exporter of coffee, the country of Yemen is integral to the culture. You’ll find that several of Melbourne’s best coffee shops pay homage to Yemeni legends, which is where Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird gets its odd name.

Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird pay homage to Yemeni legends. (Image: Out Run CC)

Shaped after a sheik named Omar who, according to legend, discovered coffee, this cafe does much more than just make great coffee. The educational approach to coffee culture means anyone can drop in for either a brew class or simply to chat with the highly educated baristas for some tips.

Come for coffee or brunch at Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird. (Image: Georgia Gouvalari)

Unsurprisingly, the espresso bar takes an exacting approach to making coffee any way you like it. Omar’s blends are refined and sophisticated, designed to work well in either black or white coffee.

an educational approach to coffee culture here.

Address: 124 Gardenvale Rd, Gardenvale VIC 3185

20. Bench Coffee Co., CBD

Bench Coffee Co. can be found in The Walking Arcade off Little Collins Street in Melbourne CBD. The boutique coffee roaster is one of the busiest in the area, powering the cups of plenty of nearby cafes including the Japanese-styled Saint Dreux and Bench outposts 580 and Slater Street.

Find Bench Coffee Co. in The Walking Arcade off Little Collins Street.

The Little Collins Street flagship brings it all together, stocking Bench’s best beans and offering all the standard coffee orders including iced filter, cold brew and even an espresso tonic.

Delight in Bench Coffee’s dacquoise display.

Given the team’s obvious love of Japan, best expressed through Saint Dreux, it’s pretty much mandatory that first-timers also order the uji matcha and black sesame buttercream biscuit sandwich to go with your coffee order.

For a more focused experience, head to Bench’s roastery and production space at 38 Breese Street in Brunswick.

Address: 321 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000

21. Acoffee, Collingwood

Polished and bright, Acoffee moves away from the requisite grunge of Collingwood and towards something that better aligns with the team’s core values of transparency and simplicity.

Acoffee is a certified Collingwood favourite.

With a very pleasant minimal design, this masterful coffee lab is powered mostly by lighter, more subtle roasts. Black or white? Doesn’t matter. These blends have been designed to work perfectly no matter your coffee order, although the filter coffee is generally the best way to play in this bright spot.

Take a seat in the minimalistic cafe.

Acoffee began life as a wholesale roaster working out of South Melbourne, but the impact it has had on Melbourne’s coffee machine wasn’t apparent until this Collingwood favourite opened with its calming interior. The few pops of colour come from the glass cabinet displaying all kinds of sweet and savoury pastries to pair with your morning coffee.

Address: 30 Sackville St, Collingwood VIC 3066

22. Rumble Coffee Roasters, Kensington

After years spent supplying Melbourne’s best cafes with its roasts, Rumble Coffee Roasters opened its own espresso bar in 2021 on a quiet street in Kensington. The bar, which is the face of Rumble’s larger roasting business, acts like a cellar door for the operation where guests can also keep a close eye on the roasting area.

This sense of theatre helps set Rumble apart from the many coffee shops scattered around Melbourne. There’s a rich stock of blends, single origins and a rotating filter coffee of the week selection, served up alongside sweet and savoury pastries.

Rumble’s very transparent approach to provenance even reveals how much each grower is paid for their crops. Considering this, take some time to ask your barista whatever you want to know about Melbourne’s coffee culture; you’re in the company of experts.

Address: 8 Thompson St, Kensington VIC 3031

23. Blume Coffee, Abbotsford

Blume Coffee owner Angus Gibb operates this humble community roaster out in Abbotsford, pumping out great quality, honest coffee on the daily. Unlike a lot of Melbourne’s top coffee shops, Blume is less about growing an empire and more about providing a cosy, welcoming space where locals can start their morning or break up their day.

Gibb works with ethical suppliers to source green beans for his product, which usually rotates through several single-origin coffees as well as two seasonal blends. But it’s the vibe that keeps regulars coming back, presenting a tiny, converted garage that is now very much one of the coolest places to hang in Abbotsford.

Try the signature roast at Blume’s.

Address: 2 Yarra St, Abbotsford VIC 3067

24. The Premises, Kensington

Owners Alex Anderson and Kate Holloway have worked across Melbourne’s leading coffee roasters, including St ALi, Seven Seeds and Brother Buda Budan. Clearly, the pedigree is strong behind the bar at The Premises with their small team of baristas maximising the best of Seven Seeds coffee beans.

The Premises brews up Seven Seeds coffee.

Holloway has put together a menu of light cafe favourites to play around with the different flavour profiles of each brew. Think of dishes like slow-roasted pulled pork and homemade chutney, going down extra smooth with light-bodied, excellent coffee that would appeal to both enthusiasts and casual sippers.

The menu is curated to complement the different flavour profiles of each brew.

Address: 202 Bellair St, Kensington VIC 3031

25. Chiaki, Collingwood

When the sun falls, Chiaki turns into an izakaya with traditional Japanese food and a long list of sake. By day, however, this Collingwood favourite is a humble cafe coming from co-founders Mo Zhou and Kantaro Okada, along with Alicia Feng who also runs another one of Melbourne’s favourite coffee shops, Calere on Gertrude Street.

Dine on authentic Japanese offerings at Chiaki.

Ochazuke, a full-flavoured Japanese broth dish poured over rice and toppings, is refined with local produce and makes up most of the food offered here. Coffee, however, comes from Five Senses and several guest roasters that Feng has connections to in China and Japan. This offers some vastly different flavour profiles than what you’d find at most of the coffee cafes in Melbourne.

Don’t miss out on their specialty coffee.

Address: 49 Peel St, Collingwood VIC 3066

26. Calere, Fitzroy

Calere is one of the smallest coffee shops in Melbourne, attached to Mo Zhou’s underrated fine diner Gaea on Gertrude Street. Zhou’s partner, Alicia Feng, runs the show with a range of roasts sourced from Ona Coffee.

Calere’s cafe interior is full of sophisticated charm.

Having one of Australia’s best coffee roasters on the shelf certainly helps Calere pump out those consistently excellent coffees, offered as either filter or espresso. Beans from regular guest roasters are also available and Feng keeps a small batch of fresh pastries for the grab-and-go crowd.

Address: shop 1/166 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

27. Wood & Co., Brunswick

Aaron Wood’s small backyard operation began in 2015, providing small batch roasted coffee around Melbourne. Wood & Co. grew into a wholesaler before firming up a physical presence in 2019 with this handsome, uncomplicated cafe.

Wood & Co. serve up cans of cold brew as well as the usual suspects.

You can pop in to grab a quick can of cold brew or hang around for the most delicious, blended espresso in the area. The menu covers all the usual styles of coffee, enhanced by Wood’s acclaimed blends like Twin Peaks and Sunshine.

While most regulars would pop by for a quick takeaway coffee, there are a few scattered seats for anyone who wants to dine in. Those who hang around are usually rewarded with a show, being that the open-plan space is designed so anyone can watch the roasting process.

Opt for an iced coffee when the weather heats up.

Address: 369 Albert St, Brunswick VIC 3056

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