Melbourne is Australia's premier city for
eating out
. Sydney may be more stylish and Adelaide cheaper, but Melbourne has the best food and the widest choice of it, almost all exceptionally good value. In March each year, the city celebrates its pre-eminence with a
Food and Wine Festival
, in which the distinct ethnic areas host culinary street parties. In the
city centre
, Greek cafés line Lonsdale Street between Swanston and Russell streets, while Little Bourke Street is the home of Chinatown. Lygon Street, in inner-city
Carlton
, is just one of many pockets across the city with a concentration of Italian restaurants. Johnston Street in
Fitzroy
is the Spanish strip, while nearby up-and-coming Smith Street and arty Brunswick Street both have a huge variety of international cuisines and smart cafés. Greek restaurants fill Swan Street in inner-city
Richmond
, and Vietnamese places dominate Victoria Street. Fitzroy and
St Kilda
, another gastronomically mixed bag, are the centres of café society; St Kilda also has great restaurants, bakeries and delis, as does Jewish
Balaclava
.
Most of Melbourne's restaurants are BYO, and even the licensed ones generally allow you to bring your own drink - though check first, and note that a corkage fee ($1-2 per person) often applies. If you're going to be around for a while,
The Age Cheap Eats in Melbourne
and its more upmarket companion,
The Age Good Food Guide
, are worthwhile investments, as is
The Age Good Bar Guide
.
City centre
There are still plenty of old-fashioned
coffee lounges
in the city - the type of place where you can get a milky cappuccino and grilled cheese on toast, with a mini-jukebox at your table - but stylish
cafés
with a more thoughtful...
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Chinatown
Yum cha
(elsewhere known as dim sum, a series of small delicacies served from trolleys) is available at lunchtime almost everywhere; on Sunday it's a crowded ritual.
Camy Shanghai Dumpling and Noodle Restaurant
, Tattersalls Lane,...
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Carlton and North Melbourne
As well as an Italian strip of restaurants and cafés on Lygon Street, between Gratton and Elgin streets, Carlton is home to several good Asian restaurants. To the south of Carlton, North Melbourne harbours an excellent Balinese restaurant.
...
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Fitzroy and Collingwood
Adjacent Fitzroy and Collingwood probably have the widest choice of cuisines in the city, and are good places to finish off your night on the town, as there's always lots going on. There's a smallish Spanish centre with a few tapas bars on
Johnston...
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Richmond
Swan Street
, running from Church Street towards Wattle Park, is home to Melbourne's best Greek restaurants. On the north side of Richmond,
Victoria Street
is lined with Vietnamese supermarkets, clothes shops and dozens of cheap,...
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South Yarra, Prahran and Windsor
Caffe e Cucina
, 581 Chapel St, South Yarra (tel 03/9827 4139). Still one of Melbourne's coolest eating spots, attracting a smart clientele and dishing up fantastic pasta. Licensed. Mon-Sat 7am-midnight.
Candy Bar
, 162 Greville St,...
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South Melbourne, Albert Park and Port Melbourne
There's not much of a night-time scene in these suburbs, but cafés and delicatessens dish up a mouthwatering selection of food during the day.
Albert Park Deli
, 129 Dundas Place, Albert Park (tel 03/9699 9594). Superb delicatessen takeaway,...
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St Kilda
Although
Acland Street
is still very popular - especially for late breakfasts and pigging out on cakes -
Fitzroy Street
has taken over as St Kilda's new cool area, especially the block from Grey Street to the waterfront. A new,...
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Elwood and Balaclava
Elwood's
easy-going haunts are similar to St Kilda's, while
Balaclava
, to the east along Carlisle Street, specializes in inexpensive kosher food.
Beach House
, 63A Ormond Esplanade, Elwood (tel 03/9531 7788). Friendly,...
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