Be Transported to Paris at These Five Spots in Melbourne – Including a Photo Exhibition

If a winter escape to Europe is off the table, don’t fret. We have Paris at home.

While Melbourne’s cultural identity is unmistakably its own, it’s possible to find glimpses of the City of Light if you know where to look. From spirited bistros and vintage French fashion to a photographic window into 1930s Paris, consider this a loose itinerary for living, briefly, as though you’re there.

Step into 1930s Paris at Heide’s Brassaï: Secret Paris

Born in Romania, raised in Hungary and based in Paris for most of his adult life, photographer Brassaï had a knack for capturing the city after dark. His Paris is not the postcard version, but one centred on the avant-garde figures, nightlife and cultural undercurrents that shaped the city throughout the 1930s.

At Heide, Brassaï: Secret Paris explores interwar Paris through the lens of one of the most important chroniclers of Parisian nightlife, offering a rare opportunity inside his cinematic vision of the city. Linger over more than 150 vintage prints before stretching out on the gallery’s grounds and imagining yourself on the banks of the Seine.

Pick up croissants at Amann Patisserie

If there’s any city that treats pastry with the same seriousness as Paris, it’s Melbourne. We’re well supplied with excellent viennoiserie, but for something that leans more directly into that unmistakably French combination of butter and laminated pastry, Amann Patisserie in Carlton North is a reliable stop.

Everything is baked on-site and the offering changes daily, though the classic croissant remains a constant. Depending on when you visit, you might find ham, cheese and bechamel croissants, pain au chocolat, kouign-amann and praline brioche in the line-up.

Go for steak frites at Frenchie

Inspired by Paris after dark, Frenchie combines the charm of a neighbourhood bistro with the energy of a late-night bar. With thick red curtains and most dishes hovering around $14, it’s considerably cheaper than a flight to Europe while tapping into a similar spirit.

The appeal lies in the mix-and-match menu, which spans steak tartare, duck confit, Parisian gnocchi and crème brûlée. It’s unfussy in the way good bistros often are and stays open until midnight every day for those who’d rather not rush home.

Sip French wines at Maison Batard

With black-and-white tiled floors, lush greenery and an open-air layout, Maison Batard’s terrace channels old-school Paris. It’s a great stop any time of day but particularly at golden hour, where it feels a little like a streetside cafe transplanted into the CBD.

Champagne is an obvious choice, but you’ll also find pastis, Rinquinquin and a broad selection of French wines alongside a slate of cognac-based cocktails. To continue the evening, head downstairs to Le Club, the velvet-lined basement venue serving up music, drinks and late-night snacks.

Browse vintage fashion at Opera

Some of the world’s most influential fashion houses have come out of France, and you’ll find traces of many of them at this curated Carlton North vintage boutique. Labels such as Cop Copine, Celine and YSL regularly appear on the racks, all sourced from Europe and often one of a kind. Part of the appeal is the thrill of the hunt. You never quite know what you’ll find, creating the same sense of discovery that comes from exploring unfamiliar streets on holiday.

Broadsheet is a proud media partner of Heide Museum of Modern Art.