The European

The top end of Spring Street seems to represent the last bastion of "Old Melbourne". With the vaulting majesty of the Princess Theatre falling in the shadow of Parliament House, just a few metres from the iconic Hotel Windsor, there’s a timelessness to this part of town which is typified by The European.

Stepping into The European, you almost expect to be greeted with the classic 50s businessmen of John Brack’s Collins Street, 5pm. The mirrored wall, vintage posters, wood panelling and promise of "supper" all point to an institution that’s been feeding and watering Melburnians for an eternity.

The menu pays homage to the venue’s name at all times of the day. Whether it’s breakfast eggs, post-theatre snacks or a full, elegant dinner, the menu is peppered with a taste of Spain, Italy and France, and even a nod to motherland in the form of clotted cream and Beef Wellington.

Between The European, The City Wine Shop next door, and The Melbourne Supper Club and Siglo upstairs, It feels like it's always open, so it’s always a good time to drop in for a taste of decades gone by.