melbourne CBD
Restaurants
Cumulus Inc.
Restaurant
Andrew McConnell's all-day eating house combines the star chef's typically excellent food with smart interior design. While it's not his most famous venue these days, the polished service, considered wine list and inventive dishes at Cumulus Inc. are still worthy of celebration after all these years.
Pinchy’s
Restaurant
This playful eatery has a 100-square-metre open-air balcony and a tonne of oceanic snacks. Expect to use your hands.
Juni
Restaurant
Opening soon.
Askal
Restaurant
A team of seasoned hospo pros, including ex-Lume and Sunda chef John Rivera, are behind this unadultered Filipino restaurant. Try elevated takes on Filipino mainstays including sisig, lechon and halo-halo.
Sunda
Restaurant
At this cool laneway diner, you’ll find many Southeast Asian flavours in thoughtful, nuanced, high-definition dishes. Creations like Sydney rock oysters with tomato sambar and moringa beans add an unmistakeable local accent.
Aunglo
Restaurant
The casual CBD diner offers a modern take on the Thai barbeque-hotpot hybrid moo kata. Find fatty pork belly, A5 Wagyu from Miyazaki and bingsu served in hollowed-out watermelons for dessert.
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Cafes
Le Yeahllow
Cafe
The creators of a future-classic puppy cake dessert have opened their third shop in the old Black Star Pastry site in Melbourne’s CBD. Come for the signature puppy cake, plus a surrealist mandarin number and an exclusive chocolate dessert.
Hector’s Deli CBD
Cafe
Hector's Deli brings its North American-style sangas to the city suits at its fourth Melbourne site. Perch at the timber bench for signatures like the tuna melt, salad sandwich, or fried chicken potato bun. Or, opt for the meatball sub, a CBD-only special.
Bloomwood
Cafe
Among a strong selection of Asian-inspired viennoiserie, you’ll also find focaccia pizza for lunch and specialty drinks that can be served with three baby croissants on a skewer.
Koi Dessert Bar
Cafe
A Masterchef alum (and his family) is behind this popular dessert spot. Find more than 150 desserts – including cakes in flavours like pandan, coconut, mango and almond. Grab a seat by the kitchen and watch the team at work.
Ondo City
Cafe
This casual Korean eatery serves up hard-to-find dishes like yukhoe bibimbap and mandu-guk. The menu runs the full gamut of flavours and textures, from fermented and fiery to crisp, cool and refreshing.
Hareruya Pantry CBD
Cafe
Hareruya is Japanese for “sunny shop”. Here, follow the billowing, traditional Japanese noren curtain inside for takeaway bento boxes, bouncy steamed buns, egg salad sandos and experimental gelato flavours.
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Bars
Hell’s Kitchen
Bar
A late night watering hole in the middle of the city with a good laneway view.
Caretaker’s Cottage
Bar
Squeeze into this tiny, 100-year-old caretaker’s quarters for what may be Victoria’s smallest pub. Behind Tassie oak bar you’ll find Guinness on tap, a short cocktail list and British pub snacks to keep you mint.
Arbory Afloat
Bar
Melbourne’s favourite floating bar has returned for its ninth season in spring, drawing inspiration from the Italian island of Capri.
Dessous
Bar
Lively cocktails and refined snacks are on the cards at this dark and daring basement bar. But it’s really the wine list you come here for – it’s an adventure in unfamiliar regions and varietals, and focuses on biodynamic and sustainable drops.
Section 8
Bar
Not only is this outdoor shipping-container bar one of Melbourne's most iconic and enduring drinking destinations – it's also been one of the city's most reliable places for a boogie since 2006. Veteran DJs spin here regularly, favouring hip-hop, funk, soul, reggae and more.
Arlechin
Bar
Whether it’s bolognaise jaffles, midnight spaghetti, or tiramisu, the Grossi family’s revived bar will keep you eating (and drinking) in style, post midnight. Don’t miss the cocktail that puts puttanesca in a glass.
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Shops
Mecca Cosmetica
Shop
One stop luxury shop for makeup, skincare, haircare, body and fragrance.
Reina
Shop
Sift through archival Prada, Miu Miu, and McQueen in this light-filled sanctuary of pre-loved designer garments. It’s all expertly curated by a Melbourne-born graduate of New York’s Parsons School of Design.
American Doughnut Kitchen Melbourne
Shop
Melbourne’s first ever doughnut outlet.
Distal Phalanx
Shop
Experimental clothing for the party crowd.
Kori Ice-Cream CBD
Shop
Cup, cone or tub from the vending machine? You can have it all at Kori, a Japanese-inspired ice-creamery by ex-Tonka and Luxbite pastry chefs. Scoop up flavours like Hokkaido cheesecake, white-sesame, tofu-vanilla and more.
Kariton Sorbetes Chinatown
Shop
Find Filipino flavours at this playful dessert spot in Chinatown. Its menu is projected onto the curved, sky-blue ceiling. And it has flavours like ube (purple yam), mango float and champorado (rice pudding) – in scoops, tubs or pillowy bread buns.
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