A Local’s Guide to Clifton Hill

Clifton Hill should be high on your list the next time you’ve got a free weekend. The suburb is just a short stroll across Alexandra Parade from its boisterous neighbours Fitzroy, Collingwood and Abbotsford – it even shares a postcode with cool cousin Fitzroy North (3068, everybody) – but many of its excellent eateries, shops and bars remain local secrets.

It’s a quiet oasis amid the buzz of the inner north, bordered in the south by the parks and native bushland stretching along the Merri Creek Trail and by Smith Street in the north. It’s also a great option if you’re looking to move, especially with new developments like the eco-conscious, community focused 33 Queens Parade by Prime Edition offer a mix of apartments, townhouses and penthouses to suit families, downsizers and first home buyers.

Get to know one of our favourite inner-city neighbourhoods: here’s our itinerary to help you uncover (or rediscover) some of Clifton Hill’s best bars, eateries, shops and parklands – while skipping the crowds.

Breakfast

Uncle Drew

Locals queue for coffee and pack the streetside tables daily at this sunny corner cafe, a Clifton Hill favourite of long standing. Uncle Drew’s owners, Jonathon Scali and Karel Simek, serve Dukes coffee alongside a punchy menu featuring numbers like a Sichuan pepper and apple-cider-braised pork hock omelette, and house-made gnocchi with a Wagyu and chianti ragu. There’s also a cabinet chock-a-block with toasties, cakes, biscuits and pastries, plus a larder with condiments, pre-made meals, Tivoli Road bread, coffee beans, seasonal produce and much more to take home. A hop, skip and a jump from the Merri Creek and Main Yarra trails, this is a great stop for those exploring the area’s sprawling parklands.

Shop

Toorallie

Melbourne brand Toorallie specialises in fine merino wool knitwear, and it has a fair pedigree to back it up. Toorallie traces its history back 200 years to a family sheep stud that was passed through the generations. By 1991, the family business had evolved into a fully fledged knitwear brand. These days the flagship store is on Queens Parade in Clifton Hill and, while you’re exploring the suburb, it’s well worth popping in to browse the range of premium merino knits, coats, tees, denim and more.

Wild Flos

At Wild Flos, Nat Schorer creates adventurous floral arrangements to suit those looking for something a little more special than your typical bouquet. Schorer’s florals are in demand for weddings, corporates and gifts, and blend the best flowers of the season with a contemporary design style. You can find Wild Flos on Council Street in Clifton Hill’s quiet backstreets, but there’s a catch: Schorer opens by appointment only. Make sure you book ahead if you hope to head home with a true Clifton Hill souvenir – or, if you live locally, make it a regular stop and fill your living space with blooms.

Play

Darling Gardens

Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North draws the sunny afternoon crowds but, honestly, Clifton Hill locals are happy to have Darling Gardens to themselves. A respite from the bustle of its Hoddle Street border, Darling Gardens is a lush, leafy park crisscrossed with tree-lined avenues and rolling lawns that are begging for a picnic blanket and a book. Take a quick wander through or settle in for some serious dog watching.

Dine

Sundae School Ice-Creamery

Caulfield’s loss has been Clifton Hill’s gain, with Clinton and Karina Serex leaving behind their cult burger spot Tuck Shop Take Away to bring Clifton Hill some of the best ice-cream in Melbourne. Flavours rotate regularly, veering between simple riffs on classic vanilla (definitely go for sea salt if it’s on the menu), to complex and adventurous (like cardamom, burnt honey and pistachio), and even a few oat-milk-based vegan examples that tick all the right boxes. It’s fast becoming a Clifton Hill destination – particularly when the sun is shining.

Pizza Shop

The cheerful younger sibling of wine bar Spensley’s doesn’t do much more than the name suggests, but it doesn’t have to. Under its glowing red neon sign on quiet Spensley Street, Pizza Shop specialises in long-fermented sourdough pizza that balances chew and flavour with seasonal toppings that are every bit as inventive as the menu you’ll find next door. Choose from classics like the Nonna (topped with confit garlic, mozzarella and braised greens) and the Boonie (an upgraded Hawaiian with caramelised pineapple, ham hock and barbeque sauce) and, if you’ve saved room, cannoli piped to order.

Drink

Spensley’s

Next door to Pizza Shop, Spensley’s turns your evening into a choose-your-own-adventure. You could skip the pizza entirely and pick through the wine bar’s menu – think charred sugarloaf cabbage with almonds, capers and raisins, and saffron cavatelli with pumpkin, ricotta and sage – or stop in post-pizza for a glass of something special. (You can even order to your table from next door.) If the weather permits, grab a seat on the corner outside and choose from Spensley’s list of lesser-known Australian and international wine producers – a rotating selection that could include Beechworth semillon sauvignon blanc or crisp chardonnay from Chablis. Order a few wine-friendly bites from the seasonal selection and you’re set.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Prime Edition. Register for early access to 33 Queens Parade or book a VIP appointment at the display suite located at 7 Queens Parade here.