Leisurely sipping lo-fi Spanish wines with a side of tapas is the usual pace at this Hawthorn tapas and wine bar. Go for three-month-cured fried sobrasada, galician octopus served with kipfler potatoes or traditional seafood paella.

Striped awnings and wicker chairs give this corner spot big Parisian vibes. But it’s not strictly French. Alongside bistro favourites find sophisticated European dishes (and classically French desserts).

Modern Indian cuisine from the cousins behind St Kilda’s Babu Ji.

Authentic Italian and a three-storey view of Glenferrie Road.

A seriously supreme ramen shop.

We recommend you make a booking at this bustling modern-Japanese restaurant. Even though Ocha opened back in 2011, it's still to this day a difficult task to get a walk-in table here on a weekend.

This listening bar is by a powerhouse group – including former Flower Drum bartender Joey Tai. Enter via the laneway to find a curated but unpretentious vinyl collection, expert cocktails and a drinks list by a saké sommelier.

This historic pub has lived many lives. Now its run by a top Melbourne hospo mogul, with much of its former glory. Come for a beers on tap and a nostalgic pub menu largely cooked over wood fire.

Go for globally inspired beers, from a West Coast IPA to a French-inspired saison, at this brewery in a converted mechanics’ warehouse. Choose from 12 house taps, or something from the mostly Victorian wine list. Also on the menu are loaded American-inspired burgers, toasties and burrito bowls.

A Venetian-style wine bar beneath Lido Cinemas.

Step in and sample more than 600 whiskies.

A pint-sized panini bar slinging Italian-style deli rolls (and house party vibes). Fresh, pillowy focaccias are packed with house-crumbed chicken cotoletta with pickled onions, mortadella with Stracciatella, and more.

This bagel-slinging food truck makes great use of an old car park. Come for Montreal-style bagels filled with all the fan favourites – like smoked salmon, dill and caper cream cheese, chicken salad and brisket pastrami.

This sleek sandwich deli brings the bustle of Manhattan to a sleepy suburban street (without annoying the locals). Stop by for Italian-inspired sangas, handmade bagels and coffee.

A retired AFL player joined forces with his former barista – and a few of his old Collingwood teammates – to open this retro sandwich and bagel joint. Look for the curvy, converted milk bar with the red and white branding.

A hole-in-the-wall cafe with doughnuts and discounts for students and police.

Something for everyone, from superfoods to southern fried chicken.

Feels like breakfast at a mate’s place.

Where the menu appeals to everyone, even kids.

A cafe collaboration by a bunch of the best, doing more than your average flat white.

Small in size but big in heart.

A beautiful spot inspired by a family navy tradition.

A cafe and roastery by a couple with serious coffee credentials, including an Australian barista championship.

Don't be fooled by the diminutive shopfront. It opens up into a bustling, multi-roomed cafe.

The first serious coffee destination in Hawthorn.

Find the local institution’s Hawthorn outlet in a Federation-era shopfront inside an old bank. There’s a dedicated history reading nook, a mural-fronted children’s bookstore and a courtyard garden full of native plants. Plus, more than 25,000 titles to peruse.

A classic Asian grocer with a focus on Southeast Asian products and produce. (But there's also a surprisingly deep line-up of Latin American products, too.)

Come for the coffee, stay for the vinyl.

From a travelling juice van to bustling shop.

From organic wine to Japanese ginger ale, this bottleshop and bar has something weird and wonderful to delight you.

With secret family recipes dating back over 100 years, Piccolina Gelateria does fresh and simple Italian gelato made the old-fashioned way.

A touch of whimsy in Hawthorn.

A most comprehensive swimwear boutique.

A fragrance fantasyland.

A men's streetwear store stocking the established and the yet-to-be.

A smart, feminine boutique in Hawthorn, peppered with statement pieces, accessories and causal wear.