Where To Eat, Drink, Shop and Recharge on Little Collins Street

It might be tucked between the bigger and busier Collins and Bourke streets, but Little Collins Street is fast becoming one of the city’s most exciting thoroughfares to eat, drink and shop and stay. The mix here is classic Melbourne: laneway bars, sleek hotels, hidden boutiques and plenty of great coffee.

From early-morning espresso to late-night omakase, here’s how to make the most of the strip.

Eat

There’s no shortage of great eats along Little Collins Street, across all tastes and budgets. Start your day on the east end, where a cluster of cafes serve up playful takes on breakfast and lunch. Think Indonesian-inspired sandwiches at Warkop, Malaysian-style cakes and pastries at Raya, and Japanese onigiri at Onigiri Kitchen. You’ll also find cult favourites Hector’s Deli and Nico’s close by.

Fern Bar & Dining, Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins’ in-house restaurant, is a good spot if you don’t want to stray too far from your hotel room. It serves modern Melbourne fare, such as black and white sesame prawn toast; salmon cured in Little Lon Distilling Co’s Miss Yoko gin; and dry-aged Aylesbury lacquered duck breast.

Aru is another dinner spot, with inventive Southeast Asian fare that leans heavily on native ingredients, or book a seat at Ronin Omakase, an intimate 10-seat Japanese restaurant serving a chef’s selection that’s refined and subtle. For something more low-key, Trattoria Emilia delivers rustic Italian dishes from the Emilia-Romagna region.

Drink

When it comes to caffeine, Industry Beans and Bench Coffee Co are two of the city’s most respected roasters, both taking their beans – and their brew methods – seriously.

For a quick pre-dinner drink, grab a cocktail at Fern Bar & Dining’s circular bar wrapped around a sculptural spiral staircase, or take a seat in the sunny internal courtyard called Fern’s Garden, surrounded by relaxing greenery. The cocktail menu was developed in collaboration with Little Lon, and is inspired by the characters of the neighbourhood: including Joan Lindsay, Mirka Mora and Dame Nellie Melba.

Later in the day, make your way to Barra, chef Alejandro Saravia’s lively bar and eatery inspired by the flavours of Latin America, before popping next door to Farmer’s Daughters Wine House, a new extension of Saravia’s Gippsland-inspired restaurant, dedicated to Victorian wines.

If you prefer something classic, Little Collins also connects to some of the CBD’s best drinking spots including Embla, Black Kite Commune, La Rue and Nick and Nora’s  – perfect for a spontaneous bar crawl.

Shop

Shopping here is a mix of old and new. Above the Clouds has just opened a flagship boutique on Little Collins Street, showcasing a curated range of local and international designers. Subtype, located in a basement off Little Collins Street, is another destination for streetwear and sneakers.

A short stroll away, Melbourne Walk Precinct – one of the city’s newest retail developments – links Little Collins to Bourke Street and is home to big-name stores like JD Sports and Pop Mart, plus the impressive Mecca flagship next door.

For a taste of Melbourne’s retail history, take a detour through Block Arcade and Royal Arcade, two of the city’s most beautiful heritage shopping spots filled with chocolatiers, cafes and specialty boutiques that have stood the test of time. 

Stay

At the heart of the action is Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Little Collins, a design-led boutique stay that captures the city’s spirit through local art, architecture and atmosphere. Housed behind four preserved heritage facades, you’ll find bold, contemporary interiors inspired by Melbourne’s laneway culture. With 179 rooms and suites, a three-storey mural by local artist Lisa King (among other commissioned works around the hotel), Fern Bar & Dining on level two, and more amenities, this is more than just a spot to rest your head – it’s also the perfect base for a day of eating, drinking, exploring and people-watching.

Travelling with family? Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall is another excellent option, where kids eat free and there’s easy access to all of the city’s top sights. Set within Melbourne Walk, it’s a comfortable and convenient stay just steps from the city’s best shopping and dining precincts.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins.