Viator Viator Travel Blog

The charms of Melbourne are subtle. It’s sophisticated, a little hidden and very different from sunny, brash Sydney. All those jokes about Melbourne having ‘four seasons in one day’ may be true, but the rainy weather lends itself to a stylish layered wardrobe. And the need to find diversions inside has created a rich cultural scene. And let’s not forget all those atmospheric cafes and bars. Here’s a short list of my favourites.

Flinders Station clock, a Melbourne icon

Mario’s on Brunswick St

Mario’s is one of the first places I ever visited in Melbourne; it became a second home for Friday night dinners and lazy conversation-filled evenings. The staff is great with witty banter, although you have to follow their system and sometimes wait for a table. Jerry Seinfeld famously had someone call to book a table for six, with a parking space reserved outside, and the response of the manager – “he can wait like everyone else” - says it all.

My recommendations: Start with a “Baryshnikov” (vodka, coffee, lemon, sugar). The meals are good-value Italian classics, fresh, beautifully presented and delicious. Drop in next door to the Brunswick St Bookstore to browse through a fabulous collection of magazines, novels, art and specialty books.

Breakfast & Swim

If you like to stay fit while traveling, there are some great local pools in Melbourne. I had my stroke corrected at Fitzroy Pool, where you can also drop in for a yoga class, or relax in the spa after your swim before taking coffee and brunch at one of the cafes on Brunswick Street. My personal pick: Babka Bakery Café at number 358, for their freshly baked bread, mouth-watering borscht, blintzes and to-die for lemon tart. If you want to stick to the back streets, head straight from the pool to ICI, at 359 Napier St, for a leisurely brunch of French toast with winter berries and mascarpone, or scrambled tofu with Thai mint.

Live Music in Melbourne

One of the many venues for live music in this city, the Rob Roy Hotel on the corner of Brunswick and Gertrude Streets has atmosphere and great range of music, from Sunday afternoon alternative folk to hardcore Friday rock ‘n’ roll. Others live music options include: The Empress Hotel in North Fitzroy, The Corner Hotel in Richmond, Cherry Bar and the Ding Dong Lounge in the city, and The Esplanade in St Kilda (which comes with a gorgeous view of the bay).

Salubrious Gertrude Street

When I first moved to Melbourne, Gertrude Street was far less salubrious than it is now. My favorite bar there has changed names, although the half-enclosed beer garden remains the same: the old Yelza had a wonderful fountain in the dining room, and flocked red velvet wallpaper, but I will be happy to hear reports on the new ‘Sentido Funf’ in its place. Alia, upstairs on the corner of Smith St, has a young, trendy crowd and is good for dancing.

Gertrude Street also offers a choice of seven art galleries, from small artist-run spaces (try seventh gallery) to commercial and contemporary, the largest of which — 200 Gertrude — has a program of international and local artists. The antique shop next door will test your baggage allowance, with a very enticing range of industrial retro.

If you go all the way down Johnston St you will reach the Collingwood Children’s Farm and ‘slow food farmers market’ on the 4th Saturday of every month. Visit the goats, buy some local produce, and experience a piece of the country in the inner city. There is a rambling path along the river that leads you past cows, horses and gorgeous old buildings. The neighboring Abbotsford Convent was recently refurbished into an arts centre with studios, performance spaces and cafes.

Carlton

Heading across the other side of Brunswick St will take you to Carlton, home of Melbourne University, Lygon Street and a large Italian community. One of the best cake shops in Melbourne is the original Brunetti on Faraday St, which I have been known to visit straight from the airport. The selection of biscuits, sweets and desserts is truly magnificent, with everything from lobster tails to thick, dark hot chocolate.

If you need to rest after all that indulgence, duck into the nearby Cinema Nova for the latest art house and independent releases. The charms of Jimmy Watson can also lure you to while away a few pleasant hours over the very fine wines, before filling up on a traditional Italian meal at Tiamo, which is always bustling with locals and students. Walking through the Exhibition Gardens and back into the city gives you the juxtaposition of old and new architecture, from the opulent domed Royal Exhibition Building (1880) to the concrete modernity of Melbourne Museum, which has permanent exhibitions including famous racehorse Phar Lap, a blue whale, and a set from Neighbours (long-running soap opera).

Melbourne’s CBD (Central Business District)

Once you’re in the city – anywhere from Spring St to Spencer St – there is a cornucopia of bars, cafes and shopping. The best way to discover them is just to wander, lose yourself in the cobbled lanes and stumble across unexpected treasures. The top end of Swanston St (near RMIT) offers cheap and cheerful Tofu Curry at Don-Don to more up market Thai treats upstairs at Cookie, and if you wander down Little Bourke St into Chinatown there is a veritable surfeit of restaurants, from the ritzy Flower Drum to the tiny tucked away family-run Yamato, with fabulous gyoza and green tea ice cream.

Continuing along to the Yarra, the many establishments at Federation Square offer something for every palette, my taste buds are always satisfied by the bibimbup at Chocolate Buddha, accompanied by a sake cocktail and great view of the city. Wander down the stairs directly behind the restaurant for a glimpse of the latest and most cutting edge art and technology at ACMI.

If you find yourself on Flinders Lane, the Journal Café (No. 253) next to the city library is a dark moody establishment with communal tables and great atmosphere. Perfect for sustaining your energy before a walk across the river to visit the National Art Gallery and experience the floating sensation created by drifting through glass walkways amongst the art. Down the road behind the Victorian College of the Arts is the new ACCA – that big rusty spaceship of a building, which has a cutting-edge contemporary art.

South Melbourne

Bypass the casino after you’ve watched the fire clock incinerate pigeons, and head straight to South Melbourne to The Butterfly Club Cocktail Lounge and Cabaret Salon, one of the strangest and most wonderful bars in the city. Wander through the high kitsch salons to the bar in the kitchen for a butterfly martini, there’s a tiny courtyard in the back, and upcoming shows include such gems as ‘The Butterfly Glee Club’, ‘The Girl from Wodonga’, and ‘Don’t hate us because we’re good’. I have great memories of a decadent evening ensconced in the plush armchairs of the cosy living room, feeling like a very special guest at a decadent private party. Definitely not to be missed.

-Jodi Rose

Planning a trip? Browse all of Viator’s tours and things to do in Melbourne, from Colonial Tramcar dinners to Yarra Valley Wine Tasting and dozens more.