Lonely Planet Pocket Melbourne

By Ali Lemer and Tim Richards

Lonely Planet's Pocket Melbourne is your guide to the city’s best experiences and local life - neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Explore galleries and street art, check out the dining scene and find your perfect hidden bar; all with your trusted travel companion.Uncover the best of Melbourne and make the most of your trip!

Inside Lonely Planet's Pocket Melbourne: 

Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak

Full-colour maps and travel photography throughout

Highlights and itineraries help you tailor a trip to your personal needs and interests

Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices

Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss

User-friendly layout with helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time

Covers the City Centre, Southbank, Fitzroy, Carlton, Richmond, Prahran, St Kilda and more

 

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Pocket Melbourne, an easy-to-use guide filled with top experiences - neighbourhood by neighbourhood - that literally fits in your pocket. Make the most of a quick trip to Melbournewith trusted travel advice to get you straight to the heart of the city.

 

Looking for a comprehensive guide that recommends both popular and off-the-beaten-path experiences, and extensively covers all of Melbourne's neighbourhoods? Check out Lonely Planet's Melbourne & Victoria guide.

 

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 

 

 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times

 

'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781838692759

Book preview

Front CoverFull Page Samplerbutton

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Top Experiences

Dining Out

Bar Open

Treasure Hunt

Arts

Showtime

Parks & Gardens

Indigenous Culture

Laneways

Under the Radar

For Kids

LGBTIQ+

Four Perfect Days

Need To Know

Melbourne Neighbourhoods

Explore Melbourne

City Centre

Southbank

South Melbourne, Port Melbourne & Albert Park

St Kilda

South Yarra, Prahran & Windsor

Richmond & East Melbourne

Fitzroy & Collingwood

Carlton & Around

Survival Guide

Before You Go

Arriving in Melbourne

Getting Around

Essential Information

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

COVID-19

We have rechecked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.

Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Get to the Heart of the City in Federation Square

The city’s central plaza features top galleries.

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JAVEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; ARCHITECTS: LAB ARCHITECTURE STUDIO AND BATES SMART

Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Take a Break in the Royal Botanic Gardens

Melbourne’s world-famous green lung.

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Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Immerse Yourself at the NGV International

Impressive collection of artwork spanning the globe.

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DESIGNIUM/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; ARCHITECT: ROY GROUNDS

Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Enjoy a Day by the Sea at St Kilda’s Foreshore

Sea breezes and lively nightlife.

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Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 See What’s Happening at the Royal Exhibition Building

Melbourne’s only Unesco World Heritage Site.

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Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Eat Lunch in the Historic Queen Victoria Market

Historic market with gourmet produce.

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Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Take In the City’s Skyline from Birrarung Marr

A tranquil tribute to the Aboriginal Wurundjeri people.

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BIRRARUNG MARR FEDERATION BELLS DESIGNERS: ANTON HASELL AND NEIL MCLACHLAN. SUNFLOWEREY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Walk Back in Time at the Melbourne Museum

Features Victoria’s natural and cultural histories.

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Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Experience Australia’s National Game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

Hallowed turf for sporting fans.

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Melbourne’s Top Experiences

1 Browse the Markets at Abbotsford

Convent Hub of artistic activity.

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Dining Out

Melbourne’s reputation as a culinary destination has been shaped significantly by its history of migration. Greeks, Italians, Lebanese, Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese and people from many other ethnicities have left their mark, and Melbourne’s best contemporary restaurants gleefully plunder them all. Melburnians are adventurous in their dining habits, and the best places are never secrets for long.

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Eating Local

Queen Victoria Market in the city centre, and its counterparts in South Melbourne and Prahran, are beloved by locals for their fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and groaning deli counters.

There are also weekly inner-city farmers markets (see www.mfm.com.au) at Collingwood Children’s Farm, South Melbourne’s Gasworks and Abbotsford Convent.

Vegan Revolution

Australia is currently one of the fastest-growing vegan markets in the world and in recent years Melbourne has undergone a veritable plant-based revolution. Besides several dozen vegan restaurants around town (and at least a hundred vegetarian ones), more and more restaurants of every stripe are conspicuously adding vegan options to their menus.

By the Book

Take home the recipes of some of Melbourne’s most loved and respected chefs:

A MoVida: Spanish Culinary Adventures (Frank Camorra of MoVida, with Richard Cornish)

A Origin (Ben Shewry of Attica)

A My French Vue: Bistro Cooking at Home (Shannon Bennett of Vue de Monde)

A Smith & Daughters: A Cookbook (That Happens to Be Vegan) (Shannon Martinez & Mo Wyse of Smith & Daughters)

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Best Cafe Fare

Proud Mary The food here is just as good as the excellent coffee.

Industry Beans Innovative takes on cafe cuisine in a hip converted warehouse.

Best Vegan

Smith & Daughters Old-school Italian cuisine from local vegan pioneers.

Red Sparrow Entirely plant-based, entirely delicious wood-fired pizzas.

Best Budget Eats

Hakata Gensuke Quite possibly Melbourne’s best ramen.

Miznon Fresh, delicious Middle Eastern fare in the city.

Best Splurge

Attica Modern Australian cuisine at its best.

Cutler & Co Intimate contemporary Australian restaurant in Fitzroy.

Matilda 159 Regional produce and a Mod Oz menu in slick surrounds.

Best Local & Indigenous Cuisine

Charcoal Lane Try native ingredients such as wattleseed and finger lime.

Vue de Monde The best of Australian ingredients with stunning views.

Best Seafood

Stokehouse Modern seafood dishes by the bay.

Claypots Pots full of fresh seafood at this local institution.

Best for Sweet Tooths

Lune Croissanterie Innovative, unrivalled hybrid pastries.

Gelato Messina Some of Melbourne’s best ice cream.

Brunetti Few can resist their delicious dessert display.

Bar Open

Melbourne’s drinking scene is easily Australia’s best and is a major player on the world stage. There’s a huge diversity of venues, from basement dives hidden down laneways and award-winning cocktail lounges to rooftop wine bars and urban breweries and distilleries. Many pubs have pulled up beer-stained carpet and polished the concrete, but don’t dismiss the character-filled oldies still around.

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Craft Beer & Microbreweries

Used to be that thirsty Melburnians had the choice of only two or three mainstream beers on tap (and perhaps an interstate lager if they were feeling adventurous). But recent years have seen the emergence of microbreweries and craft-beer bars, primed to meet the demands of beer geeks who treat their quaffs more seriously.

The big event on the Melbourne beer calendar is Good Beer Week (%0437 799 552; www.goodbeerweek.com.au; h May), showcasing local, national and foreign craft beers. Aussie Brewery Tours (%1300 787 039; www.aussiebrewerytours.com.au; tours incl transport, meal & tastings $120-160; h Thu-Mon) will help you get around, offering a tour of several inner-city breweries and prestigious pubs.

Cafes & Coffee

Melbourne’s coffee tradition stems back to the arrival of Italian immigrants, but these days it’s not just espresso drinks on the menu. Direct-trade single-origin beans and speciality brews such as siphon, pour-over and cold drip are de rigueur. There’s a reason Melbourne’s coffee is so celebrated: much of it is roasted here.

Cafes are an integral part of daily life here. Many Melburnians are up early so they can catch up with colleagues over a long black, or have a caffe latte and smashed avo before the workday begins. Weekends see cafes fill up fast with those looking for a long, leisurely, blow-out breakfast.

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Best Craft Beer

Mountain Goat Brewery Drop by for tours, tasting paddles and pizza.

Stomping Ground Brewery & Beer Hall An inviting brewery in a former textile factory.

Local Taphouse One of St Kilda’s finest establishments for craft beer.

Best Rooftop Bars

Naked for Satan An unbeatable roof terrace in Fitzroy with a wraparound decked balcony.

Johnny’s Green Room Enjoy an Aperol spritzer over views of Carlton at King and Godfree.

Rooftop Bar City-centre views and an outdoor cinema in summer.

Best Cocktail Bars

Lui Bar Try the signature macadamia martini and gaze out over the city.

Bar Americano Expertly made classic cocktails.

Everleigh Sophisticated ‘golden era’ cocktails in a hidden upstairs Fitzroy bar.

Black Pearl Award-winning cocktails on Brunswick St, Fitzroy.

Best Coffee

Market Lane Coffee Try an on-site roasted coffee as you peruse the Prahran Market.

Seven Seeds Hidden-away warehouse cafe with superb coffee.

Proud Mary Serious coffee specialists in Collingwood’s backstreets.

Best Laneway Bars

Bar Americano Standing room only at this superb city cocktail bar.

Whitehart Hip hideaway container bar with DJs and local brews.

Croft Institute It’s a science in itself just finding this lab-themed bar.

Treasure Hunt

Melbourne is proud of its makers. Despite empty shops on once-booming strips like Bridge Rd (Richmond) and Chapel St (South Yarra), passionate, dedicated retailers still cater to a broad range of tastes. CBD laneways and Gertrude St (Fitzroy) are great for small, indie clothing boutiques, but keep your eye out for finds in arcades, vintage shops and markets too.

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City Centre

National and inter-national chains spread out over Bourke, Swanston and Collins Sts, plus city malls Melbourne Central, Emporium and QV. Smaller retailers and design workshops inhabit the laneways and classic shopping arcades. A strip of Little Collins heading east from Swanston is dedicated to sartorially savvy gentlemen, while leafy Collins St is lined with luxury retailers.

Neighbourhoods

Chapel St, South Yarra, has all the classic Australian names, plus some edgier designers in Prahran.

You’ll find streetwear in Greville St, Prahran, and in Windsor; Brunswick St, Fitzroy, has streetwear, vintage shops and boutiques featuring young designers. Gertrude St, Fitzroy, mixes vintage with many of the city’s most sought-after innovators.

Best Fashion

Alpha60 The gorgeous chapter-house branch of this local women’s label is retail at its finest.

Gorman Surprise Cute, colourful and quirky threads from a stalwart local designer.

DFO South Wharf Two floors of international brands at factory-outlet prices.

Best Music Stores

Basement Discs City centre location in an arcade.

Greville Records Prahran institution with an excellent vinyl collection.

Best Markets

Rose St Artists’ Market Great for artfully made local crafts.

St Kilda Esplanade Market Everything from ceramics and glassware to organic soaps and retro tea towels.

Best Food Shopping

Queen Victoria Market The city’s bustling open-air market is crammed with gourmet delights.

South Melbourne Market Great for fresh local produce and deli items.

Prahran Market Stuffed with produce, and has its own cooking school.

Best Art & Design

Craft Victoria Showcases handmade goods by local artisans.

NGV Design Store Exhibit-themed showpiece items from the NGV.

Third Drawer Down Kooky objects and high-end art.

Best Bookstores

Readings Local favourite indie bookstore chain with a great selection.

Hares & Hyenas Bookshop and venue for Melbourne’s queer community.

Hill of Content Melbourne’s oldest bookshop, with a great range.

Worth a Trip

Filled with secondhand and handcrafted goods, Camberwell Sunday Market (www.camberwellsundaymarket.org; Market Pl, Camberwell; gold coin donation; icon-hoursgif h6.30am-12.30pm Sun; icon-traingif dCamberwell) is great for discovering preloved (often rarely worn) items of clothing, dog-eared books and unusual curios.

Arts

Long regarded as the culture capital of Australia, Melbourne has always been a city for artists and art lovers. Its thriving live-music scene, strong community of street artists, and passion for literature, theatre and visual arts all provide a vibrant, creative backdrop fundamental to the fabric of the city.

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Literature

Home to writers of all genres, indie booksellers, a prosperous publishing industry and a thriving culture of discourse on the written word, Melbourne was formally recognised as a Unesco City of Literature in 2008. The Wheeler Centre (www.wheelercentre.com), Australia’s first for ‘Books, Writing and Ideas’ (created by Lonely Planet founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler), hosts talks and events designed to get Melburnians thinking.

Contemporary Art

Between its commercial, public and artist-run galleries, Melbourne has a thriving contemporary arts scene. Gertrude Glasshouse allows emerging artists-in-residence to exhibit their work. The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) hosts cutting-edge exhibitions and develops large-scale projects with Australian and international artists. The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) exhibits film and multimedia works by contemporary artists, and the Centre for Contemporary Photography has a strong photo- and film-based programme.

Street Art

The subject of numerous pictorial books, Melbourne’s street-art scene is considered one of the world’s best. Laneway walls all over town provide an outdoor canvas for paste-up, mural and stencil art, but the most famous (and most crowded with photo-seekers) is Hosier Lane.

Best Australian Art

Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia Great collection of Australian and Indigenous art.

Koorie Heritage Trust The latest from contemporary Aboriginal artists.

Linden New Art Popular annual postcard show lets you buy a mini masterpiece from a local artist.

Best Contemporary Art

Australian Centre for Contemporary Art Showcases local and international artists.

Gertrude Glasshouse

Reviews for Lonely Planet Pocket Melbourne

[drmaf-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great little guide to my favourite Australian city. Perfect for those who don't want to carry Lonely Planet's more bulky full Melbourne guide with them while wandering, it covers essentials details of transport accommodation, eating, drinking, shopping and entertainment, and has a great pull-out map of central Melbourne inside the back cover. I used it on my most recent trip and found it an excellent and accurate guide. Highly recommended.