What to Eat in Melbourne: A Food Guide

What to eat in Melbourne

• Laneway coffee (Patricia, Market Lane, Seven Seeds)

  Melbourne invented the flat white — a religion here.

• Yum cha in Chinatown (Flower Drum, HuTong)

  Little Bourke Street institutions with Chinese since gold-rush.

• Vietnamese in Richmond / Footscray

  Victoria St and Barkly St pho bars — cheap and superb.

• Modern Australian at Vue de Monde or Attica

  Attica ranks in World's 50 Best; Vue de Monde is a Rialto-tower classic.

What to drink

Tap water is safe. Coffee, craft beer (Stomping Ground, Moon Dog) and Yarra Valley/Mornington Peninsula wine define the scene. Espresso Martini was invented in London by an Aussie — you'll drink many.

Dining etiquette and practicalities

• Coffee ordering matters — 'long black', 'flat white', 'piccolo' — not 'americano' or 'latte'.

• Tipping is not expected; small tips for exceptional service.

• Do not smoke within 10m of any public entrance — enforced with fines.

Where to eat in Melbourne

• CBD (Laneways)

  Degraves St, Hardware Lane, Hosier Lane street art — coffee, wine bars, boutique hotels (QT Melbourne, Sofitel, Grand Hyatt).

• Southbank / South Wharf

  NGV, arts precinct, Crown Melbourne complex — Langham, Crown Towers, Pan Pacific.

• St Kilda

  Beachside — Luna Park, Acland Street cakes, Sunday market, backpacker-to-boutique.

• Fitzroy / Collingwood

  Indie boutiques, brewery scene, Rose Street artists market — best for design-forward travellers.