Melbourne, Australia

Melburnians love food. If one thing sets Melbourne apart from almost all other cities in the world, it is the outstanding quality, variety and affordability of its food and drink. Melbourne's thousands of restaurants and cafes feed the city's millions with nearly every cuisine imaginable.

While some of the best places can be tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the city, it is not particularly difficult to find good food anywhere. It is actually harder to find a bad meal than it is to stumble upon a great find! Just walk down the street and take your pick of cafes, restaurants, bars and takeaway outlets. Ambiance is as important as the food, and style is simply a way of life in Melbourne, so expect to find the most popular places in the city's famous streets and districts, each known for a specific approach to lifestyle, fashion or food.

Brunswick Street

In the north of the city, Brunswick Street has become a weekend favorite for long, languid brunches enjoyed in a distinctly inner city, urban environment. The best cafes have been established for years—such as Marios and The Fitz . Newer arrivals such Retro Cafe and Umago are sneaking up the popularity stakes. These eateries are well patronized and serve up huge, hearty delectable brunches (all day and all night) using the local fresh produce to its best advantage. Brunswick Street is a sanctuary for Melbourne's fringe dwellers and arts community, so be prepared to meet street performers, joke tellers, fire twirlers and many other colorful locals.

Lygon Street

The first wave of Italian immigrants claimed this area as their domain and it remains so today. Any celebration of Italian culture takes place here—festivals, food, fashion and the Italian sense of fun. Many of the eateries are without pretense, simply serving good wholesome Italian food the way mama used to cook it. Places like Tiamo and Brunetti have remained the same since the day they opened and can be relied on for quality at a reasonable price. Santinos Terrace is ideal for that extra special treat.

Victoria Street

If you are traveling to the east of Brunswick Street, chances are you will stumble into Victoria Street and wonder if you are still in Australia. A wonderful example of Melbourne's cultural diversity, Victoria Street is a hectic and exciting strip of Vietnamese restaurants, businesses and street traders. People scurry to and fro and locals flock here to enjoy incredibly quick, cheap eats which are guaranteed to fill the belly. Restaurants such as Tho Tho's , Thy Thy I and The Huong have thrived in this area on quick turnaround and word of mouth.

Central Business District

With abandoned warehouses being turned into slick, modern apartments, the city of Melbourne is no longer a place just for weekday business lunches. Groovy cocktail bars, such as the Gin Palace , Hairy Canary and Melbourne Supper Club are springing up in the back alleyways to accommodate the chic set who call the city center their home. There are numerous examples of fine dining in the city center that cater specifically for the Melbourne professional — Grossi Florentino , Marchetti's Latin and Tuscan Grill are all celebrated establishments.

Chinatown

Where would any hungry city be without a Chinatown? Situated on Little Bourke Street in central Melbourne, Chinatown is a significant attraction of Melbourne, seeing little change over the years since the first Chinese came to make their fortunes on the goldfields. Traditionally, Chinatown is Sunday yum cha, yet Melbourne's Chinatown reflects the city's all day, all night eating attitude. The choice is wide, from restaurants that are a treat to the pocket as well as the tastebuds, to Chinese dining at its most magnificent — Flower Drum . Along with the restaurants, Chinatown also has many grocers and specialty shops, as well as a Chinese Museum .

Southbank

While Southbank may exude commercialism in a way that is quite unusual for Melbourne, the food and entertainment in this area have proved to be very successful. Visitors can choose from classy and more costly to fast, funky and affordable ( Blue Train ). The Crown Entertainment Centre , with its many offerings, is hugely popular. Southbank also acts as a gateway to many tourist attractions such as the Melbourne Aquarium , Victorian Arts Centre and Polly Woodside .

Chapel Street

Fashion is the key when heading to Chapel Street. Be seen (and make sure you have reason for people to look) on this trendy strip of designer clothes and all-that-is-hip. Expensive cars cruise Chapel Street at night but it is just as popular during the day when the beautiful people shop and enjoy long lunches over wine and coffee. The eateries are specially designed to complement the clientele with attitude and accouterments to match. Try out Caffe Sienna , Caffe e Cucina and Kush .

Acland Street

St Kilda exudes the relaxed, kickback culture of the seaside all year round and has grown as another arts center within Melbourne. Acland Street is at the heart of this culture—a place where you can savor the best coffees and eat the most delicious, kilojoule-laden, continental cakes in town. Many of these cafes are without presence ( La Roche Cafe ), but others are tailored for a more groovy crowd ( Big Mouth ). On Sundays, enjoy the shopping on Acland Street then peruse the crafts at the Esplanade Market .

Fitzroy Street

Just around the corner from Acland Street, Fitzroy Street could be considered the main drag of St Kilda with its broad avenue leading down towards the beach . In the past Fitzroy Street gained a reputation as one of the seedier areas of Melbourne, but has now been claimed by the young arty set. Restaurants, cafes and bars, such as Sapore , Mink and Leo's Spaghetti Bar , make Fitzroy Street the place to eat, while still retaining its old street life charm.

Restaurants may come and go in this culinary crazed city, but the hospitality industry is thriving. Enjoy!

Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city sprawled around a wide beach-lined bay. Yet its center is very walkable. Many of the city's most famous attractions are within a short stroll of each other, or you can hop on one of the city's historic trams and trundle between them.

Federation Square

Federation Square is the new focal point of Melbourne and home to some of the city's most interesting museums. The National Gallery of Victoria 's Australian collection is housed here at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia . There's also the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the Australian Racing Museum , dedicated to horseracing. Pick up a bowl of noodles at the popular and funky Chocolate Buddha on the northern side of the central square. Federation Square comes alive with festivals, performances and exhibitions year round. Inquire at the Melbourne Visitor Centre on the eastern corner about what's going on. From here, you can catch the free City Circle Tram on Flinders Street for a circuit of the CBD or head down to the river, directly below Federation Square , where you can rent a bike at Hire a Bike to explore the riverside Main Yarra Trail .

National Gallery of Victoria

Across the Yarra, The NGV: International showcases art from around the world, including collections from Asia and the Pacific. Next door is The Arts Centre , home to the Melbourne Theatre Company. Tours of the centre leave at 11am on Monday to Saturday and 12:15pm on Sundays. In the afternoon or evening, take in a play. Students, under 27-year-old's and seniors can buy half-price tickets from the box-office from two hours before performances begin. From October to December, The Famous Spiegeltent sets up in The Arts Centre forecourt. Recreating the world of traveling European theaters, the mirror-lined tent hosts musical and theatrical performances. Within the Arts Centre , Curve Bar offers drinks, meals and interesting canapes, while Cafe Vic serves up quick meals before the show. On Sundays, the Arts Centre Sunday Market lines the footpath from the concert hall to the river's edge, selling quality Australian crafts.

Eureka Skydeck 88

Just along the Southbank Promenade from here is Eureka Tower. At 92 floors, it's the highest building in the Southern Hemisphere, and the viewing platform at Eureka Skydeck 88 affords views all across Melbourne. Choose from the community of eateries in nearby Crown Entertainment Complex or watch the street performers at the Southgate Leisure Precinct while licking ice-cream from Trampoline . Boat tours of the Yarra leave from the lower promenade below Southbank Promenade. From here, you can also take the Williamstown Ferry across the bay to Scienceworks museum , with its hands-on exhibits for kids. Alternatively, you can head across Kings Way Bridge to Melbourne Aquarium . Its walk-through shark exhibit provides a close-up encounter with Australia's famous razor-toothed predators.

The Royal Botanic Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens is one of the finest in the world and a hub for Melbourne's outdoor life. Tours of its sweeping lawns, conservatories and giant trees are available through the gardens' Visitors Center. In the summer months, watch a movie relaxing on beanbags under the stars at the Moonlight Cinema or take in a play by the Australian Shakespeare Company on the gardens' lawns. The Terrace restaurant offers relaxed dining and Devonshire teas by the gardens' Ornamental Lake, while Observatory Cafe near the Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden serves fresh, casual meals. On the lawns by the cafe is the historic Melbourne Observatory. Across the road, one of Melbourne's most prominent landmarks, The Shrine of Remembrance , commemorates the sacrifices made by service men and women.

Melbourne Museum

Set in gracious Carlton Gardens , Melbourne Museum is one of the best places to learn about Melbourne and its surroundings. Don't miss the Melbourne Story exhibit about the city's history, or Bunjilaka, the Australian Aboriginal Centre. The museum has an extensive shop with quality Australian crafts and educational toys. In the same building is an IMAX cinema , and just across the courtyard is the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Buildings, built in 1880 for Melbourne's first International Exhibition. Tours of the Exhibition Buildings depart most days at 2pm from Melbourne Museum . For a bite to eat, head to the Italian and university heartland of Lygon Street , just two blocks west down Grattan Street, or one stop on the free Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle . Nearby, Thresherman's Bakehouse has huge, hearty, meals for a tiny price, while Brunetti serves up authentic Italian coffees, extravagant pastries and rich hot chocolates.