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Budget Ballin’: The Best Free And Cheap Things To Do In Melbourne

We love Melbourne, but you know ... living in one of the world's best cities comes with a price tag, good thing Urban List has you you covered with a stack of things to eat, drink, do and see all on a shoestring as part of our series Budget Ballin'. This time we've teed up 20 of the best cheap and free things to do in Melbourne to keep both you and your hip pocket happy.

Things To Do

Here’s How You Can Score A Trip To Greece, Thanks To Sony Scene Festival

Grab your camera team, because Sony Scene Festival just made a massive return to Australian shores. They've lined up over 120 events from a crew of Sony digital imaging ambassadors and industry experts, bringing the creative events platform to the masses.

Pets

Top Tips To Becoming A Pet Parent, According To Our Team

Whether you're a newbie or seasoned pro, we've got you covered.

Wellness

All For One

The wellness trend right now is definitely holistic health. A little bit of mindfulness, a little bit of yoga, throw in some clinical Pilates and a nutritionist meal plan. Maybe some massage.

Health + Wellness

SuperYoung

Day-to-day got you down and feeling old beyond your years? Us too. Lucky SuperYoung's preventative, longevity technology like cryotherapy, red light and contrast therapy might just be the little fountain of youth you're after.

Bars & Pubs

Melbourne Cellar Door

Say what you like about South Wharf, but it’s moving in the right direction. This used to be the place you came for Jeff’s Shed exhibitions, DFO shopping and ignoring the Polly Woodside.

Cafes

Caffè Amatrice

It’s no secret that Italy’s cafe culture is top-notch. The melange of European charm, elegant aesthetics and community all bundled into your morning espresso is irresistible. Luckily for us, Melbourne has scored a(nother) taste of this prestige in the heart of Cremorne—Caffé Amatrice.

U:L Recommends

27 Of The Best Australian Fashion Brands To Know In 2024

True Aussie fashion girls know the best wardrobe staples can actually be found right under our noses. 

Food & Drink

46 Of The Best Bars In Singapore (And Asia) To Try This Month

From zero-waste locavore cocktails to cult natural wines, Urban List has rounded up the best bars in Singapore for your next night out.

Local Escapes

20 Romantic Getaways In Victoria That Are Swoon-Worthy

Finding time for romance can be tricky, but we've made your life easier. From spa sanctuaries, luxury rooms in wine country tp cosy cabins in the woods, we have you covered with these 28 stunning romantic getaways from the Mornington Peninsula to the High Country and everywhere in between. Here the most romantic getaways in Victoria for 2024.

Shopping

New Balance Melbourne Central

New Balance lands in Melbourne Central with its huge new concept store in the old Kookaï digs.

Local Escapes

Hotel No

Not exactly what you expect on a CBD rooftop. Six gleaming Airstream camper trailers, straight out of the 1970s, converted into boutique chalets. Whoever reckoned we hit peak Melbourne didn't bank on these bad boys.

Restaurants

Rossi

Rossi is the place to be on Greville Street. A stylish, yet industrial diner, Rossi Bar is the Italian osteria from Ita Nick Young of Good Company Bar Group (Riviera Beach Club, Electric, The Emerson). 

Bakeries & Delis

Bloomwood

Nestled between skyscapers in the eternal hustle and bustle of Exhibition Street in the CBD, Japan-influenced bakery Bloomwood has carved a croissant-shaped hole in our hearts. 

What's On

The Gig Feed | All The Melbourne Music News You Need To Know

There's nothing quite like the music scene in Melbourne. Any night of the week in pretty much any stretch of the town, you can catch live tunes—be it howling, foot-stomping rock 'n roll in sticky-floored pubs, sultry jazz in booth-seated lounges, or dirty techno at one of the many dens and d-floors in town.

Features

Kookaburras, Mountain Vistas & Best Of All, Solitude At The Buckland Studios

Kookaburras cackle as the clouds slowly drift down Mount Buffalo while we sit, swish a local bottle of saperavi and watch dusk fall on an enchanting spring evening in the High Country. We're at The Buckland Studios, a romantic kid-free getaway with stunning views of Mount Buffalo.

Fashion

20 Of The Very Best Secondhand And Op Shops In Melbourne In 2024

Consignment, vintage, flea, thrift–Melbourne’s packed with all the secondhand stores you could ever dream of.

Food & Drink

Mirror Mirror Rooftop Lounge

Who’s the fairest of them all? That title would have to go to Mirror Mirror Rooftop Lounge, a Snow White-inspired rooftop bar serving up fairytale cocktails and tasty nibbles.

Bars & Pubs

Auterra Wine Bar

Auterra, Clinton McIver’s second Armadale restaurant has comfortably carved out a niche of its own despite its sibling (just over the road) Amaru’s sublime reputation.

Wellness

Sunlighten Wellness Hub

When it comes to treating ourselves, we’re *all* about spending some quality time taking advantage of Melbourne’s best wellness treatments, and right at the top of our list is the Sunlighten Wellness Hub in South Melbourne.

Bars & Pubs

The Punters Club

They say all good things must come to an end, but that doesn't seem to be the case for The Punters Club in Fitzroy as it returns to its roots after two long decades. 

Restaurants

Our Top Picks For Melbourne’s Best Restaurants In 2024

Melbourne is absolutely teeming with top restaurants, fine dining options and trendy eateries offering second-to-none dining experiences. But if you're feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of cool restaurants, our shortlist guide is here to help. 

Travel

7 Southeast Asian Cities That You Need To Hit Up For Street Food

If your dream getaway features an itinerary brimming with delicious food recs, then we’ve got seven truly tasty Southeast Asian destinations worth cashing in your annual leave for. 

Features

We Spoke To Sex Therapist Chantelle Otten About Sex And Intimacy—Here’s What She Told Us

Ahead of the highly anticipated drop of Sex Therapy: Sessions with Chantelle Otten, we spoke to Otten about her new series and the intimate dinner she's hosting to celebrate. 

Cafes

Ned’s Bake

Longstanding institution Ned’s i.e. Ned’s Bakehouse in Prahran and Armadale and Ned’s Bake & Bistro in Middle Park has been snapped up by the Valarc Group.

Beauty

Sarah & Sebastian

Renowned jewellery brand and all around icons Sarah & Sebastian are opening a third Melbourne location in Armadale.

Food & Drink

Circl Wine House

The world of wine can seem daunting and distant to your typical Melburnian grub and pub type. But Punch Lane's new wine-centric restaurant with accessibility at its core is about to make it a whole lot easier for all of us—Circl. 

Food & Drink

Elio’s Place

Elio’s Place is where heart and hospitality meet; two siblings working hand in hand to open a European-style bistro—a nod to their late father—painting a deep affection for their Italian heritage.

Local Escapes

The 15 Best Camping Spots Across Victoria In 2024

Want to know where to pitch your tent? We’ve rounded up the best campsites in Victoria. Most are a pretty easy drive from Melbourne and for the rest... just tell your boss you’ll be coming in sick on Monday.

Things To Do

7 Of The Best Experiences In Australia You Can Do For Less This Weekend

Every city has something to offer, so we’ve leaned on our editors to give you those juicy, affordable recommendations.

Local Escapes

8 Essential Steps To Prep For Your Next Outdoor Adventure

Winter’s finally packing up and the lure of an outdoor getaway has never been stronger.

Food & Drink

Dessous

Dessous. If you don’t speak French you won’t get the joke: it means under. And under Dessous is, under its stunning sister venue Hazel on Flinders Lane. But that’s the only thing it’s under.

Food & Drink

Hofbräuhaus

Melbourne is known for its institutions, and this one sticks out like a sore thumb— but in a great way. 

Restaurants

Yaki Nau

Winter is looking fresh for new openings in Melbourne, and our sights are set on Yaki Nau. We don’t know a ton yet but we do know it’s a Japanese diner with BBQ taking centre stage, and food is by Chef Hugo Mai who’s dipping into his wealth of experience from Nobu to bring Yaki Nau to life.

Food & Drink

Emilietta

A cornerstone in the Melbourne Italian scene is undoubtedly Trattoria Emilia, and after a decade of dispensing an outstanding menu, the team have opened the door on a sister venue, Emilietta. Residing in the bar area of Emilia, this lunch spot is all about fried flatbread made into quick bites—something you might liken to a sandwich. Some call them Crescentina, but at Emilietta, they’re calling it Tigella, which is the type of stone used for cooking.

Where to stay

The Best Sentosa Hotels For An Island Getaway

Sentosa is the perfect place to stay regardless of whether you’re visiting Singapore on holiday or you’re a local wanting to book a staycation. 

Travel

Our Travel Editor’s Guide To Australia’s 50 Best Places To Stay In 2024

Ready to plan your next getaway? Discover the top 50 places to stay in Australia for 2024, from secluded forest cabins to luxurious beachside resorts.

Bars & Pubs

Dutch Rules Distilling Co

The ‘burbs have just scored a slick distillery door and gin bar called Dutch Rules Distilling Co. The focus is, as one would expect, all about the gin with a few bar snacks on offer to soak up the booze. 

Bars & Pubs

Le Martini

You’re in for a treat if your go-to is a martini. Le Martini is the latest spot Crown has welcomed into its stable of venues. Paying homage to its namesake, Le Martini is everything luxurious as it is intimate. We’re talking plush velvet drapery, banquette seating, aged mirrors, and deep blue hues, seating just 34 people.

Food & Drink

2 Brothers Brewery

Moorabbin-based brewery, 2 Brothers, has been brewing and bottling some of the best beer in Melbourne for yonks now. And as good things would have it, the kitchen just got a serious upgrade.

Restaurants

Bang Bang | Hampton

Bang Bang is a certified banger. The bustling hawker-style Pan Asian restaurant is bold, fun, and not pretentious in any sense of the world. The Mordialloc joint was met with lines out the door on the reg, so the team felt it was only right to open the doors on another location—this time, taking the Bang Bang name bayside in Hampton.

Shopping

5 Reasons You Should Consider Investing In An eBike

No, it's not just you—eBikes are everywhere right now.

Things To Do

10 Awesome Things To Do In Melbourne This Weekend

It's warming up thank goodness and so is the activity calendar in Melbourne this weekend. Make some cakes with baking legends, get a bowl of pasta at an Italian festa, or chill out and take in some of the city's arts scene. These are the best things to do this weekend. 

Restaurants

Go To Malin For The Oyster, Stay For The Mashed Potato & Impeccable Hospitality

Serving up the perfect twist on French fare, Malin, Carlton North’s new mini fine diner would look more at home in a souk than Rathdowne Street, but it’s not the decor we care about, it’s their beef and oyster tartare, ballotine chicken, and coconut vanilla mashed potato.

Food & Drink

Cannoleria | Carlton

Fans of the Sicilian pastry pipped full 0f creamy ricotta will be glad to know a cafe dedicated to the treat has landed in Carlton with Melbourne's cannoli king Dario Di Clerico leading the charge.

Restaurants

Agostino

***TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS***

Food & Drink

Prince Dining Room

The Prince is a real old charmer and a true Melbourne icon. However, we’re here to tell you all about Prince Dining Room as it ushers in a new era with Sydney’s rising star Mitch Orr at the helm as Creative Director, already making as one of our city's best restaurants. 

Fashion

e.g.etal

Tucked away on Little Collins Street, e.g.etal is more art gallery than jewellery store, exhibiting exquisite contemporary jewellery from over 50 Australian and New Zealand designers.

What's On

Dylan Alcott’s Ability Fest Is Making Its Triumphant Return This Year

The world would be a far better place if there were more festivals like Ability Fest, but for now, we can relish in the fact that the country’s most inclusive event is making a triumphant return this October, taking over not just Melbourne but making an exciting debut in Brisbane.

Bars & Pubs

Your Guide To The Best Bars In Melbourne (Updated 2024)

In 2024, it's a delicate task selecting the best bars in Melbourne due to the sheer volume. We have such a mixture of venues, from your large-scale favourites to laneways riddled with hidden cocktail haunts, whisky bars and wine stores. No matter what your drop of choice, you're likely to find it and then some in Melbourne. 

Travel

Cameras At The Ready—Here’s 10 Of The Best LA Hot Spots For A Star-Sighting

Known for its sprawling mansions, thriving entertainment industry and palm-studded streets, Los Angeles is a natural celebrity habitat. To give you the best chance of clapping eyes on Hollywood’s rich and famous, we uncovered 10 of the top spots for VIP sightings. 

Food & Drink

Society

It’s big, it’s bold, and after a martini or two, you might feel like you’re in one of NYC’s top-tier bistros. Society is from powerhouse restaurateur Chris Lucas of Lucas Restaurants, flaunting crystal chandeliers, a wine cellar with more than 10,000 bottles, and a menu decked out with first-class Australian produce. 

Food & Drink

Maha

One of Melbourne's best restaurants in the CBD, Shane Delia's Maha Restaurant—named after Delia's wife—has been kicking around for a good 15 years. The city's premier Middle Eastern restaurant underwent a tasteful, moody little renno a few years back, bringing it more in-line with modern Melbourne sensibilities.

Food & Drink

La Luna Bistro

Carlton North’s La Luna Bistro has held down the fort as a Melbourne institution for 25 years, and with full-hearts and full-bellies they plan to close their doors, dishing-up their final meals on 3 August. 

The Valiant

Get ready to get your boogie and your bubbles on at this new discotheque themed cocktail bar, hidden in a CBD car park.

Features

Drive-In Diners And Retro Rooftops—We Uncover The Hidden Gems Behind LA’s Biggest Icons

Go behind the scenes of LA's biggest icons to explore the other side of the city of angels.

What's On

What’s On In Melbourne This Week, This Month And Beyond

It's 2024, and Melbourne's cultural grounds are firing on all burners with plenty of things to do. Festivals, Theatre, food and more are all ripe for the filling of that social calendar, and your stomach. The real question is how many of these can you fit into one week? Here's what's on.

Travel

These Sky High Rooftop Bars Are The Perfect Spots To Catch The Iconic Hollywood Sign

While Melbourne might be best known for its laneway bar culture, in Los Angeles some of the coolest hangouts are hidden sky high.

Restaurants

Gimlet At Cavendish House

The crown jewel of Andrew McConnell's Trader House empire (Cumulus Inc., Cutler & Co, Supernormal), Gimlet At Cavendish House is an absolute culinary marvel. 

Restaurants

Yūgen

Resting right above the now infamous speciality tea destination Yugen Tea Bar, the South Yarra venue is now welcoming Yūgen, a  two-level eatery with three unique spaces, each one evoking a sense of intimacy mixed with innovation and newness. 

Bars & Pubs

Poodle

Poodle Bar & Bistro stepped into Melbourne’s dining scene in all its swanky art-deco glory and hasn't loked back since.

Restaurants

Vue de Monde

With sweeping views of Melbourne CBD from level 55 of the Rialto Tower, Vue de Monde is the ultimate fine dining experience in Melbourne. The word experience is key, and this is the ideal place for a special occasion. Acclaimed young chef, Hugh Allen has left his mark on the restaurant already with an incredible degustation that will not soon be forgotten. With too many Chefs Hats to count, save your pennies and pounds because Vue de Monde is a must-do, at least once in your lifetime.

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The U:L Travel 50: Everything Essential For Your Upcoming Adventure

From luxe luggage to the latest in tech, this is the best of the best when it comes to nailing that airport aesthetic.

Travel

These Luxe Hotels In Tropical North Queensland Are Our Editor’s Go-To For A Getaway

Snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, immerse yourself in indigenous culture and unwind at one of Crystalbrook Collection's sustainable luxe hotels. Trust us when we say, a trip to Cairns is a truly unforgettable escape. 

Food & Drink

South Melbourne Institution Lucia Is Now Serving Up A Decadent Hazelnut And Coffee Dessert

Indulge in a taste of Italy at South Melbourne’s Lucia with their new limited edition Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Coffee Dessert. Crafted in collaboration with Lavazza and their Tales Of Italy range, this decadent treat is part of a special two-course menu available for a limited time only. 

Restaurants

Lagoon Dining

On the former site of the Lygon Food Store now lies Lagoon Dining, the creation of young hospitality trio Chris Lerch, Keat Lee and Ned Trumble, who met while working at Ezard in 2013.

Restaurants

Grill Americano

Chris Lucas is at it again with the big and bold Grill Americano, sitting alongside the culinary elite of Flinders Lane. Adding yet another venue to the hospitality group's quiver, Grill Americano will take its cues from Venetian architecture while serving up a menu that’s rich in handmade pasta and Italian classics cooked in a wood oven that'll take centre stage in the restaurant.

Restaurants

Il Bacaro

It was a wise person who once commented that good taste never goes out of style and so it is with Il Bacaro, a modern Italian restaurant and bar located in Little Collins Street, Melbourne.

Restaurants

Smith St Bistrot

Scott Pickett, Melbourne chef and restaurateur can do no wrong and his aptly named, Smith Street Bistrot on Smith Street, Collingwood is no exception.