Eat, Stay, Play: A Melbourne Culture Writer’s Guide To A Weekend At RISING 2026
RISING is one of those special Melbourne moments. You get to see the city come to life with debauchery, never-seen-before art installations, mind-bending exhibitions and a huge roster of underground artists taking to the stage.
And you’d be hard pressed to find a better place in the country to eat and drink your way through every moment across the twelve days than Melbourne. The city, southside, northside—every nook, cranny, street and alleyway is heaving with delicious eats and spectacular drinks. But navigating it? That's a mission. Luckily, snagging the city’s hottest seats in town is now made easy, thanks to Uber One Exclusive Tables.
You know, that new restaurant that’s plastered all over your social feed? Or the prime tables that feel near impossible to lock down a reservation at? Securing a spot is no longer tough with Uber One Exclusive Tables. Their new feature means you can now get priority access to premium reservations at trending restaurants, bookable directly through the Uber Eats app—so you can finally secure that table you've been eyeing off for the next trip to Melbourne.
To celebrate the arrival of this slick new offer, bookable directly through the Uber Eats app, we’re rounding up where to play, stay, and most importantly, eat when you’re in town for Melbourne’s RISING 2026. Buckle up, it’s a good one.
Friday
Image credit: Dukes | Instagram
AM
After the alarm rings (and you’ve inevitably snoozed it four times), it’s time to get your daily hit of caffeine. Lucky for you, Melbourne is crawling with endless options. If you’ve locked in a stay somewhere in the CBD—we’re big fans of the Urban List 100 nominee Hannah St Hotel along Southbank—bee-line to one of the best coffee spots in Melbourne with a take-and-go from Dukes on Flinders Lane. This is a real AM-situation, so embrace your inner early bird and get in before it gets chokkas.
Now, most of the RISING fun starts well after the moon rises, so to sort out your lunch, hit up Barra for no-fuss Latin American dining, or keep it classy with a vino in hand at Carlton Wine Room—both conveniently available to book on Uber One Exclusive Tables.
PM
Think: a Melbourne icon, after dark, pumping the tunes. It’s the opening weekend of RISING, and there’s no better way to kick off your adventures than Library Up Late. Whether it’s your first time in Melbourne or you're a born and bred local, this event is a rare chance to party under the iconic dome. Once you’ve boogied your heart out, dip to Bar Liberty in Fitzroy for a nightcap.
Insider Intel
- Book your table through the Uber Eats app and score up to $50 off your ride there
- Don't skip on the Bar Liberty Negroni
Saturday
Image Credit: Daphne | Instagram
AM
After a big Friday night, a big feed is in order. For lunch, this is a choose-your-own-adventure situation. Personally, I’m hitting up Salona in Richmond, where you'll find real-deal Greek food. Order up on the prawn youvetsi, saganaki and calamari, of course, and go big with the brizola (chargrilled pork tomahawk). Don’t skip on an ouzo, it would be rude.
Who remembers Furbies? RISING does. It’s nostalgia central at Emporium with the Furby Chorus and Friends free exhibition. No ticket, no worries. The beloved fluffy friends have taken residence at Emporium Melbourne, an installation created by studio BOWL’s Ryohei Murakami and NCM.
PM
Following on with the free theme, Wax Music Lounge is transforming into the Artist Bar as the spot to go before and after your RISING escapades. It’s moody, it’s fantastic, and it’s pumping from 5pm until late into the night.
What do you get when a choreographer, Gideon Obarzanek, meets a software developer, Frieder Weiss? Contemporary dance unlike anything you’ve seen before. Glow, as part of the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale, is all about breaking free of genres, blending body with different forms to deliver dance in bold, new ways. Once you’ve experienced one of the best RISING events, Hannah Green’s latest opening in Brunswick East is the place to go. At Daphne, it’s all about the martinis.
Sunday
Image credit: Serai | Website
AM
It’s the last day of the weekend, and you're in Melbourne after all, so let's explore. For me, that means getting out as the sun peaks over the horizon for a run. For exceptional sunrise views, take a jog from Brighton into St Kilda. Down a coffee from North Point Brighton, then hit the Bay Trail, running up the hill to Point Ormond for those exceptional views. Then, it's time to head to one of Melbourne's most talked about restaurants—and best Filipino joints—Serai. You can't go wrong with the wood-fired kitchen and the Feed Me set menu, where the team will take care of the hard task of narrowing down what to order. Then, jump on one of RISINGS’ First Peoples Melbourne Art Trams rolling around town.
PM
Close out your RISING weekend with A Year Without Summer going down at the Art Centre’s Playhouse. Described as “a spattered Renaissance painting of a production. One that dares to glimpse utopia beneath an ashen sky." I'm hooked. On the way back, wander past Hammer Hall to lay your eyes on Calling Country: The Land Speaks Back.
There you have it, folks. The only guide you need for weekending in Melbourne for RISING 2026. And when it comes to eating and drinking your way through the city, it’s all made that much easier with Uber One Exclusive Tables. Read all about it here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Uber One Exclusive Tables and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Leading image: Urban List.