The A-List

‘Tis the season to spend—on others. The annual festive-feels spending-spree is well underway, as the hunt continues for stocking-fillers and Secret Santa “it’s the thought that counts” prezzies, right through to let’s blow the budget items.

Looking for the best things to do in Melbourne this weekend? From blockbuster food festivals and pop-up markets to immersive art shows, live music gigs and family-friendly events, the city is heaving with must-see happenings.

Melbourne’s city centre is finally getting its own true-blue independent taproom, thanks to indie legends Venom Brewery.

From jaunts under the sea to sensory deprivation and Village People-themed discos, this concept-dinner-show-bar-chaos with a two-month waitlist is the most fun you’ll have at the table all year.

Conscious gifting just got chic. From refillable beauty buys and recycled gold jewellery, these sustainable gifts get our green thumbs up.

The food news has been coming in thick and fast in Melbourne, and to make sure that you're across Melbourne's food and bev movements, we've wrapped up everything that you need to know in a handful of digestible servings.

 With a stacked calendar of festivals and events lighting up regional Victoria, the season’s never looked so good.

Is it better than Christmas coming early? Not quite, but we'll take five new train stations instead.

The merry season in Melbourne is drawing near, and it’s time to get those Christmas photos sorted! 

An institution of New York’s cocktail scene is hitting Flinders Lane. Established in Manhattan’s East Village in 2006, Death & Co changed the game for contemporary cocktails, becoming a global icon and drawing hordes of discerning drinkers to its venues across the US.

Get ready for The Waterside Hotel—a seven-level Flinders Street venue with a rooftop bar, Asian restaurant, and restored 1925 facade.

Jump in the DeLorean, we’re taking it back to the 80s with this new Tokyo-vibin’ rooftop izakaya taking over the former Madame Brussels spot. 

Keen eyes watching the Prahran side of High Street will have noticed The Smith quietly shut its doors and has been amidst a glow-up (and dare we say it, a serious upgrade).

Want to stay up-to-date about what's happening in your city? We've got all the latest goss on what's happening in Melbourne right here.

Fancy foie gras? The stigma long associated with what's regarded as the pinnacle of haute cuisine might have gone out the window with this lab-grown solution.

Kensington’s beloved local, the Doutta Galla Hotel has officially reopened its iconic red doors after a year-long renovation that has completely transformed the 1889 landmark.

Oh how we love Tassie. With its rugged natural beauty, sumptuous food scene and unmatched cultural offering, Australia's wild southern island is a beacon for adventurous, creative souls year round. 

In a matter of months, Fitzroy’s Toddy Shop, as we know it, will be no more.

Listen up, egg-lovers, protein-fiends and home cooks alike. World Egg Day (11 October) is approaching, and this year, it’s so much more than just a runny, golden yolk on your avo toast.

Daphne is the new venture by the Etta crew that's on everyone's lips at the moment—the opening is set for 10 November on Lygon Street in the old Bar Romantica spot. 

Ready for a blast from the past? Combining the nostalgia of the Australian classic chicken shop with punchy, contemporary Athenian wine bar vibes, Kokoras is bringing woodfired, Greek style chicken to the inner west. 

There are plenty of ways to make the most of the Melbourne Cup public holiday. It starts with a coffee at your local, then the day could likely mosey into a meal at the pub, followed by a cocktail and bite at one of the many watering holes open on Tuesday, 4 November.

If you’ve been sensing a distinct lack of excitement in Melbourne’s cookie scene, you’re not alone. While our city boasts an enviable lineup of pastry maestros and artisanal ice cream, the humble cookie has often been left as an afterthought on the cafe counter.

Melbourne’s best pubs are redefining family-friendly dining—with proper playgrounds, delicious food  and cocktails to top you off. We’ve hunted down the 20 spots where kids go feral in enclosed play zones, teens disappear into arcades and parents finally get to enjoy a meal while it’s still hot. Genius? Absolutely. Long overdue? Even more so.

Get ready to twirl your fork as a heap of eateries across Melbourne celebrate World Pasta Day (October 25).

The team behind one of the city’s best rooftops is working their magic on the King & Godfree building, with plans for a neighbourhood osteria, a casual pizzeria and basement cocktail bar.

It's that time of year again, Melbourne. As the chill finally breaks, our beautiful city and its surroundings are ready to burst into a glorious palette of colours. Get your cameras ready, because spring has sprung.

Hotdogs. No mere sausage-and-bun, but an American icon synonymous with baseball, the Fourth of July, Manhattan street-vendors and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. And a strong contingent have sprouted up in Melbourne.

Hawthorn’s swish new Japanese-style laneway listening bar is more than just a shrine to vintage hifi. Beyond the wall of vinyl and whisky bottles, and the eye-catching seasonal cocktails, is a fridge of ever-changing sake awaiting discovery.

Melbourne's retail game is (back) alive, with an influx of international traders rushing to the CBD amid vacancy rates dropping to a new low.

Our editor reckons these 10 restaurants, from casual to fine dining are the best restaurants in Melbourne as of October, 2025. How many have you been to?

Beneath Gimlet is a subterranean shrine dedicated to a silky, region-specific ramen that will have you coming back time and time again.

Two-hatted fine-diner Audrey’s in Sorrento is gearing up for a glow-up, rebranding as Ember as the Scott Pickett Group brings in administrators to reset and refresh the business.

Remember the Golden Square car park? Wipe it from your memory. This spring, that concrete slab on Lonsdale Street is transforming into Spiegel Haus Melbourne, a dazzling, two-level entertainment precinct designed to be your summer destination for a cack and a cocktail.

Bar Sophia will bring a breath of fresh Athenian air to the southside.

It’s the most refreshing time of year: spring has finally sprung and it’s time for Negroni Week.

Nearly three thousand independent, ambitious artists—in more than 500 events—are at this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival. As they take to the stage, the aim is to entertain, titillate and astonish, perhaps even provoke, challenge or stun.

It takes a lot of courage to up-stumps when you know something isn't working, and that's what one of Melbourne's best chefs has done with his Latin American passion project.

When was the last time you felt immersed in a meal? Gathered with strangers and tried something unique? Heard the story of dishes created especially for you?

Never mind the rides and the showbags. The main reason to get excited about the Melbourne Royal Show is the food. And no, we’re not talking toffee apples and fairy floss, but the smorgasbord of street eats from some of Melbourne’s best-known food trucks, cafes and diners that gets bigger and more diverse every year.

Melbourne is getting a little taste of Tasmania, with the city’s very-own Sauna Boat set to open this weekend.

We’re pretty lucky in Victoria, we definitely have some of Australia’s best country pubs. Big, grand old dames, or ramshackle, quirky little numbers with plenty of nooks and crannies. Victoria’s Best Country pubs are tough to nail down. Is it the vibe, is it solid gigs, where does food fit into the equation? What about a bangin’ wine list, because that certainly exists too.

Fed up with the dreaded “Are we there yet?” echoing from the back seat? If one more car journey soundtracked by cocomelon and the smudge of a ketchupy finger on your last clean device is your final straw, we’ve got you. It’s time to swap screen time for scene time.

This market-based food truck is serving up the next viral trend you're about to see in your feeds: soggy burgers. We're betting Melbourne's gonna go wild.

Looking for the best cheap eats in Melbourne? We've got you covered with a curated list of delicious, budget-friendly spots around the city. Dive into our picks for the top cheap eats Melbourne has to offer and discover how to satisfy your cravings without splurging.

Just like New York—where Sex and the City-famous Magnolia Bakery made tubs of banana pudding go viral—Melbourne is now hopping aboard the trend. 

Consider this your all-access pass to the country’s most humble hidden gems and family-run faves that are serving serious flavour across regional Australia. 

Not to get you stressed but Father’s Day is fast approaching… it’s September 7th for those who are freaking out thinking it was 3 months away—don’t worry that was us this morning. Forgot to pick up something for Dad? Not sure where to spend the big day to celebrate? We have got you covered with everything you need to know before the day of all things Dad arrives. 

If you’re seeking a sugary treat with a dollop of nostalgia, these eateries are serving up classic desserts set to send you hurtling back in time.

Cheers to that! An enormous 1200sqm, $7 million-dollar brewery in the heart of Chadstone’s The Social Quarter precinct, is set to open next month, serving more than a dozen unique craft brews.

At Cumbé, Mexico City meets Melbourne over coffee and a sandwich. Specifically, tortas, one of Mexico City’s everyday pleasures.

Book in your tix for this single-screen, 64-seat charmer with daily sessions from 11am, late shows on weekends, a licensed bar—and house-made choc tops plus Pat & Stick’s ice-creams.

There’s nothing more comforting than a ball of sticky rice, seasoned perfectly and stuffed with pickles, egg, meat or even just a spot of tinned fish. 

Fire up the group chat and start brainstorming your doof stick designs, because Victoria’s hottest NYE festival is returning with a cracking line-up. And it tastes a lot like Diet Pepsi. 

“Get a room,” they said—so we did.

At the end of the 19 tramline are adana kebabs people travel far and wide for, waiting patiently as the intoxicating smell of spiced lamb and charcoal wafts from the Coburg North food truck, which is finding its very own brick and mortar home.

With the highly anticipated debut of Pop Mart's flagship in Melbourne, the city’s love affair with eccentric collectibles has reached a fever pitch. And this time, it’s all about Labubus—the adorably fanged monster with a name that sounds like you’re accidentally summoning a demon.

Fancy a UNESCO-listed soup? At Otakoï on Chapel Street, dishes like borshch (a “Ukrainian icon”) are given pride of place by co-owner Hanna Kachura.

Inspired by his grandfather, Tom Sarafian’s first restaurant Zareh is set to open in a matter of days, serving delicate cuisine inspired by Armenia and Lebanon.

For reasons we all know, the not-so-humble Beef Wellington has been courting attention, so where can you actually try one?