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Apparently the most authentic way to drink beer is in a traditional beer hall, but we can’t all jet off to Germany whenever we’re craving a pint. Lucky we’ve got Hophaus to fill the void, eh?

“You can get steak and pomme frites anywhere,” says Fortify co-owner Adam Davies. “We wanted to show a different side of France.”

All hail the humble squat – the exercise responsible for 90% of peach emoji’s posted on social media. What would we do without you?

It’s the eternal struggle. Obviously having living green things in your apartment makes you look like you have your life together. They’re cool and trendy, and they oxygenate things. But they also tend to die slow, wasting deaths, despite your best efforts in palliative health care.

Say hello to the latest member of the Rustica sourdough empire. What started as baker Brenton Lang’s drool-worthy CBD cronut factory is now popping up further and further east. Swan St got a lucky first expansion, and now it’s Hawthorn’s turn. Judging by the buzzing crowd waiting for tables on Sunday morning, the locals are pretty stoked by this decision.

Hands up who can point to Heidelberg Heights on a map? We’re guessing not many of you. That’s cool. It’s a suburb that doesn’t attract a lot of Melbourne foodie hype. But for Tori and Bea, co-owners of hole-in-the-wall Crate Specialty Coffee, that’s kind of why they love it.

While there’s something comforting about swinging by your local breakfast institute on a Sunday morning for a plate of smashed av and a skinny cap, there’s also something infinitely better about sitting down with a fresh stack of corn fritters and a breakfast cocktail at Fairfield’s Two Fat Monks in Fairfield. Let us repeat that last bit for you: breakfast cocktail.

Brunswick St’s new tapas café is determined to do things a little different. Avocado, when it appears, is staunchly un-smashed. The dishes aren’t garnished with edible flowers or elaborate confections. The furniture may be Scando, but the place feels warm and homely—none of the usual sterile minimalism that makes you feel like you’re brunching inside a copy of Cereal magazine.

Wearing glasses can be both a blessing and a curse. But that’s not the way the founders, or shall we say the visionaries, at Dresden Optics see it.

It’s official: Instagram sensation Duzenman has just opened its impeccably-styled doors on High St. This is the brand’s first bricks and mortar store—more of a leather emporium really (owner Samantha Duzenman calls it an ‘atelier’)—and they’ve picked a good spot for it. High St Armadale was made for shops like this. Exquisite boutiques that you can peruse at your leisure while waiting for a table at nearby High Society or Moby 3143. Local brands with a luxe edge.

There are some interesting things happening in Highett. It used to be one of those ‘blur suburbs’—something you see out the car window as you’re cruising down the Nepean Highway. But the food scene in the last few years, particularly the buzzing junction around Highett Rd and Railway Parade, is throwing up some really cool stuff. The Diplomat already has the Sunday brunch crowd on lockdown, and now Hot Lips Hacienda has arrived to make Friday nights a LOT more fun.

If you take a peek into the future of health care, you’ll probably see something like Upwell Health Collective. This place is kind of insane: a tranquil Zen space in Camberwell that combines nearly every type of clinical and wellness treatment known to science (and some known to faith).

Uncle Drew is everything a good Melbourne café should be. Suburban and small, with a tight menu, loyal locals, and damn good coffee. It’s a simple recipe, but stumbling on the real thing is still a refreshing experience—like finding money in an old pair of jeans. Drop by on a lazy Sunday morning and you’ll see owner Jonathan Scali working the coffee machine, bowls of granola whizzing by at nose-height, and the dogs of Clifton Hill catching up around the water bowl outside.

So long, Bedford St. We had some good times. Collingwood’s old burger bar may be gone for good, but in its place is a new venue, revamped and rethought: Terror Twilight. It’s still owned by the same guys—local coffee roastery Wide Open Road—but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Where Bedford St had mac n’ cheese pancakes and gnarly hunks of golden fried chicken, TT is all about the healthy stuff.

Blencowes is fast becoming a Balaclava institution, the sort of place where the barista greets you by name and you get to say 'The usual, mate' and feel totally boss. But if you live north of the Yarra (or even a couple of suburbs over) you've probably never even heard of it. 

Melbourne’s new boutique pie store has opened in Brunswick East, and it looks fair dinkum delicious. The Pie Shop (good name) is the latest brainchild from chefs Matt Wilkinson (Pope Joan) and Steve Rogers (Circa, MoVida), a dinky-di throwback that’s serving a mix of sweet and savoury pies, plus a few must-have staples (think steamed dimmies, sodas and obligatory Snickers bars).

Matteo Bruno has done it again. The guy who rules Melbourne’s meatball empire with an iron fist (and a good glass of Riesling) has opened a new venue on Little Collins, and it’s set to become a late-night CBD staple.

There’s a new place in Abbotsford that has us scrabbling for superlatives, and its name is AU79. It’s allegedly the biggest café in Melbourne (200+ seats…seriously). It holds more plants than the average greenhouse, and employs a gardener just to look after them. It’s got an on-site bakery, patisserie and coffee roastery—a huge glass-enclosed room, stacked high with hessian bean sacks, churning out AU79’s signature blend. The coffee machine was imported from Italy. The furniture from Scandinavia. The chefs, bakers and baristas have been poached from some of the best cafes and restaurants in Melbourne. Even the freaking glassware was picked out by hand.

Fitzroy locals are probably familiar with Thai Thani, an unassuming little Thai joint that’s been pumping out no-fuss Pad Thai since 1986. But there’s a new owner in town—Ethan Chaikijkosi, of Pok Pok and Pok Pok Jnr fame—and the times they are a’changing. The old restaurant has been given a sleek, neon facelift, and the menu has undergone a hawker-style, pan-Asian revamp.

One part 19th century terrace, two parts mod industrial masterpiece. Shanklin is the East’s latest exposed-brick coffee klatch, a cute little Hawthorn-esque cafe that’s bending the breakfast rules.

The first thing you need to know, according to Sparrow’s co-owner Geno Sparrow, is that most Philly Cheesesteaks you see around town are not the real deal.

A little art-deco slice of primo beach real estate, with good food to boot.

Visually pleasing and delicious? Nope, we’re not talking Harry Styles’ latest video, we’re talking Poke Time Food Truck’s new mobile spread.

Adam Paurini and Ryan Simpson (the masterminds behind Jungle Boy and Boston Sub) have decided to burst out of their Windsor bubble and spread some love to Richmond with their new cocktail bar, The Palm Royale. You might think a bar that’s fully decked out with palm trees, flamingos and stuffed parrots is going to be all kinds of tacky, but once you step inside, you’ll realise this little piece of Cuban paradise is anything but. It's like someone built a bar using nothing but Tropicana. 

Next time you’re standing in line for dinner at Chin Chin (along with half of bloody Melbourne), turn around. There’ll be a queue snaking in the opposite direction, and this one leads to The Lucas Group’s newest venture, a three-level sushi and sake behemoth called Kisume, just down the road. (Basically, if you want to blame someone for the hungry diners clogging Flinders Lane, blame Chris Lucas).

If the end of the world tastes like cake, we say bring it on. Armageddon Cake is one more reason to brave the dead-flat, one-hour drive from Melbourne to Geelong (also known as the worst game of I-Spy ever). It’s the Bellarine’s first and only late-night dessert bar. At 7pm the doors open and locals descend like a pack of sugar-crazed wolves, gobbling up chocolate brownies with butterscotch sauce and sticky date pudding by the handful.

Finally—a gym that offers both indoor and outdoor training. Rain, hail or shine, the Brighton Baths Health Club offers a solid workout with a serious view. Can't beat that combo. There's regular Beach Fit classes right on the sand, a modern gym and changing rooms, plus the place is open 24/7, so you can work out in your own time.

Chill out, Beatles fans. This is Yoku Ono, not Yoko Ono. It’s easy to tell them apart: one is an artist and peace activist, the other is Melbourne’s tastiest ramen and sake bar. ‘Yoku’ means ‘skilful’ in Japanese, which is pretty apt (you’ll understand once you slurp this stuff).

Today's world definitely has better access to celebrity gossip, cheese and 24-hour online shopping, but it’s also a pretty stressful place. That’s kinda why mindfulness and meditation are having a moment. But meditating on your couch with, say, Season 3 of Geordie Shore in the background, probably isn’t the best way to do it. Enter A–Space, a chilled-out meditation studio, based in Collingwood.

Whether you’re looking to impress THAT Tinder date, or you just need a few quiet ones after a stressful day at the office (no judgment), this super-cool Brunswick wine bar has got you covered. Mostly because it has self-service wine. Yep, you read that right. 

Seafood and cocktails from the guys behind Hanoi Hannah, Tokyo Tina, San Telmo and Pastuso? Just take our freaking money.

Remember when you were a little kid and running around your backyard and having fun counted as exercise? Those were the days. The team at The FUNctional Project understand that not everybody is motivated by an end result—no matter how buff it might be. Instead they're striving to make your workout fun again by offering experience-based training that takes the “should” out of exercise.   

The team that brought you deep-fried Nutella balls has officially levelled-up in diabetes. Hailing from the sandy beachside area of Port Melbourne, D’Lish Fish is introducing their new menu item: The Deep Fried Nutella Ball Sundae, served with thick layers of Nutella and topped with deep-fried Nutella balls. You’d better start praying away these calories.

From the outside, Mr & Mrs Anderson looks like your regular Eastside haunt. A flat-white fortress with big bay windows, a few pendants lights hanging from the ceiling and hand painted Mexican tiles on the walls. But scratch beneath the surface and there’s some serious smarts going on in the kitchen.

If you’re looking for some Hunger Games-style survival training, or just a great way to have fun and let off steam, you’ve got to check out arrow tag. It's paintball’s badass older brother.

There’s a promising sign stuck to the front door of Vaporetto, Hawthorn’s Venetian restaurant and wine bar: ‘Come on in! It’s warm and cosy inside.’ We’re happy to report that this little sign is right on the money. With its washed-out pastel timber, old-school lettering and masquerade masks on the wall, Vaporetto has an excellent vibe: somehow chilled and bustling at the same time. A little slice of the Grand Canal, right here in Melbourne.

It finally happened: Mr Mister got a sister. Mazel tov! Mr Sister is the latest venture from coffee maestro Tyson Chambers, and it’s got a lot in common with its big bro. The two cafes are all about contemporary food done right, made with love and paired with some sleek minimalist design. But that’s where the sibling rivalry kicks in…

Hello José is the new kid on the Queen Vic Market block, and it's home to some of Melbourne’s best tacos. Don’t underestimate this miniature restaurant—their square-footage may be low, but their deliciousness is high. The menu is small and taco-heavy (they come in a limited range of meaty, limey, cheesy flavours) and you can chase it all down with a few glasses of the best tequila this side of Oaxaca.

Anyone who grew up in a decade that began with 19– got to experience something pretty magical: the humble, suburban milk bar. These places weren’t glamorous. They served cheap Paul’s milk, sketchy hot dog rotisseries and month-old Redskins that’d pop the braces right off your teeth. But they somehow became musty little community centres. People actually cared about them. So it’s kinda nice to walk into Karton, a modern-day spin on the now-defunct milk bar model, and feel that familiar old-school sugar rush.

There’s a new diner doing interesting things in Hampton, and its name is Canoe Canoe. The good vibes start the moment you walk in and see the Life Aquatic-style portraits on the walls. The old mid-century prints and photographs. The pulp mystery books that hold your bill. There’s a definite streak of Wes Anderson whimsy running through this place, like you’re going to push through into the beer garden and discover some pastel-coloured Narnia, a bizarro world where you and Bill Murray get into surreal yet melancholy adventures. It also does bloody good food.

The old Cricketer’s Arms was, frankly, an amazing place. A huge, historic hotel that pumped out parmas the size of dinner plates. Every Saturday night the courtyard was packed with Port Melbourne locals, yelling at umpires on the big screen, swigging Carlton on tap, and swapping stories beneath a canopy of twinkling fairy lights. So when it was sold off late last year, and re-opened as House Of Wine And Food (a fancy French bistro by hoteliers Deborah and Alan Giles) it’s fair to say there were some big, parma-sized shoes to fill.

One of our favourite brow bars is now open in Prahran! Say hello to lush lashes and perfectly curved brows all day everyday with the experts at Lash & Brow Boudoir. Boasting extravagant mirrors and lux chairs in a bright brow studio, getting your brows done just got a whole lot more fun ladies! Nestled just outside the Prahran market, the Lash & Brow Boudoir is the perfect pre or post-grocery pit-stop to give yourself a little lift.

Dukes Gym in Richmond is our latest favourite fitness find, and it ticks all of our ‘ideal gym’ boxes. It’s got a beautiful, high-ceilinged space (tick). It’s what we’d consider a ‘proper gym’, but not in the intimidating, body-builder-type way that swears you off carbs–and gyms–for life (tick). And there’s a female-only area, complete with funky tropical wallpaper (tick).

Last year, in a leafy Prahran side street, a suburban milk bar died. It’s a story that happens every other week in Melbourne, but for hospo power-couple India Gauci and Jeremy Gaschk (of Easey’s fame) it was a chance at a life-long dream: owning their very own milk bar…with a foodie twist.

If you’ve ever strolled through Pentridge Prison, you’ve probably seen people ‘gramming their breakfasts at The Glass Den, Coburg’s premo brunch spot. Well The Glass Den now has a sister, and it’s about as far from Coburg as you can get. Way down in sunny Elwood you’ll find The Butler’s Den, lapping bay waves on one side and whizzing Beach Rd cyclists on the other. This could be the beachside brekkie destination Elwood has been craving (no more schlepping to St Kilda for eggs with a sea view).  

It doesn’t look like much from the street, but wander up the stairs to Belinda Hughes’ new South Yarra skin clinic and you suddenly find yourself in a timber-floored Zen palace. The white-washed walls, leafy outlook windows, and a soothing meditation soundtrack massages its way into your brain.

Queensland Asian-fusion sensation Junk Boat has officially tip-toed out of the Sunshine State and set up shop in Melbourne’s CBD…and they couldn’t have picked a tougher spot. The restaurant is tucked down Punch Lane, a stone’s throw from Rice Papr Scrs and Ho Chi Mama, two of the city’s fusion kingpins. If Junk is going to succeed here, it’s going to have to bring its A-Game. Hawker-style fusion and overpriced parking are the two things the CBD does better than anyone.

There’s a new bistro and bottle shop in Fitzroy North, and we're happy to say it's nailing the food and wine game. ‘The Rec’, as the locals like to call it, is run by a team of experts in the food, wine and service industries, so you know every element is going to be top notch. You’ll be spoilt for choice with wine selections from around the world, including Aussie, French and Spanish bottles. The bistro is also BYO (a nice surprise), so you won’t have to sacrifice that special bottle just to enjoy their spectacular food.

Created by Bruno Matteo (the mastermind behind The Meatball & Wine Bar), Mister Macellaio’s Wonder Emporium Meat Shop is Bridge Road’s newest specialty butcher. Led by their Head Butcher, Johnny, the friendly team at Mr Macellaio’s have made it their mission to provide the good people of Richmond with some of the finest cuts in Australia.

Dribbles does two things well: basketball and burgers. This is the place you come in Essendon to watch the world’s greatest athletes…while eating a week’s carbs in a single sitting. It’s cute how Dribbles commits to the whole B-Ball theme too: the burgers are named after the game’s biggest stars (think Jordan Royale, Shaq Stack and the Birdman), slam-dunking silhouettes cover the walls, plus there’s a wall-mounted TV where you can watch the latest NBA showdown.

This hot little Bridge Road oasis is your one-stop-shop for everything Mexican (a.k.a. covered in cheese and salsa). And if you thought you’d had your avocado fix for the year, then you thought wrong because you won’t (and you shouldn’t) sleep until you’ve tried Paloma Cantina’s guacamole, a tortilla chip topping that’ll make even the biggest coriander-phobe weak at the knees.

Struggling to find a healthy option for your measly lunch hour? Tadka Boom! is serving up no fuss, fast and flavourful Indian cuisine in the CBD. It says a lot about Tadka Boom! that the food lives up to its epic name (gotta love that exclamation mark). Tadka is Hindi for seasoning, and that’s exactly what you’ll get here. Dishes inspired by home-cooking in Delhi that combine the bold flavours of India with modern Australia's love for anything a tad gourmet.

Skin is probably a really clever invention, but from a layperson’s perspective, there’s a lot of stuff that can go wrong. Ageing, pigmentation, acne, scarring, blocked pores, too oily, not oily enough–if skin was a new car, you wouldn’t buy it. The maintenance would put you off and you’d go buy a Prius instead. Enter James Vivian Dermal Therapies (JVDT for short), a boutique skin clinic in Prahran that’s getting a reputation for results (just check out their Facebook reviews).

Holey. Moley. Those might be the first two words that pass through your gobsmacked mind on seeing Melbourne’s new mini-golf bar for the first time.

Mr Griffith’s doesn’t mess about; its website smacks you between the eyes with the promise of ‘Beer. Burgers. Poutine’. In that order. And that’s pretty much what you get at this Kensington eatery on the buzzing Macauly Rd strip. Griffith’s is the up-beat brainchild of burger-obsessive Davydd Griffiths (go figure), the man responsible for transforming the Flemington & Kensington Bowls Club into a craft beer sanctuary, where white-bearded regulars rub shoulder with trendy-bearded hipsters. Now he’s turned his attention to cheese, meat, beer and all things fried to a crisp.

When dumpling sensation Tim Ho Wan opened in Hong Kong, it was a hole-in-the-wall with 20 seats. The Melbourne franchise is built on a slightly different scale: think 100+ diners, big open spaces, and buttons on every table that summon waiters, loaded down with steaming dim sum. It’s a good addition to Burke Street’s Chinatown scene, where you usually have to choose between quick and dirty dumplings (no judgement–they’re awesome) and yum cha-style trolleys, without a whole lot in-between.

When Lukumades owner Exarhos Sourligas was a boy, his mum would fry up a batch of Greek doughnuts, drizzle them with a little honey and cinnamon, then scream, “Hey! Come here! Eat these now!”

Australia’s biggest independent luxury retailer just got a little bit fancy. Harrolds has expanded its 101 Collins St HQ in the CBD, with a salivating ground floor line-up of store-in-stores: Tom Ford, Thom Browne, and (the ink’s still dry on the contract) Stella McCartney. Plus iconic brands like Manolo Blahnik and streetwear label, Off-White. Basically the names you can’t get anywhere else in Australia. Did we mention it was fancy?

Never go hungry in the city again: SPQR Pizzeria is here to serve you a slice of the good stuff. It's the new venture from David Mackintosh, one of the dudes behind MoVida, Pei Modern, Rosa’s Canteen and Lee Ho Fook. Close to the CBD theatre district, it's our new fav spot for a pre-show bite. Pick up a quick slice at the takeaway out front, or head inside for a full wheel of legit Italian pizza. The crowning jewel is Mackintosh's custom-built wood-fire oven, which can turn raw dough and hope into a crusty, oozy pizza in under 60 seconds flat. 

We’re the last ones to judge a late-night garlic naan (sometimes nothing else will hit the spot), but it’s nice to find a contemporary Indian restaurant that’s aiming a little higher. Introducing Piquancy, Hawthorn’s newest all-day spice shrine from the creators of Babu Ji. Just like Babu Ji, Piquancy is a sophisticated take on traditional Indian fare. Think less post-beer Rogan Josh and more date-night beetroot-cured paneer, or grilled tiger prawns with a saffron reduction and a nice bottle of Riesling.