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A few years ago, Virtual Reality was something nerds did in the privacy of their own homes. Most people didn’t know what it was, and they didn’t want to know. Something about dragons? You put this weird headset thing on? It all sounded a bit Matrix.

It’s not often we write about North Balwyn, but it might be time to launch some serious Sunday investigations. Especially if more places like this pop up.

Add this place to your list of special-occasion-pay-cheque-blowing getaways. It’s Victoria’s hottest new boutique escape, set on rolling green hills behind the Pt Lonsdale bluff. Write the name in your dream journal now: Lon Retreat.

Matti Fallon really likes pies. But not your regular, gristly, hope-that-thing-was-a-tendon variety. He likes New Zealand-style pies, baked with love, from recognisable domesticated animals.

You’d never know it was here from down on Collins St. Perched up on the second level, with a view of leafy plane trees, there’s a New York-style jewellery store with a history going back to Melbourne’s gold rush days. This is the new-look Kozminsky.

What do you get when you take two France-Soir alumns, one beautiful brasserie and a lot of butter? You get Franco-Belge—Camberwell’s classy new French-Belgian bistro.

Forget everything that comes to mind when you think of science. Including your old physics teacher who crushed your dreams of being a scientific genius when he gave you a D on your physics test (it’s a sore spot, okay).

When the crew from Moby 3143 open a new cafe, it pays to take notice. And how could you not, with this stunning corner spot in Albert Park?

Glenferrie Rd Hawthorn is no slouch when it comes to good eats, but it’s been a while that anything opened on the strip that wasn’t franchised or plastered with giant neon signage.

We try not to play favourites when it comes to Melbourne venues, but it’s hard not to love Austro.

We’re gonna try and get through this review without using the words ‘opulence’, ‘old-world’ or ‘glamour’. But it won’t be easy. Trinket, the CBD’s swanky new cocktail bar, hits that note from the get-go.

It was a bit of a shock to drive past Mr Scruff's and find another bar in its place. Sort of like seeing another family living in your childhood home. Of course, it helps when the new bar is called ‘Foxxy Dolphin’. Anything named Foxxy Dophin is aces in our book.

If you’re anything like us, you’re always on the lookout for your next tasty sushi morsel or epic matcha dessert. Which is why, when we heard the news about MONOU, the brand spanking new venue from the team behind South Melbourne’s super-kawaii Japanese café KUU, we hot-footed it down there in search of our latest mouth-watering fix.

BEAU is the kind of cafe you pray you get ‘round the corner.

Sit down young people, and we’ll tell you the tale of Murphys, Geelong’s historic Irish bar.

Marysville was one of the towns hit hard by the Black Saturday bushfires back in 2009, and it took a while for the place to rebuild.

Looking for Tommy Ruff fish bar in Mordialloc? It’s not where you remember. In fact, the guys have opened a new flagship store on the main street, a few doors down from the old spot. It’s bigger, fishier and contains 13% more crab. Nice.

A small part of us never left Hawthorn’s Nevermind bar. We’re still there rocking Wednesday night trivia, wearing questionable fedoras and knocking back strange blue cocktails like it’s 2006. The less said about the goatees the better.

Lovers of Italian food (so, everyone...basically), we've got some good news. We’ve found a new spot to add to your carb-filled pasta list, and its name is Bruno & Co.

If there’s one thing every city needs, it’s more rooftop bars. We’re looking forward to the day when every scrap of Melbourne’s roof real estate serves craft beer and strong cocktails (we’re also hoping they have slip n’ slides and rope ladders between the buildings, but maybe it’s a good thing we’re not city planners...)

As soon as the lift doors open, you know you’re in for a good time. Pupils dilate just trying to fit it all in: hanging red lanterns, a dragon climbing across the ceiling, smoke, flame and faded Malaysian rock posters. Welcome to Heroes, you’re going to love it here.

If you haven’t stopped by Greener House Nursery on Sydney Road in Brunswick yet you’re seriously living your life wrong.

Everyone needs a place like Deko Boko in their lives. If you work in the CBD, that’s probably Purple Peanuts or Brim CC—somewhere you can get amazing Katsu curry, matcha treats and gyoza at a reasonable price, cooked fast and hot and delivered straight to your mouth.

Talk about pedigree. The guys behind Port Of Call are the same ones that did (take a deep breath here...) Touchwood, Tall Timber, Coin Laundry, Left Field and Plain Sailing. Err, calm the farm, guys. Leave some cafes for the rest of us.

Pépite started in 2017 as a pop-up in Northcote: a small place for founder and artist Irina Rybakov to display her creations and champion some local designers.

Tokyo may have more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere else on Earth, but the real fun in Japan isn’t the flashy stuff—it’s discovering tiny, perfect eateries down some mist-shrouded alley like you’re a character in a Miyazaki movie.

Never trust a barber with bad hair. Everyone knows that. Well you’ll be happy to know Dario Krejic looks super trustworthy: this guy has the sort of chiselled chocolate hair you see on shampoo commercials.

What do you reckon, guys, best business name in Melbourne?

Geelong is like Melbourne’s younger Kardashian sister—brash, thirsty and eager to prove itself.

Nicely done, Moonee Ponds—you’re fast becoming one of our Top 10 Favourite Ponds. And it’s all thanks to delicious places like this.

INT. THE AMBITIOUS CAFE – MORNING

Melbourne's porchetta specialists have done it again...

Rustica is like the Roman Empire these days—it’s in a constant state of border expansion, bringing on new venues, conquering new worlds. And the latest spot to get a dose of mango double-stack cronuts is—drumroll guys—Melbourne Central.

Just when you think Melbourne might be getting over its doughnut obsession...

We’ll admit to some low-key Melbourne snobbery when it comes to Blackwork.

Ryder may have moved, but the brand hasn’t lost its Australian accent. On the front doorstep, picked out in tiny hexagonal tiles, are two protea flowers and the word “G’day”. It’s a beautiful touch. We’re seriously considering one for the office...

We get it—you love to show off your Smoke on the Water intro on acoustic guitar. You’ve often thought you could be an actual rock legend if you ever learnt the rest of the song...but who has the time?

You’re in Gembrook and you’ve ridden Puffing Billy (with your arms and legs safely inside the carriage, thank you very much). Now what?

There’s some interesting little things happening on High St, Armadale. It’s not just for bridal dresses, fishing tackle and overpriced handbags anymore.

It happens in offices across the world every day. Twelve o’clock arrives and the chorus goes up: “So...what’s for lunch today?”

We never thought we’d see the day...Mocha Jo’s is opening a second burger bar outside Glen Waverley. What a world we live in...

A beauty treatment on your lunch break? Yep, that’s a thing now in the CBD, thanks to new skincare clinic St. Skin, which just popped up on Flinders Lane.

Tea lovers, feast your eyes on this one. We’ve found a place that’s taking tea brewing to a whole new level. In the hustle and bustle of Springvale’s Buckingham Avenue, you'll find the brand-spankin' new Cha Cha Tea.

Winter has come, guys. It’s bloody freezing out there. And with all this cold, comes all this eating. And with all this cold and eating comes zero exercise. I mean really, who the heck wants to go for a run outside in the pouring rain? And the dark? Not us. 

If you haven't heard the news, Kappo in the CBD is no more. The Japanese restaurant at the top of Flinders Lane has packed up its bags for the final time.

Let’s just get this out of the way: there is no dainty way to eat Rocomamas. That’s not the idea. The idea is to attack these burgers (and dinosaur-sized rib racks) with hands, mouth and face. You will get sauce on your nose and fingers. You might even get it in your hair.

There’s definitely a trend going on here...

When you hear ‘British food’, what comes to mind? Jamie Oliver and some lovely jubbly? Yorkshire puds and Beef Wellington? It’s a cuisine you don’t see heaps in Melbourne, which is strange given the fact we’ve got the Queen on our money and all that jazz.

When you think Mornington Peninsula, chances are three things spring to mind: beaches, spas and wineries. But thanks to Bass & Flinders, it’s time to add a fourth: delicious gin distilleries.

High St Armadale does a few things well, including flat whites, wedding dresses and handbags that cost two weeks’ wages.

Shiloh’s goal is pretty simple: to be the best restaurant in town. The fact that it’s 100% kosher is really just a bonus.

Occupying a former dodgy fish & chip shop opposite Caulfield Town Hall—Tuck Shop Take Away has been slinging burgers, jaffles, and shakes to hungry locals for more than 3 years.

Fun fact: 15,807 is the number of kilometres between Melbourne and Naples, Italy’s best-known pizza city.

Usually it’s phoenixes that rise from the ashes, not peacocks. But we’re not gonna get picky. Presenting Mt Waverley’s new-look Proud Peacock, in all its beefy, salty, noodle soup glory.

There are a lot of good reasons to live in Northcote, but number one with a bullet is Tahina—an Israeli street food restaurant run by Natalie Powell and Tel Aviv-born chef Ray Sassonkin.

Ubuntu Vegan Cafe is quite an achievement. Everything single thing here is vegan. Like...everything. The triple cheeseburger—vegan. The halloumi—vegan. The French Toast, the lemon curd tarts, the Croque Madame and the Nutella—yep, all vegan.

Magnum + Queens has quickly become one of our favourite online brands.

The guys from Easeys are taking over Melbourne, one kitchen at a time. And we’re pretty bloody happy about it. Now you can get a Rowdy Double Cheeseburger at Easeys in Collingwood, Two Wrongs in South Yarra...and Little Jax in the CBD.

We know it’s only June, and there’s a lot of 2018 to go. But we feel pretty confident in labelling Brunswick’s Project 281 this year’s Most Ambitious Cafe (last year the honour went to AU79, in case you were wondering).