brunswick east

Old Palm Liquor

Restaurant

The sibling of Neighbourhood Wine is cool and comfortable. Take a seat at the bar, or in front of an open fire, and enjoy the rotating share plates and easy-drinking wines.

CDMX Brunswick East

Restaurant

This 65-seat taqueria, with a sizeable bar, is a hotspot for Mexico City cuisine including birria tacos, ceviche tostadas, tequila and mezcal, and house-made vegan horchata.

Etta

Restaurant

This neighbourhood restaurant keeps going from strength to strength. Its latest incarnation, guided by the steady hands of owner Hannah Green and head chef Lorcán Kan, is one of Melbourne's essential dining experiences.

Bar Romantica

Restaurant

A romantic Italian joint with valentine-red booths and a beautiful oak bar. The owners pay homage to their predecessors with the venue’s original woodfired oven and its much loved signature pizza.

Eat Pierogi Make Love

Restaurant

Polish food comes hot at this brutalist-inspired restaurant. Expect brightly garnished dishes, apple-cinnamon cocktails, a plethora of vodka options and, of course, pierogis aplenty.

Bird

Restaurant

A red neon arrow beckons you inside for a choose-your-own-chicken adventure. Just decide what cut, heat and sauce you want – then add on silky mash with 48-hour gravy and some wads of garlic-butter brioche.

Suntop Plaza

Cafe

Suntop Plaza is the cosy beach town cafe away from the beach. Here the team serves poached chicken sandwiches with salsa verde, fruit-forward bakes and classic drinks.

The Library Bakery

Cafe

Book it to this French and Korean bakery to get your hands on Korean honey cookies, pretzel baguettes and a peanut butter bread-inspired pastry from a trio of pastry chefs.

Core Roasters

Cafe

Post up on a bench seat for kaya (coconut jam) squiggled on toast, espresso banana bread and espressos brewed on one of three machines – not from Italy, but from Silicon Valley.

Sani

Cafe

This cafe has beautiful bones (think soaring ceilings and arched windows) and a globetrotting menu. Find Turkish eggs, Japanese omurice and a pour-over station for coffee lovers.

Padre Coffee Brunswick East

Cafe

The Padre outlet that birthed a small empire.

Wild Life Bakery

Cafe

Huw Murdoch's fantastic slow-fermented sourdough loaves are well worth picking up to bring home, but we recommend heading to Wild Life for a meal if you can. Inside this striking converted warehouse, you'll find a mostly vegetarian menu where toasties are the heroes.

Atticus Finch

Bar

Capturing the warmth and glory associated with bars of a bygone era.

Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor

Bar

A swag of high-achieving hospo friends are behind this clubhouse-style cocktail bar. Come for cheeky cocktails that honour Aussie icons and adventurous snacks from the South Pacific.

Noisy Ritual

Bar

Try you hand at winemaking without leaving the city.

Bahama Gold

Bar

An incredible sound system. Absurdly good value house wines. And an unusual canteen-style window that passes drinks right onto the footpath. This is one of Melbourne’s most fun wine bars.

Rocket Society

Bar

Lebanon’s little-known student-led quest to conquer outer space inspired this charming wine bar. Here, Rumi’s owners offer flatbread sandwiches, charcoal grilled lamb skewers and Lebanese wines.

Creature Bar

Bar

This self-proclaimed “dive bar for nerds” was born out of Melbourne’s music scene. Swing by the record-slinging spot for local beers and cocktails with names ripped from the world of horror. Or lose a few hours over Jenga and Mario Kart.

Grana

Shop

A cheese-focused deli from the trio behind Tipo 00 and Osteria Ilaria. Expect left-of-centre cheeses (including mandarin-peel-wrapped ricotta), minimal intervention wines and a tight selection of cured meats.

Baketico Brunswick East

Shop

This fast-expanding bakery group produces a vast array of sweet and savoury pastries, including quiches, sausage rolls, croissants, sourdough, doughnuts and meringues. But pies – both traditional and new wave – are its real calling card.

Lucky Buster

Shop

A little pocket of colour in Brunswick East.

Denimsmith

Shop

Vinh Le has been quietly making jeans in Brunswick for more than two decades.

Brunswick East Wine Store

Shop

Bottle shops don’t get more personal than this.