Striped awnings and wicker chairs give this corner spot big Parisian vibes. But it’s not strictly French. Alongside bistro favourites find sophisticated European dishes (and classically French desserts).
We recommend you make a booking at this bustling modern-Japanese restaurant. Even though Ocha opened back in 2011, it's still to this day a difficult task to get a walk-in table here on a weekend.
This sleek sandwich deli brings the bustle of Manhattan to a sleepy suburban street (without annoying the locals). Stop by for Italian-inspired sangas, handmade bagels and coffee.
A pint-sized panini bar slinging Italian-style deli rolls (and house party vibes). Fresh, pillowy focaccias are packed with house-crumbed chicken cotoletta with pickled onions, mortadella with Stracciatella, and more.
This bagel-slinging food truck makes great use of an old car park. Come for Montreal-style bagels filled with all the fan favourites – like smoked salmon, dill and caper cream cheese, chicken salad and brisket pastrami.
A retired AFL player joined forces with his former barista – and a few of his old Collingwood teammates – to open this retro sandwich and bagel joint. Look for the curvy, converted milk bar with the red and white branding.
This historic pub has lived many lives. Now its run by a top Melbourne hospo mogul, with much of its former glory. Come for a beers on tap and a nostalgic pub menu largely cooked over wood fire.
Go for globally inspired beers, from a West Coast IPA to a French-inspired saison, at this brewery in a converted mechanics’ warehouse. Choose from 12 house taps, or something from the mostly Victorian wine list. Also on the menu are loaded American-inspired burgers, toasties and burrito bowls.
At this coral-coloured ice-creamery, an ex-Coda chef serves Japanese-inspired flavours that really run the gamut. There’s tart fuji apple, creamy matcha pistachio and interesting savoury options like nori and sweet potato.
Find the local institution’s Hawthorn outlet in a Federation-era shopfront inside an old bank. There’s a dedicated history reading nook, a mural-fronted children’s bookstore and a courtyard garden full of native plants. Plus, more than 25,000 titles to peruse.
A classic Asian grocer with a focus on Southeast Asian products and produce. (But there's also a surprisingly deep line-up of Latin American products, too.)
