Balaclava & St Kilda East

Cosmopolitan Balaclava and St Kilda East are St Kilda central's less-brash easterly siblings, and a hub for Melbourne's Jewish community.

Tradition rubs shoulders with modernity here: cafe culture booms, traditional bagelries pull all-ages crowds, and art deco buildings decorate tree-lined streets named after historic Crimean War battles.

Cafe-hop on Carlisle Street

Grab your reusable coffee cup and explore foodie locus Carlisle Street. Longstanding favourite Las Chicas will catch you straight off the train or tram for a flat white and all-day brekkie in the courtyard. Go for vegan cafe fare and bang-up coffee at Monk Bodhi Dharma. Join the queue at Glicks, where the Jewish bakery treats and bagels are best in town – hands-down.

Pull up at a pub

The iconic Grosvenor Hotel and Dick Whittington Tavern have been serving up beer and grub to the locals since the 1800s. For modern pub-goers, St Kilda East's Local Taphouse is a jewel in the crown of Melbourne’s craft beer scene. 

Dine around the world

Balaclava and St Kilda East are loaded with multicultural flavours. Choose from award-winning Turkish mezzes at Tulum or brunch with a unique Mediterranean touch at Phoenician Cafe in Westbury Street.

Grab an al fresco sundowner cocktail or hit cool kid Pretty Little for Spanish- and French-influenced Modern Australian.

Designer touch

Like the rest of Melbourne, Balaclava and St Kilda East loves all things designer. Peruse the colourful outfits for women along Carlisle Street at local fashion label Leonard St. Give in to the impulse for bright goodies at Lulu Design Store, stockists of clothing, jewellery, homewares and accessories, including Melbourne fashion luminaries Elk and Kuwaii.

Walking distance

Care for a post-prandial stroll and some sea air? Mooch along tree-lined residential streets and head towards the sandy end of St Kilda – the seaside is a four-kilometre stroll down Carlisle Street.