For a long time, High Street in Northcote took a backseat to Melbourne’s other trendy northside drags: Smith Street, Brunswick Street, Lygon Street and Sydney Road. But as rising property prices pushed the artists, musicians and bohemian latte-drinkers out of Collingwood and Fitzroy, many of them began settling here, along the old 86 tram route.

Today, High Street takes a backseat to no-one. The secret’s officially out. Running from Westgarth in the south all the way up to Thornbury and Preston, High Street is basically jam-packed with goodness: you’ve got bars, cafes, boutique cinemas, food truck parks, even lasagne delivery services. And it’s all a short ride from the CBD.

Café culture

Take your pick. High Street has great cafes from Westgarth all the way to Preston. Barry is a local favourite, or you could try Phil’s Westgarth Bakehouse, Serendib, or All Are Welcome for some cracking babka buns. Moving north into Thornbury, definitely check out Umberto Espresso Bar (pro tip: there’s a bar on the roof) or Casa Nata for scrumptious Portuguese tarts.

Catch a show

With some of Melbourne’s best boutique and independent cinemas, High Street is the perfect Melbourne day trip. Catch a flick at Thornbury Picture House or Palace Westgarth. They have a great mix of mainstream releases, documentaries and indie titles. Thornbury Picture House in particular hosts some amazing film premiers and fundraising events, so check their calendar to see what’s coming up.

Getting here

The easiest way to get to High Street is to catch the 86 tram, which runs along Bourke Street in Melbourne’s CBD. From there it’s a leisurely 30-minute tram ride, up through Fitzroy and Collingwood. There is parking on High Street itself, but spaces are notoriously limited. You can also catch the 250 bus, or the Mernda train line to Northcote station.