Insider guides, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Explore Melbourne like a local. Follow our Melbourne insiders through city laneways and down neighbourhood streets, on the hunt for their favourite places, high and low. Meet Smith & Daughters restaurant owner Shannon Martinez in her Fitzroy heartland. Follow Ingrid Rhule, Manager of Exhibition Design at National Gallery of Victoria, as she weaves her way to work, on a journey of cultural inspiration. Get to know hospitality maestros Zara & Michael Madrusen and their favourite bars around town. And hang out with Melbourne fashion stylist Meggy Smith, as she shops her way from city jewellery store to neighbourhood boutique. Whether you're up early, or out late, discover a cool new side to Melbourne. Delve a little deeper this winter and discover a twist at every turn.

This content is produced,
in partnership, by
Nine and Visit Victoria.

Shannon Martinez

Insider guides

"Melbourne in winter is the best.
Hands down. No matter what you're into, Fitzroy has everything. Food, music, culture, art. Everything is here.
You don't need to leave."

— Shannon Martinez, Smith & Daughters restaurateur, Fitzroy.

Restaurants

Smith & Daughters

It's only at the end of a meal at Brunswick Street's Italian eatery Smith & Daughters that you realise not a morsel of meat has passed your lips.

Bars

Naked in the Sky

Hit the rooftop of Fitzroy Naked For Satan for authentic Basque country comfort food, complete with views of the distant Dandenong Ranges.

Belles Hot Chicken, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A twist at every turn

Quick bites

Got somewhere you need to be? Grab a quick bite in between the action. This town's got casual fine food down to an art.

A twist at every turn

Top tables

Melbourne's got top tables and rock star chefs galore. It's a step up from a twist of pepper and a twirl of the lazy Susan.

Destinations

Fitzroy

Perch in a Brunswick Street bar and celebrate the way that sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same in this bohemian enclave.

Boilermaker House, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Food & wine

Late night bars

Tuck into a tipple while everyone else is tucked in bed. These Melbourne bars will keep the light on for you well after the last tram has gone home.

Zara & Michael Madrusen

Insider guides

"We're absolutely spoilt in Melbourne. There's a lot of beautiful casual spaces. See a glow in the window, wander in, hop up at the bar and enjoy some beautiful food and drink."

— Zara Madrusen, Owner The Everleigh, Heartbreaker and Bar Margaux.

Bars

Heartbreaker

A neon-lit dive bar with jukebox, pool table, craft beers and cocktails, The Everleigh's CBD sibling is bound to pull at your heartstrings.

Bars

The Everleigh

For a night out full of speakeasy charm, oh-so-knowledgeable barkeeps and impeccable cocktails, head down to The Everleigh.

Restaurants

Bar Margaux

Melbourne meets New York and Paris at this French-style basement bistro from the award-winning team behind The Everleigh. Good Food Guide Bar of the Year 2020.

Bars

Embla

A city wine bar with quiet confidence that attracts gourmands and wine lovers alike, and accolades from Good Food Guide and Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Bars

Cumulus Up.

Kick back and sample the best of local and European wines in the designer interiors of this loft-style bar from the award-winning Cumulus Inc. team.

Bars

Kirk's Wine Bar

Enjoy the best bits of the City Wine Shop and the European at the other end of town at Kirk's Wine Bar, like fine wines, cheese plates and bistro food.

Ingrid Rhule

Insider guides

"I think there is a great excitement and buzz in the air. Melbourne in winter is definitely the place to be. …[P]ockets of art and industry together, I think that's what makes Melbourne really special."

— Ingrid Rhule, Manager, Exhibition Design,
National Gallery of Victoria.

Cafes

Market Lane Coffee

Refuel with superb coffee in chic city surrounds and grab beans, tips and all the gear you need for unbeatable home coffees, too.

Art galleries

NGV International

See one of the most impressive collections of European, Asian, Oceanic and American art at this iconic Melbourne gallery.

Art galleries

Heide Museum of Modern Art

Be inspired by three dedicated exhibition spaces, two historic kitchen gardens and a sculpture park, all located on 15 acres of beautiful landscape.

Art galleries

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

See superb collections of Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous art on permanent display as well as special exhibitions at The Ian Potter Centre.

Art galleries

Australian Centre for Contemporary Art

See works by the best contemporary artists and attend inspiring workshops and public talks at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art.

A twist at every turn

Laneways

There's always a new restaurant, cafe boutique or bar to discover just around the corner in Melbourne's bustling, creative laneways.

Art and culture

Meggy Smith

Insider guides

"As a fashion destination, Melbourne is a creative, unique place to visit in winter.
…I think our laneways really electrify our city. There are so many hidden gems and so many wonderful eclectic stores."