Guidebook for Carlton
Food Scene
Sea Salt
364 Lygon StCheap burgers, good sushi, fish and chips. Easy, quick meals if you're in a hurry.
Our favourite cafe in Melbourne — the best coffee around and a great menu.
16 abantu bendawo batusa
Elektra Caffe
268 Brunswick StOur favourite cafe in Melbourne — the best coffee around and a great menu.
Ajisen Ramen
211 La Trobe StOur favourite Japanese ramen restaurant. Cheap and delicious food and sake.
A great, cheap Singaporean restaurant. Really good coffee and breakfast food as well!
Killiney Kopitiam
114 Lygon StA great, cheap Singaporean restaurant. Really good coffee and breakfast food as well!
Bigmama
466 Swanston StA Korean/Japanese restaurant. We highly recommend the hotpot bipimbap!
East Imperial
323 Rathdowne StOur closest restaurant, with great yum cha until 3pm every day.
Fantastic Hong Kong/Taiwan dessert place. The glutinous rice balls with black sesame filling are my favourite!
Dessert Story
195 Little Bourke StFantastic Hong Kong/Taiwan dessert place. The glutinous rice balls with black sesame filling are my favourite!
Our favourite local restaurant. Regularly changing menu, reasonably priced, great ambience. Cash only, so be prepared.
6 abantu bendawo batusa
Houndstooth Bar & Kitchen
36 Johnston StreetOur favourite local restaurant. Regularly changing menu, reasonably priced, great ambience. Cash only, so be prepared.
This teeny tiny restaurant/bar does great cocktails, has a good selection of bottled beer and delicious food.
24 abantu bendawo batusa
The Town Mouse
This teeny tiny restaurant/bar does great cocktails, has a good selection of bottled beer and delicious food.
Definitely the best pizza in the area! There is often a line up to get in, so best to go early/very late. Thin crust, minimal and simple dressings, perfect with a carafe of house wine!
118 abantu bendawo batusa
DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar
295 Drummond StDefinitely the best pizza in the area! There is often a line up to get in, so best to go early/very late. Thin crust, minimal and simple dressings, perfect with a carafe of house wine!
Delicious food from the Horn of Africa region, including injera (Ethiopian pancake) with a whole range of toppings. A good African beer selection too!
10 abantu bendawo batusa
The Horn African Cafe & Restaurant
20 Johnston StDelicious food from the Horn of Africa region, including injera (Ethiopian pancake) with a whole range of toppings. A good African beer selection too!
This modern Persian restaurant is incredible. I highly recommend the pomegranate cocktails and the roasted goat!
65 abantu bendawo batusa
Rumi Restaurant
2 Lygon StThis modern Persian restaurant is incredible. I highly recommend the pomegranate cocktails and the roasted goat!
Drinks & Nightlife
An atmospheric bar with a good beer and cocktail selection. There's a restaurant attached as well.
12 abantu bendawo batusa
Markov
350 Drummond StreetAn atmospheric bar with a good beer and cocktail selection. There's a restaurant attached as well.
Great nautical-themed American-style dive bar, only 300m from the house!
22 abantu bendawo batusa
Capitano Carlton
421 Rathdowne StGreat nautical-themed American-style dive bar, only 300m from the house!
Great pub with an excellent selection of craft beers and decent food. They often have beer festivals with guest brewers on tap.
20 abantu bendawo batusa
The Alehouse Project
98-100 Lygon StGreat pub with an excellent selection of craft beers and decent food. They often have beer festivals with guest brewers on tap.
Another local watering hole. Decent selection of beer on tap (Stone & Wood Pacific Ale is our favourite) and a great beer garden out the back.
70 abantu bendawo batusa
The Standard Hotel
293 Fitzroy StAnother local watering hole. Decent selection of beer on tap (Stone & Wood Pacific Ale is our favourite) and a great beer garden out the back.
Great tapas bar with home-flavoured vodkas. There's a great view from the rooftop terrace as well.
366 abantu bendawo batusa
Naked For Satan
285 Brunswick StGreat tapas bar with home-flavoured vodkas. There's a great view from the rooftop terrace as well.
This bar has a fantastic selection of Australia craft beer (and stuff from further afield as well).
12 abantu bendawo batusa
The Gertrude Hotel
148 Gertrude StThis bar has a fantastic selection of Australia craft beer (and stuff from further afield as well).
This bar sources all of its beer, wine and food from Victoria.
21 abantu bendawo batusa
The Woodlands Hotel
84-88 Sydney RdThis bar sources all of its beer, wine and food from Victoria.
A fantastic selection of craft beers, and a great value tasting paddle on Tuesday nights and cheap pints on Wednesday nights.
Dejavu Bar and Lounge
525 Little Lonsdale StA fantastic selection of craft beers, and a great value tasting paddle on Tuesday nights and cheap pints on Wednesday nights.
This brewery is open Wednesday and Friday evenings, and does a free brewery tour on Wednesday!
57 abantu bendawo batusa
Mountain Goat Beer
80 North StThis brewery is open Wednesday and Friday evenings, and does a free brewery tour on Wednesday!
Temple Brewing Company
122 Weston StThis brewery does delicious beer and food.
If you're on campus for business/study during your stay, this bar is definitely your best option at the university for drinking.
Tsubu
If you're on campus for business/study during your stay, this bar is definitely your best option at the university for drinking.
Essentials
Large supermarket open from 7am until midnight every day of the week. The entrance is on Drummond St or through Lygon Court.
77 abantu bendawo batusa
Woolworths Carlton
380 Lygon StLarge supermarket open from 7am until midnight every day of the week. The entrance is on Drummond St or through Lygon Court.
Our favourite dairy shop ever! They have an amazing selection of cheese, including lots of mozzarella that is made on the premises.
La Latteria
Our favourite dairy shop ever! They have an amazing selection of cheese, including lots of mozzarella that is made on the premises.
A small Asian grocery store with a good selection of sauces, dumplings, snacks and reasonably priced alcohol.
8 abantu bendawo batusa
Korean Kimchi Groceries
161-163 Brunswick StA small Asian grocery store with a good selection of sauces, dumplings, snacks and reasonably priced alcohol.
Another nearby supermarket, if Woolworths doesn't have what you're looking for.
105 abantu bendawo batusa
Coles Fitzroy
95-103 Johnston StAnother nearby supermarket, if Woolworths doesn't have what you're looking for.
A great Italian store with a large range of deli foods and alcohol.
16 abantu bendawo batusa
King & Godfree
297 Lygon StA great Italian store with a large range of deli foods and alcohol.
Arts & Culture
Closest cinema that has an excellent range of films, including international and indie movies. There's a great little tapas bar for snacks or a meal.
321 abantu bendawo batusa
Cinema Nova
380 Lygon StClosest cinema that has an excellent range of films, including international and indie movies. There's a great little tapas bar for snacks or a meal.
Shopping
A great weekend market in the heart of Fitzroy.
137 abantu bendawo batusa
The Rose Street Artists' Market
60 Rose StA great weekend market in the heart of Fitzroy.
CommandFix
106 Elgin StThe closest Apple retailer and repair shop.
The closest laundromat to our place, if ever you need to use a dryer (you're always welcome to use our washing machine).
20 abantu bendawo batusa
Soap Bar Launderette
63 Elgin StThe closest laundromat to our place, if ever you need to use a dryer (you're always welcome to use our washing machine).
An amazing spice shop with every spice and harm under the sun. Also has kitchenware and gift baskets.
10 abantu bendawo batusa
Gewürzhaus Herb & Spice Merchants - Carlton
342 Lygon StAn amazing spice shop with every spice and harm under the sun. Also has kitchenware and gift baskets.
Our favourite local alcohol store. Very friendly and helpful staff can suggest a wine for any occasion.
Bottega Tasca
321 Lygon StOur favourite local alcohol store. Very friendly and helpful staff can suggest a wine for any occasion.
Readings is a local institution: an independent, thriving bookstore.
74 abantu bendawo batusa
Readings Carlton
309 Lygon StReadings is a local institution: an independent, thriving bookstore.
This quirky shop has a great selection of second-hand shirts and jumpers, as well as new clothes, all sourced from Japan. They also do amazing okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) once every few months.
Ura
28 Johnston StThis quirky shop has a great selection of second-hand shirts and jumpers, as well as new clothes, all sourced from Japan. They also do amazing okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) once every few months.
This bakery reportedly has the best vanilla slice in town, we haven't tried them all yet though...
The French Lettuce
237 Nicholson StThis bakery reportedly has the best vanilla slice in town, we haven't tried them all yet though...
This bakery is so close to our house and has a delicious selection of breads and pastries. The Italian donuts come highly recommended.
90 abantu bendawo batusa
Baker D. Chirico
178 Faraday StThis bakery is so close to our house and has a delicious selection of breads and pastries. The Italian donuts come highly recommended.
Sightseeing
Highly recommended tours of this World Heritage building leave from the Melbourne museum at 2pm most days.
189 abantu bendawo batusa
Indlu Yezibonelo YaseNkosi
9 Nicholson StHighly recommended tours of this World Heritage building leave from the Melbourne museum at 2pm most days.
One of the largest galleries in Melbourne; definitely worth seeing what the current exhibition is.
1737 abantu bendawo batusa
I-National Gallery of Victoria
180 St Kilda RdOne of the largest galleries in Melbourne; definitely worth seeing what the current exhibition is.
A 32km trail around Melbourne — a great way to see the city by bike.
13 abantu bendawo batusa
Capital City Trail
A 32km trail around Melbourne — a great way to see the city by bike.
This area is home to one of Melbourne's Vietnamese districts. I highly recommend getting a banh mi from one of the local bakeries and nibbling on that as you walk along the street.
North Richmond Station
This area is home to one of Melbourne's Vietnamese districts. I highly recommend getting a banh mi from one of the local bakeries and nibbling on that as you walk along the street.
This converted convent is now home to markets, a great vegan restaurant and nearby there is a farm to entertain the kids. Can be done as part of the Capital City Trail bike ride.
280 abantu bendawo batusa
Abbotsford Convent
1 St Heliers StThis converted convent is now home to markets, a great vegan restaurant and nearby there is a farm to entertain the kids. Can be done as part of the Capital City Trail bike ride.
Everything Else
If you're coming to Melbourne for a conference this is most likely where it will be held.
263 abantu bendawo batusa
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
1 Convention Centre PlIf you're coming to Melbourne for a conference this is most likely where it will be held.
This park has a great gravel running track around it (~3km), or it can be combined with nearby Royal Park for a 10km run.
121 abantu bendawo batusa
Princes Park
200-590 Bowen CresThis park has a great gravel running track around it (~3km), or it can be combined with nearby Royal Park for a 10km run.
The closest hospital to our home. The emergency department is on Grattan St, near the corner of Royal Parade. See our safety guide for more information.
211 abantu bendawo batusa
The Royal Melbourne Hospital
300 Grattan StThe closest hospital to our home. The emergency department is on Grattan St, near the corner of Royal Parade. See our safety guide for more information.
Closest general medical centre to our home. See our safety guide for more information.
Carlton Family Medical
88 Rathdowne StreetClosest general medical centre to our home. See our safety guide for more information.