The Best Way to Spend 48 Hours in Melbourne, with delicious.
By delicious. Magazine, 22 Dec 22
From hidden cocktail bars and laneways with vibrant street art to bustling cafes with great coffee and fabulous hotels, Melbourne has it all. Here’s how to make the most of 48 hours in Australia’s culture capital.
Day 1 –
Morning
Start your day at Higher Ground – a beautiful red brick building in the CBD with soaring ceilings, arched windows and cascading greenery. The menu offers fun, modern twists on traditional café favourites (think avocado pretzel with whipped ricotta, lime, seed cracker and a poached egg). Whether you like it long, short, cold drip or with a dizzying array of milk alternatives, you’re sure to find your caffeine fix in Melbourne. Top picks include Sensory Lab, which changes its single origins frequently, Market Lane Coffee (but a warning, this is for purists only: one size coffee cup only and only full fat cow’s milk) or Patricia, where the beans are roasted at the Bureaux Collective – a nearby collaborative roasting space.
Mid-morning
Have you even spent time in Melbourne if you haven’t seen street art? Check out Hosier Lane, the busy bluestone laneway adorned with colourful stencils, paste-ups and graffiti created by local and international artists. Nearby is the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) where you can spend hours immersed in Australia’s rich culture of film, TV, video games, digital culture and art.
Midday
So many foodie choices, so little time. For unbeatable service and food, book a table at Andrew McConnell’s Gimlet where the wood-fired oven turns out sensational dishes like Southern rock lobster wood-roasted in saffron rice. After something a little less glam? Head to Union Kiosk, a tiny space turning out piping hot, vegan jaffles (think Korean ‘beef’ with kimchi, gochujang mayo and cheese).
Afternoon
Melbourne’s live theatre scene delivers hit after hit, with Broadway shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child extending their season. It’s worth seeing a matinee or joining the lottery for last minute and low-priced tickets.
Evening
Prepare to have the meal of a lifetime. At Minamishima you’ll go on a fine dining culinary journey where Japanese food, as you thought you knew it, has been reimagined. Chef Koichi Minamishima says the ‘shokunin’ philosophy (the pursuit of perfection) is the restaurant’s driving force, and boy does it show in every single, perfect dish.
Night
For a lively crowd, interesting cocktails and mouth-watering midnight snacks, Magic Mountain Saloon is perfect. If you’re after something more low-key, tucked down alleys and backstreets, you’ll find (or will you?) some great bars. Beneath Driver Lane transports you into a subterranean space that fills your ears with funky blues and tickles your taste buds with fine whisky. Before you hit the sack at W Melbourne where the suites are luxuriously spacious, drop into the hotel’s hidden cocktail bar, Curious, for a nightcap and to marvel at the incredible mind-bending ceiling. Looking for another place to stay? We also love the arty Lancemore Crossley Hotel with its cool rooftop terrace and bar.
Day 2 –
Morning
While not in the CBD, it’s worth going outside the city limits to eat at Fitzroy’s Faraday’s Cage where the oh-so-crispy house-made leek and potato rosti with poached eggs may just have you browsing in real estate agents’ windows to contemplate moving into the neighbourhood.
Mid-morning
Melbournians love their art and there’s no better place to soak up some culture than at the NGV (especially with the current Alexander McQueen exhibition running until 16 April). And for a true hidden gem, check out the Lyon HouseMuseum, a stunning family residence and private museum open on designated days.
Midday
Settle in for lunch at Embla; an atmospheric eatery with exposed brick walls, copper fittings and a wall of wine. The menu changes regularly but expect to feast on seasonal dishes such as spring garlic ricotta, peas, basil and yuzu; or flounder with hazelnut and salted mandarin.
Afternoon
Wander to the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Barbarella Gelato and Wine Bar in one of the city’s most beautiful precincts – the historic Block Arcade. Barbarella is the ideal place to sit and watch the world go by while you choose from bar snacks, creamy gelati or sip a cheek glass of vino.
Evening
Luckily, it’s time to eat again. For a great atmosphere and communal dishes Cumulus Inc. is hard to beat; if you’re after authentic and meticulously prepared Italian food Tipo 00 is the place to go (but get there early and try the Tagliolini al nero — squid ink tagliolini, squid and bottarga) and for a punchy take on Thai food Chin Chin is always popular. For immaculate service and exceptional food with a stunning view, the award-winning Vue de Monde is one of Australia’s best restaurants for good reason
