Best breakfast spots

Variety is the Coco Pops to your Rice Bubbles, and you'll get the best get up and go after trying out a new breakfast spot.

The first meal of the day should be comforting. Reliable options include the enduring Birdman Eating, Min Lokal and Auction Rooms, as well as cityside Hardware Societe and Cumulus Inc.

If you're feeling adventurous, hit Victoria Street, Richmond for pho, or yum cha in Chinatown. Jump across the globe to Sonido for breakfast arepas. If modern Scottish cuisine qualifies as exotic, check out Marmalade and Soul.

This is Melbourne, so coffee needs its own mention. Your best cafe bets are those that prioritise the bean (often sourcing and roasting their own). Try Dead Man Espresso, Seven Seeds, Market Lane or a stand-up brew at Patricia.

Rise and shine

Birdman Eating, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia

Cafes
Follow the aromas of freshly extracted single origin coffee beans down cobblestoned laneways and into laid-back coffee strips for that caffeine buzz.
Restaurants
Melbourne is a melting pot of cultures, a fact reflected in its restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. Feast on a dizzying spread of the world's great cuisines.
Food and wine events
Treat your palate to an array of flavours at one of many food and wine events held in Melbourne, taste gourmet delights and fresh local produce.
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
Raise a toast to regional producers and savour a meal and a glass of wine at delicious food festival events, including the World's Longest Lunch.

More food and wine

Art galleries
Make your way around Melbourne's 100-plus galleries, ranging from large public institutions to smaller commercial spaces and artist cooperatives.
Markets
There's no better way to get into the thick of a city's life than to traipse through its markets, and Melbourne's certainly thrive.
Museums
Delve deep into the history of places near and far at Melbourne's varied museums, dedicated to all manner of the city's quirky local stories.
Shopping
Whether you're after high fashion, independent local designers, jewellery, furniture or fine art, find out where to start your spree in Melbourne.
Walking tours
Follow a heritage trail on a walking tour through Melbourne streets or wander through the laneways and arcades on a cafe, shopping or art tour.

More activities

48 hours in town

48 hours: Fashion and fun
Pack your bags for the weekend and sate your appetite for good food, wine and design as you explore the best places to shop, dine and enjoy a tipple.
48 hours: Cultural heart
Don't waste a single moment of your weekend break wondering what to do. Use our two-day guide and uncover the city's cultural and artistic heart.
48 hours: Romance
Live your own love story with a weekend of indulgence in Melbourne. Revel in luxury, take a balloon flight at dawn, and see masterworks at the NGV.
48 hours: Cool hunting
See all that Melbourne has to offer with the knowledge of a local. Discover laneway boutiques, theatre shows, galleries and the best places to eat.