Fitzroy
- Melbourne's SoHo
- Art meets fashion
- Eat, drink, meet, dance
Eclectic mix
Walking down Brunswick Street, the bohemian heart of Fitzroy, is always a colourful experience. Aside from the plethora of cafés where uber-cool urbanites sip long lattés, there is an eclectic mix of shops to explore. Try Polyester Records for the latest in independent label music, or browse through second-hand book stores.
Alternative style
Alternative style-masters gravitate towards a number of clothing shops offering everything from retro to techno trance wear and fetish clothing. Then there's the fringe art galleries filled with works by local artists. This is a place to chat with anybody over a drink or a coffee. Fitzroy is also home to Melbourne's most popular arty party – the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Booze and food
Off Brunswick Street, you can wander down back streets to find some of the best gastro pubs in Melbourne – the Napier, the Union Club, the Rose, the Standard, the Marquis of Lorne and the Labour in Vain among them. Johnston Street serves up several cheap and cheerful culinary secrets from Indian restaurants to the street's specialty – Spanish. Every year the road is closed to host the two-day Hispanic-Latin-American festival.
Smith and Gertrude streets for more
Nearby Smith Street is a rejuvenated alternative to Brunswick Street, defined by the multicultural tastes to be had at plenty of budget-friendly Asian, Greek, Moroccan and Middle Eastern eateries. Melbourne prides itself on its multicultural population and it's proudly on show here.
Running between Brunswick and Smith streets, Gertrude Street is also worth a walk down for its cafés, the Builders Arms pub and the assortment of odd shops.
More:
www.hispanicfiesta.com.au
www.melbournefringe.com.au
www.melbournepubs.com.au
