It's a Friday evening on Degraves Street, and the laneway is packed with people eating late and drinking coffee under the heaters. Trams rattle past on Flinders Street, and somewhere nearby a queue is forming outside a bar that has no sign.
Melbourne's nightlife is loud, colourful and runs late. The city draws a distinction between small bars and larger pubs, and the inner suburbs each have their own character. It suits anyone willing to walk a laneway or two to find a place, and anyone who prefers to start their evening well after 11PM.
Where to go out in Melbourne
1. The CBD laneways
The city centre hides many of its bars down narrow alleys and anonymous lanes, which makes them hard to find unless you know where you are going. The theory seems to be that the harder a bar is to find, the more people talk about it.
This suits a night of bar-hopping where the search is part of the fun. The most famous CBD pub is the Young and Jackson, and Degraves Street and The Causeway are good for cafes.
2. Fitzroy and Collingwood
These inner northern suburbs cater to a young, laid-back and bohemian crowd, with lots of live music, cheaper prices and a relaxed atmosphere. Brunswick Street and Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, and Smith Street in Collingwood, are the streets to head for.
This is a good fit if you want live music and a casual night rather than a dressed-up one. Fitzroy is also known for funky, bohemian-style cafes.
3. St Kilda
St Kilda has a little bit of everything, and its proximity to the beach means it is often regarded as the suburb that feels most like Sydney. The Art Deco-styled Astor Theatre is here.
It suits a mixed night that might include a film, a drink and a walk by the water. Live music is one of the area's strengths.
4. South Yarra and Prahran
Chapel Street and Toorak Road have the most glamorous bars and clubs in the city. Expect high prices, strict dress codes and a crowd that wants to be seen.
This suits a night when you want to dress up and the venue matters as much as the company. Some clubs here market a members-only rule, which is intended to keep out groups that would spoil the atmosphere.
5. Pubs
Melbourne's pubs, especially in the city and inner suburbs, usually serve restaurant-standard food and a wide range of local and imported beers. Kitchens typically offer lunch from around noon to 2PM and reopen for dinner from around 6-10PM.
This suits an early, food-led evening or a low-key start before moving on. Pubs are larger than bars in the local sense of the word.
6. Live music venues
Melbourne has an exceptionally vibrant live music scene, and many inner-suburb pubs cater to many genres with drink and food specials through the week. Free magazines such as "Beat" and "Inpress", often available in bars and pubs, carry local gig guides.
Fitzroy, Collingwood and St Kilda are generally your best bets for local talent. Venues where you generally can't go wrong include The Evelyn, Hotel Esplanade (known as "The Espy"), The Corner Hotel in Richmond and The Northcote Social Club.
7. Lygon Street, Carlton
Lygon Street has a range of Italian restaurants and cafes with a student vibe, helped by its location near the University of Melbourne. Many Italian-style cafes are found in Carlton, and Brunetti's is open late and always packed.
This suits an early dinner that turns into a long evening. Cinema Nova on Lygon Street shows films, with cheap tickets on Mondays before 4PM.
8. Victoria Street, North Richmond
Victoria Street is the heart of Melbourne's Vietnamese community, with many cheap and cheerful restaurants serving good food.
It suits a casual, food-focused night rather than a late one. It is a straightforward option if you want to eat well without spending much.
How a night out unfolds
Pubs generally serve lunch from about noon to 2PM and dinner from about 6-10PM, so an early meal is easy to arrange. After that, things start later than many visitors expect: some venues won't get busy until after 11PM, especially in summer, and nothing really starts happening until midnight in some parts of the scene. Licensing is more liberal than you may be used to, and you can still expect to find a drink past 2AM.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, in March and April each year.
- The Melbourne International Film Festival, held over three weeks in August.
- The Australian Open, held at Melbourne Park in January every year.
- The Kooyong Classic, held just before the Australian Open at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.
- The Australian Grand Prix, held in March or April around Albert Park.
- The Melbourne Cup, on the first Tuesday of November, part of the Spring Racing Carnival.
- The Boxing Day Test, starting 26 December each year and usually running about four to five days.
- Outdoor cinemas, in the warmer months from November to April.
Frequently asked questions
When do people go out in Melbourne?
Later than you might expect. Some venues stay quiet until after 11PM, particularly in summer, and in parts of the scene nothing really gets going until midnight. You can still find a drink past 2AM.
Do I need to dress up?
It depends on where you go. Chapel Street and Toorak Road in South Yarra and Prahran have strict dress codes and high prices, while Fitzroy and Collingwood are relaxed and cheaper. Door policies can be strict in general.
Where can I find live music?
Fitzroy, Collingwood and St Kilda are generally your best bets. Many inner-suburb pubs host live music across many genres, and free gig guides are available in bars and pubs.
Is there anywhere to eat late?
Pubs usually reopen their kitchens for dinner from around 6-10PM. Brunetti's in Carlton is open late, and the CBD laneways around Degraves Street and The Causeway have plenty of cafes.
Work out which part of the city suits the night you want, then plan your evening around it.