What's happening in Melbourne
The best things to do this week
This Tina Arena-led production is seductive, powerful and completely rewarding – but you need to work for it
Melbourne’s Rooftop Bar is your destination for high-flying al fresco film screenings this summer
Sofitel is serving up a black and white high tea to celebrate the NGV’s epic new Escher exhibition
Your social calendar is sorted for the warmer months with great tunes at the NGV
[Sponsored] Explore truth, lies and illusion in this new art and theatre exhibition
[Sponsored] American Express Openair Cinemas lands at St Kilda Beach for a fresh season of outdoor film screenings and live music
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Competitions and announcements
Explore truth, lies and illusion in this new art and theatre exhibition
Dance all night to some of the world’s best electronic and house music
Got a client you need to impress, or a team you need to reward for a job well done? How about a business lunch at San Telmo – and we’ll pick up the tab?
The summer pavilion opens in the Queen Victoria Gardens with a calendar of arts, architecture and culture-focused events
The yuletide spirit is strong at Chadstone
See all the high octane action in person without having to spend a cent
Ladies and gents, suit up at this custom tailor in Richmond and enjoy a discount on your first order
The best of Melbourne
Wondering what to do in Melbourne? Take a look at our ultimate bucket list: 50 fun things to do in Melbourne, plus what makes the city great, from the food to the festivals and everything in between.
Expert tips for exploring the city's best attractions for zero dollars
From world-beating cocktail lounges to down-and-divey saloons, here's everywhere worth drinking in Melbourne
Behold, our eat-and-destroy list – a guide to Melbourne's best restaurants, from fine dining to cheap eats
When you think Melbourne, some of the words that come to mind surely must be 'coffee', 'laneways' and 'street art'. Street art covers almost every nook and cranny of our creative, colourful city, but there are more highly concentrated clusters than others. These are the street art hotspots that any self-respecting 'grammer should be snapping: the city's ten best street mural hotspots, in all their spray-painted laneway glory. Continue your art journey through Melbourne at these free galleries, or purchase your very own piece of art at one of these weird and wonderful shops.
If you know where to look, you can get by in Melbourne for a lot less than you'd think
If you're looking for a break from the inner-city grid, there's no better cure than a day trip from Melbourne.
Melbourne area guides
The heart of the city, home to Chinatown and some of Melbourne's best restaurants and arts institutions.
Exceptional Italian food, gelato and coffee, plus an excellent museum and theatre.
Kensington has northwest charm in spades: there are wide, tree-lined streets, plenty of public transport and green spaces aplenty.
Inventive bars, geek girl boutiques and envelope-pushing eateries. Plus live music institutions.
Multicultural hub, with dining options from all over the world and a thriving food scene.
Our guide to casual dining in Melbourne with American Express
Twirling spoons at the ready? We’ve scoured Melbourne’s many Italian restaurants to find these Nonna-approved pasta dishes, from pillowy soft gnocchi to tangy pesto just made to be sopped up with bread. The best part? You’ll be able to dine in confidence with the knowledge that these venues welcome American Express. Buon appetito!
Melbourne is home to excellent Chinese restaurants that serve up dim sum with serious style. Whether you're after an elegant banquet, a hangover-soothing repast or some steaming hot dumplings, these restaurants have some seriously great dim sum dishes. At all these venues, you’ll be able to dine in confidence with the knowledge that they welcome American Express.
You can find something cheap and delicious on almost every street in Melbourne – the city has never had an issue in feeding the masses for less than a tenner. It's not all dims sims and jam doughnuts either: in the world's most liveable city, $20 will get you treats like goat's cheese churros, pillowy xiao long bao, and pear and black pudding tarte tatin. And when it comes to the bill you can pay with confidence, knowing these venues take American Express.
Plant eater or not, the thrill of landing a plate of crunchy, just-fried falafel is the stuff of every food nerd’s dreams. These deep-fried balls of goodness can look and taste slightly different depending on which country they come from. Syrian and Lebanese falafel tend to have a chickpea centre, while Egyptian ones are usually made of ground fava. Use our cheat sheet to track down your favourite version in Melbourne, and pay in confidence with American Express.
A good stir-fry is all about the breath of the wok – that magical combination of heat, impeccable timing and squeaky-fresh produce that transports you straight to the backstreets of buzzy Asian cities. Whether it’s a smoky char kuey teow, crunchy Laotian noodles or an upgrade on the classic beef and black bean, we’ve sought out the best stir fries in Melbourne. Check out the diverse range of dishes that come alive in the wok, and pay in confidence knowing these venues welcome American Express.
We love a good rooftop and a pub will always earn an extra special place in our heart if it’s got a great beer garden – so it’s agreed by almost everyone – dining in the sunshine is always a good idea. With that in mind, we scoured the city for the best terraces, balconies, rooftops and gardens, where you can enjoy an alfresco snack and a brew or two. Then, when it comes to getting the cheque, you can pay in confidence knowing these venues welcome American Express.
Melbourne’s vibrant food scene has no shortage of treats that won’t bust your weekly budget. From tasty Mediterranean and Asian classics to Middle Eastern and American dude food, these are all excellent dishes by chefs at the top of their game. All these venues take American Express. Would you like a complimentary side with your meal? Check out these Side with Amex venues.
Creative sushi chefs and excellent produce make Melbourne a great place to explore the magical combination of rice, seaweed and protein. The fact that it makes for a swift, filling and inexpensive lunch makes sushi an irresistible siren song to busy workers and students, who flock to the hundreds of restaurants that fill every corner of the city. To make things even easier, at all these venues, you’ll be able to dine in confidence with the knowledge that these venues welcome American Express.
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They’ve got one rule down at Beer DeLuxe: beer is king. With this in mind, they’ve recently given their Federation Square location a princely facelift, adding a royal forest of botanicals to their beer garden. Here, you can spend sunny afternoons tasting paddles of their best brews and working your way through the hearty menu of one-hand munchers, pizza pies and meat-bread combos. They've got more than 20 taps frothing the best brewed stuff and endless bottles from ambers to pale ales and wheat beers to barrel-aged Belgium styles. You could be in for a long, lazy afternoon getting to know Beer DeLuxe's beer bible under the shade of their sprightly young ferns and fresh new plant walls. Oh, and there’s also some tasty drops of vino, for those more inclined to a grape fermentation. Got something worth celebrating? Gather the office crew or your best mates and raise a pint to the year that was in the garden, spread some Christmas cheer, or rejoice in a golden toast to the sunshine itself. The brew masters at Beer DeLuxe will set you up with space for up to 20 party people, a $600 bar tab and $400 of piping hot pizzas and moreish grazing plates for their hop garden Christmas party package. Simply send a line to the events team to organise a happy beer celebration, right down to last-minute festive plans. If you’re a popular beer-lover and need something a little larger than the $1,000 package, this can also be happily arranged. The more beer, the merrier.
More than 200 Roman artefacts from the British Museum's collection have been flown across the world for this exclusive exhibition in Canberra. A collection of rare jewellery pieces, statues and medallions from around 27 BC to 395 AD are on show, depicting the life and times of the Roman era. The exhibition uses these objects to tell the story of how Rome became one of the largest cities in the world at the time, which was headed up by emperors who ruled large territories, and created architectural and historical monuments that are still around (and admired) today. To complement the historical objects, the exhibition also has interactive sections, including tactile replicas, story telling displays and a digital colouring-in portrait. You can also wonder inside the Olfactorium, which recreates the different parts of the ancient Roman city by using an array of scents. On your visit, you'll also have the chance to enter a competition, where you can win a Roman holiday for two, including flights, airport transfers, accommodation and a tour of the Colosseum and ancient sites with an expert guide. Find out more about Rome: City and Empire.
With a sculptural facade that gleams like a multifaceted jewel, the West Hotel sits on the western side of the city centre near the waterfront at Darling Harbour and Barangaroo. This new boutique hotel is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton and boasts brilliant designer touches including an atrium 'jungle' enjoying all-day sunshine; sophisticated dining at Solander Dining & Bar; and guest rooms with Wi-Fi, 49-inch TVs, Bluetooth speaker systems and Google Chromecast, so that guests can stream their own music and movies. The Curio Collection conducted research and found that curiosity plays a major role in travel choices. They narrowed down travellers into five archetypes: food-loving epicureans; arts-inspired culturalists; nature-seeking pathfinders; thrillseeking challengers; and switched-on spiritualists. With that in mind, Time Out has teamed up with West Hotel to curate five different lists of essential Sydney experiences, taking the five archetypes as inspiration. Know yourself, choose your own adventure, and explore the best of this city. And whether you're from out of town or a local seeking a staycation, you can book a weekend getaway at West Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton. Rooms start at $218 per night.
We all know that spending New Year's Eve amongst the crowded Melbourne streets, searching for a good view of the fireworks is less than ideal (even if we tell ourselves otherwise). Fortunately for us, Champagne Lanson and Mercure Melbourne Treasury Gardens are here to sweeten our new year's experience and bring some high-class comfort to the festivities. From 5 to 9 pm, Hop Sing Bar and Food at Mercure Melbourne Treasury Gardens is hosting a five-course dinner featuring Champagne Lanson Père and Fils, a new enriched version of the classic Lanson Black Label Brut. Treat yourself to five courses of Asian-fusion dishes with matched Champagne and sparkling wines for $95 per person and $25 for children aged between five and 14 years old. The menu for the night will include Peking duck pancakes and 12-hour braised Nonya Lamb Rendang with a matcha chiffon cake for dessert. Each course is served with a glass of sparkling wine with varieties coming from McLaren Vale, Orange, the Yarra Valley and Burgundy in France. Book your spot at dinner here. After dinner, the festivities kick on with a New Year's Eve Countdown Party from 9.30pm to 12.30am. Ring in the new year with sweet and savoury canapés, wines, local beers and live entertainment across the night, not to mention a top-notch view of Treasury Gardens and the CBD fireworks display. Hop Sing Bar and Food's New Year's Eve Countdown Party is $75 per person with guests receiving a glass of NV Champagne Lanson Père et Fils Brut to
Who doesn’t love a good bottomless brunch to get their weekend going? Lucky for us, Hawthorn Hotel is now hosting bottomless brunches every weekend from 11am-1pm. The best part? It's just $45 per person. Drink bottomless mimosas, sparkling wine, beers, and Chambord punch as you nibble on a complimentary grazing breakfast filled with savoury and sweet options to suit all tastes. There are three punch bowls to choose from: there's French Martini (with Chambord, vodka and pineapple juice), Mango Mania (Chambord, mango liqueur, soda and fresh fruit), and a Blackberry Mojito (Chambord, white rum, mint, lime and berries). The menu looks just as scrumptious, boasting toasted crumpets with toppings including smoked salmon, goat’s cheese and capers; sliced avo, fetta and chilli; caramelised onion, Manchego and olives; as well as maple-bacon, banana and salted caramel waffles; Nutella and fresh strawberry waffles; vanilla mascarpone and berry tarts; and more. Hawthorn Hotel welcomes groups of all sizes and packages start at 11am sharp, so don't be late. Planning a hens party? Book in your group and the bride can eat and drink for free. Bookings are essential, so place yours at the Hawthorn Hotel website here.
There’s no denying that classic Greek cuisine and dining are great, but there are times when you want something a little different. George Calombaris’ Gazi is here to deliver, taking the best bits Greek dining has to offer and putting its own fresh spin on things. Every Sunday throughout summer, Gazi is holding its own take on a greek lunch. For $49 per person, you can sit down to a ten-dish yum cha menu featuring lamb char-tsoureki, spanakopita gyoza, and feta spring rolls with honey sesame. For another $35 per person, you can pair your lunch with bottomless cocktails including the ‘Oolong Island Iced Tea’ and the ‘San-Grecian’, a Greek twist on white Sangrias. The lunches run from noon until 3pm, so you have plenty of time to stuff yourself silly with the delectable array of food on offer. Gazi is hoping to spice up Greek dining for a more ‘Melbourne’ feel. The Greek yum cha lunches aim to blend Chinese and Greek flavours and traditions to create a fun, new dining experience. Enjoy it solo for a great time or enjoy it with friends for the perfect Sunday catch-up. Make your reservation at the Gazi website here.
College Lawn Hotel is celebrating New Year's with the early birds, with a bottomless, four-hour drinks and barbecue package. Get into the festive mood at this shindig that kicks off at 4pm and runs until 8pm. The menu will be a barbecue buffet (yes, that is one of the greatest word combinations we’ve ever seen, too) with all your favourite trimmings on offer. Drinks include tap beer, selected wines (including sparkling) and basic spirits. Afterwards, if you're keen on sticking around for midnight, there’ll be a DJ on deck from 8pm onwards. Tickets are $75 per person, but be sure to get in quick. Book yours at the Lawn Hotel website here.
There are lots of good reasons to jingle your way into the city this Christmas. From November 30 right up until Christmas Day, the City of Melbourne has decked the streets with festive cheer and is hosting a huge number of free events as part of the 2018 Christmas Festival. Not even Scrooge could fail to be jolly in Melbourne this silly season. Aside from all the great Christmas shopping deals happening across the city (perfect for those last-minute presents!) this year’s Christmas Festival has given some of the city’s favourite landmarks, such as Federation Square, Docklands and Melbourne Town Hall, a very merry makeover. Make sure you head to Fed Square throughout December to see its transformation into Christmas Square. The favourite meeting spot is the official Christmas destination in the city with a giant, six-metre Christmas bauble. It’s the perfect backdrop for a Christmas selfie or impromptu Christmas card photo, and you can pose inside or outside of it. Every night from 9pm Christmas Square also features sound and light shows and there will be exclusive concerts on Fridays nights. This year, Santa’s elves have even rigged up the Federation Square Christmas projections so you can get creative. Using “fingerpaint” technology you can turn Fed Square into your canvas and create your own light projections. You can also be mesmerised by the projections down by the harbour at Docklands. Christmas bakers will want to schedule a trip to Melbourne’s Gingerbread Village
State of Grace might have hitched up its skirts and reopened down the road but that won’t stop them from throwing a wild New Year’s Eve party this December 31. The massive bar and restaurant has returned after a two-year hiatus and is bringing back its luxe New Year’s Eve Cotton Club party with it. Named after the famous New York City nightspot, State of Grace’s Cotton Club is a smashing new year’s eve party with three levels of revelries. If you’re a fan of fireworks make sure you book in for Cotton Club’s rooftop package. You’ll be one of the first to party in the sky here, with the rooftop bar only opening this December. With five hours of beer, wine and basic spirits, substantial canapés, a DJ and top notch views of the sky, we reckon this will be a very popular spot come New Year’s Eve. If rooftops aren’t really your thing then there’s still more fun to be had come New Year’s Eve at State of Grace. Love (or live) to eat? The venue’s restaurant is dishing up a delicious four-course dinner for the occasion where you’ll enjoy the likes of whisky-smoked duck breast, green pea ravioli, maple cheesecake and strawberry and prosecco pop – it is New Year’s Eve after all! State of Grace’s secret cellar bar Fall From Grace will also be open for business. Guests to the hidden bar will receive a special cocktail on arrival then enjoy a generous amount of canapés and grazing food plus five hours of drinks in the schmick underground bar. Tickets for State of Grace’s three New Yea
College Lawn Hotel is celebrating New Year's with the early birds, with a bottomless, four-hour drinks and barbecue package. Get into the festive mood at this shindig that kicks off at 4pm and runs until 8pm. The menu will be a barbecue buffet (yes, that is one of the greatest word combinations we’ve ever seen, too) with all your favourite trimmings on offer. Drinks include tap beer, selected wines (including sparkling) and basic spirits. Afterwards, if you're keen on sticking around for midnight, there’ll be a DJ on deck from 8pm onwards. Tickets are $75 per person, but be sure to get in quick. Book yours at the Lawn Hotel website here.
