50 things to do in Melbourne before you die

Footscray’s Ethiopian community has made the western suburb the go-to place for your injera and stew fix. Get your crash course in vegetarian-friendly Ethiopian at Addis Abeba (220 Nicholson St), Dinknesh Lucy (227 Barkly St) for a hearty meal that’s kind to the wallet, and Cafe Lalibela (91 Irving St) for the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. 

Nine reasons we love Footscray.

...  and watch the sun set over the city.

The Sacred Heart mission supplies over 400 meals daily to people experiencing disadvantage and homelessness. They also connect people with essential services, including housing, medical, psychiatric and even veterinary. Pull a shift in the kitchen with mates or work colleagues and earn some good karma helping this St Kilda institution care for the community. See more great places to volunteer in Melbourne.

At tiny CBD cocktail joint Bar Americano, swing back one of Matt Bax’s ever changing classics-driven cocktails that are short on ingredients yet deeply complex. You’ll pay a premium for a drink in this laneway cupboard, but you’ll come out a changed person. And if you can find the door, order the fanciest espresso cocktail in Melbourne at Eau De Vie. The Espresso Zabaione is impressive with either vodka, tequila or rum and comes with a vanilla mousse on top that the bartender blast chills with liquid nitrogen upon serving. See who won the 2016 Bar Awards.

Melbourne is home to some seriously boundary-pushing degustation meals. One of them is at Ides by former Attica sous chef Peter Gunn, which offers a six-course meal to only 36 diners per night. You won’t get the menu until the end; it's all about mystery and discovery. If you’re after a marathon meal, Lûmé's 15-course degustation will stun you with dramatic plating and challenging ingredients like cow’s udder and cured emu. You’d also be wise to pay attention to Nora, which offers among the most affordable, intriguing degustations around. Keep up to date with the newest restaurant openings.

Don’t have the dollars to catch a mainstage show? You’re in luck, because venturing into small-to-medium sized venues like Arts House, Red Stitch, La Mama or Fortyfivedownstairs will reward you with cutting-edge, locally made theatre for at least half the cost. Check out the latest theatre previews and reviews.

Melbourne’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature starts from the ground up. We punch way above our weight in down here, producing the likes of world-renowned literary journals The Lifted Brow and Kill Your Darlings, and short story mag The Canary Press – all of which feature great local writers. For some truly out-of-the-box reads, go underground (literally) to Sticky Institute and take a chance on a zine or two.

At Onsen Ma in the CBD and Collingwood’s Japanese Bath House, guests soak in communal hot tubs in the nude (ladies and gents get their own baths). Book in a shiatsu session available at both venues for extra TLC.

When money is burning a hole in your pocket but high street shops aren’t doing it for you, head straight to Lost and Found – the vintage emporium of any op shop lover's dream. Over the years it’s supplied us with everything from rolls of gingham fabric to a ’60s set of hot rollers in a lurid pink enamel case.

Next time you’re stocking up on your groceries at the Queen Vic Market (which opened in 1878), make sure you visit Michael Caiafa. His is the corner stall in the deli section packed with freshly baked bread from artisanal bakeries, chocolate you’d be hard-pressed to find in a supermarket, and of course, his famous house-made peanut butter. “My mum and dad started this place 40 years ago,” says Caiafa. “I’ve been working here since I was 11!” In the decades he’s spent here, Caiafa has seen food trends come and go (right now, it’s all about sustainable ingredients) as well as generations of families. “You see their kids growing up, people getting sick, splitting up… I see it all.”

You haven’t fully experienced Melbourne’s culinary landscape until you’ve scoffed down platefuls of dumplings from the cheap eats heaven that is Shanghai Village Dumpling (112 Little Bourke St, Melbourne 3000). Always remember to BYO booze to go with your fried dumplings, and don’t go past the wontons in chilli oil. If you’re after some late night fuel, don’t go past Supper Inn for a 1am dumpling and congee fix. Shout out to Shandong Mama for their luscious boiled mackerel dumplings and the party-in-your-mouth prawn, black fungus and chives number. Have you visited the city's best Chinese restaurants?

Melbourne has a long and proud history of brewing top-notch beer, and now more than ever. The craft beer boom has seen micro-breweries pop up all over the city. Pay a visit to the convention-defying rascals at Abbotsford’s Moon Dog on a Sunday and pair one of their experimental brews with a pizza straight out of their oven or spend a Wednesday night at Mountain Goat Brewery, where they run free behind-the-scenes tours at 6.30pm. 

Antons is a shopping institution for the left-of-centre. Drawing inspiration from the golden days of Hollywood, Antons’ Melbourne-made suits are a blessing for everyone who baulks at the idea of being a corporate drone, but needs to look sharp for work. Try on a pair of the high-waisted, wide-legged women’s trousers, a shirt that properly tapers to the female form, pair it with a hand-crafted silk tie and some of Antons’ cufflink curiosities and you’ll leave feeling as glamorous as Marlene Dietrich.

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Metropolis Books
Where do you go when you want a Bill Murray colouring in book, post cards of tattooed ladies, a book about the influence of the occult on rock and roll, and a kids’ book about yearning to be a pink, glittery unicorn? 

Wunderkammer
Wunderkammer is a German word meaning cabinet of curiosities and a bang on description for this shop. Slightly creepy and totally fascinating, it’s stocked with scientific instruments, taxidermy, medical ephemera from yesteryear, maps, globes and real skeletons.

Alpha60 is a local label that epitomises Melbourne’s penchant for comfortable yet stylish gear, with plenty of baggy cuts and dark colours. Designer Alex Cleary, who founded the label with his sister Georgie, says “not only do we have to look stylish in Melbourne – we have be somewhat practical [for the weather]. Want to fit into Melbourne? Just add layers.”

Kuwaii is another defining Melbourne label. Founder Kristy Barber produces all her clothing and footwear locally – and they’re meant to last a lifetime. “The girls of Kuwaii are consumers with a conscience. They care about beautiful things, but they are also very savvy about what they buy. We’re also known for being a colourful brand, which stands against the idea that Melburnians only wear black!” 

If you get up early enough on a clear morning, you'll see a handful of hot air balloons floating serenely above the city, greeing the sunrise. Chances are, you dream you'll be up there one day – why not do it now?

We know it's not the edgiest thing you can do in Melbourne, but no one can deny that our laneways are home to some of the country's best pieces of street art. If you can't handle all the flashing cameras, then head off the beaten track and track down street art in some of these alternative locations.

You'd hardly notice you're in the city on the Yarra Bend Park, which winds through the heart of Melbourne and out into the eastern suburbs. Take the green, hilly journey from the city into Kew, or even as far as Bulleen, and you won't see a car for hours. Prefer to walk? Check out our top five Melbourne trails.

A well-curated arts festival will make a city’s residents experience familiar spaces in new ways. Never is this more evident than with the luminous White Night festival in February, or with the Comedy Festival in April, Melbourne Fringe in September or Melbourne Festival in October. If you normally enjoy catching a show or two, then make this the year that you go deeper; we’re talking parties in the festival hubs, free talks and events and two or three shows in a night (but never four... trust us on that).

While our friends up in Sydney fight the good fight against the nightlife-crushing lockouts, Melburnians are dancing until the small hours nearly every night of the week. No self-respecting techno fan hasn’t emerged like a vampire from Revolver on a Monday morning. On a Saturday night, head to Laundry for a sweaty hip-hop party, or get down to some old-school disco at Andee Frost’s legendary ‘House deFrost’ at the Toff in Town. Be sure to check out which Melbourne DJs are playing at Boney and Howler.

Circus Oz has been pushing boundaries of circus, running community outreach programs and making political statements with their work since 1978. Seeing their Big Top appear at Birrarung Marr every winter is quintessentially Melbourne – and their shows never disappoint. Their most recent show, TwentySixteen, was directed by another Melbourne marvel: Anni Davey (read our full interview).