Eat & Drink In South Melbourne
One of Melbourne’s Great Food & Drink Destinations
South Melbourne is made for good food, great coffee and long lunches that somehow turn into dinner. From bustling cafés and bakeries to neighbourhood restaurants, cosy pubs, rooftop bars and flavours from around the world, there is something here for every appetite and every occasion.
Whether you are grabbing a quick takeaway, catching up over coffee, planning a date night or looking for somewhere to settle in for drinks, discover some of the best places to eat and drink in South Melbourne.
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Aegli
Aegli is a contemporary South Melbourne restaurant offering modern Greek dining, charcoal grilled cuisine and Mediterranean-inspired flavours within an elegant and stylish setting
Agathé Pâtisserie
A French pastry stall inside South Melbourne Market, known for croissants in flavours such as pandan, matcha and earl grey.
Atypic Chocolate
A bean-to-bar chocolate maker inside South Melbourne Market, roasting and crafting single-origin chocolate on site behind viewing windows.
Bambu
A hawker-style Asian eating house inside South Melbourne Market's Cecil Street strip, pairing shared plates with cocktails and craft beer.
Barker’s Foodstore & Eatery
A New Zealand foodstore and cafe on Park Street where breakfast and brunch dishes are built around Barker's own jams, chutneys and sauces.
Bellota Wine Bar
A European wine bar beside Prince Wine Store on Bank Street, pouring from a 3,500-strong list alongside seafood, charcuterie and courtyard seating.
Bells Hotel
A sprawling South Melbourne pub since 1874, with a rooftop bar, ten function spaces and near round-the-clock hours from 10am to 4am.
Brewmanity Brewery & Rooftop
Melbourne's first rooftop brewery, pouring house-brewed beer across three levels with sweeping skyline views over South Melbourne.
Buttr me
A patisserie inside Clarendon Shopping Centre serving signature croissants, individual cakes and Toby's Estate coffee from early morning.
Canteen
A South Melbourne Market stall from Bradley Johnston, turning out fresh toasties, super salads and juices for market-goers.
Casa De Vinos
A family-run whisky and spirits specialist opposite South Melbourne Market, with a two-level retail store and tasting lounge.
Castlerose
An underground wine bar beneath South Melbourne's Clementine café, styled on 20th-century English supper clubs with cocktails, cheese trolleys and duck-filled cigars.
Chéri
Chéri is a stylish South Melbourne café and eatery blending European-inspired dining, artisan pastries and specialty coffee within a vibrant contemporary setting
Claypots Evening Star
Claypots Evening Star is an iconic South Melbourne seafood restaurant renowned for fresh market seafood, signature claypot dishes and a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired dining atmosphere
Cottle on Coventry
Cottle Coffee is a family-owned South Melbourne coffee roaster specialising in artisan coffee, wholesale partnerships and industry-leading support for cafés and hospitality venues
Dance Bakes
Cinnamon scrolls sell out most afternoons at this new Union Street bakery from the Heart Bakes team, alongside Korean-inspired sweet and savoury bakes.
Dead Man Espresso
A specialty coffee institution on Market Street, built on the site of historic Canvas Town, serving seasonal café fare and its own house blend.
Emerald Hill Cafe
A family-run South Melbourne institution serving healthy, home-style breakfasts, lunches and coffee from its Clarendon Street kitchen.
Emerald Hotel
A family-run South Melbourne pub for over 30 years, its well-known front bar draws a loyal racing and footy crowd — no 'Cricketers Bar' could be confirmed on-site.
Georgie’s Harvest
South Melbourne Market's dedicated potato stall, run by 'the Potato Lady' with an ever-changing range of Victorian spuds, pumpkins and seasonal produce.
Golden Fleece Hotel
A Santorini-inspired pub on Montague Street, pairing Greek mezze and mains with a rooftop bar and split-level dining rooms.
Hector’s Deli
A cult Richmond sandwich shop's second outpost, turning out five hot and five cold sangas plus rotating roast specials from a converted Victorian-era bakery on Coventry Street.
Hunter and Hound
A traditional British-style pub on the ground floor of the historic Clarendon Hotel, serving pub classics, steak nights and weekend live music.
Huy’s Kitchen
A family-run Vietnamese restaurant inside the Clarendon Centre, serving pho, banh mi and street food dishes prepared fresh on site daily.
Jimmy The Saint
A retro-styled cafe tucked beneath a Gladstone Street office block, serving hearty breakfasts and lunches to South Melbourne locals.
Kirbie
A 40-seat European-style wine bar and bistro on Clarendon Street from local restaurateur Kirbie Tate, serving comfort food from lunch through to late.
Lamaro’s Hotel
A heritage gastropub on Cecil Street dating to the 1850s, known for Melbourne's most-praised schnitzel and a 450-strong wine list.
Limerick Arms Hotel
A South Melbourne institution for over 170 years, the Limerick Arms is a beloved local pub known for great food, good company
London Arms – British Indian Restaurant & Bar
British pub warmth meets Punjabi spice inside an 1854 heritage building, where butter chicken and Dahi kebabs sit alongside a rooftop bar built for late-night cocktails.
Lore’s Kitchen
A family-run Colombian restaurant on Wells Street serving bandeja paisa, arepas and empanadas from a bilingual English-Spanish menu.
Lucia Melbourne
A Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar at the base of Eleven Eastern, pairing seasonal European plates with an extensive wine cellar.
Luke’s Bánh Mì
Third-generation baker Luke Vu bakes his own baguettes daily for the Pork 'n' Pork banh mi, the signature roll at this Clarendon Street outpost of his Moonee Ponds original.
Meatworksco
A converted 1930s motor garage on Ross Street turned smokehouse, where beef ribs, brisket and pulled pork come off custom ironbark-fired pits.
Mewoo
Korean fried chicken and Japanese sashimi share a menu built for sharing at this neon-lit South Melbourne Central spot, alongside fluffy pancakes and shaved ice for dessert.
Mirror Mirror
A rooftop lounge on Clarendon St serving cocktails and share plates with skyline views over South Melbourne into the city.
Montague Park Food Store
A quiet Park Street cafe next to the Montague Hotel, serving fresh coffee, brioche and breakfast classics daily until early afternoon.
Moon Mart
A Clarendon Street café blending Korean and Japanese flavours, from a bulgogi breakfast muffin to house-made condiments sold off the shelf.
Moriben Kitchen
A weekday Japanese bento and sushi kitchen on Albert Road, preparing lunchtime bento boxes, ramen, rolls and sashimi platters for pickup.
My Goodness
A pizza and burger restaurant on St Kilda Road near Albert Park, using 24-hour cold-fermented sourdough bases for dine-in, takeaway and delivery.
O’Connell’s Centenary Hotel
A revived Coventry Street pub from the Flying Duck Hotel team, serving wood-fired native-ingredient dishes and elevated pub classics.
O’Connell’s Hotel
A corner pub on Coventry Street pouring drinks since the 1870s, now turning out a wood-fired menu of native ingredients under the team behind Prahran's Flying Duck Hotel.
Oishii Tokyo
A cosy, home-style Japanese diner on Park Street known for generous bento boxes and a well-loved katsu curry.
Park Street Pasta & Wine
A neighbourhood Italian osteria on the corner of Park and Perrins streets, known for handmade extruded pasta and a well-chosen wine list.
Peko Peko
A compact Taiwanese-Japanese eatery on Wells Street known for its playful bento-style Peko Box and long lunchtime queues.
Phở Dũng
A family-run Vietnamese kitchen on Clarendon Street known for slow-simmered pho, fresh rice paper rolls and warm, fast-paced hospitality.
Pirate Life South Melbourne
A 220-capacity beer hall in a former Market Street mechanics garage, pouring Pirate Life's craft beers alongside fire-cooked food.
Pizzateca Lupa
A Roman-style caffè and pizzeria inside South Melbourne Market serving pizza teglia, pizza tonda and fresh pasta from morning until night.
Railway Hotel
A working pub on Ferrars Street dating to 1856, with open fires in winter and one of South Melbourne's largest beer gardens in summer.
San Churro Clásico Chocolateria
A Spanish-style dessert café inside Clarendon Centre on Clarendon Street, serving churros, hot chocolate, gelato and coffee daily until late.
Simply Spanish
An award-winning paella restaurant beside South Melbourne Market, family-run since 2007 and voted Best Paella Outside of Spain three times.
South Melbourne Cellars
Family-owned since 1971, this Clarendon Street bottle shop stocks Australian and imported wine, spirits and beer with knowledgeable in-store advice.
South Melbourne Market Dim Sims
A Cecil Street institution since 1949, serving oversized steamed and fried dim sims from a stall inside South Melbourne Market.
SpudBAR
A build-your-own baked potato and sweet potato bowl chain, with a takeaway counter on Clarendon Street near South Melbourne Market.
ST. Ali Coffee Roasters
St Ali Coffee Roasters is an iconic South Melbourne café and specialty coffee roaster, renowned for innovative coffee, creative brunch and Melbourne café culture
Tarator
A Mediterranean and Lebanese restaurant on Dorcas Street, serving zaatar wraps, hummus plates and events catering for up to 3000.
tasteport
A pocket-sized Greek café by South Melbourne Market turning out sweet and savoury crepes, strong Greek coffee and a genuinely warm welcome.
Tempura Hajime
A 12-seat Japanese tempura counter that operated on Park Street for over a decade before permanently closing.
Thai Food Near Me
A husband-and-wife run Thai kitchen on Clarendon Street, cooking home-style curries, stir-fries and Pad Thai from scratch.
The Albion Rooftop
The Albion Rooftop is a stylish South Melbourne rooftop bar and late-night venue known for cocktails, rooftop dining and vibrant weekend entertainment in the heart of the city
The Boatshed Cafe
A lakeside cafe and boat hire kiosk at the northern end of Albert Park Lake, serving light meals alongside pedal boat and yacht rentals.
The George Hotel
A 160-year-old corner pub opposite South Melbourne Market, recently refitted with a bistro, courtyard and upstairs function room.
The Golden Gate Hotel
An 1853-established corner pub on Clarendon Street offering contemporary dining, live jazz and acoustic nights, and pet-friendly bar space.
The Kettle Black
A heritage 1880s terrace turned Instagram-famous café on Albert Road, known for its ricotta hotcakes and King Island crayfish rolls.
The Montague Hotel
A neighbourhood eatery in an 1869 building on Park Street, serving a seasonal modern Australian menu with two private function rooms.
The Old Paper Shop Deli
Open daily since the early 1970s, this Clarendon Street institution serves breakfast through to dinner alongside a full range of house-made cakes.
The Olive Tree
A family-run steak and fish house on Park Street serving generous, old-school Italian and European plates since 1971.
The Palace Hotel
A dog-friendly neighbourhood pub on City Road with 17 beer taps, a beer garden and a reputation for South Melbourne's best fish and chips.
The Rising Sun Hotel
South Melbourne's 'Grand Old Lady' since 1869, home ground pub of the Sydney Swans with weekly jazz nights and a 120-seat function room.
The South Melbourne Bakery
A neighbourhood bakery on Clarendon Street known for its almond croissants, fresh baguettes and paninis, suited to a quick stop or a sit-down coffee.
The Tipsy Cow
A dog-friendly cocktail and tapas bar with a sunlit courtyard — based in Port Melbourne, just outside South Melbourne's boundary, on Bay Street.
Tipsy Village
A cosy, family-run Polish-French restaurant tucked opposite South Melbourne Market, known for hearty pierogi, Polish beers and a warm neighbourhood welcome.
Trillium South Melbourne
A Market Street coffee shop and juice bar known for its smoothie bowls, toasties and freshly made daily juices.
Upper Middle
A European-style all-day eatery from hospitality veteran Franck Sammut, built around baguettes, pizza and morning coffee on Eastern Road.
Westside Ale Works
An independent warehouse taproom on Alfred Street, pouring 20 taps of hop-forward, US West Coast-inspired beer since 2016.
WoodsYard
A wood-fired pizza and natural wine bar on Eastern Road, run by brothers Kris and Aaron Wood since 2020.
