Flinders Lane Melbourne goes from the ‘Paris’ end of Spring Street to the ‘Brooklyn’ end of Spencer Street and there’s plenty to do and see along the way.
The fashionable laneway features an array of restaurants, bars, patisseries and cafes to indulge in.
Melbourne may be as close to Europe as you can get in Australia, largely due to the Italian immigration in the 1950’s, bringing with it a tapestry of tailors, shoemakers, pizza makers and baristas. This is a city built on migrant history.
We kicked off or Flinders folly with an aperitif at Melbourne chef, Luke Mangan’s latest French Inspired ‘Bistrot Bisou’. Luke said he was thrilled to be back in his hometown creating comfort food with a European twist. The restaurant has been tastefully decorated to suit and is located on the ground floor of the impressive Hotel Indigo.
There’s a decadent dining hall with cocktail bar and curved windows, that take in the vibe of Flinders Lane, with striking views across to the historic Grand Hotel. We sampled the Bistrot’s delicious dining menu, from the House Smoked Salmon to the Steak Frites and Wood Roasted Poussin, with a decadent and very ‘French’ Apple Tarte Tatin to finish.
Hotel Indigo opened its doors in August this past year and pays homage to the renowned German-Australian photographer Helmut Newton, who set up a photographic studio in 1947 on the famed laneway, before heading onto global acclaim in New York.
We stay in one of the hotels luxurious suites with expansive views across the city, each room has been designed with a sense of space, with supersized Helmut photos and soft interiors to match. The hotel is ideally located adjacent to the reimagined Southern Cross Station, and Marvel Stadium, affording you a chance (in winter) to catch an AFL game- the main sporting “religion” in Melbourne.
We took our time wandering Flinders Lane and absorbing the buzz along the way, such as Saluministi – a tiny hole in the wall with the longest lunchtime line. We jumped in the queue and order a tasty porchetta, cheese and rocket sandwich-well worth the wait.
Word on the lane is the best coffee in town is at Dukes Coffee Roasters. Sourcing organic coffee and milk. We had to sample and can say it lives up to the hype.
A little further up the hill we stopped off at a Melbourne institution – Brunetti (originally from Carlton). It’s a Café and Pasticceria on the grandest scale – and is an example of the cities thriving Italian culture.
We booked dinner at one of Melbourne’s most popular restaurants Chin Chin (now also in Sydney) it’s a casual South East Asian eatery fused with contemporary art and DJ beats. After dinner we take a stroll through the expansive Treasury Gardens located at the top end of Flinders Lane, before enjoying a night cap at the popular Supper Club, perched above ‘Her Majesty’s Theatre’.
Take a nostalgic trip down Flinders Lane, visit iconic venues and take in the cities striking architecture, sampling the latest food trends along the way-Melbourne’s laneways are a hive of activity from day to night,
Eat-
Bistrot Bisou
Chin Chin
Brunettis
Play-
Her Majesty’s Theatre
Treasury Gardens
Stay-
Hotel Indigo
