Lygon Street

The first wave of Italian immigrants arrived in Melbourne in the mid-20th century and settled in the suburb of Carlton. One of the first things they did was open restaurants that served their favourite dishes, made just the way they were made back home. Toto’s Pizza House was the first pizzeria in Australia, and was followed by other cafés and restaurants on Carlton’s main thoroughfare of Lygon Street. The area is now firmly established as Australia’s “Little Italy” and has become a favourite haunt of foodies from all corners of the globe.

The stretch of Lygon Street between Victoria and Elgin streets, just north of Melbourne city centre, is where you’ll find all the most popular dining establishments. Start your day with an invigorating espresso, munch on a panino flavoured with garlic and fresh herbs at lunchtime, or wallow in nostalgia for the old country over a steaming bowl of pasta and a bottle of fruity red wine as darkness falls, leaving just enough room for a refreshing late-night gelato.

Every October the street is transformed by the Lygon Street Fiesta, a traditional Italian-style street festival which has been drawing the crowds since 1978. Other nearby entertainment options include the arthouse Cinema Nova and the legendary La Mama Theatre, while the Museo Italiano chronicles the legacy of the Italian community in Carlton and its impact on Australian life and culture.

Lygon Street also has a smattering of restaurants serving equally delicious non-Italian cuisine, including Indian and Thai, as well as an eclectic mix of fashion boutiques, bookshops and galleries – plenty to browse the hours away in this bohemian quarter of the city. It’s an easy walk from central Melbourne, but if you want to save your energy for a thorough exploration of your destination, jump on a tram. There is street parking nearby but it can be in high demand, so public transport is usually a safer bet.