Street Art & Coffee Culture

In the last two decades, Melbourne has developed into the unofficial street art capital of the world. The city administration actively supports urban art — over 100 laneways are designated as legal spaces. The result: an open-air museum that changes daily.

The best street art spots

• Hosier Lane: The most famous — every inch painted, from stencils to huge murals. Constantly changing. Always worth a visit, whether for the first or tenth time.
• AC/DC Lane: Named after the rock band that started here in the 1970s. Hard rock murals and the entrance to the Cherry Bar (live music pub).
• Blender Lane: Less touristy than Hosier Lane, but equally impressive. Large paste-ups and murals.
• Fitzroy (Collingwood): The entire district north of the CBD is a street art paradise. Johnston Street, Smith Street, and the side streets are covered with art — here live the artists who create in Hosier Lane.

Melbourne's Coffee Culture

Melbourne has the best coffee culture in the world — that's no exaggeration. The city has perfected the Flat White (even though Australians and New Zealanders argue about its invention), and a bad coffee here is a reason to change cafés. Starbucks failed in Melbourne — the locals simply didn't want it.

The best cafés:

• Market Lane Coffee (Shop 13, Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road): Melbourne's specialty coffee pioneer. Single-origin beans, perfectly roasted. Flat White 5 AUD.
• Patricia Coffee Brewers (493 Little Bourke Street): Standing table café in the CBD — no seating, but the coffee is perfection. Locals come daily.
• Proud Mary (172 Oxford Street, Collingwood): One of Australia's most famous specialty coffee cafés. Brunch is also excellent (mains 18–28 AUD).
• Brother Baba Budan (359 Little Bourke Street): Iconic small café with chairs hanging from the ceiling. The name honors the Sufi pilgrim who smuggled coffee beans from Yemen to India.