Melbourne Tours Uncovered - An Insider's Guide

Discovering Melbourne: Food, History, and Hidden Gems

When choosing a Melbourne Tour, a walking tour is a perfect way to explore the famous alleyways, laneways and arcades of the city. These laneways are pedestrian-only zones and are often filled with cafes, delicious local food vendors and small stores that exude charm. Melbourne is an incredibly multicultural city and this is reflected in what’s on offer for you in the laneways of Melbourne.

What Makes Walk Melbourne Tours Unique?

At Walk Melbourne Tours we love to share Melbourne’s stories through food. Since 2012, our small group walking tours have been delighting guests from all around the world. Food is central to our tours, so tastings are included in the price of every tour.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time visitor to Melbourne looking for a comprehensive overview or a local with a specific interest. We have a tour for you:

• Coffee Tours: Dive deep into Melbourne's renowned coffee scene.

• Dumpling Tours: Taste the city's most delicious dumplings.

• Foodie Tours: Indulge in Melbourne's most delicious morsels.

• Laneway & Rooftop Bars Tours:Explore unique spots and spectacular views

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Foodie Discovery Walk

The Foodie Discovery Walk is the best Melbourne tour if you want a great overview of Melbourne and a range of different tastings. It’s perfect if you only have a short stay and want to taste a bunch of delicious things!

Coffee Lovers Walk

Our Coffee Lovers Walk is for those wanting to deep dive into Melbourne’s coffee obsession. It doesn’t matter if you simply enjoy a cappuccino or if you are a home roasting expert. We can cater to everyone’s tastes - as long as it’s coffee! You’ll visit multiple cafes, try different styles of coffee and leave with lots of food for thought about your next cup.

Dumpling Discovery Walk

Our Dumpling Discovery Walk is for those who love a fun evening experience with a little bit of history thrown in. We visit several dumpling houses - typically always Chinese - and try something different at each one. You’ll make your own dipping sauce and have a great night out with other dumpling lovers!

Rooftop Bars Tour

Our Rooftop Bars tour is a Melbourne Tour for those of you wanting to find some great spots for a drink with friends. This is only for private groups, so grab a few friends and we’ll show you some nice views, share a bit of history and buy you some drinks!

““This tour that was so much more than I was expecting! It was a history lesson, as well as an introduction to Melbourne architecture, iconic events, and the influential people who helped grow this beautiful city. As for the food and drinks…there is plenty, it’s all delicious, and you are taken on a journey with each stop providing its own fascinating story. I can’t recommend this tour highly enough, a wonderful introduction to what Melbourne has to offer””

— Vicki, June 2023

FAQs

What Can You Expect in a Walk Melbourne Tour?

Your local guide will meet you with a smile and confirm your dietary requirements and preferences.

The groups are always small and may include local Melbournians discovering their own backyard or international guests from any corner of the world. We encourage everyone to get to know each other!

Our tour guides are locals and want you to get the best out of your time in Melbourne. All our tours include the laneways of Melbourne, history and commentary about the food that we’re eating. Our guides are all passionate about the city and are happy to provide some recommendations for the rest of your stay.

Are Tastings Included in the Price?

Your tastings are included in the price. We visit small businesses that the locals love and on every tour we hear people say ‘we would never have found this place without you!’.

How Do I Book a Melbourne Tour with Walk Melbourne?

All our availability is viewable in real time on our website. Just click the Book Now button to book your Melbourne tour.

Are Walk Melbourne Tours Suitable for Children?

Our tours aren’t really suitable for kids under 10 years old, unless they’re adventurous eaters. If you think they will have all the tastings, they are charged at full price. If you’d like to bring them along, but you don’t think they’ll eat, they are welcome to attend free of charge. But please let us know in advance so we can accommodate seating for them (our venues are small). You are welcome to buy them extra tastings along the way. All kids over 10 years old are charged at full price. If you have any questions, please get in contact.

What Should I Bring on a Walk Melbourne Tour?

Please bring your own water bottle, rain jacket, umbrella, hat and sunscreen. Some people also like to bring some hand sanitiser, as we are eating at outdoor venues. Apart from that please bring your sense of curiosity and enthusiasm!

Why Choose Walk Melbourne for Your Melbourne Tour Experience?

We have been operating foodie walking tours of Melbourne since 2012 with great reviews from our customers! Our groups are small, our tour guides are locals and tastings are included in the price. We visit small businesses that the locals love and on every tour we hear people say ‘we would never have found this place without you!’. All our tours include the laneways of Melbourne, history and commentary about the food that we’re eating. We want you to get the best out of your time in Melbourne and we’re always happy to provide some recommendations for the rest of your stay.

Winter treats in Melbourne for foodies

Melbourne’s winter is relatively mild, rarely dipping below 10 deg C (50 deg F) during the day. However, across the rest of sunny Australia, Melbourne has a reputation for being cold, wet and dark during July. While it can be tempting to snuggle up at home on the couch, winter is a great time to layer up in your favourite winter clothes and take advantage of all those warming and comforting delights you’re in the mood for. With multicultural culinary influences from Europe and Asia, here are some of the best winter things to eat and places to eat them in July 2023!  

Coffee & pastry

Melbourne is obsessed with two things in winter: Aussie Rules football (it’s not rugby or soccer) and coffee! The downtown grid - which is half a square mile (1.3 sq km) – has hundreds of coffee shops, with some of them very serious about their coffees. Most locals drink a caffe latte or a flat white (both are espresso topped with steamed milk) but if you really want a Melbourne coffee order a ‘magic’. It’s technically a ‘double ristretto ¾ latte’ but tastes just like a caffe latte with a more intense coffee flavour and less milk. One of the best is at Industry Beans in Little Collins Street. If you prefer your coffee black, they also offer filter coffee (high quality drip) or single origin black espresso. You might also like to try Maker on Hardware Lane, especially if you’re travelling with a non-coffee drinker. They make one of the best chai lattes.

What goes better with coffee than a pastry? Whether you like a classic croissant or something more elaborate like a cherry and pistachio danish or a lemon curd cronut, pastry is definitely having a moment in Melbourne. You can join the daily queue at world renowned Lune Croissanterie in Russell St or play hide and seek and find the petit shop for Agathe patisserie in the historic Royal Arcade.

Hot pot (Thai or Chinese)

There’s nothing quite as warming as sharing hot pot with friends. There’s something very comforting about communal cooking at the table over some nice conversation. This is not a dish to dine solo! Whether you like the spicy and numbing flavours of Sichuan province in China or the aromatic flavours of Thailand, Melbourne has many opportunities for hot pot.

The original in Melbourne and still very popular is Dainty Sichuan (no website) at 149 Lonsdale St. For Thai flavours and a menu that goes beyond hot pot as well, head to Nana Thai on Bourke near Russell. If the queue is too long, the eastern end of Bourke St (between Russell St and Spring St) has recently seen a burst of Thai restaurants, so try your luck at one of those!

Warming spaces for after dark drinks

After dinner it’s nice to slip into a moody bar for a sneaky cocktail. Winter is the best time to explore Melbourne’s indoor spaces designed to be warm and intimate.

When Gimlet became too popular, local hospitality hero Andrew McConnell decided to open a dedicated cocktail bar next door. The Apollo Inn is Melbourne’s newest hot spot, named for the original watering hole that was on this spot in the very early days of British settlement. It’s small, quiet and very sophisticated, specialising in martinis.

Mill Place Merchants Mill Place Merchants, Housed in a historic, heritage-listed building dating back to the 1840s, we occupy a space that once buzzed with the industry of meat preserving, hat, soap, and candle merchants. Tucked away within the timeworn walls of Mill Place, MPM emerges from the pages of history.

Black Kite Commune is also a new kid in town serving more than 90% Australian made drinks with indigenous flavours highlighted on the snacks menu. Head upstairs into the mezzanine booths and simply press the button at your table for cocktail service. A perfect way to avoid the chill outside! 

Conclusion

Of course if you want to pack a whole lots of treats into 3 hours, you could join one of our Melbourne walking tours, where food and drinks are included on every tour. Melbourne is definitely a place that thrives during winter, so grab your puffer jacket and scarf and head out into see the city and warm up with some comforting winter treats. 

Maker Coffee: The Art of the Filter Ritual

When it comes to experiencing coffee as a moment of pure mindfulness, Maker Coffee stands in a league of its own. Founded with a simple philosophy—to serve exceptional coffee with warmth, clarity, and care—this premier Melbourne-based roaster treats the crop with absolute reverence. What began as a passionate, small-batch roasting operation in the backstreets of Richmond has grown into a handful of carefully curated espresso bars across the city.  

As a standout destination on our Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, a visit to Maker's serene city spaces—like their beautifully designed bars on Little Collins Street or right near Hardware Lane—offers an intimate look at the slow-coffee movement.

Honesty in the Cup: Small-Batch Precision

Maker Coffee doesn't mass-produce. They source exceptional, traceable beans globally, focusing heavily on sustainability and direct producer partnerships. Back at their Richmond roastery, every single batch is roasted with meticulous precision to highlight the natural, honest character of the specific origin.

• The Rotating Single-Origin Menu: You won’t find a static, unchangeable menu here. Maker constantly rotates its single-origin offerings depending on global harvest cycles. On any given day, you might experience a bright, washed Kenyan bean bursting with blackcurrant notes, or a complex, natural Colombian variety.  

• Neighborhood Sanctuaries: Their inner-city spaces are deliberately designed to feel like clean, calm sanctuaries away from the CBD noise. Featuring minimalist layouts and soft lighting, the architecture intentionally keeps the focus on the interaction between the barista, the guest, and the brew.  

The Highlight: The V60 Brew Bar Ritual

While we appreciate a perfectly pulled espresso, the real magic happens at Maker’s dedicated Brew Bar. For our Coffee Lovers groups, this is where we pause to appreciate the ultimate slow-coffee ritual: the V60 Pour Over.

Watching a Maker barista craft a pour over is like watching a chemist at work. The process is completely transparent: the beans are ground to order, the water temperature is digitally monitored, and the pour is executed in concentric circles with absolute precision. This filter brewing method extracts the most delicate, tea-like complexities of the bean, offering a incredibly clean cup that completely rewrites what people think coffee tastes like.

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Skip the Milk (Just This Once): When trying a V60 single-origin filter brew, skip the milk and sugar. These coffees are naturally sweet and complex, designed to be enjoyed black to appreciate the subtle fruit or floral notes.

• Meet the Makers: The baristas here are selected not just for their technical expertise, but for their warmth. Don't be shy to ask them about the farm or the processing method of the coffee you’re drinking—they love sharing the story.

• The Maven Blend: If you prefer a traditional milk-based coffee, try their signature house blend, The Maven, which cuts through milk beautifully with rich, reliable flavor.

Wake Up to Melbourne's Best Brews

Ready to slow down and experience the ritual of specialty coffee with the people who roast it? Join us on the Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, where our local guides take you past the generic cafes and straight to the heart of Melbourne's coffee elite. You’ll taste the difference, master the vocabulary, and meet independent pioneers like the team at Maker.

Industry Beans: The Science of Specialty Coffee

If there is one name that represents the cutting edge of Australia’s global coffee reputation, it’s Industry Beans. Founded in 2013 by brothers Trevor and Steve Simmons in the backstreets of Fitzroy, this powerhouse roaster has spent over a decade redefining what it means to source, roast, and brew the perfect bean.

As a premier destination on our Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, a visit to Industry Beans is an education in the "crop-to-cup" journey. It is the perfect place for our small groups to experience the meticulous science behind Melbourne's daily obsession.

Precision Roasting & High-Tech Design

While Industry Beans operates state-of-the-art open warehouse roasteries, our walking tour zeroes in on their incredibly striking city outposts, such as the minimalist, modern space tucked onto Little Collins Street.

• The Modbar Revolution: When you step inside with your guide, the first thing you’ll notice is the distinct lack of a giant, bulky espresso machine blocking the counter. Instead, Industry Beans utilises the space-age La Marzocco Modbar system. The main machinery is hidden beneath the bench, leaving only sleek, minimalist taps protruding from the counter. This design creates a completely open, transparent interaction between the barista, the guest, and the brew.

• Seasonal Curation: Rather than sticking to one static flavor profile, they roast a brand-new Seasonal Espresso Blend every three months. This approach allows them to showcase the absolute best beans available from global harvest cycles at that exact moment.

• Ethical Sourcing: Traceability is at the core of what they do. They work transparently with farmers across the world's premier coffee-growing regions, ensuring every batch is ethically traded and expertly evaluated.

What to Sip: From Espresso to Innovations

On our specialised coffee itineraries, we don't just drink a standard flat white—we explore how different brewing methods manipulate flavor.

• The Roaster's Pick Single Origin: For the purists, their single-origin filter and espresso options highlight individual regional characteristics, ranging from citrusy Ethiopian heirlooms to rich, chocolatey Colombian varieties.

• The Fitzroy Iced: A signature creation that has become a Melbourne cult favorite. It features cold brew coffee infused with native Australian wattleseed and organic panela, offering a uniquely local twist on chilled caffeine.

• The Bubble Coffee: Proving that coffee can still be playful, this creation combines single-origin cold drip with con-soy milk and coffee-soaked tapioca pearls that burst in your mouth.

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Test Your Knowledge: Our Coffee Lovers Tour finishes in this sophisticated neighborhood precisely so you can put your newly acquired coffee vocabulary to use with their extensive, multi-layered menu.

• The Coffee-Spiced Brunch: If you return on your own for breakfast, don't miss their sophisticated food menu. They are famous for integrating coffee into their culinary dishes, like their egg and bacon muffins served with a signature coffee-spiced hollandaise.

• Take the Beans Home: They sell their iconic retail bags on-site, including the Fitzroy Street and Rose Street signature blends, which make for the ultimate premium souvenir for the coffee enthusiast in your life.

Decode the Menu Like a Local

Ready to step past the standard cafe counter and understand the art and architecture behind Melbourne’s liquid gold? Join us on the Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, where our passionate local guides take you behind the scenes at world-class venues like Industry Beans. You'll sample different styles, meet expert baristas, and learn exactly how to order like a seasoned local.

Bench Coffee: A Study in Specialty Roasting

For those who treat caffeine as an art form, Bench Coffee Co. is a must-visit destination. A premier stop on our Foodie Discovery Walk, and occasionally visited by smaller groups on our Coffee Lovers Tour, Bench represents the pinnacle of Melbourne’s world-renowned specialty coffee scene.  

The Pursuit of Precision

Bench Coffee is known for its minimalist, modern approach to the bean. They focus on highlighting the unique characteristics of each origin through precise roasting and brewing techniques.  

• Specialty Focus: As a specialty roaster, they prioritise high-quality, ethically sourced beans from around the globe.  

• Minimalist Design: Their CBD outposts, such as the sleek space on Little Collins Street, offer a gallery-like atmosphere where the focus remains entirely on the craft in the cup.  

• Local Craft: Like all our partners, Bench is an independent local business that has helped shape Melbourne's reputation as a global coffee capital.  

Why We Visit

• A Masterclass in Flavour: It provides a necessary contrast to the sweets and savouries on our tours, offering a palate-cleansing look at what makes Melbourne coffee truly world-class.  

• Expert Curation: Our guides are happiest at the intersection of food and storytelling, and the story of Bench’s rise in the city's competitive coffee landscape is a guest favourite.  

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Try the Batch Brew: While their espresso is excellent, their batch brew is a fantastic way to experience the subtle, tea-like complexities of their lighter roasts.  

• Take Home a Bag: If you love what you taste on the tour, they sell bags of their seasonal roasts so you can take a piece of Melbourne's coffee culture home with you.  

Wake Up to Melbourne's Best Brews

Ready to discover why the world looks to Melbourne for coffee inspiration? Join us on the Foodie Discovery Walk or our specialised Coffee Lovers Tour to go behind the scenes with our local experts. Our guides—who live and breathe the city's coffee culture—will show you the hidden roasters you’d never find on your own.

Top 5 Melbourne Laneways for Coffee

Melbourne: Home of the Coffee Snob

Melbourne is known as the home of the coffee snob – a badge many wear with pride! Melbourne sits on a half square mile rectangular grid of streets. In between these main streets, you’ll find about 200 laneways, many of which will house cafes! No wonder we have about 1000 places to get a coffee! The coffee culture is dominated by espresso mixed with milk. Think about the style of a caffe latte, or as Aussies prefer to call it - a flat white.

Of course, black coffee is widely available. If you want espresso straight up, ask for a short black. To dilute it in water, call it a long black. For a cup of American black coffee, ask for filter or ‘batchy’ (short for batch brew).

Many of the laneway cafes are tiny with just a few seats and most people electing to grab their coffee takeaway (to-go). Worried about consuming all those disposable cups? If you bring your own cup - such as the Melbourne made ‘Keep Cup’ – your barista will be happy to make it in that. Many cafes sell a version of the Keep Cup if you’d like to nice souvenir.

Degraves St

Melbourne’s most famous laneway (read: alleyway) is Degraves St and there’s certainly great quantity of places to get a coffee, but two are known as the choicest. Fieldwork Coffee is a wonderful example of the Melbourne coffee scene with just a few seats to sit and house roasted coffee. They call themselves a ‘modern Australian micro roastery’.

Rankins Lane

Melbourne’s laneways just off Little Bourke St really punch above their weight for world class coffee. Here in Rankins Lane, you’ll find two of the most famous.

Brother Baba Budan is probably Melbourne’s favourite laneway café. Opened ‘circa 2003’ by Seven Seeds coffee roasters it consistently serves some of the best ethically sourced coffees in Melbourne. The communal table in the front window is the best seat in town to soak up the sweet beats pumping through the stereo while you sip.

Head around the corner deep into Rankins Lane for Manchester Press. Here you’ll order coffee roasted by Ona coffee – another roaster that takes sustainability and ethics in coffee sourcing very seriously. Manchester Press is a great place to go if you’d like some food with your coffee.

Somerset Place

Also in the same Little Bourke St neighbourhood this laneway is a great place to find amazing coffee. Captains of Industry has been quietly tucked away up the rickety staircase on level 1 for years offering coffee, booze and haircuts. They probably won’t make a fuss about the coffee, but it will be roasted dark and roasted locally. And it’s a lovely quiet space to sit if you need some laptop time.

If you’re really up for some of the tastiest coffees in Melbourne, head to the end of this Melbourne laneway to Blue Doors. They use coffee roasted for them by Cartel Coffee Roasters in Geelong (1 hour down the highway). Cartel roast a blend for them for milk based coffee that is entirely unique. Exotic coffees are also a highlight here.

Crossley St

At the eastern end of town are some of the most enduring eating and drinking experiences in Melbourne – many of them Italian.

Pellegrini’s on Bourke St (corner Crossley St) is credited with introducing espresso to Melbourne in 1953. It’s been in the same family since 1974 and they bought it from the Pellegrini brothers themselves. The late owner, Sisto Malaspina, has a permanent memorial out the front. That’s how much Melbourne loves this place. Don’t come here expecting the best coffee in Melbourne. Come here for a piece of living history.

Around the corner is a tiny almost literal hole in the wall called Traveller. Like Brother Baba Budan, it’s also owned by Seven Seeds. Look for the neon sign of a shoe. A coffee from Pellegrini’s side-by-side with a coffee from Traveller tells you where Melbourne coffee has come from and where it’s going.

Equitable Place

This is another hectic laneway during the week as office workers descend upon this place during their lunchbreak. The tiny Two Conversations coffee is consistently good and also offers some healthy snacks. Head towards Little Collins St and just around the corner to Industry Beans. The minimalist, also clinical Modbar layout serves wonderful coffees including some modern additions for milk lovers such as Bubble Cup (a coffee drink mimicking bubble tea) and an iced latte with the additional if Australian native wattleseed.

Drinking decaf in Melbourne

Most cafes these days will have a decaf option, but if you’re looking for some of the best there are two clear standouts. The decaf at hugely popular organic coffee roaster Dukes, is hard to differentiate from the standard variety. It has complexity and body which is something many other decafs lack. We’d happily drink it with milk or without. You will probably need to stand in line along Flinders Lane with the rest of the crowd, but it’s worth it!

One of our favourites - mentioned above - is Industry Beans and their decaf is also top notch in flavour. The beans are decaffeinated using the ‘sugarcane process’ which utilises the enzymes from the sugarcane plant to leach the caffeine from the coffee beans. But if that is getting a bit technical - don’t worry too much. Just enjoy the coffee!

WANT TO DRINK THE BEST COFFEE IN MELBOURNE?

COME JOIN US!

Walk Melbourne Tours will help you get the best out of your stay in Melbourne. Our Coffee Lovers Walking Tour will take you to visit four coffee houses and cafés around Melbourne’s laneways, sample a selection of different coffee varieties, and uncover all the secrets of brewing the perfect coffee. Click Here for more info.

Coffee Lovers Walking Tour by Walk Melbourne

Uncovering Melbourne's Best-Kept Secrets: How to explore the ‘laneways’.

Melbourne Laneway Tours - The City's Culture Unveiled

Melbourne is Australia’s most vibrant and multicultural city. It’s known for its stunning architecture, fantastic dining scene, and thriving arts culture. However, there's more to this city than meets the eye. Hidden within the maze of alleyways and laneways lies a treasure trove of unique experiences waiting to be discovered. From colourful street art to charming cafes and boutique shops, Melbourne's laneways are full of surprises. One of the most authentic ways to explore these hidden gems is through Laneway Tours Melbourne. So, put on your walking shoes and get ready to explore the laneways of Melbourne.

What is a ‘Laneway?’

Melbourne's laneways date back to the city's earliest days. In the mid 1800’s, when the city was first established, narrow alleyways were used as service roads for shops and warehouses.

Melbourne's laneways are more than just a relic of the past; they are a vital part of the city's cultural fabric. They provide a space for creative expression, with street artists and performers showcasing their talents in public spaces. They are also home to some of the city's most innovative businesses, including cafes, bars, and boutique shops.

Symbol of the City’s Creative Spirit

The laneways of Melbourne have become a symbol of the city's creative spirit, attracting artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Today, they are simply where all the cool stuff happens! Many locals prefer to navigate the city through the laneways as it’s more pleasant than simply walking along the main streets. You’ll never know when you’ll find something new! Visitors to Melbourne can really get a sense of local life here by exploring the laneways – and a great way to do that is on a guided laneways tour.

Taking a laneways tour of Melbourne is a great way to explore like a local.

Hidden Cafes and Bars in Melbourne's Laneways

Melbourne's laneways are also home to some of the city's best cafes and bars, with hidden gems tucked away in every corner. From cozy coffee shops to trendy cocktail bars, there is no shortage of places to grab a drink or a bite to eat.

Degraves Street, located in the heart of the city, is one of Melbourne's most famous laneways for cafes and restaurants. It is famous for the collection of cafes under the black umbrellas – but don’t forget some of the other vendors who offer excellent gelato. Hardware Lane, another popular laneway, is home to an everchanging variety of bars, cafes and restaurants.

There are other laneways worth exploring and the best way to see them and discover the best cafes in town is to join a foodie walking tour of Melbourne’s laneways.

How to Explore Melbourne's Laneways Like a Local

To best way to exploring Melbourne's laneways like a local is on foot, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. If you’d like to get to know the locals, you can join a local walking tour. Often the guides are Melbourne locals and are a treasure trove of information about their favourite places to try.

Take a Melbourne Laneway Tour

Melbourne's laneways are a true reflection of the city's creative spirit and entrepreneurial drive. They are home to a variety of businesses and attractions, from street art to cafes and boutiques. Exploring Melbourne's laneways is a great way to experience the city's unique culture and to discover the hidden gems that make Melbourne truly special. So, put on your walking shoes and get ready to explore Melbourne's laneways like never before. You never know what surprises you might discover.