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News

This Carolina Reaper Burger Is So Fiery It Comes with a Waiver — Thankfully, Milk and Cucumbers Are Standing By

With a waiver to sign and milk at the ready, this limited-time burger range pushes the Scoville scale, but swaps bravado for spice-fuelled fun.

News

CP On: Since When Did Everyone Get So Good at Making Coffee at Home?

The office coffee run once doubled as social glue — now, thanks to #dalgona and better machines, the ritual has quietly moved inside the house.

News

Rising 2026 Returns Bigger Than Ever, Featuring Over 100 Transformative Events Spanning Music, Dance and After-Dark Encounters

Nearly 400 artists will spill across Melbourne's venues, as Rising returns with an expansive celebration of music, dance, theatre and ephemeral works.

News

The Best Hot Cross Buns in Melbourne

Eat yourself silly with the best hot cross buns Melbourne has to offer this Easter.

News

Now Open: Victoria's Bayside Hub Is Glowing Up, with Crowne Plaza Geelong Signalling Big-City Ambitions on the Bellarine

Arriving on the waterfront with 200 rooms, Italian fare and bayside views, this major hotel opening reflects a regional city on the rise.

News

Women Who Inspire Us: MECCA's Chief Purpose Officer Lisa Keenan on Empowerment and Enacting Structural Change

From post-apartheid South Africa to MECCA's leadership team, Lisa Keenan has built a career around one central question: who holds power — and how do we redistribute it?

Search the directory

News
This Carolina Reaper Burger Is So Fiery It Comes with a Waiver — Thankfully, Milk and Cucumbers Are Standing By

With a waiver to sign and milk at the ready, this limited-time burger range pushes the Scoville scale, but swaps bravado for spice-fuelled fun.

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News
CP On: Since When Did Everyone Get So Good at Making Coffee at Home?

The office coffee run once doubled as social glue — now, thanks to #dalgona and better machines, the ritual has quietly moved inside the house.

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News
The Best Hot Cross Buns in Melbourne

Eat yourself silly with the best hot cross buns Melbourne has to offer this Easter.

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News
Coming Soon: Malvern East's Breadcetera Is Getting Coastal, Opening a Second European-Style Market in Mount Eliza

Drenched in pastel colours, this market-style neighbourhood spot for bread, coffee and fancy provisions is soon bringing its wares to the Mornington Peninsula.

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News
Coming Soon: The Angel of Malvern Rises Again — Spanning Three Levels, This 1856 Corner Pub Enters Its Most Ambitious Era

One of Malvern's oldest buildings, let alone pubs, is soon stepping into its next chapter, bringing three levels of dining, drinking and after-dark intrigue.

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News
Trust the Chef as Bourke Street's Nori Maki Is Serving Japan's Dangerously Delicious Fugu Maki Delicacy

Bite into Australia's cheapest-ever fugu maki, as this notorious pufferfish delicacy is prepared for one month only by a highly trained ex-Nobu chef.

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Latest Openings

Restaurant
Token

151 Toorak Road, South Yarra

Get around great sashimi and temaki from the raw bar and flame-kissed Japanese eats from the yakitori grill.
Restaurant
Garfield Pizzeria

297 Lygon Street, Carlton

The counter-service pizzeria, named for an orange cat who visited the building site, reimagines the traditional Italian restaurant experience.
Restaurant
Koi Toy

T16, Pentridge Shopping Centre, 1 Champ Street, Coburg

Menu highlights include angel hair tempura King Prawns, sake-cured Ocean Trout, and crunchy fried whitebait with yuzu tartare sauce.
Restaurant
Frenchie

15 Collins Street, Melbourne

Frenchie's big drawcard is that everything on the menu is priced at $14. Yes, you read that correctly.
Pub
Mt View Hotel

70 Bridge Road, Richmond

Great views, good booze and food that will keep you satisfied on game day make this pub the sportsperson’s favourite.
Bar
Florentino

80 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Littered with Italian murals and quintessentially traditional food, this Italian institution has been pumping since '28.
Bar
The Fitzroy Pinnacle

251-255 Saint Georges Road, Fitzroy North

Fitzroy North's oddly-shaped corner pub gets a new lease on life under new management.
Bar
Arcane Fairies

185 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Theatrics take centre stage at this whimsical Lonsdale Street cocktail bar.
Bar
Florentino

80 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Littered with Italian murals and quintessentially traditional food, this Italian institution has been pumping since '28.
Bar
Garden State Hotel

101 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

This always bustling pub is a favourite post-work hangout for many city workers who swing by for a care-free, good time.
Bar
Smiley Brewing Co

9 Southeast Boulevard, Pakenham

Local flavours and makers take centre stage at this family owned and operated Pakenham brewery.
Bar
Bar Local Drop

116 Rokeby Street, Collingwood

There are over 500 bottles to choose from that can be enjoyed at the bar or in the comfort of your own home.

Arts & Entertainment

Love Arts & Entertainment experiences? Navigate the best venues and events near you picked by our expert curators at Concrete Playground.

News
Rising 2026 Returns Bigger Than Ever, Featuring Over 100 Transformative Events Spanning Music, Dance and After-Dark Encounters

Nearly 400 artists will spill across Melbourne's venues, as Rising returns with an expansive celebration of music, dance, theatre and ephemeral works.

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News
This Just In: A 'Harry Potter' Exhibition Is Conjuring the Wizarding World in Sydney This May

Wands at the ready, because you'll be able to immerse yourself in the beloved franchise when this exhibit is conjured down under.

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News
Women Who Inspire Us: MECCA's Chief Purpose Officer Lisa Keenan on Empowerment and Enacting Structural Change

From post-apartheid South Africa to MECCA's leadership team, Lisa Keenan has built a career around one central question: who holds power — and how do we redistribute it?

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News
CP On: WitchTok, Modern-Day Covens and Why Witchcraft Is Fourth-Wave Feminism's New Language

From Spotify spell playlists to TikTok tarot, modern witchcraft has resurfaced as a cultural shorthand for autonomy, intuition and collective female power.

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News
Now Playing: Every Movie Releasing in March You Can Watch in Theatres or at Home

Prep some popcorn, pour your soft drink of choice and kick back to catch these movies releasing this month on a screen of your choosing.

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News
Now Streaming: Every Show to Add to Your Streaming Queue In March

Here's what's hot and fresh in the world of streaming content this month.

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Featured Events

Event
Heinz x Nico's Deli Night Shift Automat

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026
Nico's Sandwich Deli, Fitzroy

Fast, waiterless and loaded with flavour, this six-month automat pop-up is bringing a new edge to a bygone late-night staple.
Event
Juliet's Jazz and Raclette Thursdays

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026
Juliet Melbourne, Melbourne

Get your gooey cheese fix while being serenaded at the hidden basement bar.
Event
Bottomless Pizza and Unlimited Beer Night

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026
Pizza e Birra, St Kilda

$35 gets you two hours of slices and brews every Thursday night.
Event
Rac 'n' Mac Night

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026
Smithward, Collingwood

Taking cheesy pasta goodness to the next level every Thursday.
Event
Mates Rates and Cheese Plates

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026
XM4, Saint Kilda

Tuck into free fromage over cheap drinks.
Event
Keys Gone Wild at the Espy Melbourne

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026
Hotel Esplanade, Saint Kilda

Every Friday night head to The Espy's Sunroom for crowd sing-alongs, classic hits and chart-topping belters performed live on the piano.
Event
Bluey's World

Thu, 7 Nov 2024 - Tue, 17 Mar 2026
Northshore Pavilion, Hamilton

This immersive Brisbane experience lets you step inside the Heeler home for real life.

Buy Tickets
Event
Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026

Tue, 3 Mar - Sun, 26 Apr 2026
Various cinemas across Australia

Angelina Jolie's latest performance, a dystopian AI-ruled Paris and a noir story set in 1930's Algeria lead the AFFFF 2026 program.

Buy Tickets
Event
All-You-Can-Eat Gyoza

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026
Bosozoku, South Yarra

Head to South Yarra's Japanese biker bar for an hour of power every Wednesday night.
Event
Vegan Tuesdays

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026
Babu Ji, St Kilda

Tuck into an all-you-can-eat vegan curry feast at St Kilda's Babu Ji every week.

Buy Tickets
Event
Groove Therapy

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026
The Workers Club, Fitzroy

Let out all those feelings in this biweekly no-judgement dance class.

Buy Tickets
Event
Yum Cha Sundays

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026
The National Hotel, Richmond

Cure your Sunday arvo blues with dumplings at The National Hotel in Richmond.
Event
Bottomless Martini Brunch

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026
Newmarket Hotel, St Kilda

End your weekend on a caffeine high with two hours of espresso martinis.
Event
Hank Marvin Market

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026
Royal Avenue Park, Sandringham

This Bayside market serves up a feast of food and drinks every Sunday.
Event
Glazed High Tea

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026
Glazed Gluten Free Patisserie, Elsternwick

A gluten free, dairy free and nut free high tea that the whole crew can enjoy.
Event
Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival 2026

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026
Auckland Domain, Auckland

Dance acts including Faithless and Peking Duk are performing at Auckland's stacked one-day music festival.

Buy Tickets
Event
Greyhound Adoption Program 30th Birthday at Abbotsford Convent

Mon, 16 Mar, 2026
Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford

Casual dog spotters and long boy enthusiasts alike are invited to this tail-wagging celebration marking three decades of rehomed pups.

Book Now

News
Women Who Inspire Us: The Sisters Behind TWOOBS Platforms on the Fashion Blogger Cult of 2016, Skyhigh Flops and Sustainable-r Efforts

From Tumblr-era fashion bloggers to the founders of the iconic platform label TWOOBS, Jess and Stef Dadon have front-row views on how style and sustainability have evolved over the past decade.

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News
Women Who Inspire Us: Mesa Collections Founder Trishia Mariano on Hosting, Heritage and the Art of Setting the Table

Before Mesa Collections existed, there were dinner parties with strangers, borrowed tables and Trishia Mariano's love of bringing people together.

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News
Meet Grumpi: The Melbourne Startup Making Shockingly Luxe (and Affordable) Vacuum-Compressed Furniture

The Melbourne-founded brand is making furniture shopping fun again — no long wait times, no delivery dramas, just style and comfort (in a box).

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News
Wear Your Love for Hector's Deli, as the Cult Sandwich Spot Teams Up with UNIQLO for a Fresh-Pressed Merch Collab

Rep your love of sangas on the streets, as this cult-followed deli teams up with a global fashion giant on new merch.

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News
The Best Vintage Stores in Melbourne

We’ve rounded up the city’s best vintage dealers of designer treasures, denim classics and pre-loved gems waiting for their next chapter.

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News
The Founder of Sheet Society Has Launched a Dreamy, Fabric-Forward Loungewear Label Inspired by TV Show The White Lotus

After mastering the art of a good night’s sleep, bedtime expert Hayley Worley has turned her attention to what we wear to rest.

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Latest Guides

Guide
The Best Pubs in Melbourne

These institutions have stood the test of time, serving pints and parmas to their devoted regulars for longer than anyone can remember.
News
The Ten Best Beach Camping Spots in Victoria

Pitch your tent at these epic campgrounds, then into the surf with you.
Guide
Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Melbourne's CBD

Make time to visit these CBD cafes and never turn up to work hungry again.
Guide
The Best Mexican Restaurants in Melbourne

Head to these spots for seriously good tacos, rare mezcals and many, many margaritas.

News
This Just In: Jetstar Is Slinging One-Way Flights to Tasmania for as Little as $45 for the Next Week

Get southbound for less than the cost of a night out with this limited-time sale.

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News
This Just In: Australians and Kiwis are Officially the World's Longest Sleepers and Earliest Risers

Australians and New Zealanders are sleeping well and rising early — but this new report reveals we're still missing something.

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News
The Best Sex Shops in Melbourne

Whether you're looking for something to support sexual wellness to kink-specific desires, these stores stock for all desires.

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News
Now Open: Victoria's Bayside Hub Is Glowing Up, with Crowne Plaza Geelong Signalling Big-City Ambitions on the Bellarine

Arriving on the waterfront with 200 rooms, Italian fare and bayside views, this major hotel opening reflects a regional city on the rise.

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News
How to Spend a Magical Day Out in Sydney Inspired by Harry Potter

Step into a real-life wizarding adventure with this Harry Potter™–inspired day out in Sydney.

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News
Women Who Inspire Us: Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw on Matrescence, Movement and Metamorphosis

The KIC Founders discuss the profound impact of motherhood on transforming their identities, ambitions and relationship with movement.

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Trending Bars and Restaurants

Restaurant
98 Lygon Street Bar & Bistro

98 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

The menu blends classic bistro dishes and Mediterranean flavours, while also showcasing local produce.

Book a Table
Restaurant
Frenchie

15 Collins Street, Melbourne

Frenchie's big drawcard is that everything on the menu is priced at $14. Yes, you read that correctly.
Restaurant
Bar Yarra

234 Toorak Road, South Yarra

Perfect for a post-work pop-in, Bar Yarra's boasts an impressive happy hour from 5 to 7pm, and even hosts DJs spinning nostalgic vinyls for Throwback Thursdays.
Restaurant
No Biggie

130 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

With only one thing on the menu, the hardest decision you’ll have to make is choosing between peppercorn or chimichurri.
Cafe
Lune Croissanterie

119 Rose Street, Fitzroy

Prepare to queue — these are some of the best croissants in Melbourne, if not the world.