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NewsWhat Are 'Sanctuary Restaurants', and Why Are They Popping Up Around the US?
Creating discrimination-free environments for diners and hospitality workers.
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NewsMelbourne Is Getting a Full-Blown Doughnut Festival
We actually don't know how it took this long.
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NewsDavid Thompson's Acclaimed Long Chim Brings Fine Thai Cuisine to Melbourne
Head to Crown Riverwalk for authentic street food-inspired bites and refreshing cocktails.
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GuideThe Best Bars in Melbourne with Beer Gardens and Boozy Courtyards
Save cosy pub corners for the depths of winter — it's time to drink a brew out in the open at these fab Melbourne beer gardens.
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GuideMelbourne's 20 Most Popular Bars of 2024
Sprawling breweries, neighbourhood pubs, CBD cocktail spots and cosy wine bars — they’ve all grabbed your attention so far this year.
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NewsEight Melbourne Parks Fit For a BYO Booze Picnic (and Where to Pick Up Snacks Beforehand)
Head to the park for a boozy picnic with the finest snacks you can find along the way.
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GuideThe Best Brewery Bars in Melbourne for 2024
Sip chilled pints just metres from away where the beer was was brewed at these much-loved taprooms.
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GuideMelbourne Bars and Restaurants That Are Undeniably, Unabashedly Romantic
Low lighting, jazz playlists, opulent cocktails — these top Melbourne date spots will help you to start planning the perfect Valentine's Day.
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GuideThe 22 Best Pubs in Melbourne
Looking for a new local? This list of classic Melbourne boozers and more contemporary gastropubs will suit all beer and parma enthusiasts.
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GuideThe 21 Best BYO Restaurants in Melbourne
Head to your local bottle shop or pilfer your own wine collection before hitting these Melbourne BYO restaurants.
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GuideThe 20 Best Wine Bars in Melbourne
A guide for any wine lover in Melbourne, whether you want strictly organic, biodynamic and local drops or you don't really care — as long as they taste good and don't cost a fortune.
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GuideThe 35 Best Bars in Melbourne Right Now
Whether you're on the hunt for an extensive wine collection, a luxe date-night spot or a place to have a little boogie, these are our picks for the best bars in Melbourne.
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GuideThe 60 Best Rooftop Bars in Melbourne Right Now
Head to these sun-soaked Melbourne rooftop bars and pubs when you want to enjoy a cocktail and bite to eat skyward.
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NewsCould Facial Recognition Technology Change the Way We Order in Restaurants?
Probably not, but a Beijing KFC has introduced the technology anyway.
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NewsMs Elwood Is Bayside's New Hawker-Style Modern Asian Eatery
They're doing banh mi and frozen G&Ts.
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NewsA Guide to Food and Drink in New Zealand's Christchurch Region
Opportunities for memorable eating experiences abound.
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NewsAustralia Could Be Getting Its First Centre Dedicated to Food Culture
Will smashed avo be written into history?
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NewsMeet Northcote's New (and Only) Algerian Restaurant, Camus
Feast on seared goat shoulder, Algerian lasagne, and pistachio ricotta doughnuts.
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BarHotel Mexico
238 Whitehall Street, Yarraville
Hotel Mexico is Yarraville's huge group hang spot that's made for margarita-fuelled sessions.
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BarBendigo Hotel Collingwood
125 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Collingwood's legendary live music pub The Bendigo Hotel is back in action thanks to The Mill Brewery Crew.
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BarPunters Club
376 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Millennials and Gen Zs might lament the loss of Kewpie, but Gen X music lovers will rejoice in seeing this old boozer return to Brunswick Street.
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CafeMork Chocolate Looking Glass
13 Centre Place, Melbourne
The site is showcasing the team's unconventional chocolate bars, elaborate drinking chocolates that never made it onto the menu, chocolate cocktail pairings and creative desserts.
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BarWindsor Wine Room
60 Chapel Street, Windsor
Keep it classic with a rosé matched with burrata and oysters, or get a bit more playful by pairing a natty number with jerusalem artichoke and hazelnut gnocchi.
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BarChampagne Problems
238 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
If you loved drinking and dancing at Evie’s Disco Diner but now feel a little too old for it, consider a trip to its older sibling in the CBD.
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BarGreenhart Camberwell
1226 Toorak Road, Camberwell
This Melbourne wine bar is straying away from the usual European influences, instead showing how contemporary Asian food and Australian wines can be a perfect pairing.
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RestaurantHotel Lona
473 Nepean Highway, Frankston
A two-level venue with a restaurant, public bar and rooftop in one of Frankston’s oldest buildings.
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BarMoon Dog Wild West
54 Hopkins Street, Footscray
Make your way through the swinging saloon doors to find bucking bulls, arcade games, pool tables, a dog-friendly rooftop, and food and drinks aplenty.
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NewsThese New Chocolate Blocks Let You Stack Your Favourite Flavour Combinations
Fancy shortbread, fairy floss, watermelon, blackcurrent or matcha choccies — or a combo of a couple?
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NewsA Restaurant Dedicated to Avocados Is Opening in Amsterdam
All the creamy, green deliciousness you could ask for.
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NewsMelbourne Is Getting its First All-Vegan Pizza Joint, Red Sparrow Pizza
Nine vegan pizzas, five types of vegan cheese.
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NewsTen Australian-Owned International Restaurants Worthy of a Holiday
For when you're overseas, but want to be close to home.
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Guide12 Killer Summer Recipes from Some of Australia's Best Chefs
Entrees, mains and cocktails from Porteno, Kitchen by Mike, Matt Stone, Big Poppa's and more.
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EventThe Jungle Giants (DJ Set) at Canadian Club's Australian Open Party
Sun, 12 Jan, 2025
Canadian Club Racquet Club, Melbourne
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EventMelbourne Marriott Docklands Rooftop Infinity Pool Pass
Mon, 16 Dec 2024 - Mon, 31 Mar 2025
Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands, Docklands
Spend your summer days sipping spritzes and paddling around this rooftop infinity pool.
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EventBaby's Summer of Spritz
Thu, 28 Nov 2024 - Fri, 28 Feb 2025
Baby Pizza, Richmond
Baby's summertime happy hour deal includes a bunch of $9.50 spritzes, $6.5 Peroni Rossas and a $7.50 house wine.
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EventUnderground: The Hidden Archive of the Warsaw Ghetto
Sun, 17 Nov 2024 - Sun, 30 Mar 2025
Melbourne Holocaust Museum, Elsternwick
This is the first time the archive has been exhibited outside of Europe.
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EventNGV Friday Nights: Yayoi Kusama
Fri, 20 Dec 2024 - Fri, 18 Apr 2025
NGV International, Melbourne
The NGV's big Yayoi Kusama exhibition is hosting after-hours parties so you can spend Friday evenings surrounded by dots and pumpkins.
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EventRenegades Cricket Derby
Sun, 12 Jan, 2025
Marvel Stadium, Docklands
Let the sparks fly as the Renegades Derby sees the Big Bash League reach fever pitch.
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EventDouble Shot Maggie: Irish Live Music
Sat, 7 Dec 2024 - Sat, 4 Jan 2025
The Quiet Man Irish Pub, Kensington
A night full of singing, dancing, and laughing is in store at The Quiet Man Irish Pub
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EventStars Melbourne Derby
Sat, 4 Jan, 2025
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Richmond
Experience the Stars Derby as the city’s most zealous cricket fans cheer their team to victory.
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EventThe Other Art Fair
Thu, 30 Jan - Sun, 2 Feb 2025
The Timber Yard, Port Melbourne
Showcasing works from emerging contemporary artists, alongside live tattooing, immersive installations and cocktails, this art fair does things a little differently.
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EventNew Year's Eve in Melbourne's Southside
Tue, 31 Dec, 2024
Various Melbourne venues, Melbourne
It’s officially time to start sorting out your New Year’s Eve plans.
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GuideConcrete Playground's Most-Read Food Stories in 2016
From Melbourne's own cheese toastie drive-through to a free dumpling festival and a 15-acre chocolate estate. Yes, estate.
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GuideMelbourne's 50 Most Popular Restaurants of 2016
Catch up on the year's most buzzed-about establishments.
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NewsThis New York Company Prints Edible Selfies On Cookies, Cupcakes and Coffee
Why just upload your selfies to Instagram when you can eat them?
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GuideYour Guide to Dining Out in Melbourne on Christmas Day
Swap the roast pork for a dozen dumplings this year.
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NewsThis Non-Profit Lets You Book a Restaurant for Valentine's Day and Help End Hunger
A Table to End Hunger is bringing purpose to one of the most stressful days of the year.
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NewsFitzroy Vego Legends Vegie Bar Open New All-Vegan Dessert Bar Girls & Boys
Vegan soft serve, cakes and milkshakes.
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NewsMelbourne's 15-Year-Old Bistro Morgan Doughnut Whiz Opens Permanent Store
What have you done today?
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NewsMarket on Malvern Is Prahran's New Cafe for People with Allergies and Digestive Issues
Dairy, gluten, fructose, nut or animal product free? This is your happy place.
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The Summer Guide to Melbourne 2016/17
Slap on your invisible zinc and get out there, blue skies wait for no one.
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NewsAnnouncing Concrete Playground's Best of 2016 Melbourne Award Winners
The very best new Melbourne bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs, events and precincts of the year.
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NewsQueensland's Cult Favourite Burger Bar Betty's Burgers Has Opened in Melbourne
Expect five types of burgers and Shake Shack-style frozen custard desserts.
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NewsAustralia's Best Locally-Made Icy Poles to Cool Down with this Summer
Sunny Boys, move to the back. These local pops, blocks and poles do summer right.
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NewsGelato Messina's Christmas Cake Is a Delicious Festive Response to Sydney's Lockout Laws
Make a creamy cultural statement at Christmas lunch.
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NewsFormer Taxi and The European Chef Tim Martin Is Opening His Own Bar and Restaurant
Prepare your stomach for a dual-venue venture focusing on ageing meat and naturally fermented beverages.
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NewsSoft Serve Sensations Milkcow Open Their First Permanent Australian Store
Soft serve sundaes topped with everything from fairy floss clouds to a shot of espresso.
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NewsThe Yarra Valley Is Getting a New Wine and Food Festival
The two-day event is the first time that the region's big and small wineries have come together to showcase their tipples.
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GuideMelbourne's Best New Restaurants of 2016
Honouring the best new arrivals on Melbourne's restaurant scene this year.
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Guide
Melbourne's Best New Cafes of 2016
Honouring the best new cafes on Melbourne's cafe scene this year.
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News
Announcing Concrete Playground's Best of 2016 Melbourne Nominees
Honouring the very best arrivals on Melbourne's scene this year — vote for your favourite now.
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NewsAte One Ate Is Glenferrie Road's New 180-Seat All-Day Eatery
Serving everything from coffee and cake to carrot hot dogs and carbonara.
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Feature
Best of 2016 Melbourne
These 30 outstanding Melbourne ventures have been handpicked by Concrete Playground for their combination of originality, innovation, creativity, approachability and sustainability.
