Tomboy
There are plenty of places to get a sandwich in Fitzroy, but you'll be hard-pressed to find one with more style than Tomboy. Powered by the duo behind Box Brownies, this unique café features a strong focus on sustainability, with an interior filled with repurposed items — including the vintage stereo built into the brick counter — and a menu filled with sandwiches, salads, and other baked goods made using seasonal produce from their own garden and other locally-sourced ingredients.
Le Joint
The name might sound French, but Le Joint isn't in Europe. Nor is it French-inspired — it owes its dark red, purple, and blue ambiance to the more "colorful" areas of Amsterdam. But what this new downtown cocktail bar does offer is a touch of escapism. Expect to find an authentic Zoltar fortune telling machine, an extensive selection of liquor and classic cocktails done well, music from a live DJ, colorful lights bouncing off a disco ball, and a food menu offering everything from chicken dim sims to Blackmore wagyu burgers. Oh, and plenty of people having fun. [via]
Sneakerboy
If you think the store looks futuristic, wait until you hear about the ordering process. Sneakerboy is a new shoe store in downtown, featuring a long, tunnel-like hallway of shoes, some futuristic chairs, and nary a stock toom in sight. Why, you might ask? Because once you've found a pair you like, you simply fire up the Sneakerboy app — either on your own phone or from the waiting iPads — and order, and your new kicks will be drop shipped to your house in just a few days. As for finding a pair you like, that should be no problem, as the shop carries selections from Adidas slvr, Alexander McQueen, Margiela, and more. [via]
Prahran Hotel
Yes, we know it has the word "hotel" in its name — but as comfy as it might look, you shouldn't be sleeping at the Prahran Hotel. This stylish pub recently completed an extensive remodel that used 17 concrete pipes to create intimate dining and drinking spaces, which perfectly complement the open courtyard, sizable bar, and other more open areas. As for the drinks, they offer sprits, cocktails, and wines, but mainly focus on beer — everything from crafts to Carlton — and a sizable food menu. [Scouted by Ryan]
Mamasita
Where better to go for great Mexican food than... Australia? Sure, you probably wouldn't plan a trip down under just to go there, but if you're already in the neighborhood, Mamasita is well worth the visit. This upstairs downtown spot serves up fantastic elotes, tostaditas, ceviche, and quesadillas, plus family-style main courses like enchiladas, salmon, and chicken mole. A huge selection of tequilas and mezcals is also on offer, along with a healthy variety of margaritas, Spanish wines, and Mexican beers — the latter of which are also available as Micheladas. Perhaps the best part? The bar menu — which includes both tacos and quesadillas — is available every night from 11 to close, after the full kitchen starts winding down.
Club23
The phrase "money is no object" gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to drinking at Melbourne's Club23, it had best apply. That's because this high-end hangout's drink list includes some of the most expensive, exclusive booze in the world, including 1961 Glenfiddich, The Macallan 1946, 50 year-old Highland Park, and a cocktail simply named the "The Winston" — a mix of chocolate nutmeg dust, Grand Marnier Quintessence, 1858 Croizet cognac, and other rarities that brings its price above the $12K mark and gives it its title of "the world's most expensive cocktail". With gorgeous downtown views from the third-floor balcony and a lush interior, it's one of the finest — and most expensive — places around to get a drink.
