A guide to our Brunswick buzz
Food scene
Witness a unique Melburnian hipster neighbourhood
Indulge in a delicious brunch in a trendy café, people-watch all the interesting folks walking on by, ride your fixie along the Upfield bike path, get a great locally roasted coffee and locally brewed beer — all these things are the products of the hipster culture that makes Melbourne and specifically Brunswick what it is today. It also means that if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, there are so many food options available for you!
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sydney Road
Sydney RoadWitness a unique Melburnian hipster neighbourhood
Indulge in a delicious brunch in a trendy café, people-watch all the interesting folks walking on by, ride your fixie along the Upfield bike path, get a great locally roasted coffee and locally brewed beer — all these things are the products of the hipster culture that makes Melbourne and specifically Brunswick what it is today. It also means that if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, there are so many food options available for you!
Housed in an old dentist’s studio with stained glass window details, John Gorilla is a favourite place for brunch. They have a delicious menu, with an array of pastries and cakes on offer, and they just do really really good coffee. There are a bunch of artworks and knick-knacks around the place which make for fun décor, it’s light and airy and there’s a cute little courtyard for those sunny days as well.
33 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
John Gorilla
49 Pearson StHoused in an old dentist’s studio with stained glass window details, John Gorilla is a favourite place for brunch. They have a delicious menu, with an array of pastries and cakes on offer, and they just do really really good coffee. There are a bunch of artworks and knick-knacks around the place which make for fun décor, it’s light and airy and there’s a cute little courtyard for those sunny days as well.
This place is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you know you can always rely on it when you’ve had a night out and you’re feeling a bit peckish. There are a lot of places to get kebabs on Sydney Road, which is Brunswick’s main street, but this is the best one in my humble opinion.
10 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Alasya Restaurant
555 Sydney RdThis place is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you know you can always rely on it when you’ve had a night out and you’re feeling a bit peckish. There are a lot of places to get kebabs on Sydney Road, which is Brunswick’s main street, but this is the best one in my humble opinion.
Sightseeing
CERES Community Environment Park is a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. It’s a sustainability centre and urban farm by the Merri Creek, which promotes environmental and sustainability education. The surroundings of CERES offers a little bit of greenery and nature that I find always boosts my mood when I visit. There’s a cruelty-free café and the park hosts a makers’ and flea market every Saturday.
236 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Parque Ambiental Comunitario CERES
Roberts StreetCERES Community Environment Park is a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. It’s a sustainability centre and urban farm by the Merri Creek, which promotes environmental and sustainability education. The surroundings of CERES offers a little bit of greenery and nature that I find always boosts my mood when I visit. There’s a cruelty-free café and the park hosts a makers’ and flea market every Saturday.
Quirky shopping
This adorable and quirky store represents Melbourne’s designers and artists. Great for gifts for loved ones as well as for yourself, the owners support sustainability and community-mindedness. Here you can choose from an interesting selection of books, stationery, homewares, skin care products, chocolate, eyewear, posters and prints. My favourite thing I got from here was a little book on prolific Melbourne Victorian architect Joseph Reed, and a creative’s guide to Hong Kong for my boyfriend.
13 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Boroughs Store
345 Lygon StThis adorable and quirky store represents Melbourne’s designers and artists. Great for gifts for loved ones as well as for yourself, the owners support sustainability and community-mindedness. Here you can choose from an interesting selection of books, stationery, homewares, skin care products, chocolate, eyewear, posters and prints. My favourite thing I got from here was a little book on prolific Melbourne Victorian architect Joseph Reed, and a creative’s guide to Hong Kong for my boyfriend.
Squishface is a local comic artist and animator’s studio, and if they’re open you can mosey in and watch the artists at work! There’s a cheeky sort of humour about the place, and you can tell that the folks who run it love what they do. There are comic books and zines created right in the studio that can be bought, some having won awards. Squishface comics are also sold ‘round the corner at Santa Carla, another fun little shop. You’re able to get your own hand-drawn caricature at Squishface, or if you bring in a photo, one of a loved one, which I think makes a pretty unique and awesome gift.
Squishface Studio
329 Dorcas StreetSquishface is a local comic artist and animator’s studio, and if they’re open you can mosey in and watch the artists at work! There’s a cheeky sort of humour about the place, and you can tell that the folks who run it love what they do. There are comic books and zines created right in the studio that can be bought, some having won awards. Squishface comics are also sold ‘round the corner at Santa Carla, another fun little shop. You’re able to get your own hand-drawn caricature at Squishface, or if you bring in a photo, one of a loved one, which I think makes a pretty unique and awesome gift.
There are so many dresses and knick-knacks, including plenty of vintage stuff. You could spend hours in here, honestly! It’s one of my favourite op shops in Melbourne.
13 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Brotherhood of St Laurence
145 Brunswick RdThere are so many dresses and knick-knacks, including plenty of vintage stuff. You could spend hours in here, honestly! It’s one of my favourite op shops in Melbourne.
Food and Drink
This is a favoured local watering hole with an awesome beer garden containing lots of greenery. It’s cosy and kooky, the bartenders are friendly and you’ll always meet someone interesting here. There’s also heaps to look at, with quirky and kitsch pictures, music memorabilia and a vast spoon collection (!) covering the walls. The Brunswick Green hosts regular live music, and the food’s not too shabby either! Alternatively, if you’re vegan, you can visit The Cornish Arms, which has the largest selection of delicious vegan pub food in Melbourne.
73 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Brunswick Green
315 Sydney RdThis is a favoured local watering hole with an awesome beer garden containing lots of greenery. It’s cosy and kooky, the bartenders are friendly and you’ll always meet someone interesting here. There’s also heaps to look at, with quirky and kitsch pictures, music memorabilia and a vast spoon collection (!) covering the walls. The Brunswick Green hosts regular live music, and the food’s not too shabby either! Alternatively, if you’re vegan, you can visit The Cornish Arms, which has the largest selection of delicious vegan pub food in Melbourne.
Howler is a multifunctional arts hub, live music venue and bar in a converted warehouse, great for drinks and don't miss their burgers
139 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Howler
7-11 Dawson StHowler is a multifunctional arts hub, live music venue and bar in a converted warehouse, great for drinks and don't miss their burgers
Friendly local Brunswick West pub with quality food and drinks. Open 7 days a week.
Craft beer and hearty pub grub offered in a laid-back, neighbourhood locale with a courtyard.
18 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Grand View Hotel
47 Pearson StFriendly local Brunswick West pub with quality food and drinks. Open 7 days a week.
Craft beer and hearty pub grub offered in a laid-back, neighbourhood locale with a courtyard.
Entertainment
If you’re lucky enough to be here in March, there’s the Brunswick Music Festival, where venues around the neighbourhood host bands and other events. The centrepiece of the festival is the Sydney Road Street Party, where Sydney Road is shut down to traffic for a day and there are food stalls and dancing and it’s just an amazing time!
Brunswick Music Festival
270 Sydney RoadIf you’re lucky enough to be here in March, there’s the Brunswick Music Festival, where venues around the neighbourhood host bands and other events. The centrepiece of the festival is the Sydney Road Street Party, where Sydney Road is shut down to traffic for a day and there are food stalls and dancing and it’s just an amazing time!
beinArt Gallery has a lot of weird and wonderful exhibitions come through, mostly centred around surrealist or “lowbrow” art. The gallery features an array of different artists who work with a variety of artistic forms and mediums. Some of the art is a bit dark and morbid, but I kinda like that.
Beinart Gallery
307 Victoria StbeinArt Gallery has a lot of weird and wonderful exhibitions come through, mostly centred around surrealist or “lowbrow” art. The gallery features an array of different artists who work with a variety of artistic forms and mediums. Some of the art is a bit dark and morbid, but I kinda like that.
My favourite live music venue is the Retreat Hotel, where they have quite a bit of folk, bluegrass and country artists come through and you can listen while sipping on a pint of craft beer. There’s a really cool stage which has distinctly Texas country-music hoedown vibes. When the music is done, you can grab a cocktail upstairs in the suave Amelia Shaw cocktail bar, which is a bit of a hidden gem, or pop outside to the spacious beer garden out the back.
100 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Retreat Hotel
280 Sydney RdMy favourite live music venue is the Retreat Hotel, where they have quite a bit of folk, bluegrass and country artists come through and you can listen while sipping on a pint of craft beer. There’s a really cool stage which has distinctly Texas country-music hoedown vibes. When the music is done, you can grab a cocktail upstairs in the suave Amelia Shaw cocktail bar, which is a bit of a hidden gem, or pop outside to the spacious beer garden out the back.
Making history every night, The Jazzlab presents local, national, and international performers of the highest quality in an intimate setting.
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Jazzlab
27 Leslie StMaking history every night, The Jazzlab presents local, national, and international performers of the highest quality in an intimate setting.
The Brunswick Artists’ Bar is your local, a country pub smack bang in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Sydney Road, Brunswick. A cool but never pretentious little club house that caters to all and is warm and inviting,
Brunwick Artists' Bar
316 Sydney RoadThe Brunswick Artists’ Bar is your local, a country pub smack bang in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Sydney Road, Brunswick. A cool but never pretentious little club house that caters to all and is warm and inviting,
Visit Flemington Racecourse, home of the world-renowned Melbourne Cup Carnival and Victoria Racing Club and the Lexus Melbourne Cup, the race that stops the nation. Melbourne's major racing carnival each spring is the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington Racecourse in early November.
271 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Flemington Racecourse
Visit Flemington Racecourse, home of the world-renowned Melbourne Cup Carnival and Victoria Racing Club and the Lexus Melbourne Cup, the race that stops the nation. Melbourne's major racing carnival each spring is the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington Racecourse in early November.
West Brunswick Tennis Club
The Friendly Club! We are at 425 Victoria Street, Brunswick, Melbourne. Book to play on our website...
westbrunswicktennisclub.org.au
West Brunswick Tennis Club
425 Victoria StreetWest Brunswick Tennis Club
The Friendly Club! We are at 425 Victoria Street, Brunswick, Melbourne. Book to play on our website...
westbrunswicktennisclub.org.au
Consejos para la ciudad
Facilidad para moverse por la casa
Public Transport
Bus 508 at front door goes west to Moonee Ponds via Moonee Valley RaceCourse and Queens Park or East to Alphington via Sydney Road
Brunswick Railway Station is 800m east towards Sydney road.
Tram along Sydney road takes you into the CBD via Melbourne University, Princess Park and Victoria Market
Tram along Melville road ( one block to west) also takes you into CBD via the fabulous Melbourne zoo and Victoria Market.