Insider’s Guide to Melbourne

What makes Melbourne such a special place to live?
Melbourne is Australia’s most “European-style” city – and I say that with confidence because I used to live in Europe. We’re on the southern tip of the country, so we get all four seasons. We’re definitely more culture-based than other Aussie cities: we have a really big theatre scene and a great arts community. We’re also the sporting capital of Australia. Melbourne is on the map as host for the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Australian Open, and we have the largest pool of teams for our national sport, Australian rules football. Visitors are encouraged to see a match at Melbourne Cricket Ground, too.

What kind of houses can you find in Melbourne?
In the Central Business District (CBD), it’s mainly high-rise apartments. Around the outskirts, certain types of buyer favour particular areas. Northsiders tend to be more artistic, so the property there is often warehouse-style apartments, with community spaces and gardens. New-builds are trendy lofts and buyers really care about sustainability. East Melbourne is a more affluent area, with old Victorian properties. Homeowners there are often in the medical or legal profession. You’ll find much bigger houses on the Southside: areas such as Toorak have incredibly impressive real estate going up to about A$60m (£31m). These are on huge plots with tennis courts and swimming pools – and only 15 minutes from the CBD.

Tell us about some of your favourite restaurants?
For something special, try Ishizuka. This hard-to-find restaurant in the CBD offers kaiseki dining – a kind of Japanese tasting menu. The chefs prepare everything in front of you – you’ll be blown away by the flavours. For something more casual, I love Cellar Bar, an offshoot of Grossi Florentino, a fine-dining establishment. It’s like stepping back in time. There are great alfresco tables to watch the world go by. Otherwise, Smith Street, which has been voted the world’s coolest street by Time Out readers, is full of amazing restaurants. 

Where would you go for a drink?
Siglo is a rooftop bar at the top end of the city, next to the Princess Theatre. It’s open until 3am, serves delicious cocktails and overlooks Parliament House. Another late-night option is a newcomer in Chinatown called One or Two – it’s a classic Melbourne bar in that it’s intimate and hard to find, with a great selection of whiskies and a seasonal cocktail menu.

And for Melbourne’s legendary coffee?
To name a favourite would be impossible. There are great coffee joints everywhere. Proud Mary in Collingwood is an institution. It sources beans from around the world and has cold-drip coffee options. Everyone in Melbourne knows about Black Star Pastry’s strawberry watermelon cake, touted as the most Instagrammed in the world, but all of the cakes there are works of art.

What is there to do from a cultural standpoint?
Melbourne has an extraordinary amount of live shows. There can be four or five big musicals on at any one time, as well as plays. We have wonderful national institutions: Australian Ballet, Melbourne Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre. The National Gallery of Victoria has fantastic exhibitions, and we’ve just had the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

What’s your favourite thing about Melbourne?
The people are really friendly and helpful, the food quality is outstanding and the coffee is unreal. There’s just a good energy here. 

Portfolio recommends…
The amazing Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is home to the National Gallery of Victoria’s collection of Australian art. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander works are particularly arresting. It’s worth heading out to the Heide Museum of Modern Art, in a bush valley: the Heide II gallery is a beautiful example of Australian midcentury architecture. And book a table at Cutler & Co for thoughtful fine dining surrounded by contemporary paintings.

MICAH ASHLEY, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, SAVILLS AUSTRALIA
micah.ashley@savills.com.au

Pictures from top: Micah Ashley, with a backdrop of Melbourne from the water (Unsplash); the Water Wall at the National Gallery of Victoria; a historic tram in the city (Unsplash); and cake at Black Star Pastry