Melbourne's bar scene is one of the best in Australia, and much of it is hidden. The city pioneered the laneway bar concept, tucking excellent drinking spots behind unmarked doors and down narrow alleys. You could walk past the entrance to some of Melbourne's finest bars a dozen times without noticing them, which is half the fun.
The main bar precincts are the CBD laneways, Fitzroy's Brunswick Street, Collingwood's Smith Street, and the St Kilda foreshore. Coffee culture is equally serious here. Melburnians are particular about their flat whites, and the cafe scene along Degraves Street and in Carlton is legendary.