Carlton is the inner-city suburb most associated with Melbourne's Italian community. After World War II, waves of Italian immigrants settled here and transformed Lygon Street into a strip of espresso bars, trattorias, and delis that became central to the city's food culture. The area around Lygon and Carlton Gardens remains the heart of the Italian quarter, though the community has spread through the northern suburbs over the decades and the street now mixes Italian stalwarts with newer arrivals.
Carlton is also a university suburb. The University of Melbourne occupies much of the western side, and the streets around it are lined with student housing, cheap cafes, and bookshops. The Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building anchor the eastern edge at Carlton Gardens. The suburb has a strong literary and intellectual culture — La Mama Theatre on Faraday Street has been nurturing Australian playwrights since 1967.