Brunswick Street is Fitzroy's main artery and one of the most characterful streets in Melbourne, running north from Alexandra Parade into North Fitzroy. The stretch between Johnston and Alexandra has the highest concentration of interest: vintage clothing shops, independent bookstores, record shops, tattoo parlours, art galleries, cafes, bars, and restaurants that cover cuisines from around the world at prices still somewhat resistant to the gentrification that has hit the parallel streets.
The street is at its best in the afternoon and evening, when the cafe daytime crowd gives way to diners and drinkers. Fitzroy is Melbourne's most reliably interesting suburb for an evening — the restaurants on Brunswick Street alone could keep a visitor occupied for a week. Look out for the Gertrude Street end, where the older, more working-class character of Fitzroy is still visible in the terrace houses and corner pubs. Brunswick Street Market on selected Sundays is good for food and crafts.