Where to go late-night shopping in the Melbourne CBD

Take a break from the books and see what's open after hours in the city - from secret arcades to hidden food court diners, exclusive student deals and more.

Curtin House: indie books, designer archives and streetwear

Get papped by Melbourne Street Style when you're traversing all the floors of this Art Nouveau building. Most stores are open until 7pm on Fridays and 6pm Monday to Thursday and Saturday. Metropolis stays open until 6pm, selling specialist books on art, music, film and architecture. Browse the gallery/retail store dot COMME, a city icon dedicated to labels Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto. For max street-cred, local designer Perks and Mini is your go-to.

Nicholas Building: iconic thrifting, y2k fashion and $10 martinis

This heritage building is home to the most unique collection of shops in town. You haven't really been to the city if you've never thrifted at RetroStar for 90s band t-shirts. Graduate from second hand to archival vintage at Reina, a chic hidden gem designer store. Cap it all off with a $10 martini at Cathedral Coffee. Hours differ but most shops in the Nicholas Building stay open until 6pm on weekdays.

Royal Arcade: underground op shopping and Melb's best iced chocolate

Royal Arcade is the oldest arcade in Australia - but it's more than an aesthetic photo spot. The underground Brotherhood of St Lawrence op shop is a must visit until 5pm Monday to Saturday. Or try the curated selection upstairs at Hunter Gatherer. KICKSTW is a must for athleisure and streetwear brands, and Moku is a slick spot to nail neutral tones and It Girl accessories. Refuel with an iced choccy from Koko Black, serving up the good stuff until 7pm every night.

QV Melbourne: outfits under $50, hidden thrifting and a hotpot laneway

Right near RMIT, this open-air centre is a uni students' dream. Find affordable, ethically-made basics at ASColour (open until 6pm). American Rag is an absolute must for 90s-style fashion, and the vintage denim is second to none. There's also Dragon Hot Pot, Thai Town, Yuguro and PappaRich for spicy, late-night feeds. Thursday and Friday nights are for late-night shopping with stores open until 9pm. The centre is open until 7pm all other days.

Melbourne Central: life admin, Korean fashion and cheap eats

Convenience King Melbourne Central is open until 7pm daily and 9pm on Thursday and Friday nights. Nerd out at the LEGO store, go to the basement for Korean boutiques and Sanrio merch, then stock up on sheet masks at MINISO and Sephora. Or try on new looks at Platypus and General Pants. Eat for cheap at the likes of Coppe Pan, Pantre and Breadtop (open until 9pm most nights). There are also asian grocers and cute stationery stores all over the centre.

Emporium Melbourne: cult-status sneakers, TikTok trends and a retro arcade

Open until 7pm daily and 9pm every Thursday and Friday night, Emporium offers more than 200 stores to explore. Including a slick Converse flagship, a multi-level Uniqlo and an enormous Glue store (and yes, they sell Stanley Cups). It also hosts a BTS pop-up shop, Japanese streetwear collabs and some of the best Black Friday sales in Melbourne. Done shopping? Visit Fortress on Tuesdays for $10 deals across food, games and cocktails.

The Strand: ACNE flagship, COS sales and croissants

Tucked between Emporium and the GPO, The Strand boasts the coolest ACNE store in Melbourne. It's also home to a COS store that's always hosting seasonal sales. Dessert bars line Driver Lane, with Sweet Canteen and Black Star Pastry making a perfect post-shop pit stop until 7pm. The Strand is open until 9pm on Thursday and Friday nights and 7pm all other days.

The Block Arcade: high tea, perfume and little treats

You absolutely do deserve a little treat at the end of the day. A Haigh's chocolate frog will fix you right up, open until 5.30pm. Deluxe perfume and essential oil brand Essensorie will soothe you until 6pm most nights. If you can get down by five, you can sample teas and marvel at European-style delights from Gewurzhaus. Then wander out onto Elizabeth street for chemists, supermarkets and more.

Myer: everything you'll ever need

Gifts for mum, Barbie takeovers, discount luggage, an entire floor dedicated to activewear and even a cafe. There's nothing you can't get done by visiting the iconic department store on Bourke Street. Myer Melbourne is open until 7pm daily and 9pm on Thursday and Friday nights.

David Jones: Mecca, The Ordinary and more beauty brands on one floor

Visit Australia's oldest department store, located next to Myer. Step in off Bourke Street and access holy grail beauty brands like Mecca, The Ordinary, MAC and Bobby Brown. Then there's another six levels of Australian designer fashion, homewares, toys and more. The Bourke Street Mall store is open until 7pm daily, with late-night shopping until 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays.

Find an even bigger list of Melbourne's best shops staying open late on the Twilight Trade website.