What’s new in Melbourne’s laneways

Wondering what’s been happening behind the scenes in the city? Find out what’s new in our guide to the latest laneway happenings.

Pretend you're in Tokyo and order premium katsu sets

Kappo Tora is Melbourne's newest Japanese diner and the menu has all the favourites. Look for the glowing lanterns and order a signature kastu set. It features the crispiest pork cutlets, house-made pickles, fresh wasabi, rice, miso soup, dessert and more. Or try shareable dishes like spicy salmon rolls, steamy hot pots, oysters and sashimi tasting plates.

Discover Melbourne’s smallest Thai restaurant 

Blink and you could miss Eek Charm – Melbourne’s smallest Thai restaurant. This tiny hole-in-the-wall kiosk in The Causeway dishes up a menu of authentic noodle boxes. Choose from toppings like chilli pork crackling, quail eggs, fermented tofu, chicken meatballs and more. Then add a dash of house-made sauce, a sprinkle of crunchy peanuts and a squeeze of fresh lime. And the best part? Everything is under $12. 

Sip on spicy margs with a view

Melbourne’s new laneway rooftop bar doubles as a gluten-free Mexican restaurant. Located on Melbourne’s famous Hardware Lane, Hotel Nacional is a five-storey foodie paradise. Take a seat at ground level and order everything from slow cooked barbeque lamb to juicy birria tacos. Then head upstairs for spicy margaritas with a view and small bites like corn ribs, tostadas, croquettes and more.

Enjoy a street food feast at a secret Thai spot 

Sutherland Street has just scored a tiny Thai food joint. Make your way to Pak Soi and get ready for a big to-go feast or pull up a little plastic stool and tuck in. Try a filling snack pack with sticky rice and a tangy mango salad. Or go all out at the choose-your-own skewer station. On the sweeter side, you can’t go past the crispy pancakes with a Thai milk tea. Hot tip: it's open until 1am, perfect for those late-night tummy rumbles. 

Sip on gourmet hot chocolate in a bustling laneway 

Melbourne’s award-winning chocolatier has just opened a new spot in Centre Place. Visit Mörk for an artisan cup of ethically sourced hot chocolate. Campfire is the star, recreating the nostalgia of a childhood bonfire. It comes complete with house-made marshmallows. Prefer to keep it simple? The chocolate makers are also brewing cups from 50 per cent cacao all the way up to a rich 100 per cent cacao drop.

Order handmade Japanese rice balls  

Find Japanese-style comfort food at Onigiri Kitchen and Sake Bar's second location on Degraves Street. Swing by for gluten-free onigiri rice balls, bento boxes and chicken karaage. For dessert, there are delicious sweet tofu cinnamon donuts. Pick from unique jelly fruit sake flavours like peach, apple, plum and more. 

Have a Flinders Street Station-shaped waffle 

This adorable new dessert bar is slinging Flinders Street Station-shaped waffles. Take a stroll down Degraves Street and step into Flinders Waffles. Choose from fillings like Nutella, custard or sweet bean. Then try sundaes coated in heart-shaped sprinkles and other yummy toppings. Don’t go past the matcha lattes topped with a swirl of creamy soft serve. Or grab a warm taiyaki – Japan's famous fish-shaped sweet snack.

Eat late night desserts in Melbourne's most hidden cafe 

We often describe things as hidden, but Snow Moon is seriously hidden. Like, walk down a never-ending tunnel off a laneway and stop dead in the centre levels of hidden. But for these delicious Thai-inpsired bingsu desserts, it's definitely worth the journey. Classic milk tea and Oreo flavours are on the menu. Along with pandan-soaked toastie sticks, Yakult jelly creations and Lotus Biscoff waffles. Other delicious toppings include salted egg sauce, foithang (sweet egg yolk strands) and butterfly pea.