Collingwood is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Melbourne, and a must-visit for visitors wanting to experience the city’s quintessential neighbourhood charm. Collingwood shares Smith Street, named “the coolest street in the world” with Fitzroy, it’s twin neighbourhood next door, which together form the heart of Melbourne’s buzziest inner city dining & lifestyle precinct.

Collingwood has blue collar roots, which is reflected in the small cottages and converted warehouses, which today house bars, boutiques, cafes, restaurants and galleries.

Where is Collingwood?

Collingwood is an inner city neighbourhood, just north of the Melbourne CBD. To the west is equally trendy Fitzroy, to the east is Abbotsford, to the north is Clifton Hill and to the south is East Melbourne.

Best Things to Do in Collingwood

Gallery hop

Collingwood is well known for its concentration of leading art galleries, often housed in converted industrial warehouses. Notable galleries include Backwoods Gallery and Jacky Winter.

Explore Smith Street & Johnston Street

Smith Street and Johnston Street are Collingwood’s two main high streets. Stroll down both to get a feel for the neighbourhood and to stumble upon Collingwood’s best bars, shops and cafes. 

Sense of Self Bath House

Completely unwind at Sense of Self, a large bath house, spa & sauna in the heart of Collingwood. I visited Sense of Self (SOS) shortly after it opened with friends, and loved bouncing between the heated pools, cold plunge pool and the sauna. Book bathing sessions or treatments ahead of time. It gets very busy after work and on weekends.

Best Restaurants in Collingwood

Smith St Bistrot

Smith St Bistrot is the latest restaurant from acclaimed Melbourne chef and restaurateur, Scott Pickett. We dined here for an anniversary dinner, and loved the charming fit out and beautiful French menu. Perfect for a special occasion!

Maha North

Maha North is my favourite restaurant from celebrated Melbourne chef, Shane Delia. This trendy Collingwood restaurant describes itself as a “wine focused brasserie with an approachable menu, infused with the rich spice and flavours of the Middle East,” which sums it up perfectly. The food here is SO good, the atmosphere is very warm and moody, and it offers an unforgettable meal without any pretension.

Jim’s Greek Tavern

Jim’s Greek Tavern is a Collingwood institution. For more than 40 years, this no frills Greek restaurant has been serving cheap and cheerful Greek food in a laidback settings. It’s popular with groups, and is almost always lively and crowded. 

Best Bars in Collingwood

Goldy’s Tavern

Goldy’s Tavern is a newly renovated pub in Collingwood, with a strong retro vibe. It’s a charming, laidback pub in the backstreets of Collingwood. The sprawling pub has a shady courtyard down one side, making it a great spot on a sunny day.

Easey’s

Easey’s is one of the most unique bars in Melbourne, and a must-visit for those seeking out Melbourne’s coolest and most unusual bars. Easey’s is a rooftop bar of sorts – with a series of historic, converted train carriages perched five storeys high, to create a completely unique bar experience. Easey’s serves predominantly burgers & beers, with a side of nostalgia, graffiti and city views.

Glou

Glou is one of the most innovative bars in Melbourne which is why it makes perfect sense that it’s in Collingwood. Glou serves natural wines, all on tap, and available for take home in their signature take home jugs. If you’re not into natural wine, this won’t be for you – but if you are, you’ll be in heaven.

Best Cafes in Collingwood

Alimentari Smith St

Alimentari is one of my favourite cafes in Melbourne. Located on trendy Smith St, Alimentari is a lively cafe that is perfect for a quick coffee or leisurely brunch before browsing the Smith St shops. Be prepared to wait on weekends!

Proud Mary

Proud Mary is a Collingwood cafe with some serious street cred – it’s been recognised as the #4 in the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops. Don’t ask me who or how this list is written, but it completely tracks that Proud Mary is up there amongst the best.

Commons Coffee

Commons Coffee is part cafe, part chic reading room, and is a great spot for working with your laptop over coffee and lunch. They have an amazing cabinet full of grab & go breakfast options & fancy baguette sandwiches as well! It’s on the ground floor of the Commons co-working space, a hot spot for creatives types.

Further Reading

Find more of the best things to see & do in Melbourne:

• Itinerary: 3 Days in Melbourne for First Time Visitors
• Fitzroy Neighbourhood Guide
• Carlton Neighbourhood Guide
• The 15 Best Things to do in St Kilda

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