We asked a range of clued-up Melburnians what their fave things to do, see, eat and drink were and this is the list they came up with. Enjoy!

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What is your absolute FAVE DINING experience in Melbourne?

1. Huxtable My friend is a chef there so it's always an 'experience' :)
2. Backstreet Eating • Fitzroy • a modern neighbourhood bistro located in back streets of Fitzroy, check out the Charcuterie room
3. Hellenic Republic • Brunswick
4. The Meatball and Wine Bar • Flinders Lane, City / Swan Street, Richmond
5. Mamak 366 Lonsdale Street, City • For the closest thing to Malaysian hawker food
6. Pelligrinis • 66 Bourke Street, City • Italian cafe - Melbourne institution
7. Collingwood Children's Farm • Abbotsford • Farm cafe on the river
8. Afghan gallery • Fitzroy • Afghan/Middle Eastern
9. Allegro Restaurant • Westin hotel, 205 Collins Street, City
10. Shoya • 25 Market Lane, City • AMAZING Japanese, order the ice ball sashimi
11. Vue De Monde • level 55, 525 Collins Street • Modern Australian Restaurant with french style cuisine
12. Maha • Bond street
13. Pei Modern • Collins Street, City
14. Binh Minh • Richmond • Vietnamese
15. Hungry Seagull • Geelong jetty • Fish & Chips
16. Shanghai Dumpling House • South Yarra
17. Ginger Boy • Crossley Street, City • Modern Australian adaptation of Asian hawker-style street market food
18. Maedaya, Richmond • delicious, authentic Japanese in  Sit at the bar and ask the sake master for a recomendation.
19. I carusi pizza East Brunswick • also has byo!

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For a real AUSTRALIAN DINING experience where would you go?

1. Pure south • South Bank • Modern Australian
2. Lentil as Anyting. • Abbotsford, Footscray, St Kilda • not for profit community organization, pay as you feel, customers give what they feel the food is worth
3. Hell's Kitchen • Wine bar CBD
4. Edinburgh Hotel • Brunswick • for a very Australian Kangaroo steak, veg & mash & glass of wine for $11.99 (special on Mondays)
5. Colonial Tram car restaurant Literally an old tram car converted into a restaurant you drive around the city in while dining
6. Going to an Indigenous outback station
7. The London Tavern, real, tasty, pub grub. With an Asian twist
8. Mrs parmas • Little Bourke St, City • Mrs Parma's have the best parma meals - all Victorian beer bar and bottle shop.
9. Have a bbq on the Yarra • Fire up the bbq and unpack the salads and bread rolls in front of a backdrop of Melbourne’s city skyline
10. Hook Line and Sinker, Glen Waverley Kingsway • Fish and Chips
11. George Hotel South Melbourne • Pub meal
12. Laksa King • Flemington • Australia is multi cultural! Best cheap eats Urban spoon
13. The Town Hall • Fitzroy • Italian, Modern Australian, Gastropub
14. South Melbourne market • Coventry St • for the dim sims
15. Pellegrini's Espresso Bar • Bourke Street, City

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Your friend is in town for one night, which bar/pubs would you hit up?

1. Cookie Rooftop bar (above cookie) for the view!
2. Ponyfish island, southbank pedestrian footbridge
3. Section 8, • tattersalls lane • Shipping container bar, For gangsta boogie
4. Naked for Satan.
5. Bar Ousso • Brunswick • Live music, Happy hour until 9pm every day $5 pizza
6. Madam brussels • Bourke Street, city (if good weather)
7. The croft institute • Chinatown • A melbourne institution, tucked down winding alley
8. The Espy • St Kilda • Classic Beachside motel, live music venue
9. Transport/Riverside Bar • Fed Square • Close to Flinders, nice view of Yarra
10. Lui Bar. level 55. Rialto Towers • 55 floors up, great views. Sunday afternoon with chanteuse Hetty Kate sings blues, swing and jazz.
11. Lucky Coq • Windsor/Prahran
12. Bar Open • Fitzroy • Late night bar, live music venue
13. Sister Bella. Drewrey lane, city • Laneway bar/restaurant
14. The Seamstress • for classy cocktails
15. Blue diamond • 15 floors up, premier penthouse live entertainment cocktail and cigar lounge.
16. Windsor Castle • Windsor • Quirky lime castle, great place for arvo beer garden sessions
17. Northcote Social club • Northcote • Concert venue & barthe local Tap House,
18. The Corner Hotel • Richmond • Awesome rooftop beer garden, international live music venue
19. Siglo • A swish rooftop terrace bar with a splendid city view.
20. James Squire Brewhouse
21. The Merrywell
22. Bimbo Deluxe
23. Furdydurke
24. Bridie O Rileys,
25. The Napier Hotel
26. Richmond Club Hotel
27. The Deck
28. Fathers Office
29. Workshop
30. Boatbuilders Yard
31. Bar Ampere,
32. Black cat • Fitzroy
33. The Fox • Fitzroy
34. Polly
35. Shebeen, Manchester lane,
36. Bimbo's
37. The Retreat • Brunswick
38. The Vic
39. Veggie Bar in Brunswick
40. The Tuscan Rooftop Bar

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 Where is your fave live music or dancing venue in Melbourne?

1. Night Cat • Fitzroy • live music venue and home to some of the most eclectic and innovative artists
2. The Corner Hotel • Richmond • Awesome rooftop beer garden, international live music venue
3. Northcote Social club • Northcote • Concert venue & bar
4. Bar Ousso • Brunswick • Live music, Happy hour until 9pm every day $5 pizza
5. Farouk's Olive • Thornbury
6. Finishing School at Bella Union every second Friday night. Best. Music. Ever.
7. Open Studio
8. Wesley anne • Northcote
9. Tiki Bar. Sunday night blues dancing. 327 Swan St. Richmond
10. Club retro
11. The Peel Hotel
12. The Espy • St Kilda • Classic Beachside motel, live music venue
13. Cherry bar
14. Revolver Upstairs (Sunday Night)
15. The Forum
16. Richmond Club Hotel

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What is your hidden gem of a Melbourne recommendation?

1. Ponyfish island, southbank pedestrian footbridge
2. See the fairy penguins at the end of St Kilda Pier.
3. Learn something new at lanewaylearning.com for $12 a lesson.
4. Ovens Street Warehouse
5. Paperback books and the book grocer • Bourke street, special and cheap books respectively.
6. Laneway bars!
7. Manchuria • Chinatown•  for cocktails.
8. Sky high Mt Dandenong • SkyHigh Mount Dandenong, lookout, restaurant and function centre.
9. Haigh's chocolate, go in, order one piece ($2) and you'll get a free sample of something delicious!
10. Gelato at Spring St Grocer.
11. St Andrews market
12. Prudence

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 What's the most memorable attraction/experience you've gone to?

1. x3 ACMI - Australian Centre for the Moving Image • Especially the smoke room
2. x3 NGV National Gallery Victoris • City • best art gallery ever!
3. Melbourne Cup: Where you can see how Melbournians celebrate
4. 1000 steps • Dandenong Ranges • A nice walk up a whole lotta steps
5. Tree top climing, high ropes course in Belgrave. near Puffing Billy.
6. Festivals! See if there is anything good on at the Myer Music Bowl or any street festivals. Get in.
7. Party on the beach • Elwood or Half Moon Bay
8. Anzac Day or finals season at the MCG. Even if you are not a footy fan, it is hard not to get swept up in the excitement
9. Scuba Diving in the Bay
10. Life drawing on Tue/Wed nights at No Vacancy at QV in city, $12 incl materials and $2 beer and wine!
11. Mountain Goat brewery in Richmond: Free brewery tour: Wed 6.30pm
12. SpiegelTent
13. MCG on Preliminary Final night. Best football match of the year.
14. The Shadow Electric - open air cinema, Abbotsford

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 If you were to take a daytrip out of the city, where would you go?

1. Lilydale to warbuton rail trail by bicycle
2. Drive/bus the Great ocean road
3. Yarra valley vineyards
4. Mornington • Check out the Hot springs
5. Rent a car and drive through Dandenong ranges • Stop in Olinda for amazing gift shops and miss marples tea rooms, walk the 1000 steps
6. Gliding in Benalla.
7. Cycle along the bay around to Sorrento
8. Philip Island
9. Wilson's prom
10. Macedon ranges
11. Daylesford and spa country,
12. Cycle from st kilda to williamstown • Take your bike on the Punt ride across the river
13. Werribee Zoo
14. Marysville
15. Woodend for Hanging Rock and the best vanilla slice in the world.

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 What's your wisest piece of advice for a person coming to Melbourne?

1. Bring warm clothes! Pack for 4 seasons. Dress in layers, the weather is insane, bring a raincoat/jacket.
2. Rent a Car! Use melbourne as a home base and visit all the unique places in the environs of melbourne, go down the coast.
3. Dont be afraid of getting on a train or tram! - Save a picture or photo of your tram route on your phone for reference
4. Everything is expensive, bring cash
5. There are so many good ice-cream shops. All your snacks should consist of these.
6. Meet the locals
7. Go and explore down the alleyways in the city
8. Whatever you are into, you will find it in melbourne, just ask the right people.
9. Nightlife nightlife nightlife!
10. Brunswick street is awesome for shopping, cafes and people watching.
11. Despite it's name, Sunshine is not a place you want to visit.

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 Where is the your favourite brunch venue in Melbourne?

1. Peddlers- out very far in the East (must drive)- smashed Avocado
2. The hardware society • hidden on hardware lane • Be prepared to wait.
3. East elevation
4. Three bags full
5. Apte cafe
6. Olinda Cafe
7. Cafe lua • carlton.• pinto beans
8. Hobba Cafe • 428 Malvern Road • 63 degree eggs instead of standard poached eggs.
9. Cafe fab • pancakes
10. The Green Refectory • Brunswick • So cheap and so much to choose from!
11. Greens • Sydney Road
12. Touchwood is a new fav,
13. Red dragon • weekend yum cha for brunch is pretty hard to beat.
14. Boatbuilders Yard • when its sunny
15. Atomica Cafe • Order the El Gringo
16. Degustos
17. Min Lokal • Fitzroy
18. Pillar of Salt • Richmond

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 Melbourne is renowned for it's coffee – where is the best cup found?

1. Brother Baba Budan in the city
2. Pillar of Salt • Richmond
3. Industry Beans • Fitzroy
4. Degraves cafe • Degraves st. Make sure it's Justin who makes it for you. If you think it could be better, he'll make it again until it's right.
5. Esspresso room
6. Duke • flinders lane. 5, centre place
7. Touchwood • The coconut cold drip at touchwood is pretty good
8. Journal cafe in the library • flinders lane
9. Sensory Lab (@ David Jones)
10. Porgie and Mr Jones
11. Everyday coffee, Collingwood
12. Blueberry Cafe • Richmond
13. Gutz cafe brunswick
14. 3 bags cafe
15. Drugstore Coffee • South Yarra
16. Cheerio • Richmond
17. Manchester Press
18. Snow Pony • Balwyn
19. Great places to work from with all important free wifi:
20. State Library in the city
21. Anywhere around Federation Square and Flinders Station
22. Coffeeism
23. Joe's Garage • Fitzroy
24. 1000 pound bend • City
25. A minor place • Brunswick
26. Lux • Brunswick
27. Drop in for a day at a coworking space: inspire9, York Butter Factory or The Hub

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Handy web and mobile apps while you're in Melbourne

I have linked to the iPhone version but most have an android equivalent if you're that way inclined ;)

1. Beanhunter: For finding the highest rated cafes
2. PTV: For real time public transport advice
3. Broadsheet: Their website and Facebook page is full of local Independent reviews of restaurants, shops, bars and cafes.
4. BOM: The Bureau of Meteorology to keep an eye on the crazy Melbourne weather
5. Play Melbourne: Apparently some of Melbourne's best kept secrets if you're willing to play
6. Wine regions of Victoria: Like it says on the tin
7. Vic Heritage: Explores the histories of important and unusual places in Melbourne and Victoria.
8. TramTracker Handy real-time schedule information for Melbourne trams.
9. Uber: For booking taxis based on your location on your smart phone
10. My Markets: Definitely get the app to get if you like farmers markets, or any other style really.
11. Arts View: A monthly guide to exhibitions on around Melbourne
12. Our City: Is a new walking tour app

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If you're interested in having a local expert create a tailored day-by-day trip plan just for you, drop me a line at indi@outtrippin.com or launch a trip at OutTrippin.com