Melbourne: Progressive Food Tour - Chinatown, Laneways & Drink
Description
Experience Melbourne's world-renowned food scene on this personalised progressive foodie tour through Chinatown, Hosier Lane, and hidden laneways. Your local guide handpicks 4-6 venues based on what's exceptional - not a fixed itinerary. Savour hand-folded dumplings at legendary Shan Dong Mama, Michelin-starred dim sum at Tim Ho Wan, or authentic Chinese street eats in vibrant Chinatown. Navigate Melbourne's iconic laneways near Federation Square discovering Indian cuisine at Chapati, Thai specialties at Cookie, and Australia's freshest oysters at Muli Express - secret spots tucked behind Hosier Lane's famous street art. Enjoy a complimentary wine, beer, or non-alcoholic option at a top-tier Melbourne venue while your guide shares stories of immigration waves and laneway culture that transformed this into a global food capital. End on a sweet note with innovative ice cream from Hareruya Pantry or traditional Italian granita at historic Pellegrini's on Bourke Street.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide and fellow travelers (max 8 guests) at the fountain in Gordon Reserve. Your guide learns about your food preferences and dietary needs, then crafts your personalised route through Melbourne's best culinary neighborhoods.
Explore Melbourne's vibrant Chinatown. Taste hand-folded dumplings, Michelin-starred dim sum, or Asian fusion bites while learning about the Chinese migrants who established this historic district in the 1850s. Possible stops: Shan Dong Mama, Tim Ho Wan, Wang's Crispy Pancake, or local fusion favorites
Experience Melbourne's multicultural food scene with authentic Indian, Thai, or other international cuisine from beloved local institutions. Possible stops: Chapati (Indian Dhai Puri & curries), Cookie (Thai), Muli Express (fresh oysters), or Spring Rock (iconic lamb nuggets)
Navigate world-famous laneways like Hosier Lane and discover hidden gems. Enjoy your included beverage at a top-tier Melbourne venue - laneway bar, wine cellar door, or restaurant with great drinks selection - while learning about Melbourne's immigration history and street culture.
End with Melbourne's best sweet treats - innovative ice cream, traditional Italian granita, or seasonal artisan desserts. Our tour concludes in central Melbourne CBD near Federation Square or Swanston Street (approximately 2:00PM for daytime tour, 10:00 PM for nighttime tour) with excellent public transport connections.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Unfortunately due to the dynamic nature of the food spots we visit, we cannot accommodate any dietary requirements on this tour
- Please provide at least 24 hours notice if you have accessibility needs on tour
- Not recommended for people with specialised dietary requirements
Reviews(62)
Melbourne Nite Bites tour sounded just our kind of thing. We booked last minute and it turned out we were the only people on the tour that evening! We met Hugo at the meeting point in the rain but he quickly moved us into the laneways and under cover. A brief chat about what kind of food we liked and Hugo was leading us to the first venue, an amazing Thai place in a food court that served fantasic, authentic dishes. Hugo was very knowledgable about the food scene in Melbourne and where the best 'off the grid' places were. Moving from the Thai, Hugo led us through some laneways, pointing out street art and bars as we went. Next up was an Oyster bar in Chinatown. Undoubtedly the freshest and tastiest oysters I have ever had! We then had a Chinese spiced beef pancake from a small outlet on one of the main roads. We have probably wlaked past it so many times but never stopped to try it! That has definitely changed now!! The final food stop was a Malaysian outlet for satay amd roti! Both were freshly made as we watched and were perfect. The last stop of the night was a cocktail bar tucked away well out of sight of the main paths. Hugo feared it would be fully booked so called ahead. They were!! BUT a quick call to a contact by Hugo and we were assured a seat. This is a place I will never forget...... hidden away behind a mirrored door at the end of a small hallway, you literally enter something from the 1920's! Dark colours, lots of polished wood, more candles than I could count and a Jazz vibe made the bar seem cosy and welcoming. We sat on a wonderful sofa and took in the experience! The cocktails were perfect and Hugo used this stop to give us a map with the palaces we visited on it as well as recommendations for other hidden treasures! We live about an hour out of Melbourne so will definitley be back for another tour in the next few months. Thank you Hugo for an amazing night.
Simon was a great tour guide! He was super considerate of any food preferences/allergies and reached out beforehand to confirm everything. The food / bar stops were all great and loved ending it at a gelato shop that had a bunch of unique flavors! All of our stops were sit down places which is fine and I appreciate that they told us this tour was premium restaurants. Typically food tours I go on (and personally prefer) are street food so this was different, but a nice change. I loved hearing that there was a previous participant on our tour and, aside from one restaurant that she liked and requested to go back to, the rest were brand new for her on this round. I think it shows that this company takes time to research and has a bunch of places up their sleeve versus rotating the same ones every time. Highly recommend!
Simon was wonderful. He provided history about the area and food culture. The food he selected was all delicious dishes. We were full at the end of the tour. Come hungry! Highly recommend.
Our guide Simon was very informative and very knowledgeable. He clearly loves sharing his love of good food and this showed throughout our tour of several locations we visited. We learnt a lot about the buildings in Melbourne as well as trying foods we would never have ventured with before. Can’t recommend Simon enough. Have already recommended him to our Australian friends.
Had almost private tour (only two of us) with Simon. He’s an excellent guide - fun, friendly and in love with food. Knows Melbourne food scene very well and talks about it with great enthusiasm.
Well worth the experience. I only had one evening in Melbourne for a long layover and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. I was so impressed with Simon's knowledge of the food scene in Melbourne. He knew the owners, their stories and interesting tidbits that kept us going. He was very conscious of food allergies and restrictions. He even taught me about some common ingredients that were incompatible with my food allergy!
The guide Simon was knowledgeable, friendly, and easy to talk to. He made the experience exceptional! He doesn’t go to the same places for all the food tours, he customizes it depending on group size and availability in the restaurants, as well as based on how the group is feeling. We left feeling very full and much more knowledgeable about Melbourne’s food culture!
Simon was an excellent guide and he tailored our dining experiences to our tastes. Every stop was different and the food was delicious with an emphasis on Asian cuisine.
Simone was great. Catered our food tour to our likes. Everything was was wonderful. We would go again.
Simon gave us an amazing tour of the downtown district with so many restaurant highlights. He introduced us to so many different tastes and we loved them all. It was a wonderful way to spend our first evening in Melbourne! We would highly recommend Simon’s tour!
