Almost spring. Let's pick the best pavement dining strips in
Australia.

And please remember in this thread, LENGTH MATTERS!

It has been in the back of my mind since a Sydney friend
(who lives in one of the Art Deco classics in the
little square just off Macleay St, Kings Cross) came out on Fitzroy
Street St Kilda and was stunned by a 0.5km summer scene of
thousands dining on the pavements. "We have nothing like
this in Sydney," he said.

Which, of course, is repeated to provoke a response here: i remember
many intimate outdoor dining enclaves in Sydney: from Five Ways,
Paddington, Oxford St, Double Pay, Watson's Bay, Leichardt, The Rocks,
Falcon St, Bradley;'s Head Road and others - but not a great long strip:
Let's hear what you've got Sydney, and in Brissie, Perth, Freo and Gold
Coast, Adelaide (Hindley and Melbourne Streets fr instance)...

But let's start with the long straight street advantages of ethnic
Melbourne.

Brunswick Street, Fitzroy -bohermian/cool, with a really
electic mix of New Age dens, mixed oddity, art and guitar shops around it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/brunswick_street_anthony_chesna1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/brunswick_street_anthony_chesna21.jpg

best breakfast in melb here, they say:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/bruns4m1.jpg




Chapel Street, Prahran has length, around the Jam Factory
and Borders book and clothes shops, its for the teenage-twenty-somethings cruising:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/chapel5m1.jpg




Sydney Road Brunswick goes for miles of cheap Middle East
eats - its halal out there!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/image41.jpg



guess Lygon Street Carlton was first to become famous with its Italian pastas, Trotters Cafe and Jimmy Watson's. The Genevieve next
to art house cinema was my cheap go in uni days, but some talk now
in The Age of it losing character, going Middle Class and Starbucks,
with cruising doof-doof boys trying too hard to look bella figuera:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/carltonMEL_150x1002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/daymulticulturalMEL_3451.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/lygon2s1.jpg


Developer Nick Scheuer - who wants to remake the surrounds of
Acland Street St Kilda with 12-storey apartment blocks - claims
it is losing its traditional Jewish character: but Cafe Scheherezade
still attracts argumentative poets, and the Monarch is the king of many
cake shops:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/acland01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/CAWX09SV.jpg


IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/AclandBand1.jpg[/IMG]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/StKildaStreet1.jpg


the dog's bar area i think
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/acland9m1.jpg



Dont want to stay too obvious. A Sydneysider on the threads
recently claimed Melbourne was limited to the famous eating
strips, as opposed to a wide spread through western sydney.
Little did he know: outdoor dining here in Albert Park, Middle Park,
South melbourne, Williamstown, Yarraville, Clayton, Elwood.
Port Melbourne, Brighton, Hampton, Footscray, Hawthorn,
Malvern, Kew and many others...

but, this is Victoria Street, Collingwood, the Vietnamese
precinct once known - maybe still - as 'The Ho Chi Min
Trail':
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/CAA7MBC9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/CAU3SPMB.jpg


Fitzroy Street St Kilda, a broad boulevard down to the bay, attracts thousands with its mix of outdoor eating - Monroes, Toppolinos, Tolarnos,
The George, The Saint, dozens more, mixing with bars and the grunge music of The Prince of Wales and Espie, both of which attract world-famous blues musicians. Fitzroy Street's al fresco dining has now extended north-east almost to the Junction...advantage here of v. broad pavements...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/cafesouthMEL_3451.jpg


Bridge Road, Richmond (shown below), Swan Street Richmond, and Smith Street Collinwood are more inner urban comers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/bridge_rd01.jpg


but Tookak Road South Yarra's is a bit la-de-da for me,
just frankly. my uni daughter goes to these places as a waitress!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/southyarraMEL_3451.jpg

That's it. Tell me what I've missed..and great areas of other cities.

Collins Street East, an historical sidewalk cafe strip

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/postcards/1920s-1980s/slides/Collins21.jpg
Above and below. In 1958 The Oriental Hotel at the east end of Collins Street was well known for being one of the first establishments to introduce alfresco dining to Melbourne if not Australia.
The hotel was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for Collins Place.
http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/postcards/1920s-1980s/slides/Collins22.jpg

Pshaw, length isn't anything, atmosphere is.

But if you're talking length, the Finger Wharf is 500 m long. :)

Other waterfront dining strips: Cockle Bay Wharf, King St Wharf, East Circular Key, Campbells Cove etc.

The Spot at Randwick has one of the densest concentrations of pavement dining in Sydney.

Sydney tends to have pavement dining scattered throughout the city in clusters like Paris, rather than in just a few long streets like Melbourne.

Pshaw, length isn't anything, atmosphere is.

But if you're talking length, the Finger Wharf is 500 m long. :)

Other waterfront dining strips: Cockle Bay Wharf, King St Wharf, East Circular Key, Campbells Cove etc.

The Spot at Randwick has one of the densest concentrations of pavement dining in Sydney.

Sydney tends to have pavement dining scattered throughout the city in clusters like Paris, rather than in just a few long streets like Melbourne.

people only say length doesn't matter when they haven't got it Randwicked!

and think pics show we got atmosphere too - but agree there is great cluster outside dining in Sydney. post some pics willya - we want to see :wink2:


Randwicked, i forgot to say - we got clusters at the end of our strips too: cheers Bronte

Western Australian Cafe Strips/Outdoor Dining Areas (Best Pics I Could Find)

NORTHBRIDGE
http://www.westcoastcafes.com.au/Reasources/Messinas/Food.jpg
http://www.sorrentorestaurant.com.au/Uploads/Images/DSC01528.JPG
http://www.sorrentorestaurant.com.au/Uploads/Images/DSC00872.JPG
http://www.riversidepier.com.au/imagery/northbridge.jpg


FREMANTLE
http://www.westcoastcafes.com.au/Reasources/Ginos/FrontGinos.JPG
http://www.riversidepier.com.au/imagery/cafe.jpg


SCARBOROUGH
http://scarboro.info/pix/senic/cafes-night.jpg


SUBIACO
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~night/places/perth/subiaco/subi_4.jpg

thos are good pics Perth - i don't know yr city but always hear good things abt it and yr post shows why. it is hard to pick up full impact shots of pavement dining isn't it? Here's one full-on site i missed, Hardware Lane , Melbourne CBD:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/HardwareLane21.gif


and Boltz Cafe, Rundle Mall, Adelaide:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/EAST20END2021.jpg


and (really wish these were bigger shots) The Rocks, Sydney
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/dine-italianVillage1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/dine-fish1.jpg

Broadbeach on the Gold Coast is supposed to be the biggest alfresco dining spot in Australia with over 250 restuarants and cafes but it lacks atmosphere so size isn't everything.

For atmosphere in and around Brisbane I go to West End for that Bohemian feel.

For that unique Queensland style then Paddington has great alfresco dining and wonderful views.

Fortitude valley isn't bad.

Main Cafe strips in brisbane:
Oxford Street - Bulimba
Boundary Street and Melbourne St - West End
Hardgrave Road - West End
Logan Road - Stones Corner
Brunswick Street - New Farm and Valley
James Street - Valley/Centro
Kedron Brook Road - Wilston
Sandgate Road - Albion
Racecourse Road - Hamilton
Rosalie - says it all
Park Road - Milton (for pretentious gits)
Station St - Indooroopilly
La Trobe Tce - Given Tce and Caxton St - Paddington to Petrie Tce
La Trobe Tce - Bardon

Thats all I can think of except a few little ones in the CBD like Albert St ect..

jt

My god that picture of Rundle Street is old.

The best of everything, including pavement dining, is in the Melbourne CBD laneways. I actually think the best time is on a cold wet day in the middle of winter.

Walking from lane to lane and through the beautiful old arcades looking for anywhere that has a free table. Weaving from side to side, finding the route with the most amount of cover from the rain while avoiding the crush of people doing the same. Getting rain in your eyes looking up at the historic buildings and getting soaked running across the little Streets, Collins Street and Flinders lane. Finally finding a seat under a heater, sitting back, relaxing, listening to the rain coming down on the buildings and taking that first sip of a hot macchiato. That's Melbourne!

http://www.melbourne.com.au/images/degraves.jpg

The best of everything, including pavement dining, is in the Melbourne CBD laneways. I actually think the best time is on a cold wet day in the middle of winter.

Walking from lane to lane and through the beautiful old arcades looking for anywhere that has a free table. Weaving from side to side, finding the route with the most amount of cover from the rain while avoiding the crush of people doing the same. Getting rain in your eyes looking up at the historic buildings and getting soaked running across the little Streets, Collins Street and Flinders lane. Finally finding a seat under a heater, sitting back, relaxing, listening to the rain coming down on the buildings and taking that first sip of a hot macchiato. That's Melbourne!



yep .. do you mean, as in...
Block Place??? :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/3581830.jpg

or Degraves...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/degraves_lane1.jpg

There are so many to choose from :) But I couldn't find any better pics than that one of Degraves Street. Anyone got a good collection of laneway pics?

Yup - thanks for putting in the laneways and alleyways in Melbourne - don't forget the Causeway, Bank Place, The Block lane (?), and what's the one with the Majorca building at the end of it? Also in the burbs, is there el fresco at Burke Rd, Camberwell? Even bluddy Kingsway in Glen Waverley has el fresco! Randwicked, if atmosphere is everything, then Sydney isn't a patch on Melb's el fresco dining culture!

Blabby, Degraves Street is the one with the Majorca Building facing it (but on the oposite side of Flinders Lane), and Centre Place, which hasn't been mentioned thus far, is the one with the Majorca Building on it's south-western corner. Also, when you say Block Lane, I think you mean Block Place.

Yup - thanks for putting in the laneways and alleyways in Melbourne - don't forget the Causeway, Bank Place, The Block lane (?), and what's the one with the Majorca building at the end of it? Also in the burbs, is there el fresco at Burke Rd, Camberwell? Even bluddy Kingsway in Glen Waverley has el fresco! Randwicked, if atmosphere is everything, then Sydney isn't a patch on Melb's el fresco dining culture!

Good to see Melbourne starting to go alfresco in the suburbs - its a bit different here with One big council managing half the city their are alfresco dining strips everywhere, even in the outer suburbs, something you don't see much of anywhere else.

They are all very similar though with BCC footpaths, lighting, outdoor restaurant fixtures, barriers and umbrellas. Sometimes in Brisbane its hard to tell if you are in the city or in an outer suburb because the street furnature, art, lighting and everything else is very similar. I suppose thats a bad thing about living in a city that controls so much area and has so much power.

jt

Here's some photos from my urbanphoto days...

HARDWARE LANE

http://www.urbanaustralia.org/photos/mprev/108-0801_IMG.JPG

http://www.urbanaustralia.org/photos/mprev/108-0807_IMG.JPG


BANK PLACE

http://www.urbanaustralia.org/photos/mprev/108-0817_IMG.JPG

THE CAUSEWAY

http://www.urbanaustralia.org/photos/mprev/108-0838_IMG.JPG

DEGRAVES STREET

http://www.urbanaustralia.org/photos/mprev/109-0906_IMG.JPG

CENTRE PLACE

http://www.urbanaustralia.org/photos/mprev/109-0915_IMG.JPG

Sometimes in Brisbane its hard to tell if you are in the city or in an outer suburb ...
jt

You said it... :banana:

You said it... :banana:

And you got it wrong I think - anyhow.

Westfield style - I like the way all the suburban shopping centers are opening up now - most in Brisbane have at least one sometimes two town centers with alfresco dining, pubs resturants ect..LOL - i still think its a piss poor effort to get people back to the suburbs.
http://www.realestate.com.au/objects/props/1943/101811943ml1093058248.jpg
jt

lol.

Tony in his urbanphoto days owns us.

I must say that Melbourne lanes are quite unique and have some fabulous buildings surrounding them.

Of course 'The Causeway' (no pun intended)has the beautiful Causeway building fronting it as seen on the left of Tony P's pic.

Degraves St and Centreway Arcade/Centre Place have the awesomely blue Majorcy building(flinders lane) and the Palazzo gem 'Centreway Building' fronting collins st.

Bank Place has one of the oldest high rises left in oz as it's bookend in the lovely manerist classic Stallbridge Chambers (built 1890) as seen on the left of tony p's pic. as well as the Mitre tavern, (perhaps Melbourne's oldest building from 1837)

Block place is one of my faves, and the black manerist 'Block Buildings' on collins and Elizabeth st's is an absolute beauty.

Im not sure of the name of the series of buildings seen in hardware lane but they have a romanesque arch influence and is just classic mid-late 19th century architechture that sadly is now mostly gone from sydney and brisbane.

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne

Northbridge Pic By Dilaz
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v42/mdilaz/DSC01763.jpg

Here are some of the restaurant strips I have been to (sorry, no pics...for some reason I'm not allowed to post attachments), both in the city and the suburbs of Melbourne:

Lygon Street, Carlton
Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Ackland Street, St Kilda
Glenhuntly Road, pretty much the entire street
Glenferrie Road, Glenferrie
Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
The Stran, Williamstown
Victoria Street, Richmond
Bridge Road, Richmond
Swan Street, Richmond (some Greek taverns along there)
Chapel Street, Prahan
Knox Plaza, Knox City
Yarraville Village Centre, Yarraville
High Street, Armadale
Derby Street,Caulfield
Chinatown, City
Lonsdale Street, City
Glen Waverley Walk, Glen Waverley Shopping Centre (outdoors)
NewQuay, Docklands
Southbank, across the river from the city
Boxhill (don't know the name of the street but some good Asian restaurants)
High Street, Northcote (different from High Street Armadale)

Admittedley, alot of these streets or outdoor plazas are not exclusively restaurant/cafe strips, but general shopping strips too.

On the Gold Coast, there are about 4 or 5 main Dining strips.

Tedder Ave, Main Beach

Elkhorn Ave, Surfers
Orchid Ave, Surfers(Doubles as the Nighclub hub at night)
Surf Parade, Broadbeach
Broadbeach Mall, Broadbeach

Oh you can't go past the Mooloolaba Esplinade for dining :eek2:
Sorry its damn hard to find pics, its kinda small in some of those with buildings.

http://www.globalstore.com.au/icons6/hn14.jpg
http://warehouse.atdw.com.au/multimedia/TQ/552270_1.jpg
http://montezumas.com.au/images/mool_outside1.gif
http://www.reflections.com.au/SunshineCoast/Hotels/moolhotel.jpg
http://www.bellardoo.com/images/boardwalk_cafe3.jpg
http://www.bellardoo.com/images/boardwalk_cafe1.jpg

The Esplanade in Noosa is pretty good too. Same with in Byron Bay

theres heaps in the city in melbourne to many to name...

as for byron my memories are blurred

North Steyne, Manly

st kilda rocks ive had two great nights the last few days i think its the weather

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wadad/mypic218.jpg
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wadad/mypic219.jpg

Where was that photo taken JayT? Chermside?