Hardware Lane, Melbourne 

Among Melbourne’s labyrinth of beautifully restored lanes, one stands out from the rest. Tucked away between Queen Street and Elizabeth Street, and crossing Little Bourke Street, you’ll find Hardware Lane, a small lane in the heart of Melbourne's legal district.

Architecturally Hardware Lane is an historical portrait, with early warehouses still intact. Flower-filled baskets and window boxes add colour to the 19th century brick and stone warehouses that frame the lane and make a superb setting for the huge variety of dining options, perfect because the lane is closed to traffic. Enjoy the cafe scene or plan your next ‘base jump’ or snowboarding trip at one of the many outdoor adventure stores.

Hardware Lane wins hands down as ‘the’ place for laneway dining in Melbourne. Shaded by a canopy of cafe umbrellas, sip your morning cuppa alfresco-style along a red-cobblestoned pavement and soak up the environment. Life along Hardware doesn't end at noon. After sunset, the stretch transforms into one of Melbourne’s funkier dining venues with the sounds of live jazz echoing off the laneway providing the perfect soundtrack for an intimate dinner.