Known for its upscale shopping strip, fine-dining restaurants and labyrinthine vintage bazaar, glamorous Prahran is an exciting suburb to the southeast of central Melbourne. Update your wardrobe with a shopping trip along Chapel Street, delve into retro treasure troves in vintage boutiques, experience some of Melbourne’s latest food trends at cool cafés or grab some simple fresh produce at the local market.
Prahran’s main road, Chapel Street, has a reputation for being “the longest catwalk in the Southern Hemisphere.” Beginning in Windsor and stretching north to the Toorak Road intersection, Chapel Street is a stylish strip with well-known designer names, boutique shops and specialty stores. Pick up clothing and accessories created by local designers or big-name brands. Eveningwear, denim and leather goods make up some of the specialist stores. Prahran features a wide range of architectural styles, from Edwardian terraces and turn-of-the-century emporiums to modern developments.
Don’t miss a trip to the Chapel Street Bazaar, an indoor vintage market where retro clothing, accessories and homewares await discovery. Explore the Jam Factory shopping centre to find more big-name shops, as well as a cinema complex.
Once a hub for alternative culture in Melbourne, Greville Street contains an eclectic collection of boutique fashion stores, cafés and music shops. Go hunting for hard-to-find records or relax in Grattan Gardens, a small park with a heritage pavilion and children’s playground.
Grab some lunch at one of the stylish cafés that line Chapel Street. Experiment with new trends in food and coffee or sit back and relax with a meal at a traditional pub, burger joint or bustling Thai restaurant.
The Prahran Market is not to be missed. At Australia’s oldest continuously operating food market, you can find fresh fruit and vegetables, local produce, artisanal smallgoods and excellent coffee.
Stay until the evening to enjoy cocktails on open terraces during summer nights. Dance all night in the nightclubs on Chapel Street or the gay clubbing venues on Commercial Road.
Prahran is located approximately 5 kilometres (3 miles) southeast of Melbourne’s CBD. Reach the suburb via train to Prahran Station or connect with one of several tramlines that service the area. Car parking is also readily available.
