Melbourne Food Tour: 6 Tastings & Hidden Laneways

Six Tastings Through Melbourne's Laneways & Chinatown

You walk through Melbourne's laneways and Chinatown with a local guide, stopping for six tastings: coffee, dumplings, pastries, cheese, Vegemite, and a rotating secret dish, plus wine. The guide reveals the city's gold-rush and European history as you move between Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, and hidden streets. You get the main food landmarks and the stories without arranging transport or timing yourself. It's all built into the two to three hours of walking.

Options for this experience

2 options

From AU$ 162 per person, depending on the option and date you choose.See dates & book

Small Group Tour in Melbourne 10:45, 11:00, 11:30 and 12:30 Guide in English Join our Secret Food Tour Melbourne in a small group of no more than 12 people by choosing this option!

Private Melbourne Tour Option 11:00 and 14:00 Guide in English Choose this option to upgrade to a private food tour of Melbourne, reserved just for you and your group

None of these options right for you? See 9 alternatives ›

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Melbourne's historic and food laneways

• Visit first European colony site
• Learn about Australian Federation
• See Flinders Street Station
• Visit St Paul's Cathedral
• Walk through Degraves Street laneway
• Explore Melbourne's Chinatown
• Enjoy city views

Stops and time spent at each 4 stops

1. Federation Square 30m
2. Flinders Street Station 30m
3. St Paul's Cathedral 30m
4. Degraves Street 30m

What’s included

Your tour includes six food tastings (artisan coffee, handmade dumplings, pastries, local cheese, charcuterie, Vegemite bites, and a secret dish), a curated local wine tasting, decadent artisanal chocolates, expert-led coffee tasting, and a local guide who shares stories of Melbourne's gold-rush origins and rise as a culinary capital. You'll walk through Degraves Street, Federation Square, Chinatown, and Melbourne's iconic laneways, with stops at Flinders Street Station and St Paul's Cathedral along the way.

Times

• Tuesday to Friday 10:45 11:00 12:30 14:00
• Saturday and Sunday 10:45 11:00 11:30 12:30 14:00

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Before you book

Group Up to 12

Live guide English

Meeting point and pickup No hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to 4h before

Ages Adult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Confirmation Confirmation within 48 h

Good to know

Low physical effort Public transport nearby Infants must sit on laps

Operated by Secret Food Tours

Prices and times updated today

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The experience

You're standing at Flinders Street Station or Federation Square, and you've got a few hours before the rest of your day. A local guide meets you and immediately points down one of those narrow laneways you'd probably walk past without looking twice. That's where this food tour starts, not with a speech, but with a question about what you actually want to eat in Melbourne, and then the walk begins.

The tour moves through Degraves Street and the laneways around it, stopping for six separate tastings that don't feel like a checklist. You'll taste artisan coffee from a local roaster, handmade dumplings from Chinatown (the oldest in the western world, your guide will tell you), fresh pastries, local cheeses and charcuterie from specialty shops, and then there's the Vegemite bite, which sounds like a dare but tastes like something you'd actually order again. The guide knows which spots have the best light, which ones are quieter, and which owner will actually talk to you about what they're making. Between tastings, you're walking through Federation Square, past St Paul's Cathedral, and into Chinatown's side streets where the gold-rush history is still written on the buildings.

There's also a secret dish that changes depending on what's available that day, and a curated wine tasting woven in somewhere. The whole thing takes a couple of hours and involves a fair amount of walking, so comfortable shoes matter. The guide handles the timing and the stories (the European heritage, the multicultural layers, why Melbourne became Australia's food city), so you just follow, eat, and ask questions when something catches your eye. If you have dietary needs, you contact them beforehand and they work around it.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the tour?

Around two to three hours, with a fair amount of walking through laneways and streets.

What are the six tastings?

Artisan coffee, handmade dumplings, pastries, local cheese and charcuterie, Vegemite, and a secret dish that changes based on availability.

Where does the tour start?

At or near Federation Square or Flinders Street Station in central Melbourne.

Is there wine included?

Yes, a curated local wine tasting is part of the experience.

Can I do this tour if I have dietary requirements?

Yes. Contact the operator in advance to discuss your needs and they'll arrange alternatives.

What should I wear?

Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as the tour involves walking through laneways and streets.

What if the weather is bad?

The itinerary and menu may change based on weather and venue availability.