Balaclava

You could be forgiven for thinking you were in a different country after spending a few minutes walking along Carlisle Street, Balaclava. Everywhere, you'll hear the multilingual voices of the many cultures of European immigrants, many of whom have spent many decades living in Australia but still proudly uphold the language, dress and culture of their European homes.

With this cultural diversity comes a cosmopolitan shopping precinct offering the best in home-style butchers, greengrocers, bakeries and kosher foods. Here you'll find traditional craftsmen who can make you a pair of handmade shoes, fix your grandfather clock or tailor a fitted suit for you. This is one precinct well-serviced with banks, supermarkets, chemists and hair salons - a sure sign that the local community prefers to shop locally for their everyday needs.

With European culture comes café culture, where coffee-making is regarded as an art. Long black, short black, latté or cappuccino, the cafés in Balaclava are renowned for their coffee, cakes, bagels and baguettes. But the vibe is definitely changing.

First of the hip cafés was Wall 280. Pause, the Middle Eastern-inspired bar-restaurant, continued the trend, Las Chicas, Cafe Quiet Earth, Hare and Tortoise, Cafe Qua, the Carlisle Wine Bar and MilkToast. More recently, Refresh, Rouge (formerly Lamzinis), Gattica and even a Pump Juice Bar have opened up.

Well-serviced by both trams and trains, Carlisle Street is a short trip from the Melbourne central business district or the foreshore and worth the visit just for the cultural experience.

Carlisle Street Traders

There is no official Traders Association at this time. For all information and correspondence regarding Carlisle Street please contact Economic Development, City of Port Phillip - 9209 6777.