Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne

At a glance, Tattersalls Lane may look like a narrow cut-through, but give it a few steps and it turns into a full-blown mood—somewhere between Melbourne’s business core and the bright pull of Chinatown. The laneway takes its name from the old Tattersalls Hotel and Club, though its 19th-century life of brooms, barrels, and back-of-house chores is long gone. Today, it feels more like a compact festival ground that never officially ends. Its location beside Little Bourke Street keeps a steady flow of Chinatown energy drifting in, and that influence colours nearly everything: the food, the pace, and the unapologetically late hours.

The star, of course, is Section 8—a bar built from shipping containers that somehow became one of Melbourne’s most recognisable meeting spots. It sets the tone for the whole lane: open air, slightly chaotic, and effortlessly cool. From there, you’re surrounded by an easy jumble of dumpling joints, Thai and pan-Asian counters, quick-fire noodle kitchens, and snack stalls dishing out skewers, stir-fries, and bubble tea long after office lights go dark. Graffiti wraps the walls, neon hums overhead, and the seating looks like it was collected from five different garages—which is exactly why people love it.

A few venues stand out even in all that colour. The Shanghai Dumpling House remains a crowd magnet, Xiaolong Kan turns hot pots into theatre, and an all-you-can-eat Indian spot adds unexpected spice to the mix. Above the laneway, Ferdydurke serves cocktails with a wink and a view of the action below. Street art completes the backdrop, changing often enough that the lane feels like a rotating exhibition.

For visitors, Tattersalls Lane delivers a concentrated hit of Melbourne’s laneway spirit—informal, multicultural, lively, and best approached with curiosity. It’s a small stretch with a big personality, and it rewards anyone who lets the night unfold one bite, one beat, and one mural at a time...