No matter what you're looking for, from elegant and sophisticated five-star restaurants to modern cafes and trattorias or hip bars, the city of Melbourne, jewel of Australia's south, has it. Here are some of the best:

For an unforgettable fine dining experience, don't miss Three, Two, One in the dolce vita neighbourhood of Carlton. Chef and owner Andrew McConnell has gathered a devoted following thanks to the quality of his ingredients and the magic he works on the plate. It's indulgent, intimate and unmissable.

For a great night out with friends, in-the-know revellers meet at what's usually called "the architects' bar" (Meyers Place Bar is the formal name) in the city. There's nothing flashy about it, but there doesn't need to be when the cool inside-outside design and the interesting crowd create such a buzz.

For a restaurant find to wow your friends hunt out Yu-u in Flinders Street. This is a hidden treasure: there's no signage, hardly any English spoken and no choice of dishes, just a Japanese set menu. Sounds unappealing? But then you taste the food - that's why it's consistently booked out.

Melbourne is famous for its stylish cafe culture and nowhere does it better than the Rathdowne Street Food Store, where Ricky Holt makes food for every hour from breakfast to supper and every mood from tryst to we-have-to-talk.

If you're in need of a little offbeat hedonism, Madame Brussels in the city centre is just the place, delivering adult whimsy with just the mildest undercurrent of deviance. NeoNeighbourhood Co-founder Verity Byth says the sweetly kitsch decor "creates a pleasantly surreal 'Alice in Wonderland meets your Gran's bowls club' feel" that suits the martinis and cupcakes menu.

For more great experiences in Melbourne and other Australian and international cities, visit NeoNeighbourhood. There's food, shopping (fashion, home, pantry, books and music), hotels, galleries and concert venues and much more.