Inner South-East
City precinct
Beyond the gardens south-east of the CBD are some of the city’s most exclusive suburbs: South Yarra, Toorak, Malvern and Armadale. South Yarra and Toorak centre around Toorak Road, where exclusive clothing and footwear stores, as well as cafes and food shops, line the street. Chapel Street runs in the other direction, from South Yarra into St Kilda, and is virtually non-stop shops for three major blocks, from Toorak Road to Dandenong Road.
Chapel and Greville streets
The northern end of Chapel Street, between Toorak and Commercial roads, is the place to come for the latest in fashion. About halfway down this stretch is the Jam Factory, a shopping complex and food court inside the old premises of the Australian Jam Company. Inside is a cinema complex that screens most of the new releases as well as some arthouse titles.
Just around the corner from Chapel Street on Commercial Road is the Prahran Market, Australia’s oldest continually running market. 163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra; (03) 8290 8220; open dawn–5pm Tues, Thurs and Sat, dawn–6pm Fri, 10am–3pm Sun.
A little further up Chapel Street, Greville Street runs off to the west. The narrow strip is lined with cafes, bars, hip clothing shops and original occupants such as Greville Records.
Just south of Greville Street is Chapel Street Bazaar, a treasure trove for collectors. If the northern end of Chapel Street is the fashion darling, the Prahran/Windsor end, south of Commercial Road, is its more down-to-earth, homely sibling. Lined with dozens of interesting cafes, restaurants and shops, it is a fantastic stretch to browse and graze.
Como House and Herring Island
Como House is a National Trust–listed mansion at the end of Williams Road. Stroll around the gardens and take a tour of the house, complete with the original furnishings of the Armytage family. You can visit the gorgeous cafe (open Wednesday to Sunday) without paying admission. Nearby is Como Landing, where you can take a punt across to Herring Island in the middle of the Yarra. This artificial island boasts a sculpture park and picnic/barbecue facilities. Como House: cnr Williams Rd and Lechlade Ave, South Yarra; (03) 9827 2500; open 10am–4pm daily. Herring Island punt: 11am–5pm Sat–Sun during daylight saving.
