What is Lygon Street in Melbourne?
Lygon Street is a famous street in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton, known as Melbourne's Little Italy. It is lined with Italian restaurants, cafes, gelato shops and bookstores.
Italian immigrants settled in Carlton in large numbers after World War II, opening grocery stores, cafes and restaurants. Lygon Street became a center of Italian community life and helped introduce espresso coffee and pizza to Melbourne.
Some of the street's cafes and restaurants have been operating for decades. Old-style espresso bars helped shape Melbourne's famous coffee culture, which became an important part of the city's identity.
Food and festivals
Lygon Street hosts the Lygon Street Festa, an Italian street festival with food stalls, music and a waiters' race. The event draws large crowds and celebrates the area's heritage.
The street is close to the University of Melbourne and the Carlton Gardens, home to the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum. Students, families and visitors give it a lively atmosphere.
In recent years, the street has become more diverse, with restaurants serving many cuisines. However, it remains strongly associated with Italian food and culture, and many visitors come for pasta, pizza and gelato. Readings, a well-known independent bookstore, has its main shop on the street.