Live Like a Local: The Best Things to Do in Moonee Ponds

Only 7km north-west of Melbourne's CBD, Moonee Ponds is a booming suburb brimming with cosy cafes, great shopping, green parks and buzzing nightlife.

This guide will show you how to enjoy the best of this suburb like a local, starting with a tasty brunch to fuel a day exploring hidden gems, before ending the day with a hearty feed and a glass of vino at a vibey wine bar.

Highly accessible and full of charm, discover the best things to do in Moonee Ponds and make a day of it. Or who knows, maybe even make a move to it!

Darling St Espresso

Step off the beaten track and find the corner store cafe providing a cosy cafe haven at Darling St Espresso. This family-run cafe makes everything in-house, using the best locally sourced ingredients.

It's the perfect spot for mums and bubs or anyone bringing a furry friend along, with a large courtyard out the back serving brunch classics like baked beans on toast, loaded toasties and chilli scram with whipped herb feta.

146 Athol Street, Moonee Ponds 

Hole in the Wall Bagels 

Moonee Ponds quietly became the hot spot for some of the best bagels in Melbourne, and Hole in the Wall is one of the reasons why.

Tiny but mighty, this bagel shop goes big and bold on flavour, creating carb-filled treats inspired by countries around the globe, all served in a humble bagel or toastie. You'll find it across from the Moonee Ponds train station, with a steady stream of bagel devotees inside for made-to-order bagels, Seven Seeds coffee, cold-pressed juices, homemade treats, good vibes and friendly smiles. 

5 Norwood Crescent, Moonee Ponds

Convoy

From the team behind Collingwood's Terror Twilight and Northcote's Tinker, Convoy brings warm, stylish vibes, excellent coffee and delicious brunch fare to Moonee Ponds.⁠

The sweeping spaces provide room for all - with long tables perfect for large-group affairs, private nooks and a wrap-around deck that's the ultimate location when the sun shines and the weather heats up. 

Menu highlights include their famous cinnamon scroll-style, sweet potato pancakes, zucchini and halloumi fritters, a complex and flavour-packed okonomiyaki waffle and one tasty steak frites roll with herb butter. ⁠

109 Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds

TOTE Bar & Dining

Are you heading to the races? TOTE Bar & Dining is the ultimate pre-race hotspot, serving modern lunch and dinner dishes overlooking the racecourse in a stunning, heritage-listed building.

For relaxed dining with easy-to-share dishes, The Northern Terrace is for you. Opening to the park, it's a favourite for families who can let the kids run free while the grown-ups can enjoy a drink nearby.

Find quality dishes in the dining room - perfect in the cooler months - and feast on fresh seafood, wagyu short rib, caramelised cauliflower and golden polenta chips.

14 Feehan Avenue, Moonee Ponds

Il Caminetto

Sometimes, all you need is a really good pizza - and that's exactly what Il Caminetto promises. One of the best pizzerias in Melbourne (and Australia), expect authentic Italian cuisine in this family-run restaurant.

Settle into the warm, inviting space and feast on classics like Margherita and Calabrese, or go for something different like a broccoli and sausage combo. Save room for dessert - the traditional Sicilian cannoli with pistachio is oh-so-dreamy.

114 Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds

Luke's Vietnamese

Perhaps you're on the hunt for something to help with a cheeky hangover, or perhaps you are simply craving one of the best banh mi's in Melbourne. Whatever the case - we suggest a pit stop at Luke's Vietnamese on Puckle Street.

The line may be long, but the wait is worth it. The rolls are perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, the meat fillings are fresh and juicy, the veggies are crisp and the service is speedy, what more could you need?

11 Puckle Street, Moonee Ponds

Holmes Hall

Comfortably seating 300 patrons, Holmes Hall is a bar, restaurant and chic function space rolled into one. Once a rundown supermarket, the space has been beautifully restored as an inviting venue for any occasion, from Friday knock-offs to special celebrations.

From drag bingo and Tipsy Trivia to Taco Tuesdays and parma nights, there's always a good time waiting here, whether in the beer garden, inside, or on a table out front, watching the world go by. 

11-17 Holmes Road, Moonee Ponds

Mount Alexander Hotel

Mount Alexander Hotel is a modern pub in the heart of Moonee Ponds, boasting high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, $25 steak nights and a killer Sunday Roast.

With multiple function spaces, a pool room, a relaxed dining area and a lively sports bar, it’s the peak pub experience. Enjoy high-quality food from juicy burgers to fresh salads and succulent parmas. Happy Hour deals get the party started with $10 pints!

690-694 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds

Penny Young

Penny Young is where you go for a 'quick drink,' and stay all night. The kitchen serves tasty Italian cuisine if you're peckish, but the real fun is found at the bar.

Whatever your drink of choice, be it craft beer, fruity cocktails or a glass of wine, the bartenders have you sorted. Stay a little later and watch the vibe change from laidback catchups to dancefloor boogies.  

If you're looking for a fun afternoon with the girls, the bottomless brunch at Penny Young never disappoints, with cocktail bowls, free-flowing sparkling and unlimited beer and cider for 2 hours!

22 Young Street, Moonee Ponds

Spend a Day at the Races

There's no denying one of Moonee Valley's most popular venues is the Moonee Valley Racecourse! With events throughout the year, there's always something to see at The Valley.

Don your best attire, book a ticket for the next horse race hosted by the Moonee Valley Racing Club, and make some lasting memories with a great day out. If you can only attend one race this year, it's worth noting the legendary Ladbrokes Cox Plate is held at Moonee Valley.

Feehan Avenue, Moonee Ponds

Explore Puckle Street

Whether it’s coffee and a bountiful brunch or an easy afternoon of window shopping – this thriving street is the centre of all activity in Moonee Ponds. 

Stop in for coffee before a morning of window shopping at Six Points or Sir Duke and meander along the strip, popping into homewares boutiques, clothing stores and gift shops, or even catching a new release at Palace Cinemas at Penny Lane.

When hunger inevitably strikes again, you are well poised for a fabulous feed, with just about any cuisine you can think of from Thai or Italian to Indian or American diners. 

Puckle Street, Moonee Ponds

Hone in on Your Health

Moonee Ponds has become a mini health and wellness hub, with the addition of state-of-the-art studios, fitness studios and recovery labs, all created to help you live your best life. 

For restorative yoga flows, boxing sessions and pilates classes, Upstate offers classes that challenge the body, and you'll walk out of each class feeling all the better for it.

Do you want to slow it down a little? SlowLane Yoga provides an urban sanctuary framed by exposed wooden beams and white bricks, with warm lighting and a calm ambience that creates a perfect flow.

When it's time to combine a bit of it all and get in some good recovery time, Flow Lab offers yoga, reformer pilates, infrared saunas and cold plunge pools - your body will thank you!

Picnic in the Park

Adding to Moonee Ponds's family-friendly credentials are its bountiful green spaces, perfect for a picnic, a play or a stroll. The glorious Queens Park offers a tranquil oasis housing native and exotic trees, and an outdoor swimming pool is open in the summer.

For bike trails, walking tracks, or lakeside hangs, head straight to Maribyrnong River or the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail, while Maribyrnong parks dotted throughout the suburb could have a playground for kids or basketball courts and soccer fields to burn some energy.

Did you love our guide to the best things to do in Moonee Ponds and are looking for more fun activities for days out in Melbourne? Check out our guides to the best markets in town and the best walks to hit that step count goal.