How Melbourne10 chooses the city's best
Inside a Melbourne10 ranking: a search that reaches the suburbs, a reputation that has lasted, confirmed details and a final careful read before publishing.
Melbourne has no shortage of good places; the hard part is finding the right one near you without trawling through endless options. Every ranking on Melbourne10 goes through the same five steps, applied with an eye on how this city actually lives, eats and gets around. None of them involves shortcuts.
A search that reaches the suburbs
We start each category wide, looking well beyond the CBD and the inner north. Strong candidates in Preston, Footscray, Box Hill or Frankston get the same look as a name in Fitzroy, because most Melburnians live, work and shop a long way from the laneways. Growth areas such as Werribee and Cranbourne are part of the search too.
A reputation that has lasted
We are interested in businesses that locals have trusted for a while: regulars who keep turning up, who recommend them at work and at the footy, and who describe the same strengths over months and years. A rush of attention after an opening is not, by itself, a reason to list a place.
Details we can stand behind
Nothing goes up unchecked. We make sure each business is still trading at the address shown, that its number and website are live, and that the opening hours are right, including the shorter hours many cafés and shops keep on public holidays.
The quality of the work
We consider what matters for each kind of business. A café is judged on its coffee and its consistency, a tradie on reliability and clear quotes, a clinic on care and access. Places that get the basics right every day stand out from those that rely on a good fit-out.
A final read as a whole
Before a ranking is published, we read it again from top to bottom, the way a reader would. Does it offer a spread of suburbs and budgets? Is every entry one we are confident about? Anything that does not pass that last test comes off the list.
Keeping the lists fresh
Melbourne's food scene in particular moves quickly, and laneway spots can change hands within a season, so we review our rankings throughout the year. If a place has closed, moved or deserves a spot, email info@melbourne10.com and our editors will follow it up. Reader tips are a big part of how we keep up.