The hot new Lygon Street Italian restaurant where pasta starts at $6
And the cool thing about cheap places is that cashed-up patrons will often get a bottle of wine rather than two glasses, order a round of peach cheesecake for the table and keep the wheels humming, while those on a tight budget can be here too.
Three more excellent-value places to try
Jay Bhavani
This is the first Melbourne branch of a vegetarian Indian street-food chain with nearly 200 branches around the world. Start with pani puri, fragile dough balls stuffed with spiced potato; it's $10 for 15 tasty bite-sized spheres.
401 Clayton Road, Clayton, jaybhavani.com.au
Beit Siti
Falastini Food Truck now has a permanent cafe home, sharing Palestinian food and culture, inspired by owner Rahaf Al Khatib's teta (grandmother) Jamal. On Mondays and Tuesdays, laptops are encouraged (there's Wi-Fi) to accompany bottomless batch brew coffee and a slice of focaccia for $10.
150 Bell Street, Coburg, instagram.com/beit.siti
Blackwood Hotel
An hour north-west of Melbourne, this 1868 weatherboard pub has been given a sensitive refurb by new owners. Prices are keen, and the pub classics are all there, plus a lamb shoulder that reflects the chef's Greek heritage, and roasted cauliflower with cashew cream. Kids' schnitzels or lasagne are $14.
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West Australian
12 hours ago
- West Australian
A high five for Avignon
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These two landmarks dominate the northern edge of Avignon's walled UNESCO-listed historic centre. Also known as the Pont St-Benezet, this is another of the city's most photographed icons. Built in the early 1200s to replace an earlier wooden bridge, it stretched 900m, and had 22 stone arches, connecting Avignon with the fortress town of Villeneuve-les-Avignon across the river. But the bridge was abandoned in the 17th century. It tended to collapse every time the Rhone flooded and became too expensive to repair. All that remains are four arches and a gatehouse at the Avignon end of the bridge, which you can walk on for a fee (a combination ticket also gives admission to the Palace of the Popes). There's usually a nice (free) view of the Pont d'Avignon from the Jardin des Doms, a lofty English-style garden that's currently closed for refurbishments and expected to reopen in 2027. 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One especially quaint spot is the Rue des Teinturiers, a cobblestone enclave by a tree-shaded canal in the old town's south-east corner. Home to bohemian watering holes and eateries, it was once a dyers' district and still has several of the water wheels that generated power for the fabric industries. One of the most alluring places for eating, drinking and people watching in Avignon is the Place de l'Horloge, a large, picturesque square around the corner from the Place du Palais. It's named after the horloge (clock) on the belfry of the Hotel de Ville (city hall), one of the belle epoque neoclassical buildings lining the square. Facing a string of alfresco cafes, bars and restaurants, the city hall rises next to the Opera Grand Avignon, an opulent concert hall that held its inaugural performance 200 years ago. It hosts live entertainment throughout the year and, along with the Palace of the Popes, is one of the main crowd-pullers for the Festival d'Avignon, one of the world's largest performing arts festivals. Usually held for three weeks each July, it has around 1500 shows staged across venues, streets and courtyards, with music, dance and theatre at the forefront. One of the best perspectives of Avignon is from the Rhone itself. If you aren't calling in on one of the multi-night cruises that motor between Burgundy and Provence, you might fancy a local sightseeing cruise or signing up for a kayak or canoe trip here. You'll also get dreamy views of Avignon from Barthelasse Island. Touted as Europe's largest river island, this mostly unspoiled haven of nature and greenery spreads more than 700ha between the two arms of the Rhone - one skirting Avignon, the other by Villeneuve. Linking both sides to the island is Pont Edouard Daladier, a modern road bridge that pedestrians can also cross (and take photographs from). Away from the traffic, there are waterfront foot and bike paths to savour in and around Avignon and you might work up a thirst for some wine tasting. Vineyards thrive on the city's rural outskirts, and among the cellars and wineries welcoming visitors for tours are those of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a village that's a 30-minute drive north of the city. The ancient Romans planted vines here, but the region's viticultural scene boomed in the 14th century when Chateauneuf became a summer retreat for Pope John XXII. Famed for its bold, grenache-based reds, it's now regarded as one of France's most prestigious wine-making AOCs (Appellation d'Origine Controlee). + Steve McKenna was a guest of Albatross Tours. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication. + You'll have a guided walking tour and free time in Avignon on Albatross' 19-day 2026 La Grande France Tour, which begins in Paris and ends in Nice and includes a three-night stay at a hotel in Villeneuve-les-Avignon. The tour has departures in May, June, August and September. It's priced from $15,887 per person (twin) and $20,887 (solo). See + For more information on visiting Avignon, see + To help plan a trip to France, see
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Russian spy haven Nornickel remains in Australia and spending big via West Perth subsidiary
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Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Sky News AU
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announces controversial plan for West Bank settlement to ‘bury' Palestinian statehood
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has mapped out plans for the West Bank which his office has described as 'burying the idea of a Palestinian state' Mr Smotrich on Thursday (local time) announced a scheme for a planned Israeli settlement which has previously been delayed, lashing out at countries over their Palestinian statehood stances as stood at the development site. The Israeli minister claimed both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had agreed the revived E1 settlement plans. "Whoever in the world is trying to recognise a Palestinian state today will receive our answer on the ground. Not with documents nor with decisions or statements, but with facts. Facts of houses, facts of neighbourhoods," Mr Smotrich said at the site of the proposal in Maale Adumim. It comes after Australia became the latest country in a handful of Western nations including France, the United Kingdom and Canada in signalling their intentions to recognise a Palestinian state. A US State Department spokesperson said in response to his comments that Washington's primary focus continued to be ending the war in Gaza. "A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration's goal to achieve peace in the region," the spokesperson said, referring reporters to the Israeli government for further information. Mr Smotrich's spokesperson said in a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," that the minister had approved the settlement scheme. The plan would see 3,401 houses constructed for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The idea for settlement at Maale Adumim was stalled by Israel in 2012 and again revived plans in 2020, with the US and European allies having considered the proposal a threat to any future peace deal with Palestinians. Palestinian authorities allies and campaign groups condemned the plans, calling it illegal. The United Nations has urged Israel to reverse its decision to start work on the settlement. "It would put an end to prospects of a two-state solution," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. "Settlements go against international law … (and) further entrench the occupation." Australia, as well New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom and Norway imposed sanctions on Mr Smotrich fellow Israeli politician Itamar Ben-Gvir for 'for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank' a joint statement in June said. With Reuters
