North vs South Smackdown

Where’s the best… for music?

Melbourne’s most mongrelly musos have migrated from south to north over the past few years, smearing both sides with heaps of history.

Who’s got… the least pretentious baristas?

Jaunts to your neighbourhood bean grinder shouldn’t be comparable to encounters with record shop pedants. 

Who’s got… the best queer culture?

Two bookstore owners from either side of the mighty Yarra thrash the matter out.

Who’s got the best… spanakopita?

Flaky pastry, steamy spinach, and melted feta... who wins the fight over this Greek delight? Hold on to your butts, it’s a spanakopit-off!

Who’s got the best… bike lanes?

Where's the best place for two wheels? Bike blogger Laurence Guttmann weighs up what's what when it comes to bike lanes

Who’s got the best… roller skate pavements?

Don some long socks, strap on a pair of wheels and take to the streets. Roller derbyist Clementine Ford tests the gradients, north and south.

Who’s got the best… coffee?

Who does the best coffee, north or south? Our Food and Drink Editor's bean around long enough to know.

Who’s got the best… haircuts?

Which coast has the most when it comes to all things coiffurific? It all depends, we suppose, on your feelings for peroxide.

Who’s got the best… mind, body, spirit?

Which side of the Yarra has the clearest chakras? Where's the best spot to find some centre and commune with the infinite? 

Who’s got the best… comics?

Jiminy jillickers, Batmanians! Melbourne's a haven for comic book stores, but which side's the geekiest? 

Who’s got the best… parks and picnic spots?

Who's got the best picnic areas? Time Out lays it out for you. Many frisbees were lost in the process.

Who’s got the best… fish & chips?

If you reckon one can’t better the batter in the seaside suburbs, well, you might be right. You can never be too shore, though.

Who’s got the best… late night eateries?

It’s late, you’ve tanked up, struck out, and you’re heading home. But wait! There is one final port of call...