Explore Kew by Tram: A Day’s Outing
I love days that come without grand plans. Days when all I need is a Myki, comfortable shoes, and a willingness to explore a different part of town.
Melbourne’s Kew is an affluent suburb of Edwardian homes, leafy streets, and private schools. Nobody is racing to Kew for excitement, especially on weekends when smaller businesses can be closed, but the suburb’s quiet gentility and old-world charm have their rewards.
Kew Melbourne at a glance
Best for: History lovers, gentle walkers, foodies, art enthusiasts
Walking level: Easy to moderate (with tram options throughout)
Allow: Half day or full day.
Highlights:
- The Springthorpe Memorial
- Harp of Erin seniors’ menu
- Lyon Housemuseum
- High Street’s historic buildings
- Victoria Park’s Seniors Exercise Park
Getting there: Trams #48 and #109
Both the #48 (North Balwyn) and #109 (Box Hill) trams leave the CBD on Collins Street, meeting at Kew Junction. They briefly share High Street before the 109 continues on Cotham/Whitehorse Road to Box Hill, and the 48 proceeds on High Street to North Balwyn.
They part ways at the Kew War Memorial (1925), a circular granite-and-marble temple with Ionic columns, at the intersection of Cotham Road & High Street. Kew displays its history prominently.
Side streets connect High Street and Cotham Road, keeping both tram lines easily accessible.
Kew Junction: Where the Trams Meet
Disembark at the Junction to explore High Street. The 1km walk is uphill, but there are pit stops along the way. If you prefer walking downhill, catch Tram #48 and disembark at stop 35, Charles St & High St, then stroll back down to the Junction.
Kew Junction, also described as “a bowl of spaghetti,” links Studley Park, Denmark, High, High Street South, and Princess Streets. Drivers making right turns often use more colourful language to address the confusion.
The Clifton Hotel (originally the Junction Hotel, 1868) was notorious for its risqué adult entertainment, likely displeasing Kew’s many churchgoers. It now sits marooned among the Junction’s high-rise buildings and large-screen advertising.
Guy Rossi opened Puttanesca Osteria at The Clifton in 2023. Despite excellent food, locals didn’t embrace the location, and Rossi pulled out in 2025.
The Future: The Junction faces increased traffic after 2026. Development Victoria is replacing the Vic Road building on Denmark Street with 500 homes. Also, Leo’s Fine Food & Wine on Princess Street will close at the end of the year, having been bought by billionaire James Packer and a developer of luxury apartments.
Day Itinerary Option A: The #48 Route (High Street & Cemetery Walk)
High Street: history, shops and stories
High Street features late 19th and early 20th-century architecture, mixing history with boutique shops and diverse eateries. The Kew Junction Business Association organises progressive dinners, walking between various restaurants (details). I love these nights, as Kew feels fully alive.
Historic buildings and local favourites
Notable stops include:
The Skinny Dog, originally the Greyhound Hotel (licensed in 1873), is one of Kew’s three original hotels still operating. A recently renovated upstairs. Happy hour – Monday-Thursday (see The Pass).
The Queen Anne-style Kew Court House, built in 1888, now houses the Postmaster Hotel, named for its history as Kew’s Post Office from the 1880s until 1995. The gastropub features polished floors, chandeliers, and nightly specials. The WW1 Memorial is outside.
The rest of the complex is a community hub, hosting the Kew Historical Society, QArt (an art studio/gallery), and the 60-seat Kew Court House Theatre, known for its excellent program of events.
Local favourites: stores with history
Bob Stewart, established in 1925, is a third-generation business. After Bob Stewart’s sudden death in 1931 during the Great Depression, his wife, Anne Stewart, took over the debt-ridden store while raising a child, thus defying social expectations for women of the era. Famous for school uniforms, the store also sells high-quality clothes for the whole family, specialising in old-fashioned customer service.
Next door,Toscano’s was founded in 1950 by Italian immigrants Pasquale and Nunziata Toscano, and has since become a multi-generational, family-run fruit-and-vegetable business. Renowned among chefs and home cooks, it’s the place for special ingredients like zucchini flowers, purple broccoli, yuzos, Zaidy’s pastrami, or Tom Sarafian’s hummus. Their “old-world” service means constant calls of “Carry” to help shoppers haul their purchases to their cars.
Picnic Tip: For a relaxed lunch, buy deli items from Toscano’s and cakes from Frank and Harri, then head to Alexandra Gardens.
Op Shops worth a browse
The Salvos Store Good quality items, though stock is thinning as the Salvos shift to a pricier, corporate-boutique model. Open Monday–Friday 9 AM–5:30 PM, Saturday 9 AM–5 PM (closed Sundays).
The volunteer-staffed MS Plus Shop is an authentic charity treasure trove worth a rummage. Open Mon–Fri 9.30 am–5 pm; Sat 9.30 am–2 pm; Sun closed.
Coffee in Central Kew
My favourites:
Axil Coffee Roasters – if your suburb doesn’t have one, make sure to visit. Consistently wins the barista of the year championships. A bit hole-in-the-wall, but if you can get a seat and a copy of The Age, you have it made.
Now & Then – The Hamptons in Kew. Spacious and light-filled. Good waffles and pancakes.
Laurent Bakery – Kew’s Laurent has recently been re-styled with plush seating, and the toilets and accessibility are next level. Excellent service.
Spare Chair (2/12 Derby St, which is off High St). A social enterprise cafe attached to the Kew Neighbourhood Centre features an outside area and good coffee. Next to Kew Pool, currently a work in progress, after a “construction incident” (the roof collapsed) in 2022.
Good value lunches for Seniors Card holders
Weekday options include:
Dawson Bar & Restaurant is an Italian restaurant named after the white goods store that occupied the site for over 60 years. Owner Tony Harika kept the name to honour the site’s history; look up to see the old signage. Offers a $29 Express Lunch & Vino (pasta + drink) daily, 11:30 am–2:30 pm. Their Marg Mondays feature $15 Margherita pizzas (shareable, dine-in or takeaway) and $15 Margarita cocktails. The Broccoli Slaw ($17.00) with shredded broccoli, cabbage, apple, chives, and buttermilk dressing is my favourite.
CHICCI — New Italian spot offering $20 lunches Tue–Fri, 12 PM–2 PM.
India at Q— Tuesday to Friday: enjoy lunch specials (12:00-2:30 pm) for $15.90 takeaway or $19.90 dine-in. On Fridays, there’s a $25.90 all-you-can-eat lunch buffet with $5 wines.
Casual and budget-friendly dining
Viet Kew Corner — Vietnamese eatery (banh mi, noodles, coffee) with upstairs seating. Access via the rear of High Street’s Chemist Warehouse.
Mama Thanh’s — Vietnamese cafe & takeaway with banh mi (excellent crispy rolls), spring rolls and coffee.
The Wasabi Place — Good Japanese food near “the Junction.”
Special occasion dining (worth returning for)
Centonove — One Hat in the Age Good Food Guide. Elegant setting with white linen tablecloths, fine glassware, chandeliers, and attentive service.
Mister Bianco —authentic Sicilian flavours and southern Italian inspiration by Joseph Vargetto. Spaghetti Western Nights. – A movie, spaghetti, mini-popcorn, cowboy hats, and moustache stickers. $49
Charcoal Grill on The Hill – Steak lovers’ paradise
The “Men’s End” of High Street
Before reaching Derby Street, when walking up High Street, you’ll hit what I term the Men’s End, with the TAB, Dan Murphy’s, Charcoal Grill on the Hill, and the Fly Lie Bar, where young men gravitate like flies to flypaper. Some nights, I feel I’m walking the gauntlet. But Kew is a gentrified area where men step back when a woman is trying to squeeze past. And traffic stops for elderly J walkers. As one of my neighbours says, “the best part about Kew is the people.”
Drummonds Golf Shop, Kew and Big Swing Golf are opposite. The latter is a high-tech indoor golf and coaching centre that offers simulators, coffee, and a bar.
Kew Cemetery: history, beauty and walks
(Tram Stop #37 on Route 48)
Kew Cemetery is 1.1 km up High Street from the Junction, or a short tram ride.
From 1887 to 1915, a horse tram ran from Victoria Bridge (Richmond/Kew) to the Boroondara Cemetery gates, the final stop. On Sundays, residents from Collingwood and Richmond’s industrial river-flat suburbs picnicked in the cemetery, amongst the white marble graves, for fresh air and views. At (415 High) across High Street, there was a tearoom for wakes that is still standing.
Guided Cemetery Walks and Tours
I’ve taken the Cemetery’s excellent themed walking tours, which include Ned Kelly’s Connections, Murder, Mayhem & Mishaps, Women’s History, and Military History. Bookings found here.
Notable burials include The Age newspaper proprietor David Syme (1908); Henry Colden Antill Harrison (1929), the “father of Australian Rules Football”; and Swiss landscape artist Louis Buvelot (1888).
The Cemetery office (Mon-Fri, 9 am-4 pm) assists with questions and sells Leaving their Mark (ed. Pauline Turville), which details the lives of notable Melburnians buried here.
Kewites walk here as the cemetery covers 31 acres and contains over 80,000 burials. So, there’s plenty of company.
Springthorpe Memorial (a must-see highlight)
If you only have time to visit one site, make it the Springthorpe Memorial. Dedicated to Annie Springthorpe, who died in 1897 aged 29 during childbirth. Her grief-stricken husband, Dr John Springthorpe, commissioned architect Harold Desbrowe Annear, sculptor Bertram Mackennal, and landscape designer William Guilfoyle (Melbourne Botanic Gardens) to create this temple-tomb.
Completed in 1901 as a “monument to inspire lovers for eternity,” it was the Commonwealth’s most beautiful and costly memorial, valued at around $1.3 million in today’s money. The monument features a marble sarcophagus with a ruby-lead light roof that casts a rose-coloured glow onto the remarkable white Carrara marble sculptures. It includes the inscription “Loves Music Hushed and Two Hearts Dumb,” withholding Annie’s name because it was meant to be a universal symbol of hope in the face of loss. But noting his “own true love” was born, married, and buried on January 26.
Springthorpe, then a widower for 20 years, remarried. He and his second wife, Daisy (Ada), are buried in the crypt below the memorial. The memorial, famously built for his “perfect” first wife, became the final resting place for all three.
Lunch near the Cemetery
Opposite the Cemetery’s entry is Wokaholic — Good Thai food — Weekday $16.90 lunches with a soft drink.
Across the road is the popular Greek-influenced Johnathan’s Cafe in the shade of the Olive Tree & Wheelbarrow Garden Nursery. Expect dishes such as moussaka, pastitsio, and Greek cakes.
Victoria Park: trees, trails and a Seniors Exercise Park
(Route 48 Stop #38 )
Victoria Park features mature trees, and the Seniors Exercise Park that improves balance, strength, and mobility. Open daily, this features equipment like tai chi wheels and balance beams. The Council hosts volunteer-led “Come and Try” sessions on Tuesday and Friday mornings. No bookings required. Map and details.
For coffee or lunch, The Adeney Milkbar Cafe at the far edge of the park is a local favourite, open daily until 4 pm.
Harp Junction: A Village Feel in Kew East
(Route 48, Stop 39)
The tram once terminated at Harp Junction but now extends to Balwyn North. Make this your final stop, as unlike the #109, the #48 peters out into suburbia. School kids use the line to get home.
Unique Shops at Harp Junction
The Rotary Club runs theFair Trade and Gift Shop. Beyond pre-loved donations, it supports Rotary Fair Trade in East Timor, Nepal, and Laos with goods from those regions. (Tuesday to Saturday 10.30 am-5 pm.)
Abra Card Abra Roycroft has been specialising in postcards, ephemera, books, and vintage collectables for over 30 years.
Escape Hatch Books, Books, coffee, and cake! A good stop for grandparents. Great for present buying, including books for kids with reading difficulties. Should you have grandchildren in tow, there are story times, a Winnie the Pooh nook with a tree mural and a doorbell, and a large Winnie the Pooh bear. You may get to enjoy that coffee while the grandchild is amused.
Where to Eat at Harp Junction
The Harp of Erin Hotel is popular with seniors (60+) for its generous servings and extensive seniors’ menu. Dishes like salmon and porterhouse cost $20–$25 and include a glass of wine, beer, or a soft drink. I’m a regular!
Küche is a highly regarded cafe that offers homemade food prioritising both health and taste. The owners take food allergies seriously, including GF options (one owner is GF). The menu includes daily salads, cakes, pastries, and take-home meals—a popular spot for breakfast, lunch, and coffee, with a cosy courtyard.
Briquettes Coffee & the Outer Circle Trail
Briquettes Coffee is possibly Melbourne’s smallest cafe with a walk-up window and covered outdoor seating. Located in a heritage-listed brick building, it was originally an electrical substation (1912), then a Dunning & Sons fuel depot (1940-2012), selling briquettes, which gave it its name. In 2022, it became this beloved local hotspot.
You could now return to Kew Junction and the City via the #48 tram. Alternatively, a gap in the fence behind Briquettes leads to the Outer Circle Linear Park, a walking and cycling path. A 25-minute (1.9 km) walk through green spaces reaches Whitehorse Road, where you can take the #109 tram to Box Hill (for a train back to the city) or return via #109 to Kew Junction and then the City.
Day Itinerary Option B: The #109 Route (Gardens & Art)
On the #109 from Kew Junction, you’d see a different side of Kew. There are two key spots.
Alexandra Gardens: a Federation-style oasis
(Stop 35-Charles St/Cotham Rd) or a short walk from Kew’s war memorial.
A visit to the Alexandra Gardens is like a refreshing dip in a glen of greenery and birdsong. Designed in a formal Federation style, the gardens have expansive lawns for picnics, stately trees and colourful flowerbeds. An old-fashioned rotunda overlooks an ornamental pond.
Lyon Housemuseum: contemporary art in a family home
(Stop 39 on Tram Route 109)
When we visit Lyon House Museum, we are in raptures.“Amazing! Truly Incredible! How could we have waited so long to visit?”
In a world-first project, architect Corbett Lyon, one of Australia’s foremost collectors of contemporary Australian art, designed a home for his family and his art collection. When Corbett and his wife Yueji first opened their house to the public in 2009, they had two young daughters. Early photos show one daughter on a scooter whizzing around the gallery.
One room is lined with 17 Howard Arkley panels. Polly Borland’s renowned portrait of the Queen stares down from the wall. A Patricia Piccinini sculpture confronts visitors: half-man, half-monster. One child screamed when they first caught sight of it while running past, so it’s away from the living area. But Piccinini’s cute baby-blue-and-pink Truck Babies have pride of place there.
The Housemuseum offers pre-booked tours ($40 and worth it). Bookings here. The adjunct Housemuseum Galleries (current exhibition: $12) is open Thursday-Sunday, 12 pm-4 pm. Pay at the door.
Continue to Box Hill (optional extension)
The Lyon House Museum is the last official stop in Kew, but not the end of the line. Instead of returning home on the #109, you can stay on board and head to Box Hill to catch an express train back into the city. Box Hill is Melbourne’s second Chinatown, albeit a modern one, offering authentic Chinese dining and high-rise, Shanghai-style architecture.
A breakdown for exploring Kew
Tram Stops / Routes
- Kew Junction (Tram Hub) – High St & Cotham Rd, Kew VIC 3101
- #48 Tram Route – Collins St → High St → North Balwyn
- #109 Tram Route – Collins St → Cotham/Whitehorse Rd → Box Hill
Cafés & Coffee Stops
- Axil Coffee Roasters – 145–147 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Now & Then – 204 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Laurent Bakery – 251 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Spare Chair Café – 12 Derby St (off High St), Kew VIC 3101
- Adeney Milkbar Café – Adeney St, Kew VIC 3101
- Briquettes Coffee – 6 Harp Rd, Kew VIC 3101
Dining (Lunch & Dinner)
- Dawson Bar & Restaurant – 241 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- CHICCI – 321 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- India at Q – 234 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Viet Kew Corner – 6 Woodford Ave, Kew VIC 3101
- Mama Thanh’s – 7/14 Walpole St, Kew VIC 3101
- The Wasabi Place – 192 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Centonove – 109 Cotham Rd, Kew VIC 3101
- Mister Bianco – 26–28 Cotham Rd, Kew VIC 3101
- Charcoal Grill On The Hill – 289 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Wokaholic – 8 Parkhill Rd, Kew VIC 3101
- Jonathan’s Café – 2 Gladstone St (off High St), Kew VIC 3101
- The Harp of Erin Hotel – 636 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Küche Café – 682 High St, Kew VIC 3101
Shops & Local Spots
- The Skinny Dog – 155 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Kew Court House / Postmaster Hotel – 186 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Bob Stewart – 203–207 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Toscano’s – 215–219 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Salvos Store High St – 243–247 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- MS Plus Shop – 290 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Rotary Fair Trade & Gift Shop – 650 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Abra Card Abra Roycroft – 680 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Escape Hatch Books – 643 High St, Kew VIC 3101
Attractions & Parks
- Kew Cemetery – 415 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Springthorpe Memorial (in Kew Cemetery) – 415 High St, Kew VIC 3101
- Victoria Park (Seniors Exercise Park) – 1101 High St, Kew VIC 3101 (park area)
- Alexandra Gardens – High St/Cotham Rd, Kew VIC 3101
Lyon Housemuseum – 219 Cotham Rd, Kew VIC 3101
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