Emporium Melbourne Guide: Luxury Shopping in the CBD
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- Melbourne Tourism Guide
- Updated
- August 20, 2026
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- 10 min
A guide to Emporium Melbourne — the premium CBD mall's brands and Australian designers, the food hall, skybridge links to the department stores, and how to shop it.
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If the CBD has a centre of gravity for shopping, it’s the Emporium. This sleek, light-filled mall on Lonsdale Street is Melbourne’s premium city-centre shopping destination, packed with a smart mix of international high-street names, beauty heavyweights and some of Australia’s best designers — and it’s wired into the surrounding department stores by a clever network of skybridges, forming the heart of what locals call the city’s “golden mile” of shopping. This guide covers what’s inside, the excellent food hall, how it connects to the wider precinct, and how to shop it. It’s a key chapter of our wider guide to shopping in Melbourne.
What is Emporium Melbourne?
Emporium Melbourne is a modern, upmarket shopping centre in the heart of the CBD, spanning several levels between Lonsdale and Little Bourke streets. Opened in the 2010s on the site of the historic former Myer menswear building, it brings together a curated mix of premium and international brands in a bright, architecturally striking space. It’s a notch more upscale than a typical mall — think flagship high-street stores, beauty and a strong showing of Australian designers — and it’s central, walkable and within the Free Tram Zone. For visitors who want quality city-centre shopping under one roof, it’s the obvious place to start.
The brands
Emporium’s line-up leans premium and contemporary. You’ll find big international flagships like Uniqlo and beauty destination Sephora, alongside contemporary fashion labels (Calvin Klein, Sandro, Maje and the like), lifestyle and tech, and — a real highlight — a strong selection of celebrated Australian designers, from established names to emerging local labels, making it a great place to pick up something distinctly Australian. There’s quality footwear, accessories and homewares too. The mix sits comfortably between the high street and luxury, so it’s ideal for stylish, current-season shopping without needing to trek out to the designer flagships at Chadstone.
The connected CBD shopping precinct
Emporium’s clever trick is its connections. Via climate-controlled skybridges and walkways, it links directly to Melbourne Central (and its train station) on one side and to the grand Myer and David Jones department stores on Bourke Street on the other — so you can wander a vast, interconnected stretch of city-centre shopping entirely undercover. This makes the precinct a brilliant rainy-day option and an efficient way to cover a lot of retail without stepping outside. Together with the Bourke Street Mall and the historic arcades nearby, it forms the dense, walkable core of Melbourne’s CBD shopping.
The food hall
Don’t overlook the food. Emporium’s upper-level food hall is one of the best in the city — a step above the usual mall food court, with a strong line-up of quality, often Asian-influenced eateries serving everything from ramen and dumplings to poke, banh mi and excellent desserts. It’s a brilliant, affordable spot for a quick, tasty lunch mid-shop, and a destination in its own right for many city workers. There are cafés throughout the centre too. Refuelling here is easy, good value and far better than you’d expect from a shopping-centre food offering.
Getting there and hours
Emporium couldn’t be more central, sitting on Lonsdale Street in the heart of the CBD within the Free Tram Zone — so you can reach it from anywhere in the city centre for free. It’s directly connected to Melbourne Central train station, and a short walk from Flinders Street and the Bourke Street trams. Shopping hours are generally daily, with late-night trading on Thursdays and Fridays (as is standard for Melbourne retail) and Sunday trading too — though it’s worth checking specific store hours. Our public transport guide covers getting around the city.
Tips for shopping at Emporium
Use the skybridges to flow seamlessly between Emporium, Melbourne Central, Myer and David Jones — a whole day of shopping without going outside. Seek out the Australian designers for distinctive pieces and gifts you won’t find at home. Eat at the food hall rather than ducking out. Shop Thursday or Friday evenings for late-night trading. Keep your receipts if you’re an overseas visitor (you may be able to claim the GST back at the airport on purchases over $300). And make it your wet-weather plan — the connected, undercover precinct is perfect when it rains.
Combine with the wider precinct
Emporium is the anchor of Melbourne’s central shopping district, so build a day around it. Stroll through to the Bourke Street Mall for the department stores, dip into the historic Block and Royal Arcades for old-world charm, and explore the boutique-lined laneways nearby (our guide to Melbourne’s laneways maps them). For the designer-luxury end, our Chadstone guide covers the flagship boutiques, and for bargains, our DFO outlets guide has the discounts. The full picture is in our shopping in Melbourne pillar guide.
A bit of history
Emporium has retail history in its bones. It occupies the site of the historic Myer Lonsdale Street store — for generations a Melbourne department-store landmark — and the modern centre cleverly incorporates restored heritage facades into its gleaming contemporary design. Opened in the 2010s, it was conceived as a flagship for premium and international retail in the heart of the city, helping cement the surrounding blocks as Melbourne’s prime shopping precinct. That blend of old and new — heritage frontage, cutting-edge interior — is very Melbourne, and it gives the centre a sense of place that a generic mall lacks. It’s a fitting addition to a city that has been serious about shopping since the gold-rush era.
Australian designers to discover
One of the best reasons for visitors to shop Emporium is its showcase of Australian fashion. Alongside the international names, you’ll find a strong selection of the country’s most celebrated designers and contemporary local labels — the kind of distinctive, well-made pieces that make a far more meaningful souvenir than a fridge magnet. From established Australian fashion houses to emerging designers, it’s a chance to take home something genuinely local and stylish. If you want to dress like a Melburnian (the city is, after all, Australia’s fashion capital), browsing the Australian labels here is the place to start. Our guide to the best Melbourne souvenirs has more ideas for meaningful things to take home.
Beauty, lifestyle and tech
Emporium isn’t just fashion. It’s a strong destination for beauty, anchored by a large Sephora and other cosmetics and skincare stores — handy for restocking or treating yourself. There’s lifestyle and homewares, quality footwear and accessories, and tech and gadget stores. The mix makes it a genuine one-stop centre: you could kit out a whole wardrobe, refresh your beauty bag, pick up gifts and grab lunch without leaving the building. That breadth, combined with the premium-but-not-intimidating positioning, is a big part of why it’s such a popular city-centre shopping destination for locals and visitors alike.
The golden mile in detail
Emporium anchors what’s often called Melbourne’s “golden mile” of shopping. Step out (or skybridge across) and you’re among the grand Myer and David Jones department stores on the Bourke Street Mall, the international flagships of H&M, Zara and Uniqlo, the youthful Melbourne Central with its iconic glass-cone Shot Tower, and the historic Block and Royal Arcades with their boutiques and old-world charm. The boutique-lined laneways (Flinders Lane is the fashion strip) thread between them. It’s one of the densest, most walkable shopping districts in the country, and Emporium sits right at its heart.
Best time to visit and crowds
Emporium is busiest on weekends and during sales, and quietest on weekday mornings. For a relaxed browse, go midweek and early; for the buzz (and late trading), Thursday and Friday evenings are when the city shops. Standard retail hours apply, with the late-night Thursday and Friday trading that’s customary in Melbourne, plus weekend hours — though individual stores vary, so check ahead for specific shops. Being central and undercover, it’s a comfortable option in any weather. Avoid the post-Christmas and Boxing Day crush if you dislike crowds, though that’s also when the sales are best.
Facilities and accessibility
As a modern centre, Emporium is well equipped and fully accessible — lifts and escalators between levels, step-free access, accessible restrooms, parents’ rooms, and plenty of seating to rest between stores. The skybridge connections mean you can move between the surrounding centres without navigating stairs or going outside. There’s parking nearby (though public transport is easier given the central location), ATMs and concierge services. It’s stroller- and wheelchair-friendly throughout, making it an easy, comfortable place to shop for visitors of all kinds. Staff and the centre’s information points can help with directions and services.
Sales and savings
Even at a premium centre, there are ways to save. The major sale periods — end-of-season change-overs, the mid-year (June/July) sales, and the big post-Christmas and Boxing Day sales — bring genuine discounts across many Emporium stores. International events like Black Friday and Click Frenzy increasingly feature too. And don’t forget the Tourist Refund Scheme: as an overseas visitor, you can claim back the 10% GST on purchases of AU$300 or more from a single retailer (kept within 60 days of departure) at the airport when you leave — a useful saving on a bigger fashion or beauty purchase. Keep your tax invoices and time a splurge with a sale, and you can shop premium for noticeably less.
Dining beyond the food hall
While the upper-level food hall is the star, Emporium and its immediate surrounds offer plenty more when you need a proper sit-down break. There are cafés dotted through the centre for a coffee and a rest between stores, and stepping outside puts you among the CBD’s enormous range of restaurants, laneway cafés and bars — Chinatown is just a block or two away, and Hardware Lane’s alfresco dining is close by. So whether you want a quick food-hall bite or a leisurely lunch, you’re spoilt for choice. Our guide to the best restaurants in Melbourne has options for a longer break.
Gifts and souvenirs
Emporium is a great spot to pick up gifts and meaningful souvenirs. Beyond the obvious fashion and beauty, look to the Australian designer labels for distinctive clothing and accessories, the homewares and lifestyle stores for stylish keepsakes, and the beauty halls for Australian skincare brands that travel well. A well-chosen piece from a local designer is a far nicer memento than generic tourist tat, and it supports Australian creativity. For more ideas on what makes a good Melbourne souvenir — and where to find authentic local and Aboriginal-made pieces — see our guide to the best souvenirs from Melbourne.
Who Emporium is best for
Emporium suits a particular kind of shopper especially well. If you want current-season, premium-but-accessible fashion, quality beauty, and a curated taste of Australian design — all in one stylish, central, undercover spot — it’s ideal. It’s perfect for visitors who want efficient city-centre shopping without trekking out to the suburbs, families who appreciate the easy facilities and food hall, and anyone caught by Melbourne’s changeable weather looking for a comfortable indoor day. It’s less the place for deep designer-luxury (head to Chadstone for that) or rock-bottom bargains (the DFO outlets win there), but for the broad, stylish middle of city shopping, it’s hard to beat — and its central location makes it easy to combine with everything else the CBD offers.
Frequently asked questions
What is Emporium Melbourne?
Emporium Melbourne is a modern, upmarket shopping centre in the heart of the CBD on Lonsdale Street, featuring premium international brands, beauty stores like Sephora, and a strong selection of Australian designers, plus an excellent food hall. It’s connected to Melbourne Central and the major department stores by skybridges.
What shops are in Emporium Melbourne?
Emporium features international flagships like Uniqlo and Sephora, contemporary fashion labels, lifestyle and tech stores, and a notable line-up of celebrated Australian designers, alongside footwear, accessories and an excellent upper-level food hall.
How do I get to Emporium Melbourne?
It’s in the heart of the CBD on Lonsdale Street, within the Free Tram Zone (so free to reach from the city centre), and directly connected to Melbourne Central train station and a short walk from the Bourke Street trams.
Is Emporium connected to other shopping centres?
Yes — skybridges and walkways link Emporium directly to Melbourne Central and to the Myer and David Jones department stores on Bourke Street, so you can shop a huge stretch of the CBD entirely undercover, making it a great rainy-day option.
The bottom line
Emporium is the polished heart of Melbourne’s city-centre shopping — a premium, well-curated mall of international brands, beauty and standout Australian designers, with one of the city’s best food halls and seamless skybridge links to the wider precinct. Central, undercover and stylish, it’s the natural base for a CBD shopping day, rain or shine. Start here, then branch out into the malls, arcades and laneways that surround it — between them, the CBD precinct has shopping covered for every taste and budget.