Richmond is a suburb of Melbourne lying to the east of the city and is best known for its diversity, shopping opportunities, and vibrant dining scene. Over the years Richmond has made a name for itself as the place to come for factory clothing outlets and Asian flavours thanks to its high concentration of Asian businesses.
The north area of Richmond along the main section of Victoria Street is home to a large Vietnamese community, and as such now has the name ‘Little Vietnam’ or ‘Little Saigon’. Visitors to this part of Richmond will find a wide selection of Vietnamese shops such as grocers, bakeries, and restaurants, and the Vietnamese food here is highly recommended. Not just limited to Vietnamese fare, other cuisines like Korean and Thai are also springing up in the area. In the south of Richmond, Bridge Road and Swan Street are famous for low-cost fashion items and a range of wholesale clothing outlets for visitors who want to indulge in some retail therapy. Just outside of Richmond towards East Melbourne is Yarra Park, where visitors can take in some of Australia’s favourite sports such as Australian Rules football in the winter months, or cricket during the summer.
Richmond is easily visited by tram from Melbourne and actually lies in Zone 1 of two within Melbourne’s zone structure. While other trains can access the city from several other suburbs, they skirt around the edges of the city rather than bringing visitors directly into the centre of town. With four main roads into Richmond, driving by car is one of the easiest ways to visit the centre of the city.
As a result of its varied demographic, Richmond is now known for being one of the most diverse suburbs of Melbourne, leading to a great selection of cuisines from all over the world. To add to this, a cosy bar and cafe culture have also sprung up that gives this neighbourhood a bohemian feel and an exciting alternative to neighbouring Melbourne.