Il Mercato Centrale. CBD
546 Collins Street,
Melbourne VIC 3000
Italian Food Hall with 23 artisan stalls
Sunday - Thursday: 7am - 10pm
Friday + Saturday: 7am -12pm
Melbourne’s newest three story Italian food hall Il Mercato Centrale has finally opened on Collins Street! Home to 23 artisan food stalls and open seven days a week, it’s the first of its kind outside Italy – and the best part? All three levels are accessible! Let me walk you through my visit.
I visited on their second day, and even with a queue out front, it moved quickly. The entrance to this stunning Art Deco building is step free, which is a great start.As soon as you enter, you’ll find a map in the foyer. This is super handy as it shows the location of accessible toilets and lifts throughout the building. A staff member greeted me and took the time to explain how I could get around and what to expect – a nice touch that made navigating easier.
The ground floor feels like a bustling market hall, with stalls selling everything from pastries and bread to sweets. There are tables and chairs scattered around food court style, with a mix of higher tables and standard ones.
On the level above, it opens up into a larger food hall with a big cocktail lounge and bar, and a couple of restaurants. Think pizza, pasta, risotto, arancini and gelato– all the Italian favorites! You can easily take the lift in the foyer up to this level - it is a split level with an upper level and lower upper level like a mezzanine. Despite being a busy lunchtime, I managed to find a suitable table without much hassle. It felt spacious enough to move around. Good thing to note is you can order from your QR code at the table and you’ll receive a SMS when ready!
The bottom (lower ground) level houses another large bar, more food stalls, and market produce. This is also where I found what I came for – cannoli! There’s a ramp to access this level off to the side of the lifts in the foyer. It’s not the widest ramp and it wasn’t overly clear where to go, but it’s still manageable.
In terms of accessible toilets, there’s a great one on the upper level - brand new and even equipped with a padded backrest. There’s another accessible toilet planned for the lower level, but it wasn’t finished during my visit and was down a very narrow hallway. The upper level is definitely more accessible overall, so I’d recommend sticking to that floor if you need ease of access.
For parking, the nearest accessible spots located on Collins Street and Flinders Lane. There’s also several carparks nearby.
Even when it was busy, there was enough room to move around. If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, I’d suggest visiting after 2pm. It definitely felt quieter then. With plenty of food options, it’s an Italian experience right in the heart of Melbourne.
Report Card | A
Entrance 10/10
Space 8/10
Toilet 8/10
Parking 8/10
