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The Doug Anthony All Stars on stage at Melbourne Town Hall during the 2016 festival, one at the mic with a guitarist and a
Questions, answered · Melbourne: Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Where can I eat and drink near the Melbourne International Comedy Festival?

The short answer

Before a show: HuTong Dumpling Bar, 14-16 Market Lane. Handmade dumplings in the CBD since 2008, with xiao long bao the signature, in the moody feel of a Chinese dumpling house. After it: The Duke of Wellington (food and drinks) and The Paris Cat Jazz Club (keep the music going). Each place's hours are on this page and its own site.

A bite before the show: HuTong Dumpling Bar

Handmade dumplings in the CBD since 2008, with xiao long bao the signature, in the moody feel of a Chinese dumpling house. Lunch and dinner every day.

Monday – Saturday: 12:00 – 14:30, 17:30 – 21:30 · Sunday: 12:00 – 15:00, 17:30 – 20:30

14-16 Market Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000

Food and drinks: The Duke of Wellington

Melbourne's oldest licensed pub, established in 1853, across from The Forum: pub classics and a beer in the public bar, a dining room, Arthur's cocktail bar and a rooftop.

Sunday – Tuesday: 11:00 – 23:00 · Wednesday: 11:00 – midnight · Thursday – Saturday: 11:00 – 1am

146 Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000

Keep the music going: The Paris Cat Jazz Club

Live jazz in a laneway behind Hardware Lane, between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets, on three levels with two performance rooms. Open Thursday to Sunday nights; the late weekend show starts at 9.30pm in the basement. The club is up and down stairs, with no step-free access.

Thursday: 19:30 – 23:00 · Friday & Saturday: 17:30 – midnight · Sunday: 18:30 – 22:00

6 Goldie Place, Melbourne VIC 3000

Sources

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Facts as of 16 October 2026. Festivals change their plans: confirm on the festival's own site before you book. Every question