Market Guide: Prahran Market

Prahran Market is where our journey as a company began in 2009. Nestled in the heart of Melbourne’s south-east on Wurundjeri land, this bustling, quality-focused 150-year-old market is a much-adored and regularly visited hub for those who appreciate fresh, exceptional quality food south of the river.

At Prahran Market, deeply passionate and experienced vendors greet their loyal, regular customers with great warmth and enthusiasm, and happily chat in-depth about their latest seasonal offerings. These community relationships run deep and often span generations, as many of the market’s stalls are longstanding family-owned businesses.

Market Lane has two shop locations at Prahran Market and, from the very beginning, it’s been one of our favourite places in Melbourne to do a big food shop. We’ve put together a guide to some of our favourite shops and vendors, whose delicious offerings we’ve been beelining for every week for the last 15 years.

Damian Pike, aka the Mushroom Man

Friendly, passionate and deeply knowledgeable, mushroom specialist Damian Pike is a Prahran Market icon; he has run his celebrated stall for over 37 years. He sources and offers 40 different types of mushrooms and the best truffles from Australia and around the world, as well as unusual ingredients from local producers, like white asparagus, white China peaches and finger limes. Damian is so good at what he does, he has an Order of Australia for his contributions to the fruit and vegetable industry! We’re very lucky that he provides us with the incredible mushrooms we use in our weekend mushroom burgers at Market Lane.

The Essential Ingredient

The Essential Ingredient is a food lover’s dream, with an extensive range of specialty ingredients, high quality cookware and inspiring cookbooks. Whenever a recipe calls for a rare ingredient or a special piece of kit, this is the first place we head!

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Damian Pike, OAM – aka the Mushroom Man

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Damian specialises in over 40 types of mushrooms

G.McBean Family Butcher

A must-visit for beautiful quality, ethically farmed meat, G.McBean is run by fourth-generation butcher, Gary, and his daughter, Ash, who are two of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet! G.McBean are famous for their beautiful dry-aged beef and their incredible sausage rolls, and their sandwiches are also legendary.

Sweet Greek

Proprietor Kathy Tsaples and the team at Sweet Greek use the best ingredients to cook up their mouth-watering, comforting Greek dishes for customers to enjoy at the market or at home. Our team’s favourites are the spanakopita and the amazing array of salads, as well as the legendary baklava. Kathy is as much a food storyteller as she is a brilliant cook; she’s a regular on ABC radio and the author of two books that celebrate traditional Greek cuisine.

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The wonderful G.Mcbean Family Butcher

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Kathy Tsaples from Sweet Greek

Maker & Monger

Just opposite our Market Stall shop, the team at Maker & Monger have a wide selection of artisan and farmhouse specialty cheeses, many of which are matured in their on-site maturation room. People travel from far and wide to enjoy their famous, moreish cheese toasties, and they’re never disappointed!

Paddlewheel

Some of our favourite fruit and veg is found at Paddlewheel, which boasts a vibrant seasonal range of high quality produce that tastes as good as it looks. Paddlewheel has a large organic selection, and they pride themselves on their direct sourcing relationships with producers, many of whom are based in and around the Mornington area.

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Maker & Monger have a wide selection of artisan & farmhouse cheeses

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Some of our favourite fruit & veg is found at Paddlewheel

Hagen’s Organic Butcher

The Hagen family are long-time market traders, who originally ran an organic produce shop in the 80s and then switched their focus to organic meat in 1999. Today, Hagen’s is run by siblings and second-generation butchers, Oliver and Ruby, who are young and passionate and, like their parents, committed to sourcing exceptional quality meat with a focus on organic and biodynamic principles.

Pino’s Fine Produce

Pino’s is a fruit and veg shop that was founded in 1958 by Pino and Maria Narduzzo. Today, Pino and Maria’s children and grandchildren run the show and they personify the spirit of Prahran Market – they are warm, gregarious, knowledgeable and passionate (and they love a good chat)! All the fruit and veg at Pino’s is of super high quality. We particularly love the tomatoes, and the colourful, diverse produce boxes on the weekends are fantastic value.

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John from Pino’s Fine Produce

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We love Pino’s’ colourful & diverse produce boxes

Market Lane Coffee

We’re lucky enough to have two shop locations at Prahran Market. Our recently renovated flagship shop is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a delicious filter or espresso coffee, and a sandwich or baguette made with seasonal ingredients sourced from some of the above vendors! We roast and sell coffee beans in this shop, and we hold weekly public cuppings (tastings), too. Our Market Stall shop is located in the bustling Harvest Hall (right opposite Pino’s, Maker & Monger and Damian Pike), which makes it the perfect place to stop mid-shop, grab a cup of your favourite coffee and stock up on freshly roasted beans for home.

Blackhearts & Sparrows

To cap off your market visit, we recommend a visit to Blackhearts & Sparrows to pick up some amazing wine, beer or cider. Blackhearts & Sparrows focuses on independent producers and wines that are hard to find anywhere else. They’re experts at helping you pair your market purchases and planned evening meal with a beverage that will complement it perfectly.