Shop Sui by Sylvia Tai at No. 227 has funky printed T-shirts

Printed Velvet Shop Sui by Sylvia Tai at No. 227 has funky printed T-shirts youwon't see on anyone else's back, while Little Salon at No. 71 is asmall but perfectly formed boutique selling designer scarves,handbags and more. Food Melbourne's best Italian pizzeria is not on Lygon Street. There areno red-and-white checked tablecloths or Ferrari posters, just darkwood, marble-topped tables - and authentic wood-fired pizzas withminimalist toppings. It's Ladro, at No. 224a, a slick diner thathas held tightly to its one hat in The Age Good Food Guide. Justcome early or you've got no chance of getting a table. Anotherdarling of Melbourne foodies is the Gertrude St Enoteca at No. 229.Started by slow food proponent Brigitte Hafner, it is part winebar, part cafe - and everything that Clover Moore is trying toencourage in Sydney. Tables are surrounded by shelves ofinteresting bottles of wine - you can get a French Pouilly-Fume orartisan cognac, a coffee or an antipasto platter. Jars of picklesand olives line the window and a sign proudly declares the Enotecais a "GM Free Zone". In fact, it's more a philosophy than a shop. The Builders Arms pub on the corner does both reconstructed pubgrub and Middle-Eastern specialities. The menu ranges from suchAnglo staples as corned beef and bread and butter pud to Greekskordalia and tagines. And don't be fooled by the traditionalyellow-tiled exterior - inside, think disco balls and not a pokiein sight. Dante's restaurant and wine bar at No. 150 is a bit of aboho institution and is a great place to go for tapas and a drink.Also worth mentioning is Fatto A Mano organic bakery at No. 228,which apart from a variety of breads and rolls, sells irresistiblypuffy Italian sugar doughnuts. Art It has to be remembered that the art galleries in Gertrude Streetare what started to draw fashionable and creative types into itsorbit in the first place. At No. 200 is Gertrude Contemporary ArtSpaces, a collection of galleries and studios started in 1983. TheDiane Tanzer Gallery at No. 108 also started in the 1980s and isdedicated to exhibiting innovative artists. Also see SeventhGallery at No. 155, which has two galleries rotating severalexhibitions each month. Books Artisan Books at No. 159 is crammed with unusual literary finds.Here, you can find tomes on everything from crop circles to bodyart. Title at No. 183 is a new shop staffed by musos, stocking raremusic and films. If you need an obscure piece of vinyl, look nofurther. Some of the items on display included a vinyl soundtrackof the film Lolita, a collector's edition DVD of Zatoichi and theFritz The Cat series. The standout bookshop here is Books for Cooksat No. 233, Australia's largest seller of cookbooks. There arebooks that date back to the 18th century, a foreign languagesection and of course the latest titles from top cookbook authorsaround the globe (the day I pass, Stephane Reynaud's Terrine wasfeatured).