History...
A brisk walk down memory lane.

1940
Italians began settling in large numbers in Carlton, and Lygon Street was born. Much of its growth and popularity as an eating-out destination has been attributed to nearby Melbourne University students, who frequented Lygon Street long before it became popular for its restaurants. Lygon Street was also the first suburb in Melbourne to promote outdoor dining with tables and chairs on footpaths.

1951
The opening of University Cafe – an early espresso bar that is still very popular today.

1966
Toto’s Pizzeria – reputedly Australia’s first pizzeria, opened its doors, and they’ve been open ever since.

1978
The inaugural Lygon Street Fest – Australia’s first street festival.

2004
Lygon Street, also known as “Little Italy” has Australia’s biggest selection of Italian restaurants and cafes, and is one of the great food and shopping precincts of Melbourne.

Points to Ponder
Heard that Lygon Street has mafia links? There may be more to those rumours than you think. A book written by infamous outlaw Mark "Chopper" Read has revealed that there is indeed a "Lygon Street Mafia", while gangland figure, Alphonse Gangitano - who was murdered in 1998, was allegedly the "self-styled Robert De Niro of Lygon Street" according to news reports.