Budget Friendly Events Melbourne

Meditarrean.

Make Friends & Practice Languages at The Asian Beer Cafe

**🌍 Welcome to our Linguas Thursday Social + Language Exchange** 📍 **Asian Beer Café** Level 3, Melbourne Central 🕕 **Every Thursday, 6:00–11:00 PM** ### ⚠️ IMPORTANT — PLEASE GO TO LINGUAS RECEPTION FIRST **Before buying any food or drinks, you MUST visit the Linguas reception table and get your wristband.** Entry is: **🍺 Purchase food or a drink AFTER getting your wristband** **OR** **🎟️ Pay $5 entry** **If you buy food or a drink BEFORE getting your wristband, it does not count towards your Linguas entry and you will still need to pay the $5 entry fee.** Please remember: **1\. Go to Linguas reception first** **2\. Get your wristband** **3\. Then purchase your food or drink** Find updates and event information on Instagram: **@linguas.au** *** ### 💬 Find your people (New!) Looking to practice a specific language? Post in the discussion using: * **#LearnSpanish** * **#LearnEnglish** * **#TeachEnglish** * **#LearnJapanese** * etc. 👉 This helps others find you faster and makes it easier to connect. *** ### 📲 Join our WhatsApp Community Stay connected before and after the event, meet people, and find language partners: 👉 **Join here:** [https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bi7FlhHP91e0eP7MfdeWcZ](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bi7FlhHP91e0eP7MfdeWcZ) *** ### ⏰ What to expect We consistently have **200–320 attendees** every Thursday (across multiple Meetup groups/Eventbrite/Facebook). People arrive at different times — **best time to come is between 6PM and 9PM.** Come solo or with friends — most people come alone and join conversations naturally. *** ### 🌏 Who attends? A mix of: * Native & non-native English speakers * International students * Backpackers & working holiday travellers * Professionals & expats * Local Australians You’ll meet people from: Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Latin America, and more. *** ### 🗣️ Why join? 👉 A relaxed, social way to practice English 👉 Meet people from around the world 👉 No pressure, no structure — just conversations *** ### 🍕 FREE DRINKS & FOOD FOR FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS! We’re looking for **friendly volunteers** to help welcome newcomers and keep the vibe social. 👉 You’ll get: * Free drinks (beer/soft drink) * Food (pizza, wedges, etc.) * A fun team to hang out with No experience needed — many of our volunteers are **first-timers too**. Interested? 👉 [www.Linguas.com.au/Volunteer](www.Linguas.com.au/Volunteer) *** 📲 **More info:** [https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU](https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU) or **@Linguas.AU**

Dinner at Gaea

Hi all, Please join me for Saturday dinner at Gaea: 19.09.2026 at 5:30pm. (Added at 8:40 on 13 Sep: I reserved a table for 6 members) Cost is $187.80 person for the degustation menu (drinks are not included). Please refer to the photos for the full list of courses included. You will need to transfer me the full amount of $187.80 to secure your spot. Please place your name on the waitlist, once payment is received I will move your name to the going list. I take payment in the order that members RSVP on the waitlist. You have 48 hours to transfer me your payment once you put your name on the waitlist. Send me a private/direct message if you don’t have my bank account details, I will respond accordingly. Cancellation policy: A minimum of 48 hours notice is required for any alterations or cancellations. For the cancellations made within 48 hours, reductions in table numbers or in the event of a no-show, the full menu price will be charged for $187.80 per person (Including card surcharge as I provided my credit details to reserve a table for 6 of us). DURATION All reservations are for a 2.5 hour maximum time limit. A reduced menu at the same cost may need to be served for late arrivals. I hope you can make it despite the short notice. Cheers, LeAnn 🎉

Introductory Buddhist Talk & Group Meditation

Are you looking for an opportunity to learn more about Buddhism and meditation? Come and join us for our regular Buddhist meditation sessions every Tuesday. Every session will start with a short introductory and will be followed by a guided, 20 - 30 minute meditation. Feel free to join us after the session for some social time and questions and answers. The evening is free of charge, but donations are always welcome. More info can be found here: https://diamondway.org.au/centres/melbourne

Free Run Club (Carlton/CBD)

IMPORTANT!: Registration required! Without registration, attendance is: $10 per person. For free entry, please register below: [https://justeasiertogether.com/shorty/tna8w9](https://justeasiertogether.com/shorty/tna8w9) Overview: We're a friendly, welcoming community of runners in Carlton/CBD, and everyone is welcome - from complete beginners to advanced runners, we all train together. First-timers are always welcome, so if it's your first time, come along and say hi! Training type: Our focus is interval training, and we keep it fun and social. Free stuff for members! We sometimes line up sponsorships that align with our comunity, someties it's stuff like: free protein drinks and shakes, or discounted meals - and we often head out for dinner together after a run, or for special events. Exact location: The exact meeting location will be emailed to you once you register, so be sure to register beforehand. Training format / structure: 1: Easy 800m warm-up lap 2: Dynamic stretching and strides (20min) 3: Main workout — this rotates each week (sometimes hills, but most often it invovles intervals) Length: The whole session runs for about 50 minutes, followed by around 10 minutes of social talking. Register for you first attendance: First timers are required to register: [https://justeasiertogether.com/shorty/tna8w9](https://justeasiertogether.com/shorty/tna8w9) See you there!

Meet Queer Friends

**Tickets ($10):** [https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/meet-queer-friends-tickets-1998657154351?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/meet-queer-friends-tickets-1998657154351?aff=oddtdtcreator) Launch into Spring with some new queer friends at Welcome to Thornbury. We'll be there to run speed friending and help make introductions. Enjoy some board/card games, friendly chats, food trucks, an arcade room, and several bars. All queer humans aged 18+ are welcome! Tickets via the link above.

Kenangan - Indonesian dinner

Join us for dinner at Kenangan, an Indonesian restaurant that started out at the Queen Vic Market and recently opened bigger premises in the CBD. They bring dishes from three different parts of Indonesia reflecting the owners’ family origins, focused on shared plates. I had lunch there recently and it was delicious! Here’s an article about them when they were starting out at QVM: https://www.cbdnews.com.au/kenangan-a-love-letter-to-home/ And here’s one about the new location https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/melbourne-eating-out/more-than-satay-three-new-restaurants-that-show-indonesian-food-s-true-colours-20260625-p60a5r.html Please pay $10 deposit to secure your place. Details when you RSVP

A Taste of Japan: Sake Pairing Masterclass

Hatted Vietnamese fare at Anchovy

Richmond-based Anchovy is an acclaimed intimate diner serving inventive, modern Vietnamese and Southeast Asian fare that pairs bold, fiery regional flavors with pristine Australian produce. You can expect punchy small plates, creative noodles, flavourful mains and on-theme cocktails from this one-hatted little gem. Anchovy’s menu is à la carte and this date is just prior to the Grand Final long weekend so I’m keeping the numbers smaller for this event. I have booked for 4 Fine Diners to enjoy dinner together from 6.30pm on Thursday 24 September. Check out the à la carte menu by scrolling down on Anchovy’s website, noting that some menu items may change prior to the date: https://www.anchovy.net.au Join the waitlist to express interest. After the first day or so of posting, once I have names in the waitlist, I’ll send you a ‘Meetup Message’ to confirm you have a spot and how to pay. You’ll need to send me $80 to secure your place (equivalent to the restaurant’s cancellation fee - this will be deducted from your bill when we settle up). Once paid I’ll move you from the waitlist to ‘Attending’. As these are small group events, there are often more Fine Diners interested than there are seats available. My approach to hosting an event is to share seats around amongst members of the group in as fair a manner as I can, including mixing Fine Diners regulars with newcomers. Please be respectful if there are events when you miss out on a spot. I will always message you so you know if you have secured a seat or are still waitlisted in case a seat opens up. Please check that you don’t have your settings blocking messages; if I can’t contact you, I’ll have to move on to the next person. Also if you don’t respond to my message offering you a spot within 3 days, I’ll let you know that I’m offering the seat to another person on the waitlist. 

Thanks everyone and I look forward to trying Anchovy with you.

Set menu at Harriot

Harriot is a chic European bistro in the same restaurant group as Tipo 00. It offers a sophisticated yet relaxed "bistronomy" experience with wood-fired dishes, seasonal French-leaning cuisine and an extensive wine list. I have booked for 6 Fine Diners to enjoy the seasonal set menu menu at $130 per person for dinner from 6.30pm on Thursday 1 October. Check out the winter menu here - https://www.harriotmelbourne.com/menu (please note that they may switch to a spring menu by this date and I don’t know if that will vary the price slightly or not). Join the waitlist to express interest. After the first day or so of posting, once I have names in the waitlist, I’ll send you a ‘Meetup Message’ to confirm you have a spot and how to pay. You’ll need to send me $50 to secure your place (equivalent to the cancellation fee - this will be deducted from your bill when we settle up). Once paid I’ll move you from the waitlist to ‘Attending’. As these are small group events, there are often more Fine Diners interested than there are seats available. My approach to hosting an event is to share seats around amongst members of the group in as fair a manner as I can, including mixing Fine Diners regulars with newcomers. Please be respectful if there are events when you miss out on a spot. I will always message you so you know if you have secured a seat or are still waitlisted in case a seat opens up. Please check that you don’t have your settings blocking messages; if I can’t contact you, I’ll have to move on to the next person. Also if you don’t respond to my message offering you a spot within 3 days, I’ll let you know that I’m offering the seat to another person on the waitlist. 

Thanks Fine Diners and I look forward to trying the set menu at Harriot with you

Dinner at St Georges Restaurant $20 deposit

St Georges is the student training restaurant located at Melbourne Polytechnic's Preston Campus. St Georges focuses on providing the opportunity for our students to showcase their skills under the supervision of Victoria’s leading professional trainers. It's your local choice serving up old-world classics to innovative gastronomy with an affordable menu changing seasonally to ensure the freshest produce. With an optional choice of 2 or 3 course meals at reasonable prices, it's a pretty good deal. **Value package pricing for regular a la carte menu:** Effective from Wednesday 25th February – Friday 6th November 2026 2 courses @ $35pp 3 courses @ $42pp (includes one espresso coffee/tea) Still not sot sure? Scroll down and check out their menu. https://www.opentable.com.au/r/st-georges-restaurant-preston?lang=en-au&reservation_source=offline A $20 non refundable deposit is required for this event and will be refunded on the night. The deposit will be required 48 hours from RSVPing to the event or you will be moved removed from the event. Please make payment to the following account only if you are on the going list. BSB 013125 Account 150808654 Please let me know once payment is made. PLEASE USE YOUR NAME AND VENUE AS YOUR REFERENCE. Please only RSVP to an event if you fully intend to show. Pulling out of a dinner or another booked event (with a venue) on the day is a kick in the teeth for both the venue and the organiser. I understand there are instances where this is unavoidable, but you are short changing the venue on the revenue they are reliant upon, especially when it comes to paying their staff. It may be too late to rebook those tables with other patrons. Not to mention the stress this puts the organisers under. Please be considerate.

Linguas Melbourne's Largest Language Exchange

**🌍 Welcome to our Linguas Thursday Social + Language Exchange** 📍 **Asian Beer Café** Level 3, Melbourne Central 🕕 **Every Thursday, 6:00–10:30 PM** ### ⚠️ IMPORTANT — PLEASE GO TO LINGUAS RECEPTION FIRST **Before buying any food or drinks, you MUST visit the Linguas reception table and get your wristband.** Entry is: **🍺 Purchase food or a drink AFTER getting your wristband** **OR** **🎟️ Pay $5 entry** **If you buy food or a drink BEFORE getting your wristband, it does not count towards your Linguas entry and you will still need to pay the $5 entry fee.** Please remember: **1\. Go to Linguas reception first** **2\. Get your wristband** **3\. Then purchase your food or drink** Find updates and event information on Instagram: **@linguas.au** 💬 Find your people (New!) Looking to practice a specific language? Post in the discussion using: * **#LearnSpanish** * **#LearnEnglish** * **#TeachEnglish** * **#LearnJapanese** * etc. 👉 This helps others find you faster and makes it easier to connect. 📲 Join our WhatsApp Community Stay connected before and after the event, meet people, and find language partners: 👉 **Join here:** [https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bi7FlhHP91e0eP7MfdeWcZ](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bi7FlhHP91e0eP7MfdeWcZ) ⏰ What to expect We consistently have **160–220 attendees** every Thursday (across multiple Meetup groups/Eventbrite/Facebook). People arrive at different times — **best time to come is between 6PM and 9PM.** Come solo or with friends — most people come alone and join conversations naturally. 🌏 Who attends? A mix of: * Native & non-native English speakers * International students * Backpackers & working holiday travellers * Professionals & expats * Local Australians You’ll meet people from: Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Latin America, and more. 🗣️ Why join? 👉 A relaxed, social way to practice English 👉 Meet people from around the world 👉 No pressure, no structure — just conversations 🍕 FREE DRINKS & FOOD FOR FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS! We’re looking for **friendly volunteers** to help welcome newcomers and keep the vibe social. 👉 You’ll get: * Free drinks (beer/soft drink) * Food (pizza, wedges, etc.) * A fun team to hang out with No experience needed — many of our volunteers are **first-timers too**. Interested? 👉 [www.Linguas.com.au/Volunteer](http://www.linguas.com.au/Volunteer) 📲 **More info:** [https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU](https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU) or **@Linguas.AU**