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Best Coffee Shops in Melbourne
The best coffee shop in Melbourne is one hotly contested subject. Unsurprising given that Australia’s hippest city is home to some of the finest roasts, coolest cafes and a bevvy of award-winning baristas.
Melbourne has, no doubt, become a haven for coffee connoisseurs, with hipsters and locals sipping flat whites and single origin espressos on nearly every street corner. To help narrow down your search for the best brew in town, this is our roundup of the best coffee shops in Melbourne.
Plug Nickel
Plug Nickel in trendy Collingwood is a specialty coffee shop owned by former World Barista Champion and head of Ona Coffee Wholesale, Sasa Sestic. With Sestic, aka ‘The Coffee Man’, at the helm, you know you are in for a world-class coffee experience. Take your pick of sparkling cold brews, organic spiced chai and classic espressos while digging into a toastie, roti-wrap or brekkie bun.
Location: 7 Peel Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, 3066
ST. ALi
Since 2005, ST. ALi has been dominating the Melbourne coffee scene. With a range of ethically and sustainably sourced coffees, ST ALi has developed an array of seasonal single origins and delicious blends that are stocked in cafes and restaurants around the country. ST. ALi is also known for its popular South Melbourne cafe with a menu of frothy coffees, espresso shakes and iconic barista breakfast with a selection of ST. ALi approved coffee served three ways — Cappuccino, espresso and filter.
Location: 12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne, 3205
Monk Bodhi Dharma
With an exposed brick interior, timber tables, ethically sourced coffee and a delicious vegan menu, Monk Bodhi Dharma is the embodiment of Melbourne cool. Located on Carlisle Street in Balaclava, Monk Bodhi Dharma is both a micro-roastery and cafe with a menu of fresh filter coffee, oat milk flat whites, and healing house-brewed chai. Snack on an all-day menu of plant-based goodness, including banana dharma pancakes, zucchini fritters and bodhi buddha bowls.
Location: Rear 202 Carlisle Street, Balaclava, Melbourne, 3183
Dukes Coffee Roasters
Dukes at Ross House, in the heart of Melbourne CBD, has been providing the city with the finest coffee since March 2013. Like many cafes on our list, Dukes serves up epic brews of their own making as owners of Dukes Coffee Roasters. Coffee is the hero of this intimate inner-city cafe with a signature blend that is always in high demand.
Location: 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, 3000
Seven Seeds Coffee
Seven Seeds sits at the forefront of the Melbourne Coffee scene, sourcing, roasting, selling, brewing and serving coffee to Melburnians since 2007. While Seven Seeds ships their coffee around Australia, locals can enjoy their morning brew at one of three cafes.
Seven Seeds Carlton is located just north of the Queen Vic Markets and serves an all-day menu alongside a seasonal list of coffee. With close to 100 seats and a dedicated takeaway area, Seven Seeds is the ultimate Carlton coffee shop.
Location: 114 Berkley Street, Carlton, Melbourne, 3053
Brother Baba Budan is the little brother of Seven Seeds, located on Little Bourke Street in the CBD. Named after Baba Budan, a legendary merchant who smuggled seven coffee seeds out of Yemen, this cosy coffee haven is a hit amongst office workers and city dwellers with its impressive coffee menu and tasty fresh pastries.
Location: 359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, 3000
Traveller is the final Seven Seeds outpost, located on a little street on the eastern edge of the city. With an interior described as ‘part Italian eatery, part airstream caravan’, Traveller is an awesome hole in the wall spot to grab your morning cuppa.
Location: 2/14 Crossley Street, Melbourne, 3000
Ona Coffee Melbourne
We would be remiss if we did not mention iconic Ona Coffee. As one of Australia’s most highly regarded specialty roasters, with three coffee houses in Canberra, one in Sydney and another in Melbourne, Ona Coffee is a country-wide favourite. Their trendy Brunswick outpost, set in a warehouse-style establishment, serves upward of 15 coffee variants and offers a tasty brunch menu of cauliflower fritters, Turkish chilli eggs and Black Forest lamington hotcakes.
Location: 22 Ovens St, Brunswick VIC 3056
Proud Mary
Elevating Melbourne’s coffee culture is Collingwood favourite, Proud Mary. This popular weekday and weekend haunt serves up a variety of Proud Mary blends and single origins as well as a brekkie menu of classics with a spin, including avo toast with whipped green curry tofu; and scrambled eggs with crispy shrimp and grilled Asian greens.
Two minutes around the block, you can also find Aunty Peg’s, the ‘cellar door’ to Proud Mary Coffee Roasters. Here, you can learn to brew with experienced baristas, stock up on coffee beans, and tour the working roastery.
Location: 172 Oxford Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, 3066