Find the best Melbourne cafe near you
Thanks to the strong coffee culture in Melbourne, cafes are the go-to place for a quick caffeine dose coupled with what can be called the national cuisine of Australia – a ceaseless variety of brunch food! It is no wonder the city is scattered with cafes at almost every nook and cranny!
We’ve sussed out some of the best cafes in the 3 different areas of the city such as Richmond in the East, Brunswick and Fitzroy in the North and the Central Business District (CBD)! Featuring some of the most out of this world menu items, you definitely wouldn’t want to miss any of the eats on this list.
Read on to find out where you should get your chow on, whichever part of the city you’re in!
Cafes in Richmond (Eastern Suburbs)
Cafes in Brunswick and Fitzroy (Northern Suburbs)
Cafes in Melbourne CBD
Cafes in Richmond (Eastern Suburb)
Source: Visit Australia
With many of the buildings in the Eastern suburbs still holding true to it’s Victorian style structure, it is a great place for art enthusiast with art scattered all around the area. Richmond is also home to cheap deals with major label factory outlets and second hand stores streamed all around Bridge Road!
1.Top Paddock – Birthplace of ricotta pancakes
Source: Top Paddock Instagram
Source: Top Paddock Instagram
I’m sure you’ve seen these beautiful floral fluffy pancakes on your Instagram feeds. Did you know that Top Paddock is the birthplace of the Ricotta hotcakes trend? Their Blueberry and Ricotta Hotcakes are topped off with what seems to be the equivalent of a mini garden! Imagine a variety of berries and nuts, complete with a splash of greens and flower petals – all surrounding the huge dollop of Ricotta. What a treat for both the eyes and your taste buds!
Address: 658 Church St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
How to get there: 1 minute walk from Howard St/Church St Light Rail Station, Tram service 78
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 8.00am to 4.00pm | Sat & Sun: 8.00am to 4.00pm
2. Pillar of Salt – For the perfect smashed avocado toast
Source: Pillar of Salt Instagram
If you haven’t already noticed, all day breakfast is a huge thing in this city. Pillar of Salt with its extensive range of breakfast is just the place to go if you enjoy breakfast for at all times of the day.
Source: Pillar of Salt Instagram
Their Smashed Avocado – served up with the Australian staple of poached eggs, is complete with beetroot tahini puree, goat’s curd, pistachio and fennel crumb, watermelon radish and sorrel. We promise this tastes as good as it looks! After all, if you didn’t have avocado toast, did you really go for brunch?
Source: Pillar of Salt Instagram
If you’re watching your weight, opt for their popular Californian Superfood Salad of tri-coloured quinoa, goji berries, puffed organic rice, charred corn, diced jalapenos, ricotta salata, heirloom tomatoes and of course the hipster superfood – shredded green kale! In addition to that, you can even choose to top it up with chicken, poached egg or smoked salmon for a protein boost.
If you’re looking for something heavier, we’d go for their Gnocchi also nicknamed the king oyster “scallop” gnocchi due to its appearance! Generously served with creamy mushroom sauce and soft dough dumplings, this dish is sure to satisfy. The cafe keeps it exciting for customers with their menus changing every season so be sure to check out their Instagram for updates on their latest seasonal dishes!
Address: 541 Church St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
How to get there: 1 minute walk from Gibbons St/Church St Light Rail Station, Tram service 78
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 7.30am – 4.30pm, Sat & Sun: 8.00am – 5.00pm
3. Maker Fine Coffee – Artisan Coffee with Colombian Beans
Treat yourself to coffee cupped from seasonal single origin beans that were all self-sourced by the owners of Maker Fine Coffee. True coffee connoisseurs will definitely enjoy this cafe because of the high quality brews! If you’re curious about any of the beans, we’re sure the baristas will be more than willing to share more!
Each cup is brewed to perfection to ensure the full flavour of the beans is served up with just the right balance of milk. More of a cold brew drinker? You will not be disappointed as they meticulously infused the beans into a smooth yet strong concentrated brew.
Address: 47 North St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
How to get there: 8 minute walk from Burnley St/Bridge Rd Light Rail Station, Tram service 48/75.
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 7.00am – 3.00pm, Sat: 8.00am – 3.00pm, Sun: Closed
Cafes in Northern Suburbs
Source: Visit Victoria
Graffiti walls, vintage stores and flea markets are just some of the charms of this quaint hipster district! It’s no surprise that the cafes here boost the same vibes, serving up some of the most artistic and innovative dishes we’ve ever seen.
4. Long Story Short Café – Cafe for the ‘gram
Source: Long Story Short Cafe Instagram
Long Story Short Cafe is not just well loved for their all day breakfast menu, but also the range of Instagrammable sweet treats. The magical looking Fairy Floss Dessert Burger topped off with Fairy Floss, is made up of a Sicilian Brioche filled with caramel mousse, pineapple and strawberry treats. All you need to do is pour the Banana Milkshake over the Fairy Floss to reveal the dessert burger!
Source: Long Story Short Cafe Instagram
Upgrade your breakfast pancakes with their Buttermilk Tim Tam Pancakes! This breakfast staple topped with the popular Australian biscuit that everybody loves and a scoopful of chocolate ice cream, sounds like the perfect thing to wake up to.
Source: Long Story Short Instagram
Accompany your pancakes or fairy burgers with one of their in house speciality drinks. These spheres house marshmallows that appear when the ball is dissolved and you can pick from flavours such as hot chocolate, matcha white chocolate or taro white chocolate.
Address: 6/10 Tripovich St, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
How to get there: 2 minute walk from Victoria St/Sydney Rd Light Rail Station, Tram service 19
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 8.00am – 3.00pm, Sat – Sun: 8.00am – 4.00pm,
5. Son in Law – Cutest Dessert in Melbourne
Source: Son in Law Instagram
Son in Law takes the best of Thai food and serves it with a twist. Their Insta-worthy House Made Magic Ball with Crepe Cake features everyone’s favorite flavours such as Thai milk tea, Coconut pandan or Nutella. Hidden within cartoon character balls of chocolate, the cakes hence reveal themselves when melted away by the rich warm sauce that accompanies the dish.
Source: Son in Law Instagram
Two dishes we wouldn’t miss out on would be the Twice Cooked Crispy Pork Belly served with Kai Lan soaked in Oyster sauce and also the Deep Fried Chicken Rib! On top of that, couple your meal with their adorable Fairy Floss accompanied with a drink of your choice. Fill up on your sugar rush before heading out to conquer the day!
Address: 56 Johnston Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066
How to get there: 1 minute walk from Wellington St bus interchange, bus services 200/207
Operating hours: Fri – Sat: 12.00pm – 4.00pm, Mon – Sun: 5.30pm – 11.00pm
6. Naughty Boy – King of InstaShakes™
Source: Naughty Boy Cafe Instagram
Everyone loves Naughty Boy for their invention of InstaShake™, better known as FreakShakes. Named InstaShakes™ due to the fact that posting a picture of your shake on Instagram and watching the likes counter increase is all part of the experience, you definitely cannot leave this place without a photo! The cafe even loans out selfie-sticks so that you can get a selfie with it!
Source: Naughty Boy Cafe Instagram
If you’re counting your calories, another guilt free option would be their Smoothie Bowls or their Breakfast Parfaits that are the perfect treat to try. Made with of layers of house-made granola, chia pudding, black goji berry superfood, coconut yogurt and even seasonal fruits you’ll definitely
Address: 499-501 Lygon St, Princes Hill VIC 3054, Australia
How to get there: 1 minute walk from Richardson St Light Rail Station, Tram services 1/6
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 7.30am – 4.00pm, Sat – Sun: 8.00am – 4.00pm
7. Bentwood – Golden Gaytime Panna Cotta
Source: Bentwood Fitzroy Instagram
For the uninitiated, Golden Gaytime is the Australian favourite ice cream snack of toffee and vanilla ice-cream dipped in compound chocolate and wrapped in honeycomb biscuits. At Bentwood, their take on the dessert sees a chocolate Panna Cotta served with salted caramel, honeycomb biscuit crumbs, roasted, peanuts, banana and berries – all made complete with a eatable red velvet tulle!
Source: Bentwood Fitzroy Instagram
If that sounds too sinful for you, get the Butterfly Blue Tea Chia Pudding. The superfood – Chia Seeds, is served with coconut milk yogurt, buckwheat clusters, coconut, pomegranate, strawberries and mango jerky. I’m sure you’ll hit your Vitamin C count of the day with this bowl of goodness!
Address: 237 Napier St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
How to get there: 2 minutes walk from St David Street – Stop 15 Light Rail Station, Tram service 11
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 7.00am – 4.00pm, Sat – Sun: 7.30am – 4.30pm
Cafes in Melbourne (CBD)
The Central Business District (CBD), located at the heart of Melbourne is constantly buzzing with activity. With tram sightings every other minute and heavy foot traffic, this is a part of the city you can’t miss especially with restaurants and cafes at every turn!
P.S. We hear the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre atop an underground railway station is a great place to pick up souvenirs!
8. The Hardware Societe – French, Spanish & Australian Cuisine All In One
Source: The Hardware Societe Instagram
One of the most popular cafes in Melbourne, The Hardware Societe, brings French and Spanish influences with a local twist to your plate! The most well loved dish on the menu seems to be the Baked Eggs Chorizo – a spanish dish of baked eggs and beans served with toast.
Source: The Hardware Societe Instagram
For a fuller meal, opt for the French classic – Duck Confit! Although Duck Confit is a regular on the menu, the cafe brings seasonal twists to this classic, sometimes serving it with pork and leek sausages on a white bean, chorizo cassoulet or even in a cream and mushroom sauce. Don’t forget to check their Instagram page for updates as you might just be surprised with a special version on the day of your visit!
Address: 120 Hardware St, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
How to get there: 3 minute walk from Melbourne Central Station
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 7.30am – 3.00pm, Sat – Sun: 8.30am – 2pm
9. Hash Specialty Coffee – French Croissant with a Twist
Source: Hash Specialty Coffee Instagram
Savour the best of both worlds with this perfect dish of salty and sweet. Hash Specialty Coffee serves up a wicked French Croissant with Bacon wedged in the middle, pistachio crumbs scattered all around, a golden bar of peanut butter parfait and maple syrup.
Source: Hash Specialty Coffee Instagram
If that wasn’t enough to curb your sweet tooth cravings, also take a sip of their Fairy Floss Hot Chocolate! Coffee lovers, you won’t be disappointed either. The coffee here is made from beans that are specially roasted by Reverence Coffee Roasters, ensuring high quality beans in every cup!
Address: 113 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
How to get there: 1 minute walk from Hardware St Bus Interchange
Operating hours: Mon – Fri: 7.00am – 4.00pm, Sat – Sun: 8.00am – 4.00pm
10. Higher Ground
Source: internetflowerboy on Instagram
Higher Ground is one of the few in Melbourne that contribute to the list of cafes open at night. Expect a unique dining experience with hotel style hospitality in this open-space cafe converted from a 19th century power station.
Source: juni0721 on Instagram
A more unique dish that you can try would be their minced lamb fry up with miso eggplant, fried eggs, barberry, smoked yogurt, pine nut, dukkah and sourdough – a perfect mix of a brunch dish perfect for dinner. Apart from the standard dinner menu, also keep your eyes peeled to their Instagram for weekly/daily specials!
Source: avocadhos_ on Instagram
Higher Ground also has a wide range of cocktails split into two categories – Day & Night. If you need a caffeine boost, why not try something with a twist? Their Rum Espresso Martini is a mix of plantation original rum, coffee liqueur, square one espresso and chocolate bitters – great for that afternoon dose of both coffee and alcohol. For dinner, try their unique cocktail – Ginger Honey Sour. A concoction of Starward Whisky, lemon, ginger infused honey syrup, this blend is topped off with fluffy egg white and looks like a perfect dream!
Address: 650 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
How to get there: 2 minute walk from Lonsdale St Light Rail Station, Tram service 86
Operating hours: Mon – Wed: 7.00am – 4.00pm, Thu & Fri: 7.00am – 11.00pm, Sat: 8am – 11.00pm, Sun: 8.00am – 4.00pm
Bonus: Queen Victoria Market
If cafes are not your kind of thing, have a taste of everything at the Queen Victoria Market! Especially famous for its fresh produce and specialty food, this is a pit stop all foodies would not want to miss.
Source: Adele Chan, Nylon Singapore
Let your taste buds be wowed by antipasto, fresh seafood and handmade pasta. In addition to that, also get a chance to sample a variety of cheese and cured meats served up with a glass of Victorian wine. Finish the journey off with a hot jam donut – one of Melbourne’s famous food icons that you cannot miss!
Source: Queen Victoria Market Instagram
Klook yourselves the Queen Victoria Market Ultimate Foodie Tour and also get a chance to meet fellow foodies that will chomp the time away with you! Let the guide take you on a gastronomic adventure that will leave your bellies a little bit bigger and your pants abit tighter.
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