An Essential Guide to the Best Coffee in Melbourne

Elizabeth Gilbert once famously said that every city has a single word that defines it, and if you could read the minds of passers-by, you’d hear that word repeated in their thoughts.

In Melbourne that word is coffee.

The entire city vibrates with the hiss of espresso machines and the scent of freshly ground beans. This is a city that imports an average of 30 tonnes of coffee beans - making roughly three million cups of coffee - each day, and baristas are local celebrities.

The city’s bean juice obsession is what makes it buzz: from CBD micro-cafés to Greek pappoús sipping Ellinikos Kafes out in Oakleigh to a north/south barista rivalry that’s been brewing since the 70s. Welcome to the best coffee in Melbourne.

Melbourne’s coffee obsession started way back in the 1880s, when a temperance movement had citizens eschewing alcohol for “morally superior” coffee. This led to the building of grand coffee palaces with the largest, The Federal Coffee Palace, becoming one of the world's most opulent hotels at the time.

Fast forward to 1954 when the Pellegrini brothers Leo and Vildo imported Australia's very first espresso machine, making their still-beloved cafe, Pellegrini's on Collins Street, the birthplace of modern Melbourne coffee culture.

Today locals demand not just great flavour but sustainable practices, too. This means growers in Kenya, Rwanda, Colombia, Timor, and Brazil get a fair deal, and the beans land in Melbourne with minimal impact on the planet. In 2009 the original KeepCup began life in a Melbourne café when siblings Abigail and Jamie Forsyth were dismayed by the mounting tide of disposable cups.

Now you know a little of the history, let’s get down to the serious business of where to find the best coffee in Melbourne.

Ask any Melburnian and they’ll passionately explain why their side of the Yarra is superior. Of course, we’re bipartisan and just here for the coffee, so let’s look at the best of both worlds.

The quintessential Melbourne brunch joint, Hobba is a cavernous converted warehouse packed to the rafters come the weekend, buzzing with locals who know their way around a good meal. The coffee is by Five Senses, and if the Hobba Hotcakes are on the menu, don’t think twice. Fluffy, ricotta-filled, wonders with house spiced maple syrup. Wash them down with a Milo latte (yup, Milo) or a strong piccolo for something with a little more backbone.

Inside scoop: The other top southside market, Prahran Market, is a tidy ten minute walk west along Malvern Road from Hobba. The longest running market in Australia, it’s been the place for Melburnians who take their food seriously since 1864.

From butchers who know their cuts like a second language to cheesemongers with opinions as strong as their triple-cream brie. Tucked in among the stalls is Q Le Baker, a petite, French-inspired bakery turning out coffees by Symmetry Coffee Roasters and a ham and cheese croissant you’ll think about for years.

Neds has been serving up crusty sourdough, golden pastries, and damn good coffee since 2017. Juicing beans by another Melbourne institution, St. ALi, they now even have their own Ned's x ST. ALi signature European blend. Walk past and you’ll spot their glorious loaves suspended in the window like edible art, alongside a spread of buttery croissants, tarts, and hefty sandwiches.

Inside scoop: Order a Magic. Not on every menu, but any Melbourne barista worth their beans will know what you mean. Invented in Melbourne, it’s a double ristretto topped with steamed milk and served in a five-ounce cup.

This place doesn’t mess around when it comes to coffee. The star of the show is a custom Dead Man Espresso blend from the award winning Seven Seeds, plus the occasional collab with other major roasters like Market Lane, paired with a seasonal menu that pulls fresh herbs and veggies straight from the rooftop garden. While you’re waiting for your Padre latte, wander over to Cannoleria across the way for a fresh cannoli fix.

Inside scoop: South Melbourne Market is a five minute wander from Dead Man’s and is a trove of flowers, farm-fresh eggs, vintage finds and top-shelf coffee courtesy of another top Melbourne bean drop, Padre. While you’re waiting for your Padre latte, wander over to Cannoleria across the way for a the est fresh cannoli outside of Sicily.

Where to stay: Prahran Market is also about twenty steps away from one of the most stylish places to stay south of the Yarra. If you’re the type who appreciates incredible beds and bold art The Cullen – Art Series is for you. With striking works from the late Archibald Prize-winning artist Adam Cullen adorning the walls and a Nespresso machine in every room.

In Collingwood you can’t swing a tote bag without hitting a specialty café, but Proud Mary stands above the rest. Consistently considered the top coffee spot in Melbourne, they’ve just taken a very respectable fourth place in the coveted World’s 100 list, a rigorous award that is made up of public voting and expert evaluations from across the globe. They roast their own beans and hire only the best baristas. You may be waiting a tiny bit longer than you would hope but it’s absolutely worth it.

Inside scoop: Ask for the day’s favourite brew. The staff are coffee geeks in the best possible way, so they’ll guide you to something exceptional.

Also placing in the prestigious list (they came in at number 19) Veneziano has a serious roastery onsite and have been serving from their HQ for over a decade, with some of Australia’s top baristas passing through their ranks. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light, while forklifts shuffle pallets in the background.

Inside scoop: Take home a bag of their “Soar” roast for a medium body, fruit forward blend that tastes of chocolate biscuit and dates.

Coffee meets chemistry lab in this light flooded space. Industry Beans is known for its flair, experimental roasts, fancy apparatus, and a menu that pushes boundaries without forgetting the fundamentals. The hook here is the sleek Modbar setup, cranking out up to five coffees at once with effortless precision. Just beyond, massive windows offer a peek into the roastery, where the team are also churning out top-tier canned and bottled brews.

Inside scoop: Order their Fitzroy Street blend and pair it with the sweetcorn fritters (bacon on the side if you feel indulgent).

Where to stay: Another in Accor’s Art Series, The Larwill Studio Melbourne is roughly 15 minutes away from each of these coffee slingers by car, and celebrates the art of David Larwill, drawing inspiration from his bright, playful studio. Sign up for the ALL – Accor Live Limitless loyalty program and you unlock a trove of member perks like exclusive discounts, room upgrades, and cool, curated local experiences.

When you arrive in Melbourne, it’s likely you’ll start in the city’s centre where stately office towers loom over Victorian terraces and graffiti-strewn laneways.This is ground zero for caffeine pilgrims searching for the best coffee in Melbourne.

Vacation is a 70-square-metre cutie, all mid-century modernism and ‘80s pastels, tucked into the ground floor of a historic building. They roast their own beans at Bureaux Collective, Melbourne’s incubator for serious coffee talent, making sure every cup is dialled in to perfection.

Inside scoop: Vacation is known for making the best (aforementioned) Magic in the city, and for costing it - and most of their other brews - at an unheard of $3.80.

Dukes is a mecca for the city’s espresso purists. Tucked into a sleek space on Flinders Lane, they specialise in beans sourced from single estate producers. Think quick-fire coffee to fuel the daily grind. Wait time here is around five minutes, which is less than the city’s average of eight.

Inside scoop: Order a double shot. The baristas here know how to tease out layers of flavour with a measured and masterful hand.

Manchester Press is the kind of place that’s always packed, and for good reason. Slide into one of the hefty wooden tables, take a sip of whatever single-origin or batch brew they’re pouring that day. The house blend, courtesy of 8oz Coffee Roasters, is a safe bet, while the rotating guest roasts keep things interesting.

Inside scoop: The bagels here are stacked, stuffed, and impossible to ignore. Whether you go classic, sweet, or loaded with enough toppings to require a knife and fork.

Where to stay: Novotel Melbourne Central is less than 10 minutes walk from each of these gems, so you can down your latte and wander back for a midday nap. Its in-house Pretty Boy is well known for their hearty, old-country pastas and excellent coffee by ST. ALi. 

Here’s the thing about hunting down the best coffee shops in Melbourne: lines are part of the experience. Embrace it. Strike up a conversation with the person behind you, it’s almost guaranteed that they’ll be a fellow coffee-fanatic who is more than happy to tell you where you just have to go next.