Coffee. Photo courtesy of Masson via Shutterstock.
Widely considered the culture and dining capital of Australia, Melbourne is one of the world’s finest coffee cities. Perhaps it’s the local culture, which encourages Melbournians to linger leisurely over their coffee and favors quirky, creatively-designed dining spaces. Perhaps it’s the large Italian population, whose coffee shops line the streets of historic districts such as Carlton. Whatever it is, there’s something about Melbourne coffee.
There are endless spots to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee in Melbourne, but the following are a few of the very best. To help you plan your java-inspired itinerary, here is a guide to the top cafes in Melbourne.
Three Bags Full
Located in a refurbished warehouse in the lovely inner-city suburb of Abbotsford, Three Bags Full serves rich, creamy coffee in a charming space. Their brunches are excellent, but Three Bags Full’s finest offering is its gourmet coffee range, including Aeropress and pour over methods. If you’re in the mood to branch out with your coffee choices — and want to experience one of the top cafes in Melbourne — Three Bags Full is the place to do it.
Seven Seeds
Supplier to several other fabulous Melbourne hotspots, including the inner-city sister café Brother Baba Budan, Seven Seeds has its home in a loft space just down the road from the leafy University of Melbourne. Large communal tables and bikes strung up along the walls gives Seven Seeds a distinctly Melbournian feel. As does its coffee, best paired with one of their delicious pastries.
Manchester Press
The light-filled, industrialist Manchester Press is known for serving some of the finest coffee in town (with some of the most impressive latte art going around- I once got a cowboy smoking a cigar in mine) but their main attraction is their gourmet bagels. Take it from me: the number 13 (“avocado, feta, chilli and mint smash with cherry tomatoes, roquette and pine nuts”) is downright delectable.
Journal
This locals’ favorite is located next to the City Library and is fittingly infused with a bookish, mahogany office vibe. Floating bookshelves above the communal tables are crammed with leather bound encyclopedias and old copies of National Geographic. Journal excels at coffee, but their pastries and bruschetta (my favorites are feta and pumpkin or avocado and lemon) are perfect too.
St Ali
Many Melbourne eateries take serious pride in their coffee, but none so much as the South Melbourne café, St Ali. Don’t be fooled by the garage environs; this place is a serious roasting and brewing institution. Keep it simple and order a flat white, a creamy cuppa somewhere in between a latte and a cappuccino, the favored Melbournian choice.
What’s your favorite Melbourne coffee shop? Please share in the comments below.
-By Gemma King
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
