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Downtime Down Under
Melbourne
Australia is a country that takes its coffee very seriously, and Melbourne knows how to make a mean cup! Locals and tourists alike can’t get enough, whether it’s for a cafe’s neighborhood vibe or for distinct blends made by award-winning baristas. Explore the thriving coffee culture at some of the city’s top coffee shops, where filtered brews and roasted single origin coffee beans dominate. There are no blended beverages with whipped cream here—just straight-up caffeine, Aussie style!
Updated 4 years ago
Seven Seeds stands as one of Melbourne’s best java joints, roasting and blending green coffee beans sourced from all over the world! Sip on your Golden Gate blend (espresso with hints of cocoa and nougat) as you observe law students come and go from the nearby Melbourne Law School. Ask the crew what they’re serving for the day, since they constantly change their menu throughout the year. Drop by on a Wednesday to join fellow coffee enthusiasts in Seven Seeds’ weekly cupping (coffee tasting) sessions!
- +61 3 9347 8664
114 Berkeley Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia
- https://sevenseeds.com.au/
Join the brunch-loving crowd at ST ALi! Enjoy a good cuppa over any of their breakfast and lunch options: pancakes, fruit salads, open-faced sandwiches and more. While the food is top-notch, the real star of the show here is their coffee. ST ALi uses all sorts of coffee-making techniques to guarantee a show-stopping brew, whether it’s pour over or filtered. They also roast their coffee beans on-site; catch a whiff of that glorious aroma the moment you enter!
- +61 3 9686 2990
12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- https://stali.com.au/
Micro-roaster Everyday Coffee is dedicated to serving high-quality java daily, hence the name. Despite the small space, it still has that cozy, no-frills atmosphere—perfect for some quiet time. Share the space with locals cozied up with a good book or hunched over their laptops. Order Everyday Coffee’s signature cruffin (part croissant, part muffin) for yourself, and pair it with any of the cafe’s strong but flavorful blends. They also sell bags of coffee beans and brewing machines, so feel free to take some goodies home.
- +61 3 9973 4159
33 Johnston Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia
- https://everyday-coffee.com/
Market Lane Coffee is a haven for passionate coffee drinkers. The boutique roastery and retailer takes pride in their freshly roasted and brewed beans. Feel free to ask the friendly baristas about their blends and they’ll gladly let you in on some insider info! Market Lane Coffee also conducts free public cuppings and brewing classes to quench your ever-growing interest for coffee!
- +61 3 9804 7434
Shop 13, Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Australia
- https://marketlane.com.au/
Proud Mary started as one of Melbourne’s first ever third-wave coffee shops. Today, it has become a full-blown coffee empire, supplying wholesale coffee beans to cafes across the city. Come here for the coffee (espresso, cold drip, V60, or AeroPress), and stay for the all-day breakfast, hearty lunch plates, and homemade desserts! Pair your coffee with their bestselling Potato Hash (russet potatoes, poached egg, thick-cut bacon, and kale) for the classic Aussie brekkie!
- +61 3 9417 5930
172 Oxford Street, Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia
- https://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au/
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Industry Beans has quite a lot of things going on under its award-winning roof. The open warehouse in Fitzroy (which, by the way, won Best Cafe at the British Restaurant and Bar Design Awards in 2014) is not just a cafe. It’s also a roastery, a cupping lab, and a training facility! Single origin coffee takes the spotlight here, but they make it a point to switch up their selections every two weeks. Sample their newest creation, the Bubble Cup Cold Drip—cold brew layered on condensed and soy milk with coffee-soaked tapioca pearls. Industry Beans gathers its coffee from different parts of the world: Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Panama, all the way to Indonesia and India. Go behind-the-scenes by heading to the viewing deck, and watch the staff expertly roast coffee beans while you savor your own cuppa!
- +61 3 9417 1034
3/62 Rose Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia
- https://industrybeans.com/
Dukes Coffee Roasters crafts specialty coffee made with ethically-sourced beans from small farms and cooperatives around the world! Step inside and bask in the warm lighting as you take your pick from their extensive menu of filtered coffee, artisan teas, and cocoa blends. The cafe tends to get pretty busy, being located just along Flinders Lane in the city's Central Business District area. Lucky ones get to snag a seat by the window—ideal for people-watching while sipping on some fine java.
247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Australia
- https://www.dukescoffee.com.au/
Make new friends over premium house-roasted offerings at Padre Coffee. Strike up a conversation with the baristas—they’ll happily guide you through their menu! Customer service here is excellent; the staff will even show you the whole process of creating a robust, balanced cup! Peruse Padre Coffee’s separate retail counter where you’ll find everything you need to continue your coffee obsession in the comforts of home!
- +61 3 9381 1881
438-440 Lygon Street , Brunswick East, Melbourne, Australia
- https://shop.padrecoffee.com.au/
Brother Baba Budan is part of the Seven Seeds empire—which means the coffee here is just as good. Like it’s flagship, its name is inspired by the story of Baba Budan, a Sufi (someone who practices Sufism) who smuggled seven fertile coffee seeds from Yemen to India back in the 17th century. The cafe is a go-to for of caffeine fiends from all over Melbourne, so expect a crowd. Takeaway is your best bet here, since there are only 15 seats (the ones on the ceiling aren’t included!) and one communal table available.
- +61 3 9347 8664
359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, Australia
- https://sevenseeds.com.au/pages/locate
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