Melbourne sets the bar for specialty coffee with its lively café scene.
It is generally known that Melbourne serves top-tier coffee. Every trip to a coffee shop is a visceral experience, from the aroma to the thickness of the crema. I was spoiled for choice. After a two-week trip to the Cultural Capital of Australia, I came back to Manila concluding that coffee from Melbourne is now my Roman Empire—I just couldn’t get it out of my mind.
Having explored various cities over the past decade—for work trips and personal whims—I always ranked Tokyo at the top for coffee supremacy, with Sydney and Lisbon as close contenders. Wherever I go, it’s a personal priority and a ritual to while away a few minutes in at least one third-wave café or specialty coffee house to get to know the city a little bit better.
Melbourne is arguably the best city to fill your cup of coffee fixation, thanks to its abundance of cafés and roasteries bannering quality and sustainability.
But in Melbourne, coffee wasn’t just a side quest—it was the objective. Here, specialty coffee isn’t a trend—it’s the standard, a craft perfected down to a T.
After countless cups and conversations, I’ve handpicked six standout coffee spots—so exceptional that skipping a return visit would be nothing short of a sin.
Patricia
Corner Little Bourke and Little William Sts. , Melbourne
Open only during weekdays, Patricia was designed for the busy office workers in the CBD. Its small but charming space is not where you sit and read a book for hours. You’ll find the spot boasting a standing room only signage encouraging coffee lovers to grab and go.
Apart from its clean and crisp ambience at the end of an unassuming street, what caught my attention was how minimalist their menu is: White, Black, Filter. For a coffee connoisseur, it’s validating to see this. Cortado? Magic? Filter over ice? Its straightforwardness is arousing. People who have issues with decision-making need not to worry as the staff can guide you very well on what to get.
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Dukes Coffee Roasters
247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
If you seek a cozy spot amid the hectic scene in the more touristy area of the city, look no further. Dukes Coffee serves as a cocoon; it’s a warmly lit space housed in a heritage building with minimal seating to catch a quick break.
We went there first thing in the morning even before they opened, and observing a crowd lined up was a clear indication that there really were things worth waiting for. My first sip of their Dukes Coffee Blend espresso did not disappoint. It was easy and balanced. The café takes pride in their organic coffee which is “naturally grown, free of pesticides and glyphosate.” It’s always important to know where your coffee comes from and Dukes makes sure of that.
Proud Mary
172 Oxford St., Collingwood
A week in and we felt like we had to move out of the immediate areas of the CBD and explore its outskirts. Cue Collingwood. Word is that it’s one of the cooler spots in Melbourne showcasing an eclectic mix of shops and cafes.
That morning, we headed to Proud Mary, a brunch spot that offers a complex menu of coffees. To narrow things down, the coffee menu categorizes their offerings by Mild, Curious or Wild, depending on the taste profile one’s palate is ready to explore. I reckon mine leaned towards the “wild”— the Kurume, a single origin produced by Nigist Girmachew from Ethiopia done in a double shot espresso. I immediately got a burst of berries with a hint of chocolate in it. Probably not the best thing to have in the morning, but it did set the tone for the day. If you’re in Melbourne looking for a rollercoaster ride on coffee options, Proud Mary will proudly take you there.
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Seven Seeds
114 Berkeley St., Carlton
Seven Seeds is a coffee sanctuary and an institution in the third wave Melburnian coffee scene. Most of my barista friends would put this place at the top of their list. Upon finally trying it IRL, my expectations were met: proper coffee and a hefty selection of brunch meals against a warehouse setting tucked in the quiet streets of Carlton.
I thoroughly enjoyed my double-shot espresso and the quintessential Australian breakfast, an avo toast with a yummy runny egg.
Ona
22 Ovens St., Brunswick
For me, this is the superstar on the list. During the pandemic, along with a group of coffee fellow enthusiasts, we went in search of different coffees from around the world through bags shipped from halfway across the world.
For Australian coffee it was Ona that was always on the list. We visited the Melbourne flagship coffee spot located in the iconic cafe precinct of Melbourne, Brunswick. It was bright and airy, and meant for customers who want to stay a while to enjoy their flat whites under the Australian sun. During my stay, I opted for one of their specials: the pistachio latte, which was as memorable as I wanted it to be.
Code Black
189 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
I’m saving the best for last and that has to be Code Black. This coffee house has multiple branches in Melbourne but we visited the Morning Bar at Flinders Lane.
I never had a latte like Code Black’s before… and it was the best I’ve ever had. Their latte was made of distilled milk, or more accurately, freeze-distilled milk. It’s a technique where milk is frozen, then allowed to thaw, with the first liquid to melt (containing fats, sugars, and proteins) being collected. This results in a richer, sweeter milk concentrate often used in coffee drinks. And my God, it was nothing like I have ever had!
Melbourne is arguably the best city to fill your cup of coffee fixation, thanks to its abundance of cafés and roasteries bannering quality and sustainability. More than that, it’s safe to say that locals take their coffee seriously. They don’t mask it with sweeteners or complicated methods, but are committed to making good coffee with simple techniques done well using high-quality beans and milk.
If you claim to love coffee, you should book that flight to Melbourne right now.
