15 Best Cafés in Melbourne You Should Know

The heart of Melbourne hides some of its best cafés in narrow alleys and tucked-away corners.

Laneway Roasters. Tucked into a barely-there laneway off Flinders Lane, this spot roasts their own beans in-house and the smell hits you before you even walk in. The space is tight, industrial-chic with exposed brick and steel counters. Order the single-origin pour-over if you want to taste what they're really about.

The Pourhouse. This two-story café on Degraves Street has floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light. Their signature is a honey lavender latte that sounds weird but works. Polished without being pretentious.

Brick & Bean. A former warehouse converted into a sprawling café with communal tables and hanging plants everywhere. A creator favorite because the lighting is perfect and the staff doesn't mind if you spend an hour setting up a shot.

Fitzroy is where Melbourne's creative energy lives, and its cafés reflect that: eclectic, artsy, unapologetically cool.

Velvet Grind. Velvet chairs, vintage lamps, mismatched mugs. The coffee is serious though. They rotate guest roasters monthly. The courtyard out back is covered in street art and perfect for photos.

Morningside Collective. Equal parts café and gallery space, Morningside rotates local art on the walls every few weeks. The crowd skews young, creative, lots of sketchbooks and cameras.

The Daily Ritual. A tiny corner café with maybe ten seats inside. They specialize in oat milk-based drinks, and their iced latte with house-made vanilla syrup is dangerously good.

Carlton brings a slightly more refined, bookish energy. Leafy streets, university students, and cafés that take their craft seriously.

Chapter & Press. Named for its location near a vintage bookshop. Wooden shelves lined with novels you can borrow, soft jazz in the background. Their flat white is textbook perfect. The cinnamon scrolls sell out by 11am.

Espresso Library. This one's for the coffee geeks. Rotating menu of single-origin espresso and filter options, each with detailed tasting notes on a chalkboard. Minimalist, almost Scandinavian interior.

Saltwater & Sage. A bright, beachy-inspired café with whitewashed walls and potted succulents. Popular with the post-gym crowd and families. Their turmeric latte is a standout. Great natural light, clean aesthetic.

The Copper Kettle. Old-school charm meets modern coffee standards. Worn leather booths, vintage espresso machine on display, walls covered in black-and-white photos of Melbourne's history. Their long black is no-nonsense perfection.

Concrete & Coffee. Housed in a former mechanic's garage. Polished concrete floors, steel beams, roller doors that open to the street in summer. Their signature drink is a charcoal latte that looks dramatic and tastes surprisingly smooth.

The Grind Society. A community-focused café that partners with local roasters and rotates guest baristas. Mismatched furniture, walls covered in flyers for local gigs. Welcoming, unpretentious, real.

Golden Hour Café. Named for the lighting that pours through the west-facing windows every afternoon. Terracotta tiles, hanging greenery, rattan furniture. Creators love it here, and the staff are used to tripods and ring lights.

The Roastery Project. A working roastery with a café attached. You can watch beans being roasted while you drink your coffee. If you're serious about coffee, this place will scratch that itch.

Harbour & Co. A nautical-themed café with navy blue accents and a relaxed coastal vibe. Their iced coffee is dangerously good: strong espresso, creamy milk, a hint of vanilla.

Melbourne's best cafes aren't just serving drinks. They're building communities, creating spaces where people linger, and giving creators the kind of backdrops that make content feel authentic.

If you're a food creator looking for collab opportunities with cafés that get it, SipCollab connects you with spots like these across Melbourne and beyond.

For café owners who want to attract more creators and increase visibility, SipCollab for Cafés makes it easy to list your space, connect with local talent, and build partnerships that benefit both sides.