8 Cafés To Try In Melbourne, Australia

Chic, Cozy, and Classy

A tiny, cozy cafe along Hardware Street amongst many other cafes around. There was a queue before lunch time but we didn't wait long.

I ordered the Deaux Baked Eggs ($18) which contained chorizo sausage as the main meat. Love the crunchy toasted almonds and how the aioli mixed with the tomato base. It looks small but don't be fooled by the size, there are 3 eggs in there so its actually pretty filling! Because its baked, the egg yolks were pretty hard and became rather 'gelat' after a while. Another popular choice would be the Pork Belly & Fried Eggs ($21) which looked super crispy and delectable. Great place to stop by for brunch!

Address: 120 Hardware Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(Inside the CBD)

Homely and Relaxing

Located alongside the main street, Basement Cafe isn't exactly located in a basement but its a step down from street level. Entering it feels like you're entering a quaint little home, with the wooden furniture adding a rustic element to it. 

The cafe serves up simple food, wit breakfast and lunch options available. The Pesto Salad ($10) is worth a try, as they are very generous in their servings of feta and avocado condiments. The Gluten-Free Banana Bread ($4.50) is a must order. It was warm and very moist, with a nice crisp on the sides. Unlike most banana breads which are rather bland, this one has a really strong banana flavour. Really enjoyed this one. The coffee beans here are strong and 'manly', definitely something that would rejuvenate your day with one small cup going for $3.70. 

Address: 350 La Trobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000 
(Inside the CBD)

Where Wood & Metal Collide

Northern region of Fitzroy, this cafe is located along the street intersection of Westgarth St and Brunswick St. The theme is a mix between metal and wood, with the grey floor and metal furniture balanced by hanging greenery and wooden walls and tables. This creates a rather avant garde and classy environment, which is probably factored into the prices. 

The menu here is more interesting than the other selected cafes, where they serve up the Soft Shell Crab Dog ($16.50), which features an amalgamation of black sesame slaw, sriracha mayo, and soft shell crab clasped together in a black charcoal bun. The most interesting and exquisite award however would definitely go to the French Toast with Fried Duck Egg & Ice Cream ($22.50). An eclectic mix of both sweet and savoury flavours from the oreo crumbs and chorizo bits, and the duck egg salted caramel ice cream will open up your palate's concept of taste to new perspectives. Even though you're blowing off a couple of extra dollars, this is a must try for the quirky and adventurous.

Address: Rear 412 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065 
(North-East of CBD)

Sinful At All Fronts

As its name suggests, the interior has a reddish theme, clad with dim lights and unnecessary photos of topless men and women plastered on the walls. They are open late and they've also got an alcohol cellar, so I would think that their primary function would be an after work/late night place to hangout for drinks.

However, contrary to the shady character of the place, they offer a really bright deal of serving up beautiful pintxos (pronounced pinchos) at $1 each during lunch time! ($2 at any other time of the day) It's kind of like spanish tapas and I love that one can get variety at such an affordable price. I can't list them all, but my favourites were the Tortilla with Aioli, Balsamic Caramelised Pear and Pistachio with Cream Cheese, and the Chocolate Rum Balls. 

Address: 285 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065 
(North-East of CBD)

Cornerhouse Cafe

Located at a road intersection, Stagger Lee's entrance diagonally faces it, spotted with an outlook like that of a really old retail shop. Although it has a wooden and turquoise theme that is supposedly homely, the lightning-bold-comic-sans-ish fonts used on the menus and posters suggest a more fun environment.  

Serving up a range of breakfast and lunch foods, Stagger Lee's also offer a small selection of homemade pastries, including a Muesli Ball which is a hard and crunchy ball of a mix of nuts, muesli and honey. They are also famous for their Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($18.50), recommended by staff and customers alike. For a vegan option, the Shrooms N Truffles ($17.50) presents a simple yet not too overpowering dish to satisfy your brunch cravings.

Address: 276 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065 
(North-East of CBD)

All-in-one Concept Shop

With its entrance located in an alley along Little Bourke Street, Captains of Industry overlooks Melbourne's GPO across Elizabeth Street. By day, it is a cafe; by night, it becomes a bar as rows of alcohol sit on the shelves. They also two small units inside the shop, where there's a barber and a jeweller. A tattoo shop sits on Level 2. 

They mainly sell sandwiches here for their food options. The Hemingway ($11.50) is a safe option containing free range chicken and BLT. For something strong there's the 3 Cheese Sandwich ($11), featuring an eclectic mix of gruyere, cheddar, and bocconcini. The coffee blend here is strong jumping up at you on first sip, but slowly leans to a chocolatey aftertaste. One cup costs $3.50, the cheapest of all the cafes listed.  

Address: 
Level 1, 2 Somerset Place, Melbourne VIC 3000 
(Inside the CBD)

Trendsetter 

The place that every Singaporean who visits Melbourne would rave about, Top Paddock is definitely the first of its kind cafe that melds together the concept of food, furnishings, and fanfare. The cafe looks sleek and simple with the use of plain colours, with the wooden finishings and plant decorations adding an element of pleasnatness - an interior design synonymous to most cafes right now. 

Top Paddock has a wide range of menu from breakfast to lunch to pastries but perhaps the most popular and the thing I've been waiting for is to try their Berry Ricotta Hotcakes ($19), which I'm pretty certain was where Paddy Hills and Stranger's Reunion originated their idea from. The look of the hotcakes didn't disappoint, as it was fluffy and flavorful, being really generous with their servings as well. A must must must try on your visit to Melbourne, even for just this one dish. The coffee here was surprisingly unpleasant though, being bitter and flat - perhaps it was just my cup. 

Address: 658 Church Street, Richmond VIC 3121 
(South-East of CBD)
Most convenient location as Tram 8 stops right outside the cafe.

Contemporary 

Two Birds One Stone is a popular breakfast and brunch cafe with above average food. Go for the Eggs Benedict's With Smoked Ham & Bearnaise ($17) for a really awesome pairing of eggs and meat. The Soft Shell Crab Burger ($18) is also a famous choice. For something a little more interesting, go for the Salted 5 and Dime Bagel ($15) which features double smoked bacon, a fried egg, topped with watercress and tomato relish. 

Address: 12 Claremont St, South Yarra VIC 3141 
(South-East of CBD)

Friendly Local Coffee Store

For your coffee fix within the CBD, head to Brother Baba Budan (BBB). The place is streaming with people ordering their own personalised cup of coffee to takeaway. Any place that offers you a fact sheet of their coffee bean blends definitely treat their coffee with real earnesty. You can guarantee that here at BBB. 

Address: 359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(Inside the CBD)