We need to talk about Neds. Specifically, we need to talk about the Neds croissant bomb; a cathedral-esque pastry dome, atop a chocolate cookie base, piped with smooth pistachio cream. A staple of the Neds experience, to be sure, but we also wouldn’t look past the sardines with, zucchini, a soft boiled egg, fresh herbs and Neds bread. With locations in South Yarra, Armadale, Albert Park and Middle Park to choose from, everyone needs Neds. Various locations; nedsbake.com.au.

Elio’s Place is by siblings Elisa and Adam Mariani, who are also behind CBD diners Greta and Maverick. It represents a step up both in size and menu scale. The comforting certainties of its Euro-style “service continu” policy – breakfast segueing to lunch, aperitivo hour heroizing snacks until dinner kicks in – is matched in a clever space with all sorts of warm nooks and crannies decked out in walnut panelling, chequerboard and cork floors, frosted glass panels and gorgeous lighting. The net effect is like being inside a 1950s sound system – at once warm, familiar and enveloping. /238 Flinders Ln, Melbourne; eliosplace.com.au.

Art, music, mammoth sandwiches and cups of damn fine coffee meet at Ophelia, the newly opened sister of Terror Twilight, Convoy, Tinker and HiFi cafes. Just like its big siblings, Ophelia revolves around the warm fuzzy feelings of the first pop of your favourite vinyl and is the place to go when a fancy dinner is too many hours away. An ever-changing menu of produce-driven, Euro-centric dishes range from buckwheat galette with buffalo milk ricotta and aleppo pepper, to mustard-braised cabbage with smokey Polish sausage and all the snacks in between. 85 High St, Northcote; opheliawestgarth.com.au.

Little Molli is the perfect brunch spot if you promised you’d help your mate move house this weekend. Casual enough for a grab-and-go deli sandwich or pastry, but perfectly cosy and welcoming if you’re procrastinating while you nurse a coffee. The best of both worlds. 66 Nicholson St, Abbotsford; littlemolli.com.au.

The Mulberry Group know good brunch. After all, they’re the masterminds behind Melbourne favourites Liminal, Square One, and Little Molli (just to name a few). The string that ties the many cafes together is proper good coffee and unpretentious, consistently delicious brunch fare. Square One is possibly the most chic member of the family – clear the cobwebs with a spicy and hearty mushroom, kimchi and potato omelette; or keep it light with a continental breakfast plate with an egg, charcuterie, cheese, hummus, pickles and salad. 525 Collins St, Melbourne; instagram.com/squareonecoffeeroasters

With its appealing industrial-warehouse vibe, this Balaclava brunch spot was a bakehouse once upon a time, but now serves up excellent coffee and an animal-friendly menu (you won’t even find eggs here, but don’t let that deter you). Dishes of hearty spiced beans with vegan sour cream and avocado can be scooped up with crunchy corn chips to tick all the brunch boxes. 202 Carlisle St, Balaclava; instagram.com/monkbodhidharma

From the crack of dawn until the dusty evenings, Antara 128 is an all-day venue, starting in the morning with pastries, sourdough and viennoiserie which feature in a short sharp breakfast menu. The team has hand-selected some of the best seasonal produce from around Victoria to throw together elegant – and totally delicious – brunch boards of cured meat, local cheese, pickles, fresh crisp vegetables, leaves and bakery items. Eggs-your-way has had a glow-up with the options of an omelette with smoked trout, mint and sorrel; baked with halloumi, harissa and house-made olive bread; or a full ‘English’ with the appearance of sobrasada, mushroom ketchup and laminated pastry. 128 Exhibition St, Melbourne; antara.melbourne.

What started as a no-frills coffee roastery has blossomed into a series of labs, roasters, and importantly – cafes. You’ll find brunch classics like smashed avo, and the ubiquitous corn fritters, but we suggest the more experimental signature menu. Here you’ll see artistic dishes of porcini-dusted poached eggs in a nest of crisp potatoes and wild mushroom duxelle; and a particularly lush lobster roll with nori, beurre noisette, caviar and house-made salt and vinegar chips. 70 – 76 Westgarth St Fitzroy; industrybeans.com.

The brainchild of Australian barista champion Dave Makin and his partner Zoe, Axil Coffee Roasters started life in Hawthorn, but has since spread its wings to take on 17 slick outposts. The breakfast menu at Burwood Road includes classics like buttermilk hotcakes with fruit and ice cream; eggs baked in spicy peperonata with goats cheese; and smoked salmon Dutch pancakes. If you’re rolling out of bed late, lunch dishes are served from 11am so you can chow down on a restorative steak ciabatta if bircher muesli just won’t cut it. Various locations; axilcoffee.com.au.

With its homey, traditional approach, this Flinders Lane café is focused on seasonal fare featuring ingredients such as quinoa, goji berries and farro grains. Take in the farmhouse-chic fitout, enjoy the collection of sweet-savoury breakfast options like the morning brioche of caramelised bacon, cheesy scrambled eggs, chilli jam, avocado; or go big with a blushing pink lamb rump with asparagus and punchy French-inspired salsa. 517 Flinders Ln, Melbourne; grainstore.com.au.

Concept store CIBI was miles ahead of the curve when it opened in Collingwood’s backstreets in 2008, and Melbourne was quickly besotted with its blend of curated groceries, homewares and home-style Japanese cooking. Although founders Meg and Zenta Tanaka both grew up in Japan, CIBI is as much a reflection of their Victorian home. “Our cafe restaurant is more in harmony with Australian/European culture, with a bit of Japanese inspiration,” Meg says. “Some things are done the Japanese way and then some things are inspired by the Melbourne way. We love to make people happy and we hope our way of omotenashi [roughly translated as the Japanese sense of hospitality] gives some moments of pleasure everyday.” 33-39 Keele St, Collingwood; cibi.com.au.

Housed in the old Denton Hat Mills factory in Abbotsford, Three Bags Full seats about 130 people, sprawls over three rooms and is considered by many to serve the inner-city suburb’s best brunch. Coffee ranges from espresso and classic flat whites to batch brew, pour-over and cold-drip. The kitchen is produce-driven and it keeps the menu interesting with mixed mushrooms with crisp Tuscan kale and miso butter and loaded sweet Black Forest French toast with cherry compote, maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. 60 Nicholson St, Abbotsford; threebagsfullcafe.com.au.

Another Northcote favourite, Penny Farthing Espresso offers a long menu of breakfast items (we like the look of the breakfast birria of two egged tacos filled with portabello mushrooms, avocado, black beans, melted cheese and a side of consomme, or perhaps the Penny Benedict with fig, bacon and onion chutney with spicy hollondaise and poached eggs). It’s also licensed with a tight selection of local beers, wines and spirits so you can ease into the weekend. 206 High St, Northcote; pennyfarthingespresso.com.au.

Musubi rice balls and specialty coffee are the focus of the minimalist cafe co-owned by Kantaro Okado, who is fast becoming one of Melbourne’s most prolific cafe founders. In a converted terrace near Queen Victoria Market, diners can order assorted musubi (commonly known as onigiri) such as the cheddar cheese-and-bonito-filled ‘Okaka-Cheese’ or traditional options like cured cod roe. The springy, chewy mochi-doughnut hybrid ‘mochinut’ comes in sweet seasonal flavours. 279 Victoria St, West Melbourne; 279victoriast.co.