Melbourne has a deep love affair with caffeine, so get your coffee snob on and explore our list of the top eight places to get a flat white, long black, latte or any other variation you can think of in the culture capital. Words by Lindy Alexander.
One of the very first places that lifted Melbourne’s coffee scene above uber-dark roasted beans and cappuccinos, Seven Seeds is still one of the best places to get a cup of joe. They regularly rotate single origins offerings, and these are usually a great bet. 114 Berkeley St, Carlton, www.sevenseeds.com.au
If you suffer from decision paralysis head to Patricia where it’s only about the coffee. The tiny, stripped-back European-style coffee shop (standing room only) has black, white or filter coffee in one size only. Patricia is the very essence of doing one thing and doing it beautifully. Little Bourke St & Little William St, Melbourne, www.patriciacoffee.com.au/
Fancy an education to go with your coffee? Then Aunty Peg’s in Collingwood is the place. It’s a beautiful, raw timber and concrete café, roasting space, shop, bakery and barista training centre. For something really different order the slightly sweet frothy cold brew, poured straight from a beer tap. 200 Wellington St, Collingwood https://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au/pages/aunty-pegs-1
Coffee with a conscience is in full swing at Dukes. Amid the reclaimed timber and hipster beards is great coffee sourced from ethical and sustainable farms and co-operatives. 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, https://www.dukescoffee.com.au/
Housed in an old stable, this place is Melbourne-chic at its best. Even the spelling of virtue references an English bill from the 1600s, which proclaimed the medicinal benefits of coffee. We’re not sure about any therapeutic advantages of coffee, but in the hands of the vertue staff, it’s liquid gold. 8 Raffa Pl, Carlton, https://vertuecoffee.com.au/
St Ali has been synonymous with great coffee for over 13 years. Housed in a secluded warehouse in South Melbourne, St Ali serves killer coffee and backs it up with a menu that is quintessentially Melbourne-modern. 12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne, https://stali.com.au/
If you’re after an almond, soy or oat milk latte, keep walking. Market Lane sticks to full fat cow’s milk in one size. Join the queue – it’s worth the wait. 176 Faraday St, Carlton, https://marketlane.com.au/
We know, we know. Assembly are just as well known for their tea as for their coffee, but their espresso and filter coffee are so good. And we love how knowledgeable the staff are about the beans. 60/62 Pelham St, Carlton, http://www.assemblystore.com/coffee/
