The Kettle Black, Melbourne, Victoria © Josie Withers, Tourism Victoria
10 of Melbourne's best breakfast and brunch spots
Make the most important meal of the day the best one at these top-notch Melbourne cafés.
By Ellie Schneider
It's a city renowned for its café culture and Melburnians are spoilt for choice when it comes to their morning meal. Here are a few Melbourne breakfast and brunch spots that are worth getting out of bed for.
The Kettle Black
The Kettle Black, Melbourne, Victoria © Visit Victoria
Where: 50 Albert Rd, South Melbourne
This could quite possibly be the most photographed café in Melbourne. Housed within a converted Victorian terrace on Albert Road, The Kettle Black serves sophisticated breakfast fare almost too pretty to eat. Think seasonal ingredients integrated perfectly into both sweet and savoury dishes.
Two Birds One Stone
Two Birds One Stone, Melbourne, Victoria © Two Birds One Stone
Where: 12 Claremont St, South Yarra
Just behind Chapel Street in South Yarra, Two Birds One Stone has become a popular port of call for hungry Melburnians. Its bright, airy space and cosy booth seating mean you could easily hang around all day. And with food this impressive, you may just want to. Your caffeine hit is available in a variety of forms: espresso, Aeropress, siphon, pour-over and cold drip.
Feast of Merit
Feast of Merit, Richmond, Victoria © Visit Victoria
Where: 117 Swan St, Richmond
The exterior of Feast of Merit is splashed with vibrant murals, and inside you'll find a menu that keeps the excitement rolling. Dishes here are inspired by Middle Eastern spices, so you'll find dishes infused with the flavours of sumac, za'atar, smoky paprika and more. With bright interior gardens, this is one café that will transport the tastebuds.
Twenty & Six Espresso
Where: 594 Queensberry St, North Melbourne
The menu at the pocket-sized Twenty & Six Espresso is just one page, but the food boasts so much flavour. Many dishes use ingredients that come straight from the Queen Victoria Market nearby. Venture into the quaint courtyard out back and check out the humble yet fragrant herb garden.
ST ALi
ST. ALi Cafe, South Melbourne, Victoria © Visit Victoria
Where: 12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne
ST ALi’s flagship café has become one of Melbourne's most sought-after breakfast spots. On any given day the crowd spills out the door, as discerning locals wait to get their hands on expertly crafted dishes like the 'My Mexican Cousin:' secret recipe corn fritters with poached eggs, grilled haloumi, corn and cucumber salsa and spicy tomato purée. The coffee here is famous, too. Head barista Matt Perger is touted around the globe.
Journeyman
Journeyman, Windsor, Victoria © Marcelina Jasinska
Where: 169 Chapel St, Windsor
Smack bang in the middle of Chapel Street, Journeyman has punters queuing at weekends for its beautifully plated breakfasts. Popular choices include toasted waffles with blueberry compote, fresh fruit, cream and smoked maple syrup. Or try the almond and cornflake crispy chicken burger with red cabbage slaw and corn and tomato salsa. A glass cabinet houses a decadent selection of desserts; don’t leave without picking up a flourless biscuit sandwich for later.
Code Black Coffee
Where: 15-17 Weston St, Brunswick
Code Black Coffee is a café and roasting house that prides itself on craftsmanship, from its polished fit-out to its photogenic dishes, and at its core, a pursuit to be the best in the business. Tuck into an ever-evolving selection of breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast and pancakes. For your coffee hit, try the single-origin that’s roasted in-house.
Industry Beans
Industry Beans, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria © Visit Victoria
Where: 3/62 Rose St, Fitzroy
Tucked down the graffiti-splashed backstreets of Fitzroy lies one of Melbourne's best boutique roasters, Industry Beans. Skilled baristas turn out single origin and blended coffees through a wide variety of methods – including espresso, pour over, aeropress and cold drip – using beans roasted in-house. But it's not only the coffee that pulls the crowds. The progressive menu is worth seeking out.
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Auction Rooms
Auction Rooms Cafe, Melbourne, Victoria © Visit Victoria
Where: 103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne
The old WB Ellis auction house on Errol Street provides the bones for one of Melbourne's most lauded cafés, Auction Rooms. It has garnered a reputation for its cool fit-out and creative breakfast fare. If that's not enough, the coffee is impeccable, made from beans that come from its own roastery down the road.
Top Paddock
Where: 658 Church St, Richmond
Sitting down to breakfast at Top Paddock has become a Melbourne must, so be prepared to wait. Do so and you'll be treated to classic dishes like eggs benedict as well as surprising newcomers like a breakfast salad. Coffee in hand and surrounded by greenery, timber and glass, a trip to Top Paddock will be a very Melbourne morning indeed.
