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Should I book: Ish
10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023
Where to find the best cafes in Melbourne for your breakfast or coffee hit
Cafe life is a bit of an institution in Melbourne, and one that the locals embrace. Many of us have our firm favourites, but for visitors to the Victorian capital, or for those ready for their first taste of Melbourne cafe culture, here are five fabulous cafes for you to try.
Despite only being a fairly new addition to Seddon, this quaint cafe nestled amongst the trees near the train station feels as if it has always been there.
Fig and Walnut pride themselves on their all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch menu, and their kid-friendly set-up.
The food menu here offers delights to tempt you no matter what your mood – try the Fig and Caramel French Toast if you’re keen to indulge your sweet tooth. The Beef Brisket Roll is sure to satisfy the heartiest of appetites.
Pair great dishes with quality coffee in French provincial surroundings, and you have the perfect spot to get your cafe fix.
What should you try at the Fig and Walnut Cafe? Dish Cult recommends the $19 chilli scrambled eggs, served with feta and micro herbs and served on toasted sourdough.
Lux Foundry is housed in a heritage-listed warehouse, their courtyard is dog-friendly and they use Proud Mary coffee beans. Tick. Tick. Tick.
On the food and drink side of things, at Lux Foundry you can enjoy all-day brekkie, brunch, coffee, smoothies – and cocktails. Another big tick!
Try your morning eggs with a twist and order the Singapore soft shell crab chilli scrambled eggs, or if you’re in for lunch, we suggest the mouth-watering buttermilk fried chicken burger.
History buffs will love knowing that the Lux Foundry building dates back to the Victorian era, and takes its name from the popular Lux-brand stoves that used to be built here.
What should you try at Lux Foundry? Dish Cult recommends the $18.50 prawn tacos (2), served with avocado, mango, and chilli salsa.
The Hawthorn address is the flagship store of this cafe which has venues across Melbourne.
Husband and wife team Dave Makin and Zoe Delany are seriously passionate about their coffee, so you are assured of one of the best cups of Joe in the city.
Axil’s all-day menu features all of the brekkie faves that you’d expect (think Smashed Avo on toast, and zucchini, corn and haloumi fritters), along with earthy lunch treats – try the honey and rosemary roasted lamb sandwich, or crispy pork belly with Mac and Cheese croquettes.
When it comes to coffee, Axil’s creed is ‘picked by hand, roasted by hand, and served by hand.’
What should you try at Axil Coffee Roasters? Dish Cult recommends the $7 New Orleans Cold Brew (cold brew coffee with chicory root, cinnamon, cardamon, vanilla, topped with milk)
Will and Di Keser are so committed to the concept of ‘no eggs on toast’ that they literally wrote the book on it – a recipe book that redefines brunch.
This Hardware Street venue has been recently reimagined as a pop-up sandwich shop, where diners can enjoy the decadent Croque Madame (braised beef cheek with onion, tarragon, and bechamel), the millefeuille of seared tuna, apple and avocado, or the decadent lobster and prawn roll, served with pickled zucchini, soft herbs, and poached eggs.
Hardware Societe has a venue at 10 Katherine Street too, if you happen to be in the vicinity.
What should you try at Hardware Societe? Dish Cult recommends the $23 herb roasted mushrooms, with white bean puree, gremolata, shallot bread, and poached eggs (vegan)
This canteen-style French cafe lays claim to the best pancakes in the city, along with a cracking vegan breakfast and seriously good coffee.
The menu at Two Birds, One Stone is fresh and continually changing to incorporate seasonal produce. We love the ricotta pancakes with raspberry and rhubarb compote, the house-made crumpets with jam, and the brulee French toast with mango, strawberries, and macadamia nut praline. If you prefer savoury over sweet, give the shakshuka with chorizo a go.
If sophistication with a touch of homely sounds like you, then look no further than this cafe that is a firm fave with the locals.
What should you try at Two Birds, One Stone? Dish Cult recommends the $25 citrus and beetroot pan-seared salmon with grilled vegetables and poached egg.
