Wondering where to get caffeinated in Melbourne? Here are 9 top spots for coffee in 2013…

Winter in Melbourne is all about staying warm and enjoying what the Victorian culture capital does best – coffee! Host of the recent World Barista Championships and the International Coffee Expo, Melbourne has long been renowned as one of the best places to enjoy a hot brew in Australia. With The Age newspaper just releasing their latest Good Café Guide 2013, now is the time to explore some of the most highly rated coffee spots in the city. From specialist coffee bars to architecturally-designed cafes, Melbourne has all the top spots you could ever need to get your caffeine fix. After you’ve booked your flight to Melbourne you can turn your attention to one of the following nine great java joints to visit during your stay.

Auction Rooms

Named the Best Cafe in Melbourne in the Good Cafe Guide 2013, this North Melbourne coffee house oozes designer style and offers one of the coolest fitouts in the city. Housed in a converted warehouse, the industrial-chic design and the enormous red coffee roaster almost makes you feel like you’re on a movie set. The best seats in the house are at the brew bar, behind the grinder, and offer a great view of the brewmaster in action. Coffee enthusiasts will love inhaling the freshly ground coffee-bean aroma wafting through the room from the grinder fan set up near the bar.

Axil Coffee Roasters

According to the Good Cafe Guide 2013, this Hawthorn establishment offers the best coffee in Melbourne. Owned by three-time Australian barista champion Dave Makin, Axil Coffee Roasters is rated highly for its seasonal espresso blend. In fact, the cafe is impressive not just for its coffee but also for its sleek yet masculine design and decadent breakfast and lunch menus. Visitors to Axil can also enjoy watching roasters busily working in the cupping and training room next door to the cafe.

Industry Beans

Fitzroy’s Industry Beans cafe is run by two brothers, Trevor and Steve Simmons, who are determined to keep everything in-house and of the highest quality in their warehouse-style establishment. The cafe offers multiple espresso brews that are roasted on-site, in addition to homemade goodies like fresh-fruit juices, bread, butter and chocolate. The breakfast and lunch menu utilises only ingredients that have been sourced locally and, in another effort to expand their offerings, the brothers have a new Industry Tea in the works too.

Seven Seeds

The benchmark for specialty espresso coffee in Melbourne, Seven Seeds in inner-city Carlton was awarded the best coffee label by the Good Cafe Guide in both 2011 and 2012. Still considered by many to offer the best in the city, Seven Seeds is a popular haunt for students at nearby Melbourne University and hums with energy and atmosphere. Run from a converted warehouse, the cafe also houses a state-of-the-art roasting facility and regular cupping and training programs.

Everyday Coffee

This Collingwood establishment might just be the hippest coffee bar in Melbourne. With a cool shopfront combining bare concrete and dark-stained timber, Everyday Coffee aims to provide its customers with consistently outstanding coffee each and every day.

Brunetti

Another famous Carlton establishment, Brunetti is located on busy Lygon Street and is popular with locals and tourists alike. With a strong Roman feel to its design (likely due to the influence of its founder’s training in Rome as a child) the cafe bustles from dawn all the way through til midnight, and is almost as famous for its Italian pastries as for its coffee.

Growers Espresso

Customers who like food and beverages that are low on transport miles will no doubt look favourably on this cafe in Fitzroy North that specialises in roasting Australian-grown coffee beans. This independent micro-roaster supports coffee growers in the Byron Bay hinterland and regions in New South Wales and northern Queensland.

Dukes Coffee Roasters

This city-based coffee bar is the perfect spot to enjoy espresso and filtered coffee served by friendly, knowledgeable baristas. Recently opened in community-owned Ross House in Flinders Lane, Dukes is fitted with recycled mosaic tiles and reclaimed timber. In keeping with the sophistication of their sister cafe in Windsor, this coffee bar offers its own specialty blend and a simple selection of pastries.

Two Birds One Stone

A heavy-hitting venue that just opened in 2013, South Yarra’s Two Birds One Stone is a bright, sophisticated cafe that still feels warm and inviting. With a funky fitout, popular coffee selection and an impressive, down-to-earth menu, this coffee shop is sure to satisfy caffeine addicts and foodies alike. 

About the Author: Kloe Burns is a travel writer with a passion for food, coffee and culture. She loves to test out the latest and greatest cafes and restaurants and can often be found writing in coffee shops while getting her daily caffeine fix.