Google “Most Livable City in the World“ and no joke, Melbourne, Australia will be rated first on the list. Fortunately, Melbourne is also a home to a whole bunch of unique cafes. During my four months abroad in this wonderful land, not only did I fall in love with the Australian accent, but I was also bit by the hipster bug as my interest in cafes grew tremendously.
Each cafe has a uniquely Australian style; many of them are filled with wooden tables, chairs, cutting boards … You get the idea. Every meal was basically ready for a photoshoot.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
I felt like I was going on a scavenger hunt every time I hoped on the tram to the city. I would ask my Aussie friends if they had any recommendations of must-try cafes, and I swear everyone said “There are too many to choose from.”
As you can assume, that information really helped a lot… However, one of my roommates did suggest for me to follow a few Instagram pages that were specifically made for “brekkie in Melbourne.” After a lot of research and list-making, Alice (AKA me) was off on her scavenger hunt through Wonderland.
Here are a few of my favorite cafes around Melbourne that are worth trying.
1. My Other Brother (Camberwell)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
This cafe was the very first one I visited. It is right next to the Camberwell Fresh Food Market where I did my grocery shopping. Many of the cafes take the time to make everything from scratch, so this French toast with mixed berries was definitely worth the wait.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
Melbournians sure do love their coffee. I was so excited to lay my hands on some real coffee art. This cappuccino was almost to pretty to destroy.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
2. Reunion&Co (Richmond)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
The layout of this cafe immediately drew my attention as I saw the dangling flower vines when I originally passed by. Along the side of the cafe ran a long sofa (with pillows!). How much more comfortable can you get?
Photo by Danielle Stuart
3. Finders Keepers Cafe (Hawthorn)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
This cafe was likely to be overlooked because of its small size, but it had to be one of my favorites. I liked to think of this cafe as a hidden gem; it only had room for about three tables inside. However, that homey feeling made it special.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
The blueberry ricotta pancakes and chamomile tea provided the perfect warm haven away from the cold winter air.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
4. Muharam Cafe (Hawthorn)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
If you are looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, Muharam Cafe is the cafe for you. They are famous for their red velvet pancakes and Nutella doughnut milkshakes. Go before the 2 pm rush to ensure there will be batter left for you.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
5. Urban Projuice (Albert Park)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
This cafe was a little far from the city, but the trams can surely get you there. At first, I passed right by this cafe, thinking that it was a house. When I went inside, I claimed my seat in front of the kitchen to watch the chefs put together their delicious looking creations. I ordered the cacao bowl dressed with fresh fruit.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
6. Harvest Blend (Camberwell)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
After a few days of cooking for myself, I rewarded myself with a trip to this cafe near school. Either my cooking is either really terrible, or this toasted pita bread with chicken and avocado was the best I’ve ever had.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
7. St. Edmonds (Prahran)
Photo by Danielle Stuart
Before I returned to the States, my mom and I took one last cafe stop together. We decided to stop at this cafe with its alluring street art displayed in the front. I had one last Australian flat white with some French toast to complete my cafe adventures in Melbourne, Australia. My new friends all knew that I was “the girl obsessed with cafes,” and that was fine by me.
Photo by Danielle Stuart
Now, the girl obsessed with cafes has a new city to explore. As for you, I hope these must-try cafes lead you in the direction you are looking for. May the next adventure begin, mate.
Photo by Danielle Stuart