Winter Foodie Weekend in Melbourne

Friday night 

Arrive in Melbourne. You must be hungry after your journey!  

If you haven’t already made a reservation for dinner, head to Flinders Lane - between Swanston and Spring Streets - for dozens of great dining experiences. Have a bit of fun walking the three blocks, reading menus and deciding where you’d like to eat. Or perhaps create your own degustation by having some snacks at a few venues.  Prefer solid recommendations? Try Lucy Liu for pan-Asian fusion or Cumulus Inc for euro-inspired modern Australian. For the best Italian (you wil neeed to book well inadvance) try Tipo 00

Try an after dinner night cap at one of the great hidden bars in the neighbourhood such as Mill Pace Merchants or Death & Co or The Apollo Inn. Take in some incredible skyline views looking Bourke Street at The Stolen Gem Rooftop Bar

Photo: Lucy Liu

Saturday morning

You’re booked in for a late lunch food tour, so a mid-morning brunch is your best bet. Try Antara 128 at the eastern end of the CBD or the ever popular Higher Ground if you’re closer to Southern Cross/Docklands.  For amzing Bagels and Specialsit Melbourne Coffee try Manchester Press near Hardware Lane.

Saturday afternoon

Meet your tour guide in Bourke St Mall for your Melbourne Foodie Discovery Walk. You’ll sample savoury, sweet, food and drink over 3 hours all while exploring Melbourne’s laneways and arcades. You definitely won’t be hungry afterwards!  

Saturday night

Make sure your booking for dinner is late, as your food tour only finishes at 4.30pm. Perhaps some light style food, such as sashimi. For a budget-blowing showstopper you will need to venture just a little outside of the CBD, book in at Minamashima. You’ll need to jump on the 48 or 75 tram to Richmond for this one. For something in the CBD, try Kisume. If you’re a bit more adventurous, try Japanese/Italian fusion at Alt.  For the ultimate in fine-dining Asian Fusion try CODA.

For an after dark tipple there are more cocktail bars in Melbourne than you could possible try, but Black Kite Commune, Whitehart, Yarra Falls and Caretaker's Cottage all have distinctly different vibes and are all worth a visit.  

Queen Victoria Market

Sunday brunch 

Coffee, a pastry and a wonder around one of Melbourne’s markets is a fabulous way to spend Sunday morning. At Queen Vic Market (1.5km*) try Publique and at South Melb Market (2km*) try Agathe. If cheese is more your taste, try a toastie from Maker & Monger at Prahran Market (6km*). Expect a queue at all of these places. *Distances from Southern Cross Station.  Or stay in CBD and visit Brunetti Oro on Flinders Lane.

Roll away to the airport to take your flight home - at least you’ll be too full to eat the plane food!

Winter in Melbourne-Must Do’s !!

The Charm of Winter in Melbourne

Winter in Melbourne is undeniably charming. Sure, it can be a bit cold and windy, but all the more reason to layer up in all your favorite jackets, scarves and boots to explore the city with a hot drink in hand.

Winter in Melbourne is a great time to get involved in the cinema, art and theatre that makes Melbourne Australia's cultural capital. Once you step out of the galleries and cinemas, spend 3 hours with us exploring the laneways and eating delicious food…. including some warm drinks! Join any of our winter delight walking tours.

There’s also lots of indoor activities that go beyond the shopping malls. We’ve got you covered for culture in June, July and August.

🎨 Cultural Hits & Blockbuster Exhibitions

Rising Festival

(Until June 08)

Melbourne’s Winter Contemporary Arts Festival celebrates the darkness with light installations and theatre shows of all kinds. Whether you’re a contemporary art lover or just curious, they’ll be something for you in the extensive 2-week program.

More Information

CARTIER at the NGV

(Until October 04 )

Running through October 4, 2026, the NGV’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces® features nearly 400 extraordinary jewels, gems, and rare royal archives

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QVM Night Market

(Wednesdays nights from 5pm until Aug 26)

Enjoy incredible street food, specialty shopping and Live entertainment. Free entry! Wed 5pm – 10pm, ends 26 August 2026.

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Melb International Film Festival (MIFF)

(August 6–23, cinemas across the CBD)

Snuggle into warm cinemas across the CBD for one of the world's most highly regarded film festivals (August 6–23, 2026)

A great afternoon would be attending the Foodie Discovery Walk, followed by an early session at MIFF.‍ ‍

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Lightscape

(From June 12 to August 2, 2026)

The Royal Botanic Gardens transforms into an illuminated night trail featuring twenty new light installations.

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Firelight Festival

Head to the Docklands waterfront (July 4–6) to warm up with glowing art, roaming performers, and spectacular fire displays.

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☕ Laneways, Local Bites & Night Markets

Hide away from the chill in CBD staples like Degraves Street or Centre Place, grabbing a world-class latte and a pastry. Join a Coffee Lovers Walking Tour or a Winter Laneways Walking Tour

Heritage Arcades: Stay dry while admiring the 19th-century architecture and boutique shops of the Block Arcade and Royal Arcade.

🏎️Sports & Indoor Escapes

AFL Games: Experience Melbourne's obsession by catching an Australian Rules Football match live at the nearby MCG or Marvel Stadium.

ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image): Escape the rain at Fed Square to explore interactive, state-of-the-art screen culture and film exhibitions.

Winter treats in Melbourne for foodies

Melbourne’s winter is relatively mild, rarely dipping below 10 deg C (50 deg F) during the day. However, across the rest of sunny Australia, Melbourne has a reputation for being cold, wet and dark during July. While it can be tempting to snuggle up at home on the couch, winter is a great time to layer up in your favourite winter clothes and take advantage of all those warming and comforting delights you’re in the mood for. With multicultural culinary influences from Europe and Asia, here are some of the best winter things to eat and places to eat them in July 2023!  

Coffee & pastry

Melbourne is obsessed with two things in winter: Aussie Rules football (it’s not rugby or soccer) and coffee! The downtown grid - which is half a square mile (1.3 sq km) – has hundreds of coffee shops, with some of them very serious about their coffees. Most locals drink a caffe latte or a flat white (both are espresso topped with steamed milk) but if you really want a Melbourne coffee order a ‘magic’. It’s technically a ‘double ristretto ¾ latte’ but tastes just like a caffe latte with a more intense coffee flavour and less milk. One of the best is at Industry Beans in Little Collins Street. If you prefer your coffee black, they also offer filter coffee (high quality drip) or single origin black espresso. You might also like to try Maker on Hardware Lane, especially if you’re travelling with a non-coffee drinker. They make one of the best chai lattes.

What goes better with coffee than a pastry? Whether you like a classic croissant or something more elaborate like a cherry and pistachio danish or a lemon curd cronut, pastry is definitely having a moment in Melbourne. You can join the daily queue at world renowned Lune Croissanterie in Russell St or play hide and seek and find the petit shop for Agathe patisserie in the historic Royal Arcade.

Hot pot (Thai or Chinese)

There’s nothing quite as warming as sharing hot pot with friends. There’s something very comforting about communal cooking at the table over some nice conversation. This is not a dish to dine solo! Whether you like the spicy and numbing flavours of Sichuan province in China or the aromatic flavours of Thailand, Melbourne has many opportunities for hot pot.

The original in Melbourne and still very popular is Dainty Sichuan (no website) at 149 Lonsdale St. For Thai flavours and a menu that goes beyond hot pot as well, head to Nana Thai on Bourke near Russell. If the queue is too long, the eastern end of Bourke St (between Russell St and Spring St) has recently seen a burst of Thai restaurants, so try your luck at one of those!

Warming spaces for after dark drinks

After dinner it’s nice to slip into a moody bar for a sneaky cocktail. Winter is the best time to explore Melbourne’s indoor spaces designed to be warm and intimate.

When Gimlet became too popular, local hospitality hero Andrew McConnell decided to open a dedicated cocktail bar next door. The Apollo Inn is Melbourne’s newest hot spot, named for the original watering hole that was on this spot in the very early days of British settlement. It’s small, quiet and very sophisticated, specialising in martinis.

Mill Place Merchants Mill Place Merchants, Housed in a historic, heritage-listed building dating back to the 1840s, we occupy a space that once buzzed with the industry of meat preserving, hat, soap, and candle merchants. Tucked away within the timeworn walls of Mill Place, MPM emerges from the pages of history.

Black Kite Commune is also a new kid in town serving more than 90% Australian made drinks with indigenous flavours highlighted on the snacks menu. Head upstairs into the mezzanine booths and simply press the button at your table for cocktail service. A perfect way to avoid the chill outside! 

Conclusion

Of course if you want to pack a whole lots of treats into 3 hours, you could join one of our Melbourne walking tours, where food and drinks are included on every tour. Melbourne is definitely a place that thrives during winter, so grab your puffer jacket and scarf and head out into see the city and warm up with some comforting winter treats. 

Maker Coffee: The Art of the Filter Ritual

When it comes to experiencing coffee as a moment of pure mindfulness, Maker Coffee stands in a league of its own. Founded with a simple philosophy—to serve exceptional coffee with warmth, clarity, and care—this premier Melbourne-based roaster treats the crop with absolute reverence. What began as a passionate, small-batch roasting operation in the backstreets of Richmond has grown into a handful of carefully curated espresso bars across the city.  

As a standout destination on our Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, a visit to Maker's serene city spaces—like their beautifully designed bars on Little Collins Street or right near Hardware Lane—offers an intimate look at the slow-coffee movement.

Honesty in the Cup: Small-Batch Precision

Maker Coffee doesn't mass-produce. They source exceptional, traceable beans globally, focusing heavily on sustainability and direct producer partnerships. Back at their Richmond roastery, every single batch is roasted with meticulous precision to highlight the natural, honest character of the specific origin.

• The Rotating Single-Origin Menu: You won’t find a static, unchangeable menu here. Maker constantly rotates its single-origin offerings depending on global harvest cycles. On any given day, you might experience a bright, washed Kenyan bean bursting with blackcurrant notes, or a complex, natural Colombian variety.  

• Neighborhood Sanctuaries: Their inner-city spaces are deliberately designed to feel like clean, calm sanctuaries away from the CBD noise. Featuring minimalist layouts and soft lighting, the architecture intentionally keeps the focus on the interaction between the barista, the guest, and the brew.  

The Highlight: The V60 Brew Bar Ritual

While we appreciate a perfectly pulled espresso, the real magic happens at Maker’s dedicated Brew Bar. For our Coffee Lovers groups, this is where we pause to appreciate the ultimate slow-coffee ritual: the V60 Pour Over.

Watching a Maker barista craft a pour over is like watching a chemist at work. The process is completely transparent: the beans are ground to order, the water temperature is digitally monitored, and the pour is executed in concentric circles with absolute precision. This filter brewing method extracts the most delicate, tea-like complexities of the bean, offering a incredibly clean cup that completely rewrites what people think coffee tastes like.

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Skip the Milk (Just This Once): When trying a V60 single-origin filter brew, skip the milk and sugar. These coffees are naturally sweet and complex, designed to be enjoyed black to appreciate the subtle fruit or floral notes.

• Meet the Makers: The baristas here are selected not just for their technical expertise, but for their warmth. Don't be shy to ask them about the farm or the processing method of the coffee you’re drinking—they love sharing the story.

• The Maven Blend: If you prefer a traditional milk-based coffee, try their signature house blend, The Maven, which cuts through milk beautifully with rich, reliable flavor.

Wake Up to Melbourne's Best Brews

Ready to slow down and experience the ritual of specialty coffee with the people who roast it? Join us on the Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, where our local guides take you past the generic cafes and straight to the heart of Melbourne's coffee elite. You’ll taste the difference, master the vocabulary, and meet independent pioneers like the team at Maker.

Industry Beans: The Science of Specialty Coffee

If there is one name that represents the cutting edge of Australia’s global coffee reputation, it’s Industry Beans. Founded in 2013 by brothers Trevor and Steve Simmons in the backstreets of Fitzroy, this powerhouse roaster has spent over a decade redefining what it means to source, roast, and brew the perfect bean.

As a premier destination on our Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, a visit to Industry Beans is an education in the "crop-to-cup" journey. It is the perfect place for our small groups to experience the meticulous science behind Melbourne's daily obsession.

Precision Roasting & High-Tech Design

While Industry Beans operates state-of-the-art open warehouse roasteries, our walking tour zeroes in on their incredibly striking city outposts, such as the minimalist, modern space tucked onto Little Collins Street.

• The Modbar Revolution: When you step inside with your guide, the first thing you’ll notice is the distinct lack of a giant, bulky espresso machine blocking the counter. Instead, Industry Beans utilises the space-age La Marzocco Modbar system. The main machinery is hidden beneath the bench, leaving only sleek, minimalist taps protruding from the counter. This design creates a completely open, transparent interaction between the barista, the guest, and the brew.

• Seasonal Curation: Rather than sticking to one static flavor profile, they roast a brand-new Seasonal Espresso Blend every three months. This approach allows them to showcase the absolute best beans available from global harvest cycles at that exact moment.

• Ethical Sourcing: Traceability is at the core of what they do. They work transparently with farmers across the world's premier coffee-growing regions, ensuring every batch is ethically traded and expertly evaluated.

What to Sip: From Espresso to Innovations

On our specialised coffee itineraries, we don't just drink a standard flat white—we explore how different brewing methods manipulate flavor.

• The Roaster's Pick Single Origin: For the purists, their single-origin filter and espresso options highlight individual regional characteristics, ranging from citrusy Ethiopian heirlooms to rich, chocolatey Colombian varieties.

• The Fitzroy Iced: A signature creation that has become a Melbourne cult favorite. It features cold brew coffee infused with native Australian wattleseed and organic panela, offering a uniquely local twist on chilled caffeine.

• The Bubble Coffee: Proving that coffee can still be playful, this creation combines single-origin cold drip with con-soy milk and coffee-soaked tapioca pearls that burst in your mouth.

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Test Your Knowledge: Our Coffee Lovers Tour finishes in this sophisticated neighborhood precisely so you can put your newly acquired coffee vocabulary to use with their extensive, multi-layered menu.

• The Coffee-Spiced Brunch: If you return on your own for breakfast, don't miss their sophisticated food menu. They are famous for integrating coffee into their culinary dishes, like their egg and bacon muffins served with a signature coffee-spiced hollandaise.

• Take the Beans Home: They sell their iconic retail bags on-site, including the Fitzroy Street and Rose Street signature blends, which make for the ultimate premium souvenir for the coffee enthusiast in your life.

Decode the Menu Like a Local

Ready to step past the standard cafe counter and understand the art and architecture behind Melbourne’s liquid gold? Join us on the Coffee Lovers Walking Tour, where our passionate local guides take you behind the scenes at world-class venues like Industry Beans. You'll sample different styles, meet expert baristas, and learn exactly how to order like a seasoned local.

Bench Coffee: A Study in Specialty Roasting

For those who treat caffeine as an art form, Bench Coffee Co. is a must-visit destination. A premier stop on our Foodie Discovery Walk, and occasionally visited by smaller groups on our Coffee Lovers Tour, Bench represents the pinnacle of Melbourne’s world-renowned specialty coffee scene.  

The Pursuit of Precision

Bench Coffee is known for its minimalist, modern approach to the bean. They focus on highlighting the unique characteristics of each origin through precise roasting and brewing techniques.  

• Specialty Focus: As a specialty roaster, they prioritise high-quality, ethically sourced beans from around the globe.  

• Minimalist Design: Their CBD outposts, such as the sleek space on Little Collins Street, offer a gallery-like atmosphere where the focus remains entirely on the craft in the cup.  

• Local Craft: Like all our partners, Bench is an independent local business that has helped shape Melbourne's reputation as a global coffee capital.  

Why We Visit

• A Masterclass in Flavour: It provides a necessary contrast to the sweets and savouries on our tours, offering a palate-cleansing look at what makes Melbourne coffee truly world-class.  

• Expert Curation: Our guides are happiest at the intersection of food and storytelling, and the story of Bench’s rise in the city's competitive coffee landscape is a guest favourite.  

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Try the Batch Brew: While their espresso is excellent, their batch brew is a fantastic way to experience the subtle, tea-like complexities of their lighter roasts.  

• Take Home a Bag: If you love what you taste on the tour, they sell bags of their seasonal roasts so you can take a piece of Melbourne's coffee culture home with you.  

Wake Up to Melbourne's Best Brews

Ready to discover why the world looks to Melbourne for coffee inspiration? Join us on the Foodie Discovery Walk or our specialised Coffee Lovers Tour to go behind the scenes with our local experts. Our guides—who live and breathe the city's coffee culture—will show you the hidden roasters you’d never find on your own.

Heartbaker: The Art of Banh Mi

No exploration of Melbourne’s multicultural food scene is complete without a stop for a world-class Banh Mi. At Heartbaker, located in the heart of the CBD, this Vietnamese classic is elevated through high-quality ingredients and traditional techniques. As a featured stop on our Foodie Discovery Walk, it represents the vibrant fusion flavours that have come to define our city's laneway culture.  

The Perfect Fusion

The Banh Mi is a beautiful example of culinary history—a French baguette filled with traditional Vietnamese ingredients.  

• The Bread: Heartbaker focuses on a crusty, light Vietnamese Tiger Baguette that provides the perfect crunch. All baked fresh daily in the Heartbaker inhouse bakery!!

• The Fillings: Expect a balance of savoury proteins, rich pâté, and fresh, zesty pickled vegetables.  

• Local Expertise: Like all our partners, Heartbaker is chosen because they are masters of their craft, working at the intersection of traditional storytelling and modern flavours.  

Why We Love It

• A Tour Highlight: It is a key savoury component of the Foodie Discovery Walk, ensuring our guests leave the tour feeling very full and satisfied.

• Authentically Melbourne: While the origins are international, the way Heartbaker serves the city's busy professionals and hungry explorers is quintessential Melbourne.  

• Accessibility: The venue fits perfectly into our easy walking routes through the flat, accessible streets of the Hoddle Grid.  

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Arrive Early: Like most of Melbourne's best lunch spots, the queues for a fresh Banh Mi can grow quickly during the midday rush.

• The Perfect Lunch: If you aren't on a tour, a Heartbaker Banh Mi is widely considered one of the best value-for-money lunches in the CBD.

• Dietaries: Ask about their vegetarian options, which offer the same fresh, crunchy experience without the meat.

Taste the Stories of the Laneways

Ready to discover why this Banh Mi is a local favourite? Join us on our Foodie Discovery Walk, where we take you behind the scenes to meet the makers who bring these incredible flavours to life. Our guides are experts in the people and history behind the food, ensuring every bite comes with a story.

Shandong Mama Mini: A Laneway Legend

Tucked away in the iconic, graffiti-covered Centre Place, Shandong Mama Mini is a quintessential Melbourne hole-in-the-wall joint that proves the best things often come in small packages. A standout stop on both our Foodie Discovery and Dumpling Discovery tours, this tiny venue is a masterclass in authentic flavours and family tradition.  

The Story Behind the Dumpling

The restaurant is a passion project led by Meiyang—affectionately known as "Mama"—who moved her family from the Shandong province of China to Melbourne in 2012.  

• The Peninsula Heritage: Mama hails from the Shandong peninsula, located between Beijing and Shanghai.  

• Regional Specialties: Her recipes are inspired by the coastal city of Yantai, famous for its unique seafood-based dumplings.  

• Family Secrets: Every family in Yantai has a distinct recipe, and Mama has spent years perfecting her signature blends for Melbourne diners.  

What to Eat

While the restaurant itself is small, the food is world-class and hand-crafted in an open garage-style kitchen.  

• The Signature Mackerel Dumpling: This is the dish that put them on the map. Fresh mackerel is hand-whipped into a delicate mousse with ginger and coriander, then pan-fried into tubes of deliciousness.  

• The Vegan Favourite: For those looking for plant-based options, their vegan zucchini and tofu dumplings are a hit for their fresh, crunchy texture.  

• The Authentic Sauce: To eat like a local from Northern China, avoid the soy bottle. Instead, reach for the black vinegar ('V') and a dash of chilli for the most authentic experience.  

Travel Tips for Your Visit

• Embrace the Crowd: Part of the fun at Shandong Mama Mini is huddling around the long table and soaking up the bustling laneway atmosphere.  

• Watch the Craft: You can marvel at the speed and precision of the chefs as they work in the compact kitchen space.  

Discover the Heart of Chinatown

Want to devour these famous mackerel dumplings without the guesswork? Join us on our Dumpling Discovery or Foodie Discovery Walks, where we handle the ordering and share the history behind every bite.

Specialty Chocolate: The Mörk Experience

If you think hot chocolate is just for kids, Mörk Chocolate is here to change your mind. A highlight on our Foodie Discovery Walk, this homegrown Melbourne brand has elevated drinking chocolate to the same level of craft as specialty coffee. Founded in 2012 by Josefin Zernell and Kiril Shaginov, Mörk (Swedish for "dark") focuses on ethical sourcing, traceability, and high-quality ingredients.

What Makes Mörk Unique?

Mörk isn't your average chocolate shop. They treat cacao with the same respect a sommelier treats wine, offering blends that range from 50% to a deep, intense 85% cacao.

• The Campfire Chocolate: Their most iconic creation is a multi-sensory experience. It involves a beaker of hot chocolate served with a glass of beechwood smoke, a pinch of smoked salt, and a toasted, house-made marshmallow. You inhale the smoke, pour the chocolate, and stir in the salt for a nostalgic trip to the fireside.

• Traceability: They work directly with producers to ensure their cacao is ethically grown and minimally processed.

• Bean-to-Bar Bakery: In addition to their drinks, they produce a range of pastries and cakes—like their famous cinnamon buns—baked fresh daily at their North Melbourne "Foundry".

Tips for Your Visit

• Try the Original: Their 70% dark chocolate was their very first blend and remains a signature for a reason—it’s the perfect balance of richness and sweetness.

• Small Groups: Mörk venues are often tiny and intimate, which is why they fit so perfectly with our small-group tour philosophy.

• Souvenirs: You can purchase pre-made chocolate milk, a variety of cacao powders, and other chocolate-related products to enjoy at home.

• Dietary Needs: The menu includes plant-based options, such as The Whole Nut, which features dark chocolate made with hazelnut milk.

Join us for a Hot Chocolate

Want to experience the theatre of a Mörk hot chocolate for yourself? Join us on our Foodie Discovery Walk, where we introduce you to the best independent makers in the city.

Top 5 Melbourne Laneways for Coffee

Melbourne: Home of the Coffee Snob

Melbourne is known as the home of the coffee snob – a badge many wear with pride! Melbourne sits on a half square mile rectangular grid of streets. In between these main streets, you’ll find about 200 laneways, many of which will house cafes! No wonder we have about 1000 places to get a coffee! The coffee culture is dominated by espresso mixed with milk. Think about the style of a caffe latte, or as Aussies prefer to call it - a flat white.

Of course, black coffee is widely available. If you want espresso straight up, ask for a short black. To dilute it in water, call it a long black. For a cup of American black coffee, ask for filter or ‘batchy’ (short for batch brew).

Many of the laneway cafes are tiny with just a few seats and most people electing to grab their coffee takeaway (to-go). Worried about consuming all those disposable cups? If you bring your own cup - such as the Melbourne made ‘Keep Cup’ – your barista will be happy to make it in that. Many cafes sell a version of the Keep Cup if you’d like to nice souvenir.

Degraves St

Melbourne’s most famous laneway (read: alleyway) is Degraves St and there’s certainly great quantity of places to get a coffee, but two are known as the choicest. Fieldwork Coffee is a wonderful example of the Melbourne coffee scene with just a few seats to sit and house roasted coffee. They call themselves a ‘modern Australian micro roastery’.

Rankins Lane

Melbourne’s laneways just off Little Bourke St really punch above their weight for world class coffee. Here in Rankins Lane, you’ll find two of the most famous.

Brother Baba Budan is probably Melbourne’s favourite laneway café. Opened ‘circa 2003’ by Seven Seeds coffee roasters it consistently serves some of the best ethically sourced coffees in Melbourne. The communal table in the front window is the best seat in town to soak up the sweet beats pumping through the stereo while you sip.

Head around the corner deep into Rankins Lane for Manchester Press. Here you’ll order coffee roasted by Ona coffee – another roaster that takes sustainability and ethics in coffee sourcing very seriously. Manchester Press is a great place to go if you’d like some food with your coffee.

Somerset Place

Also in the same Little Bourke St neighbourhood this laneway is a great place to find amazing coffee. Captains of Industry has been quietly tucked away up the rickety staircase on level 1 for years offering coffee, booze and haircuts. They probably won’t make a fuss about the coffee, but it will be roasted dark and roasted locally. And it’s a lovely quiet space to sit if you need some laptop time.

If you’re really up for some of the tastiest coffees in Melbourne, head to the end of this Melbourne laneway to Blue Doors. They use coffee roasted for them by Cartel Coffee Roasters in Geelong (1 hour down the highway). Cartel roast a blend for them for milk based coffee that is entirely unique. Exotic coffees are also a highlight here.

Crossley St

At the eastern end of town are some of the most enduring eating and drinking experiences in Melbourne – many of them Italian.

Pellegrini’s on Bourke St (corner Crossley St) is credited with introducing espresso to Melbourne in 1953. It’s been in the same family since 1974 and they bought it from the Pellegrini brothers themselves. The late owner, Sisto Malaspina, has a permanent memorial out the front. That’s how much Melbourne loves this place. Don’t come here expecting the best coffee in Melbourne. Come here for a piece of living history.

Around the corner is a tiny almost literal hole in the wall called Traveller. Like Brother Baba Budan, it’s also owned by Seven Seeds. Look for the neon sign of a shoe. A coffee from Pellegrini’s side-by-side with a coffee from Traveller tells you where Melbourne coffee has come from and where it’s going.

Equitable Place

This is another hectic laneway during the week as office workers descend upon this place during their lunchbreak. The tiny Two Conversations coffee is consistently good and also offers some healthy snacks. Head towards Little Collins St and just around the corner to Industry Beans. The minimalist, also clinical Modbar layout serves wonderful coffees including some modern additions for milk lovers such as Bubble Cup (a coffee drink mimicking bubble tea) and an iced latte with the additional if Australian native wattleseed.

Drinking decaf in Melbourne

Most cafes these days will have a decaf option, but if you’re looking for some of the best there are two clear standouts. The decaf at hugely popular organic coffee roaster Dukes, is hard to differentiate from the standard variety. It has complexity and body which is something many other decafs lack. We’d happily drink it with milk or without. You will probably need to stand in line along Flinders Lane with the rest of the crowd, but it’s worth it!

One of our favourites - mentioned above - is Industry Beans and their decaf is also top notch in flavour. The beans are decaffeinated using the ‘sugarcane process’ which utilises the enzymes from the sugarcane plant to leach the caffeine from the coffee beans. But if that is getting a bit technical - don’t worry too much. Just enjoy the coffee!

WANT TO DRINK THE BEST COFFEE IN MELBOURNE?

COME JOIN US!

Walk Melbourne Tours will help you get the best out of your stay in Melbourne. Our Coffee Lovers Walking Tour will take you to visit four coffee houses and cafés around Melbourne’s laneways, sample a selection of different coffee varieties, and uncover all the secrets of brewing the perfect coffee. Click Here for more info.

Coffee Lovers Walking Tour by Walk Melbourne