Best Melbourne Breakfast Spots

Breakfast is supposedly the most important meal throughout the day. So, whether you're catching up with buddies, hungover or hangry, we're spoiled for choices when it comes to our morning breakfasts here in Melbourne. We've got the lowdown on the greatest eateries that deliver eggs runnier than mascara on a warm day and hotcakes fluffier than cumulous.

The Melbourne breakfast scene is as cutthroat as it gets, and for good reason: Australia's most famous cafe is located there. If breakfast really is the most essential meal of the day, then the small hunger pangs you experience between brekkie and lunch must be satisfied by brunch, the day's second most crucial meal. Rather than the usual breakfast fare of Weet-bix and toast, these eateries instead specialise in dishes like properly poached eggs, smoked meats, smashed avocado on sourdough, and copious amounts of coffee.

Despite the city's reputation for loving breakfasts on the weekend, Melburnians may skip breakfast during the week in favour of more shut-eye. While we like a good night's sleep as much as the next person, whether you live, work, or attend school in the city, you can't afford to skip breakfast. There is no shortage of places to eat breakfast in the Central Business District, and many of them open early on weekdays to provide you breakfast.

When it comes to food, breakfast is as near as we get to a national cuisine. The top breakfast spots in Melbourne are celebrated here as they have helped define the morning meal. Others have been handpicked because of their reliability; they have perfected the standards and are used to drawing large audiences.

There are some really large ones and others very small ones. Some are hidden gems in the area, while others are citywide sensations. There is one thing they all have in common, though: they're the best breakfast options in Melbourne.

Napier Quarter

You can spend the entire day here, from morning croissants to late-night cheese, at this Parisian-style Cafe. The anchovy on toast is an undisputed morning staple, but that's not to say there aren't other exciting options on the ever-rotating menu.

Prior Thornbury

Prior Thornberry is the place to go in Melbourne for a gourmet breakfast. The restaurant's chocolate crumpets and steak sandwich are to die for, and the ambience is casual yet contemporary, making it ideal for a weekend breakfast or brunch.

Higher Ground

Higher Ground has more than just stunning architecture to complement your morning meal. The stunning location looks like an old church and has towering ceilings and open eating on several levels. Eggs prepared in a variety of ways, salmon, sourdoughs, granola, and the restaurant's famous ricotta hotcakes are all on the menu.

This cafe is run by the same people as Top Paddock and The Kettle Black, so if you don't want to wait in line on the weekend, plan on stopping by before work.The gigantic, heritage-listed powerhouse that sits on the junction of Little Bourke and Spencer streets is, to put it mildly, magnificent. With an open kitchen, a raised dining room, and a massive mezzanine with couches, tables, and its own bar, this space offers a palette of exposed brick and green marble dispersed throughout a multi-level arrangement. Because of this, it's a great place for a one-on-one breakfast or a private business meeting. Brunch is served until 3 p.m., and it features dishes.

Lankan Tucker

Ceylon bubble tea and a passion fruit ice pole dipped in amber passion fruit tea from the plantation in Sri Lanka, both enlivened with exploding pearls and sparkling water, are two of the specialty cocktails made in the bar.

Lankan Tucker, a cosy Sri Lankan café created in a quiet corner of Brunswick West in 2016, has all the trappings of a classic Melbourne haunt: St Ali coffee, chill atmosphere, plenty of plants, and friendly service.

The Kettle Black

It's possible that this café has more photos of it than any other in Melbourne. The Kettle Black is a Victorian terrace on Albert Road that has been renovated into a restaurant serving breakfast dishes so elegant that it seems almost too gorgeous to eat. Imagine recipes that make the most of seasonal ingredients in both the sweet and savoury categories.

Some cafes like this one are to thank for the rise in status of breakfasts and brunches cooked by chefs to the same level as lunches and dinners. And despite a change in ownership a few years ago, it remains one of the city's finest breakfast spots.

The Kettle Black is an apartment complex, both in the heart of Melbourne's thriving CBD. This is one of the top breakfast restaurants in Melbourne, with food that will blow your mind and a coffee selection that will blow your mind, too.

Guild Cafe

The Guild Cafe, a component of the extensive renovations of the State Library, reopened in 2018 after being closed for more than 15 years. The folks who run Almond Milk Co. also run the cafe right within the Russell Street entrance to the library. Breakfast items like vegan ramen with nori and oats with mint coconut yoghurt and pickled ginger can be found on the menu alongside baked goodies from Hamptons Bakery. For about $10, you can acquire an all-day pass to use their filter coffee while sitting at one of their many communal tables and working on your computer.

Liminal

Liminal is a multi-purpose area that could serve as your ideal morning fuel if you spend your weekdays at a more corporate location. This all-day eatery, which can be found in the T&G Building's lobby, has quickly become a favourite among the early morning office workers. Enjoy a varied breakfast menu while admiring the marble floors and lounging on the modern sofas here. There's the usual brioche bacon and egg roll, or you can get creative with the menu and order wattle seed granola with Panna cotta with buttermilk and passionfruit, or the chilli scramble with buffalo mozzarella. The location is a wine shop, a meeting spot, and a marketplace all in one.

Top Paddock

Top Paddock becomes crowded during the weekend, so plan accordingly if you want to go there. There is still a lot of foot traffic here.

Top Paddock serves up a wide variety of mouthwatering meals, but if you're not a fan of savoury fare, you should try the blueberry and ricotta hotcake with seasonal berries and macadamias.

Rudimentary

This cafe in Footscray is committed to minimalism, sustainability, and mobility. Traditional breakfast dishes with an Asian twist are offered, alongside a robust selection of single origin coffees.

Popular in Footscray for its consistently delicious breakfast fare, this café also makes you long for a life spent in a metal box. Three of them were combined to create this café, which could compete with the best of them thanks to its stylish decor (think leather mid-century chairs in taupe, mustard, and olive green, as well as white walls, green tile, and plenty of fresh flowers). The outside tables are protected from the sun by umbrellas and flanked by herb-filled planters. Oceanic ingredients include greens, olive tapenade,  ricotta, and lemon with wild-caught sardines. Veal katsu sanga with apple pepper chutney, slaw, and pickled carrot, all sourced locally. In comparison to its prior state as a deserted parking lot, this is quite an improvement.

Moby

The owner of this cafe had formal training from Yotam Ottolenghi, and the results are impressive. Many of the foods have a Middle Eastern flavour to them, and they serve you a lot. Also, the selection of sandwiches during lunch is second to none.

Via Porta Eatery Deli

Via Porta Eatery Deli in Melbourne is where you want to go if you want to meet up with friends over breakfast or brunch because of the amazing food they serve. Eggs in arrabbiata, omelettes with whipped feta, and, of course, coffee that will have you begging for more can all be found on the Italian-themed menu.

Lagotto

Lagotto's stylish interior makes it well worth your time to bring your hangover there on a Saturday morning to enjoy their additional Italian-inspired menu. Breakfast here will become a daily ritual because it is so wonderful. Just a taste of what Lagotto has to offer includes fried eggs with pork and fennel sausage, avocado, and braised greens, yoghurt pannacotta, crispy pancetta, and of course a bloody mary.

Rustica Sourdough

Rustica Sourdough is a top choice for breakfast in Melbourne because of their bread and baking expertise. The bread from their Chapel Street bakery is the best part of every meal. Stop in for a fluffy bun stuffed with lobster and prawn benedict or a uniquely Australian Vegemite pastry.

Operator25

Opereator25, housed in a historic structure that was once a telephone exchange, serves up tasty breakfast treats with a decidedly Asian flavour. Brunch lovers in Melbourne won't want to miss this spot, which features dishes like chia pudding, salmon aburi,  sweet potato waffles, and roasted teriyaki mushrooms on its menu.

Located in Melbourne's central business district's legal precinct, Operator 25 is a revelation café housed in a converted telephone exchange. There's a diverse mix of all ages enjoying the restaurant's eclectic seating options.The World Loves Melbourne decided to visit this cafe in a heritage building, having heard rave reviews. We were not disappointed.

Operator 25 has gone to great lengths to furnish and decorate the space with original features such as stone walls, high-end furnishings, a cool chalkboard, and first-rate artwork. One of the cafes frequented by the cast of "The World Loves Melbourne" has a good drinks menu, which includes a pale ale that is popular in the area. In the sweltering summer heat, they brought cold drip coffee, lemon, poached pear, tonic water, maple syrup, mint, and sweet micro herbs and called it Operator's Spritzer.

Excuse me, please. The young crowd sat on seats and tables high above the ground while they enjoyed Operator 25.

The menu was tempting, with high-end twists on the standard Melbourne brunch cuisine. We were given a recommendation and ended up ordering one of the best meals of the year: sweet corn fritters. Amazing visuals and equally mouthwatering flavour. The patties were fresh, juicy, and bursting with flavour, and the serving size was just right for the price.

Lenny 3206

The interior of Lenny 3206 in Melbourne is just the right amount of airy, modern, and bright to give you those summery morning feelings on the weekend. The standard fare of smashed avocado and eggs benedict is available, but if you're looking for something a little more adventurous, dishes like spicy prawn omelette and herb and cheese stuffed cornbread are also on the menu.

Plain Sailing

If there's a queue out the door on a Saturday morning, it's because Plain Sailing is really popular. Moroccan spiced cauliflower fries up, Slow-cooked pulled pork benedict and smashed peas bruschetta with beetroots toast are just a few examples of the delectable flavour combinations they specialise in.

Archie's All Day

Since opening in April 2015, Archie's has been keeping busy serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was opened by the same people responsible for Collingwood's famed Bluebird Espresso Café. Bluebird's signature smashed avocado can still be found on the new menu, alongside grilled French toast topped with smoked maple cream and sweet potato custard, and huevos sucios, or "dirty eggs," made with tater tots,  black beans, salsa, fried eggs, chipotle mayo, and jalapeno-spiked cheese. When lunch begins at 10, you can get some hefty burgers and sarnies for breakfast, too.

Hector's Deli

The 4th Earl of Sandwich, an English lord from the 18th century, is widely credited for popularising the practise of serving sandwiches made from meat wrapped between slices of bread. Hector's Deli, a new café in Richmond, focuses solely on sandwiches, serving up traditional creations with premium materials. There are no eggs. You won't find any beautiful plating here. There was no cutlery available. When you consider that co-owners Jason Barratt and Dom Wilton previously toiled at Melbourne institutions like Stokehouse and Attica, you can expect a sandwich restaurant with considerable renown.

The Journal Cafe

Those who have mentally taxing work may find it challenging to get their day started each morning. Journal is on Flinders Lane and is the place to go if you need some inspiration and think that being surrounded by hanging bookcases and pillars of pot plants would do the trick. This diner has been around for a long time, so naturally the food is straightforward: pastries, fried eggs, and expertly constructed toasties. We have a selection of drinks to complement the Italian coffee, fresh juices, and other beverages. Plus, you may get free internet at the adjacent City Library.

Cibi Cafe 

Cibi is located in a big, light-filled area that was once a workshop. The room is furnished with a wacky but lovely assortment of colourful posters, tools, and other industrial artefacts. Directly behind the counter is the open kitchen, where patrons can witness their meal being prepared if they so choose. Both traditional Japanese fare and Western-style options are available, with an emphasis on fresh, organic ingredients and elegant plating. Try the Japanese breakfast plate instead of the half-boiled eggs or avocado and lemon bruschetta. It comes with rice, vegetables, and fish or "more vegetables."

Manchester Press

Manchester Press is a great place to visit first thing in the morning because of the calming aesthetic created by the hanging plants and whitewashed brick walls. This huge laneway cafe is always bustling with cheerful patrons relaxing in vintage school chairs and sipping Ona coffee while munching on bagel-centric fare. Open and closed bagels, of both the sweet and savoury varieties, are the mainstay of the menu. The famous New York lox bagel is a must-try, but don't be afraid to experiment with new flavour combinations like bacon, maple, and banana.

Feast Of Merit

The walls of Feast of Merit are covered in eye-popping paintings, and the restaurant's cuisine is just as exciting. Dishes are flavoured with Middle Eastern spices including sumac, za'atar, smokey paprika, and more. This cafe has beautiful indoor gardens that will take your taste senses on a trip.

Twenty & Six Espresso

Twenty & Six Espresso is a one-page menu that fits easily in your pocket, yet the food is packed with flavour. The neighbouring Queen Victoria Market is the source for many of the meals served. Walk through the back courtyard and you'll find a small herb garden with a wonderful scent.

There are certain dishes that can only be properly appreciated in a specific setting. That meal is breakfast in Melbourne. Instead of just being a morning meal to get you going, breakfast in Melbourne may last all the way through the afternoon. Cafes welcome early risers with coffee and avocado toast and have egg poaching on low all day, allowing people to bond over food and drink until dinner time. Melbourne has a lot going for it as the best breakfast city in the world because of how seriously the morning meal is treated there. The best part is that this is not limited to a certain area or time of day; in Melbourne, you can have a delicious breakfast virtually anywhere.

Brunch is a big deal for the people in Melbourne. The Kettle Black in South Melbourne and Darling Cafe in South Yarra are just two examples of local favourites, but in the Central Business District (CBD), the options become practically overwhelming.