It's a widely disputed question among Melburnians where to find the best brunch. With good cause, Melbourne's breakfast scene is as cutthroat as it gets, given the city's reputation as Australia's most cafe-loving. If, as the saying goes, breakfast is the most important food of the day, then brunch, the meal eaten in the time between breakfast and lunch, must rank quite highly indeed.
A typical breakfast at one of these establishments would not consist of the typical Weet-bix and toast, but rather smashed avocado, smoked meats, and properly poached eggs, on copious and sourdough, amounts of coffee. For a breakfast fit for a king or queen, we provide our top picks for Melbourne's finest brunch spots.
Being the birthplace of the craft coffee industry, Melbourne has adopted a nearly obsessive approach to breakfast. Incredibly high quality, chef-driven cafes that serve up artistically plated breakfast fare generally shut down by 3:30 in the afternoon, leaving diners with a glut of options.
If you visit a cafe in this city, you might be shocked to find feta and halloumi on the menu instead of bacon as an add-on, but when your avocados toast is spiced with za'atar or dusted with dukkah, the flavours are a perfect fit.
Australia, second only to California, is obsessed with using locally grown ingredients in their cooking. As a result, brekkie menus are constantly evolving and influenced by the seasons. And being the nation's unofficial culinary epicentre, there's always an exciting new restaurant or cuisine experience to have. To sum up, Melbourne is a great place to have breakfast. Here's a breakdown of the best brunches and breakfasts in Melbourne to get your day started right.
FAQs About Brunch In Melbourne
With that in mind, here's a list of five places around Melbourne that can be relied upon for a pleasant start to your day, starting with. It is a cute little brunch place in Flemington, sitting at 526 Racecourse Road.
Your two-hour booking includes bottomless spritzes, wine and beer. Brunch dishes include smashed avo, pavlova hotcakes and chorizo baked eggs—Tuck into the tune of live music performed by some of Melbourne’s best musical theatre pros. Then, slip into the iconic surrounds of the George on Collins for a sensational Asian brunch menu.
What's included: Brunch bookings are for a maximum of 2 hours. Served every Saturday, 11 am – 3 pm. To find the full menu and how to book, click here. About: The Prince Street Social Bottomless Brunch every Saturday and Sunday with sessions available from 10 am through 4 pm.
Big brekkies, fluffy pancakes, smashed avo and – arguably – the world's best coffee: if there's one thing we know how to do in Australia, it's brunch. At this point, brunch is practically a national pastime.
Firstly, they prefer a more casual dining experience where families and friends can socialise together. Brunch is a great time to catch-up with friends, be it comfort food or more gourmet delicacies.
Brunch Locations In Melbourne
Do you have any recommendations for the best Melbourne brunch? That's like asking someone to choose their favourite hue from the spectrum. There are perhaps a thousand and one meals in Melbourne that could lay claim to being the best brunch in the city (we have not yet checked the historical books on that one). we'll have some smashed avo and mushy peas with halloumi from the house. Check out this list of top Melbourne cafés serving breakfast and brunch.
Prior Thornbury
Prior Thornberry is the place to go in Melbourne for a high-end brunch experience. The chocolate muffins (to die for) and the steak sandwich (worth writing home about) are our particular favourites, and the ambience is excellent for a casual meal out with friends or a date.
Two Birds One Stone
In South Yarra, the trendy Two Birds 1 Stone caters to the local business community and high-end customers on their way to Chapel Street stores. Carb-coma territory is dangerously close when eating dishes such ricotta pancake with rhubarb-raspberry sauce and mascarpone. The gorgeous presentation of this dish, complete with edible flowers, makes it the ideal brunch choice.
On the savoury side of things, there are some tasty options, such the wonderfully seasoned roasted eggplant that takes inspiration from Middle Eastern cuisine. Professional baristas in Melbourne make excellent Magics, the city's iconic coffee drink, and perfectly froth milk for lattes. Served inside a tulip glass, this is a double ristretto with a foam of steaming milk on top.
Barry
When it comes to northside brunch spots with a slant towards healthiness, Barry is a clear frontrunner. Barry is managed by the same people responsible for such critically acclaimed projects as Pillar in Salt, Touchwood, & Tall Timber, so you already know what you're getting into. Dine on ricotta-based pancakes topped with strawberry jam, vanilla cream, or crumble while sipping Five Senses coffee.
They must not have had enough on their plates, because the clan behind Pillar and Salt, Touchwood, and Tall Timber has now opened Barry, a chillier café on High Street in Northcote. For both breakfast and lunch, the menu offers a wide variety of creative meals that are a cut above the norm at cafes. For example, the freekeh, steamed veggies, shredded kale, and pomegranate seeds salad with cucumber & gin cured ocean trout and soft boiled egg (drool!) is a must-try.
Coconut tapioca pudding, Californian superfood salad, and raw zucchini lasagne are just a few of the gluten-free, vegan, and health-conscious meals prepared by the chefs at Barry. Naturally, their coffee is out of this world, too, thanks to their proprietary 5 Senses blend. The plans for next Saturday are set in stone.
Higher Ground
Higher Ground has stunning architecture and a delicious breakfast. 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.
Industry Beans
Industry Beans, found in the trendy Fitzroy district, provides a high level of sophistication without pretentiousness. A winter special is an omelette with caramelised leeks and a creamy Lebanese cheese called shanklish.
The typical suspects, such as cinnamon-dusted brioche and avocado smash toast, will also be there. Each is amped up with sophisticated twists on taste, aroma, and arrangement. Beans are roasted in the back of the café, and the staff then prepares each single-origin coffee using the technique best suited to its flavour profile, whether that be espresso, a pour-over, or an Aeropress. Overall, a morning at Industry Beans is the best way to begin a day in Melbourne. It's also a great place to stop by on the weekend before shopping for handmade goods at the Rose Street Artists Market.
Top Paddock
Top Paddock becomes crowded on the weekends, so plan accordingly if you want to go there. To this day, it is considered by many to be among Melbourne's finest cafes. Paddock's elite kitchen also produces a plenty of tasty food. Let's pretend, nevertheless, that you're not a fan of salty foods. The blueberry and ricotta hotcake featuring seasonal berries and macadamias, then, is a strong contender for the title of greatest pancakes in Melbourne, right up there with Barry's version.
Top Paddock, a brunch hotspot in Richmond, is the epitome of hipster café style. A large wooden patio is outfitted with umbrellas, creating a light and airy atmosphere. Chilli scrambles over toast and the picture-perfect bircher muesli may be enjoyed in the restaurant's airy, plant-filled dining room.
The staff uses Five Senses beans in their brew, and for a unique touch, they only use organic components from Australian vendors. You may wow your out-of-town guests with the high standard of coffee at this Melbourne institution.
Via Porta Eatery Deli
The Via Porta Café Deli in Melbourne is the go-to place for satisfying breakfast and brunch fare when you want to meet up with friends. Eggs in arrabbiata, omelettes with whipped feta, and, of all, coffee that will have you begging for more can all be found on the Italian-themed menu.
The Craft & Co.
The Craft & Co is a cosy bar in Collingwood, and the aroma of spent grain from of the brewery inside the back is what greets you as you go in. The breakfast menu may not be as inventive as that at other Melbourne cafés, but at least it sticks to the basics.
If you're in the mood for something different for breakfast, give the breakfast gnocchi without prosciutto, fresh tomato, field mushroom, a soft egg, and parm a try. Their exquisite botanical gin is manufactured in-house, but you're visiting for the wine list and the smart craft brews.
Terror Twilight
Terror Twighlight's brekkie & brunch menu is a strong candidate for the finest brunch in 2020. Start by ordering one among their BYO bowls, which can be customised with your choice of rice and broth (chicken or veggie miso). Then pile on as many delicious toppings as you can handle, along with your choice of protein (we recommend chicken, Angus beef, or salmon).
Lagotto
Despite the fact that you may be too hungover to enjoy it, a visit to Lagotto on a Sunday morning is well worth it for the ambience alone. Because of how delicious the breakfast is, you may find yourself eating here every day. Just a taste of what Lagotto has to offer would be pork and fennel sausages with fried eggs, avocado, and braised greens, yoghurt panna cotta, crispy pancetta, and a bloody mary.
Rudimentary
Those in the know who are willing to venture out to a more suburban part of Footscray for a delicious breakfast should stop here. Rudimentary's menu is accommodating to those on a wide variety of diets, including those that prohibit certain foods like gluten.
Sticky-date waffles are not to be missed; dates are whisked into a well-balanced batter before being griddle-cooked and served with lemon curd, ricotta, & milk jam. The saffron pilaff breakfast bowl with chorizo, herbs, cream labneh, & pistachio is a safe bet if you're looking for something savoury.
Hardware Societe
While finding good cafe food in the heart of a city can be challenging, Hardware Societe serves up perhaps the best breakfast in the Central Business District of Melbourne. The cooked eggs, which are served in a pan for one, are excellent, but the rest of the Spanish or French-inspired menu items are best explored on a return trip.
The Kettle Black
The Kettle Black provides a certain something for the Melbourne breakfast & brunch scene with its picturesque location in both an apartment complex and one of the last town houses on Albert Street. Incredibly delicious breakfast options and excellent coffee service make one of Melbourne's top breakfast locations.
Archie's All Day
The diner Archie's All Day, located in a picturesque bluestone building, is always a good time for a get-together with friends. Nonetheless, it's an excellent beginning to a Sunday sessions (the oh-so-Aussie custom of getting together for another day of partying on the a Sunday) in Richmond. Smashed avo toast is on the menu, along with local favourites like Meredith Farm's pickled feta, mint, parsley, cumin, and a pepita dukkah. The strong cocktail menu also leans towards day drinking, with options like the ever-popular ice rosé and a take on the less-alcoholic Paloma featuring St. Germain, pink citrus, and cava.
Clubhouse
Tinker, Bentwood, Penta, and MOB are all run by the same people who are responsible for Clubhouse. One of best cafes in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, this establishment is renowned for its excellent service and delicious food, including its signature black tree panna cotta with strawberry and dark choc, layered with the freshest fruit and honeycomb.
Those guys from Tinker have completed it again. After the success of Bentwood, which debuted in late 2017, they have now opened Clubhouse in Malvern, a golf-themed cafe that is, quite literally, above par.
The co-owners are no strangers to the club scene, having previously opened Tinker, Bentwood, Penta, and MOB. A panna cotta, some excellent coffee (sourced from Inglewood), and an environment that doesn't rely on clichés. Always have some panna cotta on hand.
Panna of the black forest variety, with notes of cherry as well as dark chocolate, along with hints of honeycomb and fresh berries. However, it is not even our new favourite item. Instead, those who enjoy smashed avos will be treated to a no-frills combination of black sesame, chilli, a mountain of goat cheese, and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Purple vegetables, spiced cauliflower, radishes, broccolini, and a poached veg topped with dukkha make excellent roast winter vegetables.
No one will notice if you don't. One cheeky 'Play through to the loos' sign in the Augusta green motif (which looks positively spiffy from the street). After being the vanguard of burnt umber in 2017, Bentwood is now bringing in the new year with green.
Moussi and company have this process down to a science. They've got everything a suburban coffee shop should have, including a pleasant ambience, tasty beverages, and helpful staff. You could say that this spot is a stairway to the stars.
The Grain Store
The Grain Store's barn door entrance is a hint at the country-cottage atmosphere inside, providing a respite from the bustle of a Central Business District (CBD). The owners have been bringing a farm-to-town aesthetic to the city, as many of the buildings in the vicinity were once used to store grain shipments from the Yarra River.
The menu is updated seasonally, but the ricotta pancakes with caramelised bananas and the bircher muesli with local fruits are always winners.
Rustica Sourdough
You can escape the hustle and bustle of the a Central Business District and into the country-cottage vibe at the Grain Store, which is entered through a barn door (CBD). Since many of the nearby buildings were previously used to store grain consignments from the Yarra River, this same owners have indeed been bringing an agriculture aesthetic to the city.
The ricotta crepes with caramelised bananas as well as the bircher muesli to local fruits remain popular despite seasonal menu changes.
Monk Bodhi Dharma
The aroma of roasting coffee beans and an endearing lack of pretence greet you as you enter Monk Bodhi, a tiny coffee roaster and cafe hidden in a nondescript back alley in Balaclava covered in Melbourne's ubiquitous street art.
There's a lot of focus on fresh, local produce, and the resulting dishes are so delicious that you might even forget you're cutting back on meat and dairy. Açai bowls have recently become popular around the world, and Melbourne is no exception. Monk Bodhi serves an excellent rendition.
Three Bags Full
The smashed avocado with Meredith's Feta, cherry tomatoes, and grilled corn and quinoa salsa is a popular choice at Three Bags Full. The best brunch in Melbourne has been served in quite some time. The well-known industrial style is combined with a carefully curated and cutting-edge menu.
It's no surprise that the café that's owned by the mind underneath Liar Liar, 3 Bags Full, is the paragon of a relaxed and unflustered establishment. With wood panelling from floor to ceiling, quirky stools with street signs for backs, and ornate steel-covered hanging lights, the warehouse aesthetic is hard to dislike.
The Five Senses coffee is expertly brewed, and the friendly baristas can recommend the best mixtures for even the pickiest of coffee drinkers. The lunch menu consists of standard brunch items; however, their scrambled eggs with herbs, crushed lentils, grilled leg ham, and salty ricotta are not to be missed.
Plain Sailing
On Saturday mornings, you may be required to wait in line, but that just shows how popular Simple Sailing is. The Moroccan spiced cabbage fry up, smashed peas bruschetta with beetroot, and slow-cooked pork belly benedict on bread demonstrate their skill in combining flavours. Surely one of Melbourne's top spots for Sunday brunch. Definitely.
Axil Coffee Roasters
Sweet corn as well as haloumi fritters at Axil Coffee Roasters are always a crowd pleaser, so much so that they will almost certainly return on the restaurant's upcoming seasonal menu. The peanut butter as well as jelly stack will satisfy your sweet tooth, but if you're looking for something in the middle, you'll find plenty of options.
Whenever you visit a roaster in Melbourne for brunch as well as breakfast, you can rest assured that you will be served some of the city's finest brew.
The Penny Drop
The weary masses can be found at this 100-seat restaurant each weekday morning for breakfast or brunch. Be it the beetroot as well as fennel loaf with cultured butter, orange, sweet corn croquette, or the forest mushroom to ciabatta and eggs, the Penny Drop's menu is as chic as the decor.
Babajan
The Carlton neighbourhood of Melbourne, known because of its cafe culture, is home to Babajan, which serves a contemporary breakfast inspired by the fragrant flavours of Turkey. This is not surprising, given the city's large Middle Eastern as well as Mediterranean communities.
At first glance, it has all of the identifying features of a typical up-to-date cafe in Melbourne, Australia, such as plentiful windows, warm wood, and greenery. But you'll probably ignore all that in favour of the bakery case groaning under the weight of Turkish treats like the ubiquitous simit, a doughnut-shaped bread stuffed with sesame seeds that shares some similarities with pita.
Manchester Press
Manchester Press inside the heart of the city may not have bagels on par with those in New York City, but they will satisfy any American longing for a taste of home. What they lack in chewiness and texture they make up for in a variety of interesting toppings, from smoked Korean chicken roasted gable style to pastrami, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut in a Reuben-style sandwich.
But for a true taste of Australia, you must order the avo-and-feta smash, with its towering mound of avocado topped with feta cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes.
The Hardware Société
In Melbourne, The Hardware Société is among the best known places to start the day. Scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, and croissants, among other breakfast standards, are all served in their usual, faultless forms. Croquet madams to apple sauce and pork rillettes, as well as gin-cured salmon and buckwheat blinis, are two particularly interesting examples.
Lights In The Attic Cafe
The breakfast and brunch options at Lights inside the Attic Café are some of the best in Melbourne. Avo smashed with beetroot but also hummus, buckwheat grain cakes, and more are all available, and breakfast is served the whole day, so be patient.
Conclusion
Breakfast in Melbourne is fierce. Melbourne, the cradle of speciality coffee, is obsessed with breakfast. Chef-driven breakfast cafes close by 3:30pm. High-end brunch in Melbourne is at Prior Thornberry. Ricotta pancakes with strawberry jam, vanilla cream, or crumble and Five Senses coffee.
Barry was opened by Pillar and Salt, Touchwood, and Tall Timber. Melbourne's best cafe is Top Paddock. When meeting folks, Via Porta Café Deli serves delicious breakfast and brunch. The best Melbourne pancake may be the blueberry and ricotta hotcake. In Collingwood, Melbourne, Craft & Co is a cosy bar.
Terror Twilight BYO bowls can be customised with rice and broth. Hardware Societe may have the best breakfast in the CBD (CBD). Melbourne's brunch scene includes The Kettle Black, Archie's All Day, and Clubhouse. Tinker, Bentwood, Penta, and MOB co-owners opened Clubhouse in Malvern. One of the remaining Albert Street townhouses in an apartment complex.
The Grain Store's barn door entrance suggests country-cottage style. Melbourne's proprietors have brought farm-to-town style. Monk Bodhi is a Balaclava coffee roaster and cafe. Melbourne's best Sunday brunches include Simple Sailing, Axil Coffee Roasters, and The Penny Drop. Try Plain Sailing's Five Senses coffee or Axil Coffee Roasters' haloumi fritters.
Penny Drop's peanut butter and jelly stack is savoury. Turkish flavours inspire Babajan's modern breakfast. Manchester Press's bagels won't compare to NYC's, but they'll satisfy any American craving home. The Hardware Société is a famous morning spot.
Content Summary
- Melburnians argue over the best brunch.
- Melbourne is Australia's coffee capital, therefore its breakfast scene is fierce.
- Melbourne's best brunch spots are listed here.
- Melbourne, the cradle of speciality coffee, is obsessed with breakfast.
- High-end, chef-driven breakfast cafés close by 3:30, leaving diners with a lot of choices.
- Australia, like California, loves locally grown ingredients.
- Melbourne is wonderful for breakfast.
- Melbourne has thousands of brunches that may be the greatest (we have not yet checked the historical books on that one).
- High-end brunch in Melbourne is at Prior Thornberry.
- Two Birds 1 Stone in South Yarra serves local businesspeople and affluent Chapel Street shoppers.
- Melbourne baristas produce great Magics and lattes.
- Barry leads northside health-focused brunches.
- Barry is managed by the same folks who produced Pillar in Salt, Touchwood, and Tall Timber.
- Ricotta pancakes with strawberry jam, vanilla cream, or crumble and Five Senses coffee.
- The Pillar and Salt, Touchwood, and Tall Timber family opened Barry, a chillier café on High Street in Northcote.
- The menu features unique breakfast and lunch options that are above café standards.
- Barry cooks produce gluten-free, vegan, and health-conscious dishes such coconut tapioca pudding, Californian superfood salad, and raw zucchini lasagne.
- Industry Beans in fashionable Fitzroy offers refinement without pretence.
- Industry Beans is Melbourne's best morning start.
- Top Paddock Weekends are busy at Top Paddock, so plan ahead.
- Many consider it Melbourne's best cafe.
- Richmond brunch spot Top Paddock embodies hipster café style.
- The Craft & Co, a cosy Collingwood bar, smells like spent grain from the brewery behind it.
- At least the morning menu is simple.
- Terror Twighlight's brunch may be 2020's best.
- This is the place to go for a wonderful breakfast in Footscray's suburbs.
- Hardware Societe may serve Melbourne's greatest breakfast in the CBD.
- The Kettle Black's attractive position in an apartment complex and one of Albert Street's last town houses adds to Melbourne's breakfast and brunch scene.
- One of Melbourne's best breakfast spots has fantastic food and great coffee.
- Friends can gather at Archie's All Day, a charming bluestone diner.
- The same people run Clubhouse, Tinker, Bentwood, Penta, and MOB.
- Keep panna cotta handy.
- Bentwood is going green in 2018.
- They offer a nice atmosphere, good coffee, and friendly personnel.
- The Grain Store's barn door entrance hints to its country-cottage atmosphere, offering a break from the Central Business District (CBD).
- Since many of the nearby buildings used to hold grain shipments from the Yarra River, the owners have been giving the city a farm-to-town feel.
- The Grain Store, entered through a barn door, is a country-cottage getaway from the Central Business District (CBD).
- Ricotta crepes with caramelised bananas and bircher muesli with local fruits remain popular despite seasonal menu adjustments.
- Monk Bodhi, a modest coffee roaster and cafe in Balaclava's back alley, welcomes you with the smell of roasting coffee beans and a charming lack of pretension.
- Açai bowls are trending worldwide, including in Melbourne.
- Monk Bodhi performs well.
- 3 Bags Full, the café owned by Liar Liar's creator, is a model of calm.
- Five Senses coffee is professionally made, and the pleasant baristas can select the best blends for even the pickiest coffee aficionados.
- Simple Sailing is popular enough to need a Saturday morning wait.
- Axil Coffee Roasters' sweet corn and haloumi fritters are always popular, so they'll likely reappear on the seasonal menu.
- Melbourne roasters deliver the city's best coffee for brunch and breakfast.
- This 100-seat restaurant serves breakfast and brunch to the tired every weekday.
- The Penny Drop's cuisine is as stylish as the ambience, with dishes like beetroot and fennel baguette with cultured butter, orange, sweet corn croquette, and forest mushroom to ciabatta and eggs.
- Babajan delivers a modern Turkish breakfast in Melbourne's cafe-filled Carlton neighbourhood.
- The city's substantial Middle Eastern and Mediterranean communities explain this.
