20+ Best Cafés in Oakleigh, Melbourne (2024)

We’re constantly searching for the city’s best coffee, we won’t bat an eyelid shelling out more than $30 a head for brunch, and we love nothing more than donning our finest sport-luxe activewear and catching up with mates on a weekend morning over porridge, muesli, hotcakes, fritters, eggs and overpriced sourdough.

Located in Oakleigh, Melbourne and looking for the café? Whether it’s a reward for tackling one of Melbourne’s most beautiful walks, a quick caffeinated catch-up or an indulgent hangover fixer after a night at one of the city’s best bars, these are the best Melbourne cafés you need to visit. 

We’ve created an ultimate list of cafés in Oakleigh, Melbourne to save you time and money.

The Ultimate List of Top Cafés in Oakleigh

Vanilla Lounge Oakleigh Café 

vanillalounge.com.au

03 9568 3358

Welcome to Eaton Mall, a hidden gem located in the heart of multicultural Oakleigh.

Amongst the hustle and bustle of this amazing hub are Vanilla Lounge. In August 2008, we opened our doors, and our hearts to the community and everyone gave their love back. Being a coffee and dining lounge, Vanilla has something for everyone. It is a family place, a meeting place, a place where you can come and experience a unique European vibe right here in Melbourne.

The family behind Vanilla have been innovators and pioneers in the hospitality industry for over 45 years. With the opening of Vanilla Lounge, Oakleigh, saw a new dining culture emerge. What is particularly exciting for Melbourne is that it now boasts another leading patisserie that truly celebrates the greatest qualities of its cosmopolitan heritage. Vanilla was praised as one of the Top 10 Patisseries in The Age Good Café Guide 2012.

We are committed to enhancing our patron’s experience by providing our boutique coffee brand, Dukes, our extraordinary music acts on Thursday nights, our extensive menu made with local and fresh ingredients and without preservatives or additives, our world-class standard of cakes and biscuits and our latest venture, Vanilla Upstairs which has amazing pan-Mediterranean cuisine and invites people to come together and share in the simple pleasures.

CATERING FOR EVERY OCCASION

Enjoy your favourite food with Vanilla’s catering service, bringing you solutions for any occasion or event:

  • Corporate catering for all-day meetings, breakfasts, lunches, teas, workshops, presentations, conferences, seminars, functions and celebrations, and other business occasions, including film sets and outdoor events.
  • Private functions for social occasions like birthday parties, milestones, engagements, pre-wedding luncheons, baby showers, anniversaries, christenings, celebrations, and events.
  • Community occasions for social clubs and organisations, aged care facilities and retirement villages, non-profit events, fundraisers, awards and galas, and the arts, including photoshoots and film sets.

Our friendly team can help you tailor your order to suit dietary and budget requirements. Don’t have time to spare? Simply tell us about your occasion, and we will do the rest. You can arrange to collect your order, or you can have it delivered to you.

Vanilla Menus

  • NO ADDED PRESERVATIVES, MSG, FLAVOURS OR COLOURS
  • FREE RANGE HALAL & AUSTRALIAN MEATS
  • AUSTRALIAN SEAFOOD
  • WE ONLY USE LOCAL & FRESH PRODUCE
  • IMPORTED GREEK OLIVE OIL & FETA CHEESE
  • ONLY THE FRESHEST FOOD MADE ON THE PREMISES

Vanilla’s Cakes

Baked daily with the finest ingredients

Our sweet treats are made on-site with the best ingredients; from traditional Greek biscuits and specialties to popular classics, signature treats, whole cakes, and celebration cakes. We invite you to browse the galleries below. You can enjoy our cakes at Vanilla, or you can purchase them over the counter take away – the perfect treat when you visit family and friends or even at work! If you are after a celebration cake, our experienced cake consultants will be thrilled to help.

Functions

Vanilla Upstairs is the Perfect Place for Your Event! From birthday parties, Christenings and high teas, to Christmas parties or corporate functions, presentations, product launches and other events, Vanilla Upstairs can cater for small or large groups in a classy and sophisticated space.

Whether you’re celebrating a family night out or a milestone, we can design and tailor a package to suit your requirements and budget.

The Brass Room

A sophisticated dining area for all seasons. Enclosed with our feature wine rack, a fireplace, American oak panelling and under a canopy of brass sails, this dining lounge is perfect for birthdays, corporate meetings, get-togethers, communions, christenings, engagements or work functions.

Depending on the time, date or size of the booking, you may enjoy it all for yourselves or with others.

The Terrace

A perfect alfresco dining area. Weatherproof and filled with natural light from our custom-designed skylights and glass balustrades, this dining area provides patrons with a space to enjoy the ambience of an original and bespoke design that incorporates a panoramic view of the sky.

Depending on the time, date or size of the booking, you may enjoy it all for yourselves or with others.

“Calling the crowds that gather in Eaton Mall, Vanilla Lounge in Oakleigh is a popular family-run venue specialising in Mediterranean fare and mouth-watering cakes. Boasting a large alfresco area to observe the shoppers in action, this ever-bustling venue is well renowned for its generous community spirit and warm welcome.

With an extensive selection of Mediterranean and Greek fare on offer, Vanilla Lounge dishes out an array of delicious options like warm pan-fried sweet chilli calamari with homemade dressing, as well as lamb souvlaki with salad, chips, tzatziki and pita bread.

For those looking to linger, pair a choice from the well-crafted wine list with the meat platter for two, or indulge with one of Vanilla Lounge’s specialty desserts, made daily on-site by talented pastry chefs.”

Kentro Oakleigh Café 

kentrocafe.com.au

(03) 9939 6371

KENTRO, located in the heart of Oakleigh, presents to you a modernised Greek restaurant. With your first steps into KENTRO, welcomed by our friendly staff, the feeling of a sense of Greece begins.

The open space layout allows you to relax with comfort and ease. The mesmerising unique design of the Ancient Greek wall takes you to the heart of Greece.

Open for breakfast lunch and dinner, KENTRO offers a wide-ranged menu to suit every individual’s requests. From traditional Mediterranean cuisine to modern, we have it all! And you cannot miss out on our unique mouth-watering desserts. All baked on our premises, our pastry chefs deliver a wide range of traditional Greek and modern sweets and biscuits, as well as a large variety of our incomparable divine cakes offered in our display.

Thinking of hosting a function? KENTRO upstairs delivers an eccentric feel with its wooden architecture and private feel. Hosting up to 200 seated, along with a foyer, stage, dance floor and a fully licensed bar, KENTRO, ‘The Meeting Place’ awaits your arrival.

Cote Terra Café Oakleigh

coteterra.com.au

0395694320

Cafe

Do you take bookings?

Yes, we do take bookings on the weekdays, but unfortunately, we don’t take bookings on the weekends.

Do you do the function?

Yes, we can do functions for up to 50 pax during the evening. Please contact us at [email protected] to discuss.

Do you serve alcohol?

We serve a range of wines, tap beer and some basic cocktails.

This Is Who We Are

Since first opening its doors in June 2012, Cote Terra has become a hub for speciality coffee lovers and foodies in Oakleigh and surrounding neighbourhoods. As it evolves, now located at its new Station Street premises with extended trading hours, evening menu and bar, Cote Terra continues to stay true to its humble roots and values. Offering delicious, affordable and contemporary food and drinks in a welcoming environment is only the surface of Cote Terra’s central philosophy. Their core principles extend to sustainability, with most of the store’s products sourced locally. The Cote Terra team also shows strong support for their community, often promoting local artists/events and maintaining ongoing positive relationships with nearby small businesses. Much loved by long time regulars and brand new faces alike, Cote Terra continues to do things differently and from the heart.

In 2017, we launched our own coffee roasted in Braeside Victoria. All our coffee bean is carefully sourced by the team, as we believe in serving what we like to drink.

Furthermore, education is one important part of any industry; hence, we would like to pass on the things we know, so the establishment of our barista school is formed. 

Café Spacho Oakleigh Café 

thecafespacho.com.au

03 9563 3107

Our Tassone family has been operating pizza shops for 35-years in Adelaide.

We headed to Melbourne 6-years ago with one goal in mind: to share our Tassone family tradition, our South of Italy Calabrian and Catanzaro background, and our love and

passion for Italian family recipes with our customers. Providing dishes that are

fresh, hearty, and simply unforgettable.

All are welcome!

we also cater

Call us, and we can help with catering for any occasion, birthdays, parties, meetings, school events etc.

Nikos Oakleigh Café

nikoscakes.com.au

03 9569 6333

Sweetening Melbourne’s palate since 1987 through our bustling cafe and award-winning cake creations

From humble beginnings in 1987, Oakleigh Quality Cakes has established its reputation as a leading supplier in Melbourne’s thriving cake industry. Through a commitment to quality and service, founders Nick and Tass Poupouzas and their dedicated team have produced some of the most spectacular and unique cake designs.

Our award-winning team of cake designers, consultants, pastry chefs and artistic decorators will assist you in creating your dream cake so that the centrepiece on your special day surpasses your expectations in both looks and taste. If you can dream it, we can achieve it!

We invite you to come and join us for a coffee and browse our showroom, which is located above our bustling cafe. With over 90 amazing cakes on display and the largest selection of flavours in Melbourne, you are certain to find a design that suits your taste, theme and budget.

From humble beginnings in 1987, Oakleigh Quality Cakes has established its reputation as a leading supplier in Melbourne’s thriving cake industry. Through a commitment to quality and service, founders Nick and Tass Poupouzas and their dedicated team have produced some of the most spectacular and unique cake designs.

Our award-winning team of cake designers, consultants, pastry chefs and artistic decorators will assist you in creating your dream cake so that the centrepiece on your special day surpasses your expectations in both looks and taste. If you can dream it, we can achieve it!

We invite you to come and join us for a coffee and browse our showroom, which is located above our bustling cafe. With over 90 amazing cakes on display and the largest selection of flavours in Melbourne, you are certain to find a design that suits your taste, theme and budget.

Creative Team

Our design staff and decorators have over 60 years of experience behind them in cake decorating and can bring to life anything you could possibly imagine. The imaginative and creative ideas and aesthetics they bring to cake designs are amazing, and the intricately detailed work really displays their talent and experience. We strive to exceed (and succeed) our customer’s expectations.

If it’s a custom creation you need for a wedding, birthday, christening or corporate event, our creative team will work closely with you in the planning process to come up with a design that combines both quality and creativity.

Our showrooms display the finest quality cakes ranging from designer wedding, novelty and birthday cakes to cupcakes and croquembouche. We are very well known in the cake industry. For over 35 years we have been sweetening the palettes of Melbournians and delivering cakes to some of Melbourne’s prestigious venues such as The Crown, Park and Grand Hyatt, Leonda by the Yarra, The Carousel, The Sofitel, Brighton International, Peninsula, Sketch, Atlantic and Maia just to name a few.

Just Italy Oakleigh Café

justitaly.com.au

+61 404 364 031

Our story began in 2015 when Tonino Amadio from Le Marche, Ascoli Piceno took over an existing Pasta shop of 30 years in Oakleigh. From there, the Just Italy name has continued to grow as we provide Melbournians with authentic Italian cooking...just like Nonnas. 

In 2015 Tonino Amadio, who hails from Le Marche, a region in the centre of Italy that hugs the Adriatic Sea, created Just Italy...a small Italian pasta shop nestled in the heart of Oakleigh. The philosophy was very simple; to offer authentic Italian food, house-made products and uncompromising hospitality.

Three years later, Tonino met Sam Colosimo. A general conversation about business and their love of Italian food commenced, as did a new chapter at Just Italy as Sam joined the business. 

Although the business continues to grow with new locations opening around Melbourne, Tonino and Sam’s core value remains the same; re-creating Italy in Australia. It’s about no-frills, good, authentic food...just like Nonna’s.

Come on down to a Just Italy location near you and experience a little piece of Italy for yourself. 

See you at the bar. 

Muffin Break Oakleigh Café

muffinbreak.com.au

+61 3 9569 0044

Nothing beats freshly baked food, or coffee made using the freshest beans. That’s why every Muffin Break has its own kitchen, baking throughout the day, so everything we serve is as good as it can be.

Good Food. Good Coffee. Good Times.

IT’S WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT.

HAPPINESS IS HANDMADE

Good Ingredients

At Muffin Break, we’re all about fresh and always have been. We work hard to carefully select and source the freshest ingredients and the finest coffee beans, giving you all the more reason to enjoy every last mouthful, and every last drop.

Good Products

We bake daily in all of our stores and freshly grind your coffee to order. Our kitchens may be pocket-size, but they’re expertly designed giving us the capacity to hand make all of your favourites and something a little special each and every day.

Good People

Our bakers are hard at work from 4 am daily ensuring freshly baked muffins are out of the oven before you arrive as well as preparing other savoury delights such as our classic bacon and egg roll and famous handmade carrot cake.

We’re a family-owned and operated business. Each of our stores is locally owned and operated by our franchisees who are proud of the communities they serve and love nothing more than to see you leave with a smile on your face.

The Muffin Break Story

Muffin Break first opened its doors in Coolangatta, Queensland in 1989.

From humble beginnings, we now have over 210 stores in Australia. You’ll find us predominantly in shopping centres, but we continue to innovate and evolve into other locations such as airports, train stations as well as children’s play centres more recently, through our licensed partnership with Crocs Playcentres.

Our overseas footprint also continues to expand with bakery-cafes in New Zealand and the United Kingdom too, taking our total store count over 300 internationally.

The Basement Cafe Oakleigh

thebasementcafe.com.au

03 9329 8009

When you step on down to The Basement Cafe, you will quickly see why this place is becoming a local institution. The great coffee, fresh food, funky decor and quirky staff all blend together to create a unique spin on your standard city cafe. At The Basement, our menu is full of fresh and tasty home-style meals, sandwiches and salads. All of our healthy meals are made from fresh local produce that is delivered daily and cooked fresh to order to ensure a positive meal experience.

EXPLORE OUR MENU

At Basement cafe we offer a variety of Breakfast and lunch options to suit your dietary requirements.

Office Catering

We make catering easy for your next office get together. All of our ingredients are delivered fresh daily and sourced locally.

Basement Events

Besides great coffee, great food and great service, what else is happening down at The Basement Cafe?

Mythos Gyros Bar Café Oakleigh 

mythosgr.com.au

(03) 9568 6060

MYTHOS GYROS BAR IS LOCATED ON EATON MALL INOAKLEIGH’S FAMOUS GREEK PRECINCT. SERVING AUTHENTIC, TRADITIONAL GREEK FOOD INCLUDING SOUVLAKI & GYROS CHICKEN (KOTOPOULO), PORK RIB (PANSETTA), KEBAB (SOUTZOUKAKI), DIPS (TZATZIKI, MELITZANA, TIROKAFTERI) AND A RANGE OF DELICIOUS SALADS SUCH AS GREEK HORIATIKI, BEETROOT AND SLAW HELLAS. WE ALSO HAVE A LARGE RANGE OF LOCAL AND IMPORTED BEERS INCLUDING GREEK FAVORITE MYTHOS.

Kalimera Souvlaki Art Cafe Oakleigh

kalimerasouvlakiart.com.au

+61-3-99393911

Making a difference through Souvlaki Art.

So they decided to make it happen. With hard work, inspiration and the desire to share all what Thomas had learnt throughout his valuable experience

Thus, in the very heart of the greek community in Oakleigh, SOUVLAKI ART made the difference…. A unique combination of both traditional and progressive, where the best, carefully selected meat, and quality fresh vegetables with just the right spice are wrapped in delicious pitta bread, KALIMERA SOUVLAKI ART is a restaurant which will WRAP you around!!!!

What we do & why we do it.

The only way to transmit the voice of truth to someone is to have heard it yourself and to have let this truth become part of your life. Thomas Deliopoulos heard this voice from a loving couple of deaf-mute, who happened to be his parents. Their physical disability, instead of a curse turned into a blessing as they developed a very special bond with the land and the cattle.

Raised by an agricultural family, which was also involved in stock-breeding, young Thomas realised from his early childhood the gift of being in contact with mother nature and learned how to collect, in full respect, the best of the products it had to offer. Young Thomas very soon developed a passion for cooking; it was for him something more than a simple hobby. He learnt from his family background the importance of selecting the best raw materials and that authentic good taste lies in simplicity and excellent quality…this often beats sophistication which sometimes covers taste instead of enhancing it.

From humble beginnings.

At the age of 17, he joined the army where he was chosen as a cook. He serviced for 16 years in officers’ clubs, based in Greece and overseas, in NATO. At the same time, he worked in the free market collaborating with restaurants, bars etc. He reached one point when he felt that this circle was over and that it was about time to quit the army; it had never been a field of expression for him anyway.

But every end leads to a new beginning…Tom decided to take the next big step. A real challenge it was…His wife and son are Australian citizens, so the whole family moved to Melbourne for a brand new start. Once settled, they realised that despite the numerous souvlaki restaurants, something was missing. One with authentic taste, …AUTHENTIC is for Thomas the keyword for tasty cooking (Authentic is the keyword for almost everything)

iCake Café Oakleigh 

icakemelbourne.com.au

+61 404 666 609

iCake Patisserie is the art on the tip of the tongue. The joy of sharing together and lingering nostalgia customise your gorgeous cake and the sweet taste that melts in your mouth.

Discover our cakes

Founded in 2013, a cake is the heart of iCake, and quality is the soul. We only choose the finest ingredients from worldwide, handcrafted with our passionate pastry chefs, baked daily on-premise, you will having the most authentic and delicate taste of every cake. At 

1iCake, we focus on creating; our pastry chefs proudly create more than 1600 cake designs in 6 years. And we believe that when cakes become art, it is iCake.

Process

iCake offers the complete joyful experience from ordering to sharing.

With 6000 designs of our birthday cakes and desserts, you will find that your happiness is such simple.

iCake offers a huge range of free delivery for our customers who like to stay at home to enjoy family time, and we cover the hardest work for you.

Quality Guarantee

Creation is the heart of iCake, and quality is the soul. We only choose the finest ingredients from worldwide, handcrafted with our passionate pastry chefs, baked daily on-premise, you will be having the most authentic and delicate taste of every cake. At iCake, we focus on creation; our pastry chefs proudly create 20 flavours and more than 6000 designs since 2012.

iCake adhere to superb production technology, strict quality control and high standard of food hygiene, and has become a trusted brand in Melbourne.

We believe that when cakes become art, it is iCake.

Chichi Café House Oakleigh

chichicafebrunch.com

03 9917 2197

The Chichi Cafe story begins with our passion for excellent coffee and delicious food. Since 2012, our family-owned coffee shop located in Hughesdale has been a warm and inviting hub where locals, young families, University students and people from all walks of life can gather and catch up over warm beverages, hearty brunch meals, delicious lunch spreads and afternoon snacks.

We are driven by our mission to create unique fresh dishes using the finest ingredients and perfect the craft of coffee making together with our roaster.

We take pride in our friendly service and will continue to serve good coffee and tasty grubs for everyone with a smile.

The Oakleigh Doughnut Co 

todco.com.au

(03) 9569 8171

At TODCO, we have been proudly serving artisan doughnuts and specialty coffee since July 2017.

Our objective is to produce the freshest doughnuts in Melbourne together with a memorable in-store experience.

To achieve this, we fry and decorate our doughnuts in small batches throughout the day to ensure a superior product and pride ourselves on exceptional customer service.

Our Oakleigh & South Yarra stores showcase our range of 26 yeast-raised and cake doughnut flavours.

Through our kitchen window, you can view our skilled pastry chefs work meticulously in our purposely designed doughnut kitchen.

We also know the importance of quality coffee.

That’s why we have chosen Industry Beans as our specialty coffee roaster.

We serve up their signature blend’ Fitzroy Street’ at both locations, Oakleigh & South Yarra.

Flavour profile & composition:

Blackcurrant – 33% Montana Verde, Honduras

Blood Orange – 33% San Rafael, Colombia

Chocolate – 34% Ruhora, Burundi

Fitzroy Street’s flavour profile is equally delicious both black and with milk, with its bright acidity, dark fruit notes and smooth finish.

This coffee is a perfect match for our delicious doughnuts!

We look forward to seeing you in the store!

THE FOUNDERS:

Born in Oakleigh, brothers Yani and Nic’s fondest childhood memories were eating their Grandmother’s freshly made sweets.

These memories gave them the inspiration to design exceptional artisan doughnuts and serve specialty coffee in the suburb they were raised in.

Every single doughnut has been through the brother’s rigorous creation process, and they are delighted to share them with you.

What is the Café?

Café, also spelled cafe, small eating and drinking establishment, historically a coffeehouse, usually featuring a limited menu; originally these establishments served only coffee. The English term café, borrowed from the French, derives from the Turkish kahve, meaning coffee.

Things You Should Know About Australian Coffee Culture

Australian coffee culture is one of the most advanced globally, and we have a lot to learn from it. Australians care about the quality and the taste of the coffee. We could also encourage café owners to be as personal and unique as the Australians are. And most of all, enjoy coffee and everything around it! It’s a way of life, not just fuel to get you through the day.

“Hey mate, how you going? Wanna grab a coffee?” This is how most of the conversations in Australia start, no matter if it’s a good friend, tinder date or your colleague speaking. Coffee culture in Australia is a big thing, and getting bigger and bigger continuously. I think we have a lot to learn from the far and away country.

Enjoy coffee to the full

Here in the cold Nordics, we tend to keep everything quite simple, stick with the old habits and think that change is bad. When it comes to coffee, we’re drinking a lot of it. First, it wakes us up in the morning and after gets us through the day. We don’t understand that we’re allowed to enjoy coffee.

And perhaps, quality wins over quantity. In Australia, coffee is basically a way of life. People are breathing, feeling and dreaming of it. It’s ok to love it from the bottom of your heart, maybe also to pay a little bit more to ensure it’s amazing and even walk a bit further to get to your favourite café.

Why do we drink our morning coffee at home in Finland? Why don’t we walk to a close-by café and order a well-made quality espresso or hand-brewed filter coffee and sit down to enjoy it? In Australia that’s part of people’s morning routine, no matter where you work or how big is your paycheck.

While living in Melbourne, I fell in love with the breakfast plates that most cafés offer. The cherry on top was a beautiful caffe latte or cappuccino. If everyone took some quality time with quality coffee, there would be less anger, stress and hatred in the world. Even the wars would probably stop. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to sit in a café, sitting on a train with a takeaway coffee is super relaxing too and a nice change from the habit of staring at your phone the whole journey to work.

Let the taste lead you

Even though latte art is becoming more common in Finland, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get it if you order a cappuccino. In Australia, a café will probably not last a month if the baristas don’t know how to make latte art. The common belief is that it only makes the coffee look pretty, but actually, it affects the coffee’s taste. Why? Well, there are three reasons:

  • if your milk isn’t perfectly frothed, it’s impossible to do any kind of latte art
  • if your milk isn’t perfectly frothed, it is quite possibly either burnt or not smooth, shiny and silky
  • if your milk isn’t perfectly frothed, it’s going to ruin your perfect espresso experience.

And hey, even the old proverb says that the look is half of the taste when it comes to food and the plating. We should treat coffee the same way!

Learn the difference between good and bad quality

Starbucks has failed to enter Australia’s markets because Australians didn’t like the poor quality of their coffee and their average customer service (Munchies). Australians want to drink coffee that actually tastes like coffee. People are demanding quality flavours and aromas, quality roasting and brewing and simply just caring baristas who’ll treat the coffee the way it should be treated.

It obviously makes a huge difference to the taste and quality, if your grinder is correctly adjusted or not. In Finland, people don’t know or care about the fact that you should adjust it every single day. Every. Single. Day. If you’re not doing it, you’re most likely selling bad coffee. That’s the truth.

And the saddest part of this all is that cafés get away with it because most customers don’t know the difference between bad, ok or excellent coffee. It’s ok to be demanding when it’s about a beautiful thing you love. You wouldn’t eat old chocolate or surf with a broken board, because that would ruin your overall experience. The same goes for coffee.

Be unique

95% of the cafés throughout Australia are independently owned, which means almost every café looks different. I’ve always been a huge fan of unique, personal and fun cafés, where you can see the owners’ personality. That kind of place is usually very welcoming, cozy and interesting. They make you want to stay there forever, or at least a few hours, and enjoy your coffee and breakfast in peace while reading a newspaper or watching people walking by.

Interior design and small details are close to my heart, and I pay attention to that everywhere I go. I just simply love beautiful things, no matter if it’s a chair, the colour of the wall or latte art on my cappuccino. In Finland, people don’t care enough to make something look unique and memorable. In contrast, in Australia, almost every little café wanted to look the cutest or most modern or coolest or most whatever they wanted, like Brewtown Café or Gertrude & Alice Cafe. I cannot be the only person in Finland who misses this! Be personal. Be yourself. And let it show.

Luckily in Finland, we are getting in that direction, slowly but surely. For instance, a place that stands out to me is Kissakahvila Helkatti, a café full of cats. The interior design is designed for both humans and cats, which is a great idea. What would be better than spending time with happy, playful cats while sipping your coffee? Paulig Kulma is another place I think pops out from other cafés. It’s trendy and modern, they have up to date selection of food and coffees, and the coolest feature is their own roastery inside the café.

There’s also Café Kuuma, a super cute little café with a cozy atmosphere, delicious breakfast plates, and good coffee. A place where you could easily spend half a day reading a book or gossiping with your friends.

Even if all these cafés are very different from each other, they all have something in common: a unique perspective and passion for what they are doing. This is all I’m asking for.

Find your own ideas

If people are passionate about something, it creates a great platform for new ideas. Love for something makes you want to make it your own. This is what happened in Australia when they invented a coffee called flat white. They wanted to have a coffee that they can call their own, and that caresses their taste buds.

But what is it that makes coffee in Australia so good?

The experience is unique.

Our local cafes completely understand that drinking coffee is about more than just the caffeine hit; it’s also a form of relaxation and socialising. Which is why Australian cafes make sure they not only provide great coffee and great service, but they also provide a complete coffee drinking experience.

Australia’s coffee culture is also solidly focused on the many different types and varieties of specialty coffee. As Fleur Studd, the founder of Melbourne’s Market Lane, says, “When you walk into many cafes now, the barista will be able to tell you where your coffee was grown, who produced it, and what variety it is. You will often be offered coffee brewed as filter as well as espresso. The menu will showcase coffees that are in season and specialty grade, and the labels on retail bags of beans will tell you when it was harvested and roasted.” Do you see it? It’s a serious business!

Australian baristas push the boundaries when it comes to their coffee art.

It’s also our local baristas’ creativity that sets our coffee industry apart from the rest. They have already perfected their lattes, macchiatos and our own invention the flat white. But they also aren’t afraid to experiment with different kinds of caffeinated beverages, and Australia leads the way to new coffee trends. Think turmeric lattes, unicorn coffee, and avocado lattes.

We have access to high-quality coffee beans and cutting-edge equipment

No wonder we can serve the rarest and the best-tasting coffee. Our exciting coffee industry is supported by lots of dedicated industry groups and major events here in Australia that help expand the availability of unique coffee beans for roasters and cafe owners alike. The Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) proudly and expertly works to help grow Australia’s coffee industry. Thousands attend the yearly event to see the latest in coffee technology and machinery, along with the best Roasters and Baristas in the country. 

We have our own style of cafes and our own style of coffee.

With such a strong culture, it’s no wonder that we’ve put our style and spin on coffee. According to Ben Bicknell, the strategic project manager for the Five Senses group, “We’ve got a local vernacular for our coffee: the flat white, short black, magic and long macchiato. Most of these drinks are just slight adjustments on the amount of espresso to milk to foam quantities, but even those small differences can determine whether your daily brew hits the spot.”

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