MELBOURNE CAFE SCENE: WHY AUSSIES RULE COFFEE

Australia is known for many things – kangaroos, koalas, killer crocs, surfers and Aussie Rules football (“footy”)! But now the rest of the world is finally catching the buzz where Aussies truly rule! My favorite “comedic folk duo” Flight of the Conchords once jokingly said this about Australians: “They’re always moving from city to city, in search of the perfect wave”. While that may be true, I believe they’re always moving from cafe to cafe, in search of the perfect third wave coffee! 🙂 The Australian third wave coffee phenomenon is rapidly sweeping across the US and parts of Europe, and while many are becoming familiar with the source of their single origin beans, most people don’t realize the source of their strong flat whites is the state of Victoria in southeastern Australia! Not only do these Aussies know how to roast their beans to perfection and design the most aesthetically pleasing cafes, but even their chain coffeeshops and local neighborhood pubs can create the most delectable and artful lattes and cappuccinos (aka flat white or magic for you Melban folk)! Keep reading below to find some of my favorite spots in and around Melbourne (from whence my husband hails) to sip on a strong flat white (double ristretto cappuccino equivalent) or magic (this is a Melbourne-specific, slightly shorter version of a strong flat white, similar to a cortado or gibraltar in the US/EU)!

KILGOUR STREET GROCER & CAFE

This recently opened Melbourne-style cafe in nearby Geelong KILLS it! Kilgour Street Grocer not only makes the perfect coffee every SINGLE time, they also serve muffins and pastries that are drool-worthy! Their tomato-pesto muffin is out of this world delicious, and their bright Wes-Anderson’esque interior is just as insta-worthy as their outdoor garden seating!

This recently opened Melbourne-style cafe in nearby Geelong KILLS it! They not only make the perfect coffee every SINGLE time, they also serve muffins and pastries that are drool-worthy!

It’s like I just walked into a Wes Anderson film with the candy-colored coffee machine!

They also sell some really cute home wares and goodies!

PROUD MARY

Proud Mary in Melbourne’s cool Collingwood neighborhood always does me proud with their magical magics and fresh, fluffy, heavenly hotcakes! Honestly, I’m not even a pancake/hotcake person, and I was converted on my first trip to Proud Mary a few years ago. I keep coming back for more because there’s truly nothing else quite like it! Australians aren’t big fans of sweet, sugary foods and I finally understand why. The subtle flavor palate in these brekkie treats is actually bursting with melt-in-your-mouth yumminess! I mean… the smell of the coconut milk-based butterscotch sauce alone is intoxicating enough to satiate even the most discerning taste buds. Anyhow, besides the hotcakes, they serve up the traditional Aussie style avocado toast (yet another fantastic Aussie creation that’s recently created a buzz in the States!) and they nail their coffee EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. The extra cool bit about this cafe is they roast their own beans as well – so you’re always guaranteed some TLC in every cup, perfectly brewed to the last drop and artfully designed!

Lemon Ricotta Hotcakes with roasted nectarines, citrus mascarpone, ginger butterscotch sauce, and of course… edible flower petals! Served with a magic on the side!

A perfectly poured “magic” – this is a Melbourne term for a slightly shorter (6 oz.) strong flat white, which is my favorite way to drink coffee – very robust and smooth, not too much milk but a bit creamier than a 4 oz. cortado would be!

Day 2 in Melbourne and I insisted we go to Proud Mary for coffee and hotcakes! I could literally eat here every single day and still not get enough! Their communal seating is warm and welcoming too, just like the Aussies themselves!

Ricotta hotcakes with caramelized pears, roasted honeycomb, cardamom cream, dark chocolate sprinkle, and coconut butterscotch syrup – DROOL!!!

SHOP THE LOOK

AUCTION ROOMS

Auction Rooms is just as cool as it sounds. In the city’s ever evolving North Melbourne neighborhood, this longstanding cafe is one of three amazing spots within a block (did I mention Melbourne’s got the coolest cafe scene on earth?). This place draws me back continuously, not only for their impeccable coffees and delectable desserts, but also because it was the first place I ever went with my husband the first time I visited him in Australia! Yeah, I’m a bit sentimental, but I promise that my emotional side and jetlagged mind do not bias my opinion – the coffee here is every bit as heavenly as the interior/exterior design. Bright blue facades and colorful coffee cups are just part of the charm that is Auction Rooms. To be fair though, I have only eaten here a couple times, and still prefer some of the other cafes for brekkie or brunch (if you don’t have ricotta hotcakes or coconut-crusted brioche on the menu, I’ll happily cafe hop till I find some… which, in this city, doesn’t take long at all!)…

Like a lot of Melbourne cafes – this spot is in an open, airy warehouse-style lofted space! They have a great brekkie menu and the most incredible pastries!

Like Proud Mary, I’ve never had a less-than-perfect coffee here!

AIry, bright spaces and a beautiful coffee bar displaying some delectable delicacies are just two of my favorite things about this place!

When it’s warm out, grab a table near the open garage-style windows or outside at one of the hand-crafted sidewalk tables

The colorful blue facade is always a welcome sight for sore, jetlagged eyes 🙂

CARTEL COFFEE

Cartel Coffee is competing pretty hard for my favorite coffee in Geelong. Kilgour Street Cafe and Grocer is AMAZING, especially when you add in the bonus muffins 🙂 But Cartel roasts their own beans and has some prettay prettay prettay pretty design elements that are aesthetically appealing to the detail-oriented nerd in me (like their gorgeous antique silver mini stirring spoons!). In the heart of Geelong, just a short walk to the harbor, you can shop for all your home cafe needs, products and learn more about the art of roasting, brewing and pouring a beautiful coffee, or just sit at one of the sunny sidewalk benches or bright light-filled interior and sip away on a flat white or magic! They also have some great design magazines to flip through if you’re looking for a lazy cafe day!

Marveling over the marble floors and the incredible attention to detail in interior and exterior decor!

A pictures speaks a thousand words, and I think this picture speaks volumes about the quality of the coffee at Cartel…

Plenty of great spaces with great views everywhere

Order a coffee, sip and relax – OR, get a lesson or two on how to make the perfect brew yourself!

Purveyors of fine coffee and all sorts of knick-knacks you need to make your own at home

Kilgour Street in the a.m. with a muffin, and Cartel for the p.m. win for a magic in the sunshine!

SHOP THE LOOK

WYNYARD

Wynyard in South Melbourne really represents the quintessential Melbourne cafe scene for me – walk a few blocks in a quiet, residential neighborhood, turn a corner onto a quaint, charming street filled with shops, restaurants and pubs in a Victorian style setting, turn a random corner onto a seemingly quiet side street and… BAM! Enter majorly cool, hip hidden design dreamland! WYNYARD is no exception – not only is the street it’s located on insanely quirky and cool with its minimalist design aesthetic, but the Made in Japan shop attached next door to the uber cool, freshly lit cafe is well worth a visit on its own accord! Our mate turned us onto the great lunch special of three gourmet salads and a meat/poultry here – I’m not really a salad person, and I could eat these salads every day just for the taste and presentation factor alone (let alone they’re healthy!). Grabbed a takeaway coffee as well, which did South Melbourne true justice.

Eat lunch indoors, then pop outside for some fresh air and coffee on these colorful crates

Don’t forget to pop into this shop and check out some of their unique home wares!

Seriously – you see what I mean about that salad? I can’t even begin to describe it. All I can say is only a Melbourne CAFE would serve up a beautiful grilled farm-to-table pasture-raised chicken atop a salad that looks good enough for me to photograph (I swear I don’t normally photograph my food!) and then make a perfect flat white to boot!

this hidden little street is easy to miss – keep your eyes peeled for the “Made in Japan” bike on the corner (see next photo)!

That smile means I’ve been well fed and caffeinated to my heart’s content whilst surrounded by interior goals 🙂

SHOP THE LOOK

• Addict Coffee (240 Johnston St., Fitzroy) – be sure to try their corn fritters with poached eggs for brekkie!
• Industry Beans (3/62 Rose St., Fitzroy) – don’t leave without trying their masterpiece, work-of-art, insta-worthy coconut-crusted brioche!
• Three Bags Full (60 Nicholson St., Abbotsford) – take a bag of their beans home!
• 7 Seeds (106 – 114 Berkeley St., Carlton) – take a walk to Carlton Gardens afterwards!
• Market Lane (Several Locations) – check out the new one on Collins St. or head to the classic market style stand next to the infamous Queen Vic Market in the CBD!
• The Kettle Black (50 Albert Rd., South Melbourne) – the penultimate spot for design and snap-so-many-photos-your-food-gets-cold-before-you-can-eat-it!