The Best Cold Foam Coffee in Melbourne
Leave your lame latte, common cappuccino and lifeless long black behind, and set out on a fancy-free, foam-filled adventure this weekend using our handy guide.
Back in the day, there were only two options. Black or white. Perhaps a question of whether to add sugar. However, fast-forward to today, and the options for novelty coffees are seemingly endless. And in 2026, one particular coffee add-on seems to be having a real moment in the spotlight: cold foam.
Cold foam is an airy, light, and velvety whipped topping that is placed on your coffee like an ice cap on a mountain. It's usually made by frothing cold milk without heat and is lightly sweetened or subtly flavoured to elevate your coffee experience. Sure, they tend to look pretty as a picture and are primed for photo dumps, but even the snootiest of coffee snobs in town seem to be getting around the cold foam. So leave your lame latte, common cappuccino and lifeless long black behind, and set out on a fancy-free, foam-filled adventure this weekend using our guide to the best cold foam coffees in Melbourne.
Recommended reads:
The Best Cafes in Melbourne
The Best Coffee in Melbourne
The Best Restaurants in Melbourne
The Best Boozy Bottomless Brunches in Melbourne
Beautiful Jim Key, Brunswick
Beautiful Jim Key, situated in Jewell Station Village, calls itself a neighbourhood cafe and luncheonette inspired by the "fantastic and the curious." The cafe is from Priyam Chovhan and partner Josh Murphy, an experienced restaurateur. In building Beautiful Jim Key, they sought to create a space focused on thoughtful hospitality and everyday pleasures. Signature menu items include an amped-up avo on toast with stracciatella, tomato and za'atar, and a potato roll stuffed with smoked sausage, cheese and barbecue sauce. One of the cafe's most coveted menu items is the BJK Cafe Royal, which features cold brew topped with creamy coconut cold foam and orange zest. While cherries are in season, try the Cherry Royale, which combines fresh, house-made cherry cordial, cold brew, coconut float, and dark chocolate.
Dua Bakehouse, Collingwood
Dua Bakehouse, situated within the Collingwood Yards precinct, is a bakery that blends Southeast Asian flavours with European pastry techniques. Since opening in early 2025, the understated yet aesthetically pleasing bakery and cafe has garnered a loyal following of locals and visitors seeking out two-toned iced drinks and the famous fluffy shokupan. This summer, the iced latte topped with pecan cream cold foam was a particularly popular beverage, often seen on social media perched next to a Pandan Princess Cake. A perfectly pretty combo.
Good Measure, Carlton
Carlton, coffee and cocktails. A fearsome combo that viral cafe Good Measure nails. During the daylight hours, this Lygon Street space plays host to those in search of the precious bean juice, but when the sun sets, it trades coffee for cocktails. If you visit during the day, be prepared to face a line. Many patrons are likely to be lining up for one particular specialty treat: the Mont Blanc. This coffee is filtered, iced, and served in a tumbler, where it gets a ceiling of fresh cream and a dusting of orange zest and nutmeg. This one is viral good reason.
Baker Bleu, South Yarra and Cremorne Stores
Baker Bleu is known and adored for its award-winning sourdough breads, including their famous country wheel rolls, seasonal fougasse, chewy bagels, pillowy challah and crusty ficelles. Baker Bleu's signature flaky croissants are known for being taken to the crisp edge in the oven, and their creamy custard tarts have become a crowd favourite for good reason. More recently, the bakery has begun expanding its offerings to include the likes of soft serves and novelty drinks. Their Iced Honey Cream Latte is a luxurious blend of double espresso poured over milk and ice, topped with whipped cream infused with honey and spices, and finished with a dusting of chai sprinkles. Chef's kiss.
Monforte Viennoiserie, Carlton North
Tucked away in a row of beige Victorian houses is the teal kiosk that houses Monforte Viennoiserie. And while this hole-in-the-wall spot is only open a few days a week, a sizable queue often forms outside before 8 am, with loyal customers keen to try Giorgia McAllister Forte's latest creation. The small-batch pasticceria specialises in yeasted doughs and croissant-based products, and everything is made on site in the petite space. While the menu changes each month, one thing is consistent: Giorgia's menu is exciting, experimental and ever-evolving. A recent addition to the menu is the Caffe Speciale, featuring Belafonte chilled filter coffee infused with a lemony, dark brown sugar syrup, topped with a fluffy sweet cream subtly imbued with bitter almond, and finished with fresh lemon zest.
Ona Coffee, Brunswick
If you step inside the bright, minimalist warehouse location on Ovens Street, tucked behind bustling Sydney Road, and take a seat at the interactive coffee bar, you'll see that Ona Coffee Melbourne goes far beyond your standard cafe. For one, the bar has dedicated sections for espresso, milk work and filter brewing. The most impressive part is the coffee, naturally, with a 20-plus list to choose from. You'll find frothy milk-based coffees, single-origin espressos, batch brews, pour-overs, iced coffee, and cold brew. And because even highbrow coffee addicts can't resist the cold foam craze, Ona has introduced a pistachio cream iced latte, crowned with a sprinkling of crushed nuts, that is driving people nuts trying to get their hands on one.
Elster, Elsternwick
Elster is a neighbourhood go-to that suits just as well for quick morning coffees, long leisurely lunches, work meetings, or even a family-friendly brunch where kids can relax and enjoy themselves. A selection of specialty drinks makes Elster a serious contender in the novelty coffee category. A crowd favourite is the Tiramisu Brew, served iced or hot, with vanilla cream, hazelnut and chocolate dust. There is also a Coconut Cloud Matcha with coconut water, vanilla and matcha cream, and a Blueberry Butterfly Iced Matcha with butterfly pea flower syrup. And if you want to take things up a notch, go for the Baileys Iced latte with whipped vanilla cream and chocolate.
Top Paddock, Richmond
Top Paddock, one of the darlings in the stable of cafes owned by the Darling Group, is not only serving up some of Melbourne's most beloved brekkies, but also some seriously amped-up coffees. The interior of Top Paddock is beautiful and light, with a real sophistication that few cafes achieve. It's an open, welcoming space with small and communal tables, outdoor seating, and a bar where you can watch the baristas at work. Speaking of, they produce custom blends from specialty coffee beans sourced from the world's top producers, with a strong focus on pairing coffee with food. The Darling Group venues have introduced a stellar lineup of cold foam coffees, including the Cherry Lime Cold Brew, an Iced Honeybee Latte with honeycomb cold foam, an Iced White Chocolate Matcha with white choc cold foam, and a Salted Maple Cold Brew.
St. ALi, South Melbourne
When you think about the beginnings of Melbourne's third-wave coffee movement, it could likely be traced back to St ALi. Not just a boutique local roaster of rich, beloved coffee beans, St ALi was instrumental in introducing the concept of an industrial-style cafe serving brunch as good as its brew. Despite the saturation of the city's cafe scene and stiff competition from local coffee roasters, St ALi has survived the movement and remains a Melbourne institution. It's also not afraid to get on board with new trends, including the cold foam craze. Seasonal specialties include the Biscoff Freddo with cold milk foam, crushed Biscoff and chocolate shavings, the Lights Out with orange juice and chocolate espresso cream, and the Strawberry Cloud with matcha, strawberry puree, and cold milk foam.
Baguette Sudios, North Melbourne
Baguette Studios in North Melbourne has become a favourite for locals and visitors alike, desperate to get their hands on the specialty French-style baguettes and pastries. Some of their signature items include the deep-fried Monte Cristo sandwich and a pretzel croissant. However, one particular drink has recently caught the attention of those partial to a sweet treat. Inspired by Korean coffee culture, the Butterscotch Cream Latte is an iced latte topped with butterscotch sauce and caramel cream. If that sounds too intense for you, grab a coconut cloud matcha, but be warned, it's almost too pretty to drink.
Bloomwood, CBD
While this city is in no way short of banging bakeries, every now and then, a new one emerges that really captures the attention of Melburnians. Bloomwood Bakery, a serene CBD space, did just that, with its irresistible pastries and specialty drinks. Signature pastries, which attract hordes of visitors each day, include a passionfruit-and-coconut jelly flower, a pepperoni-and-hot-honey focaccia pizza slice, a maple-cinnamon scroll, and a corn-and-cheese crisp croissant. To drink, there are renowned two-toned drinks, such as strawberry, banana or coconut iced matchas. There are plenty of seasonal and special cold foam options that you may be lucky enough to try, such as a citrus cream brew, a Thai milk tea with salted coconut cream and a hojicha latte with black sesame cream.
Images: Supplied.
- The Ten Best Beach Camping Spots in Victoria
- Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Melbourne's CBD
- The 25 Best Chinese Restaurants in Melbourne for 2025
- The 16 Best Swimming Holes Near Melbourne
- CP Picks: Aussie Summer Essentials — The Things We're Packing, Wearing and Using All Season Long
- CP Picks: The Editor's Gift Guide —What the CP Team Is Giving (and Hoping to Receive)