Melbourne's 20 Most Popular Cafes of 2023
These are the cafes you went looking for the most this year, from CBD brunch spots to inner west hidden gems.
Looking for a top-notch coffee? Or, maybe you're on the hunt for the most scenic brunch spot in the city. Luckily, Melbourne is flush with world-class cafes pushing the boundaries of this city's coffee culture and pairing their brews with tasty eats.
While it's always comforting to head to your local for your morning flatty, we're always on the lookout for the next great barista, and these are the Melbourne cafes you've all been on the search for. We've compiled a list of the most clicked-on cafes throughout 2023, so that you can know where your peers have been finding those icy cold brews and next-level sambos.
Use this as a reflection on your best brekkies of the year — and a hitlist for all of your oat caps going forward.
Top image: Terror Twilight by My Friend Tom.
Recommended reads:
The Best Cafes in Melbourne
The Best Coffee in Melbourne CBD
The Best Restaurants in Melbourne
The Best Pubs in Melbourne
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RestaurantThe Terrace Cafe
Anderson Street, South Yarra
This iconic garden cafe has entered a new phase of life as one of the city's leafiest brunch spots.
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RestaurantFaraday's Cage
325-329 Gore Street, Fitzroy
Come for the freshly baked bread and pastries, stay for the excellent all-day breakfast.
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RestaurantRudimentary
16-20 Leeds Street, Footscray
A cafe made from disused shipping containers in an abandoned car park.
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RestaurantThe Old Garage
2A Glen Iris Road, Camberwell
A supremely dog-friendly cafe, with puppychinos aplenty and a vegan alternative for every dish on the menu.
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RestaurantThe Grain Store
517 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
A little slice of comfort with damn fine food on Flinders Lane.
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BarPellegrini's Espresso Bar
66 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Melbourne's quintessential drop-in Italian dining institution.
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RestaurantMaverick
95 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
A contemporary CBD pit stop serving Axil coffee and a menu of updated brekkie classics.
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RestaurantUncle Drew
23 Groom Street, Clifton Hill
A true neighbourhood gem known for its creative cafe fare, quality coffee and ever friendly vibe.
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RestaurantThe Journal Cafe
253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
A reliable Flinders Lane cafe that's open late each night.
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RestaurantTerror Twilight
11-13 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Bedford St's fried chicken has been replaced with nutritious bowls and 'upgraded' coffee from the crew behind Convoy, Hi-Fi and Tinker.
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Restaurant279
279 Victoria Street, West Melbourne
Hand-strained miso soup, Tokyo coffee and traditional Japanese fare in West Melbourne.
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RestaurantAu79
27-29 Nicholson Street, Abbotsford
This Abbotsford cafe, bakery and roastery hybrid gets a gold star.
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RestaurantOna Coffee Melbourne
22 Ovens Street, Brunswick
Canberra's legendary coffee roaster Ona has opened its first Melbourne cafe.
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RestaurantIma Asa Yoru
1 Duckett Street, Brunswick
A Brunswick cafe serving up Japanese breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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RestaurantBellboy
131 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East
This dog-friendly haunt specialises in bagels, brunch and coffee brewed on-site.
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RestaurantJC Patisserie Boulangerie
17 Henry Street, Abbotsford
This French-leaning boulangerie is the first venture by Melbourne-born and bred Jonathan Camilleri, who trained as a pastry chef at Le Cordon Bleu.
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RestaurantLe Bajo Milkbar
8-14 Howard Street, North Melbourne
Combining a love of Japanese food fare and Australian milk bars, Le Bajo is North Melbourne’s newest destination for fluffy shokupan bread and house-roasted coffee.
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RestaurantJourneyman
169 Chapel Street, Windsor
Come for great coffee and its famous avocado and hummus toast served with honey candied bacon.
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RestaurantHareruya Pantry
15-17 Lincoln Square South, Carlton
With a name that translates to 'sunny shop', Carlton's tiny Japanese pantry and cafe is heroing beautiful bento and house-made gelato.
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RestaurantLa Fantaisie
297 Victoria Street, Abbotsford
A café, patisserie, florist and event venue, all rolled into one drop-dead-gorgeous package.
