Restaurant Fitzroy

St David Dairy

This Fitzroy establishment scales dairy back to its roots.
Alec Jones
February 14, 2025

Overview

Alternative milk may have taken the world by storm, but that doesn't mean classic dairy milk has been relegated to the back seat. That's plain to see with Fitzroy's St David Dairy, a cafe that opened at the tail end of 2024 and is, at the time of writing, Melbourne's only micro-dairy. That's a dairy farm that keeps things small-scale and more ethical than your run-of-the-mill commercial dairy operation.

The establishment and its owners know that dairy is a complex subject, but they take strides to ensure that all products on the shelves and in the refrigerators are made the way they should be: small-scale and local.

Visitors can see most of the process unfurling while they sit and sip their coffee. With raw dairy products sourced from Gippsland, every batch of milk is tested daily for quality and hand-poured inside the cafe premises. You'll be able to walk away with milk, yoghurt, cream, butter, cheese, buttermilk or crème fraiche. And just like the good old days, if you return with an empty glass bottle of milk, you'll get a refill for cheaper.

The offering is only increasing in size, with the cafe recently installing an ice creamery. There are also plans to host workshops in its space, including a butter master class, coffee cupping, ice cream pairing, and events educating people about sustainable practices, artisanal practices and the importance of sourcing locally.

Features

Information

Where

16-18 Saint David Street
Fitzroy

Hours

Sun

8am-5pm

  • Mon

    7:30am-5pm

  • Tue

    7:30am-5pm

  • Wed

    7:30am-5pm

  • Thu

    7:30am-5pm

  • Fri

    7:30am-7pm

  • Sat

    8am-9pm

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