Top 5 Coffee spots in Melbourne

leebs

I'd really like to shock my palate with some top notch coffee. Since there is a wealth of experience here on the forum I wondered if you would list 5 spots that make the BEST coffee in Melbourne. Obviouslly this is to a certain extent subjective, but I think as a whole coffee experts would be up to the job.

Many thanks

ryan

I always get good strong coffee in Pellegrinis in melbourne city. strong fresh vittoria coffee. opinions differ, their service and cakes/flies can be bad but i never have bad coffee.

leebs

This was posted on Coffeegeek regarding Pelligrini, and I tend to agree. Pellegrini's was the first place in Melbourne to ever have an espresso machine. It's worth going there for coffee one day, but only to taste what coffee should never taste like. It's like there's a bushfire in your mouth and everyone's invited. Equal worst coffee in Melbourne, IMO. I remember adding sugar to mask the ashy taste. Didn't work. I added salt. Still didn't work. I seriously considered licking the ashtray to lessen the taste of ash in my mouth!

mattyj

Never been to melbourne, but I hear that Maltitude is the place to be. Be on the lookout for a barista called Simon James (dunno where he works, I think he's in a new job) - he's been a big help to me lately, answering loads of questions via email about a machine upgrade ... and i hear that he makes a great coffee.

Matthew_White

I always get good strong coffee in Pellegrinis in melbourne city. strong fresh vittoria coffee.

Good Coffee? Vittoria? Them's fightin' words boy!

Spjarli_Coffee

my Top 5... Batch Espresso, Carlisle St, Balaclava Wall 280, just off Carlisle St, Balaclava Icoco, Victoria Ave, Albert Park Atomica, Brunswick St, Fitzroy Maltitude, Exhibition St, Melbourne

FreshCoffee2

I was in Melbourne yesterday. Having heard "things" about Maltitude, I tried to go there to check it out. They are not listed under that name in the phone book. I checked both this years book, and last years book. Perhaps they are "Cafe Maltitude" or something. Anyway the outcome is, if you're from outa town and cant find it in the phone book, there is little chance of you going there to check it out! I did find Atomica in the phone book. My wife's coffee, and mine, both tasted good. The food we ordered was simple, good and well priced. This was a step in the right direction from the night before where in another establishment I had to send the fish back because of a very strong smell of ammonia! From Atomica we ventured across the road to have a look at Jaspers but didnt have any coffee. We liked the ambience of the very skinny cafe running down the side. There are lots of other cafes down Brunswick Street but we were really only interested in checking out the ones that roast their own. Regardz, FC.

ryan

we also had trouble finding it (mult) but went there eventually, had a nice cafe latte, not nirvana (IMO) but better than most cafes, and I would go there again if I was in the area, which is the main test. the main thing is the owners take pride in the coffee, and have a genuine interest in it rather than be a $2.00 a cup profit mchine that puts bums on seats. tried batch as well, nice as well. If only we can get the other say 60 percent of cafes to stop serving dirty ashtray coffee. cheers

sharkboy

FC I had the same problem on a recent visit to Melbourne, and yes it is under Cafe Maltitude. Did you have a chat to the roaster at Atomica? Vern...not sure of surname...? What happens when one roaster visits another? Is there a secret handshake? 😉 Just wondering if you make yourself known to other roasters when visiting and vice versa. -Stephen-

FreshCoffee2

Stephen, sorry to disappoint but I am a silent observer where *cafe's that roast their own* are concerned. That way you get the true gist of things in the total scenario of their cafe.... Regardz, FC.

andybud

Well I have read all of your comments everyone and I have also had numerous cups at both Maltitude and Atomica. Now for my opinion...Maltitude is fairly good but thats only because I compare it to the crap I get from most other places. Atomica used to be good but has gone down hill considerably and now seems to rest purely on their reputation. If you are on Brunswick St, cross the road and go a little further down to a place called FILTER. Their coffee blows those others into next year every time. I go there every day now. Trust me, those two guys will never let you down.

[deleted]

No one's mentioned st. ali with proberbly best coffee in melbourne bar none and one of the top ten in Australia IMO

bonya

I was at ST ALI for lunch today.Every seat in the house was filled and many people were lining up for take away coffees. Considering how busy the place was, the service was top knotch and i only waited a few minutes for my coffee. My flat white was perfectly textured and the rossetta on top was very nicely formed. The temperature was ideal and the coffee tasted great. I also consumed a smoked chicken foccacia for which i paid $7.5. This was simple but very satisfying and well priced. All the coffees i saw delivered to tables looked perfect and i was very impressed with the consistency of the presentation. I have been here a few times and have never been dissapointed. Its a fair trek from my house but it is definetly worth the drive. Another place i cannot speak more highly of is the Maling Room in canterbury! This place is miles ahead (for coffee) of any other cafe in the area. The barristas are very friendly and extremely dedicated to serving the perfect cup every time. I have never left feeling dissapointed and have certainly never had a bad cup of coffee there. The food is also good, and very well priced considering it is in a very affluent suburb. Forget the rest of the cafes in this strip. I have had coffee at just about all of them and have never been satisfied. Atomica is also quite an impressive cafe. I have only ever been there once but had a very pleasent experience. The coffee was great, and the BLT which came served in a bagel was pleasent and provided a refreshing change from the standard turkish breads everywhere seems to be using. If in the North Balwyn area, a good place for a quick cup is Romeos. Friendly staff, roasted on site beans and a skilled barista make this place a favourite local haunt for many people. The coffee is extremely well priced at 2.5 for a latte,fw and cap) and 2.2 for an espresso. Each cup is also served with an italian chocolate which if consumed after the coffee leaves a very pleasent taste on the pallate. There is a very limited range of food, only a few cakes and pastries.However they are well priced and great for something small to have with your coffee.

takeaim

Well I have read all of your comments everyone and I have also had numerous cups at both Maltitude and Atomica. Now for my opinion...Maltitude is fairly good but thats only because I compare it to the crap I get from most other places. Atomica used to be good but has gone down hill considerably and now seems to rest purely on their reputation. If you are on Brunswick St, cross the road and go a little further down to a place called FILTER. Their coffee blows those others into next year every time. I go there every day now. Trust me, those two guys will never let you down.

You seem to be pushing filter fairly strongly in a few threads, it either is as good as you say and you're one real happy customer or you're involved? What coffee do filter use? I'll have to check it out next time i'm in Brunswick st. I wouldn't say that about Atomica though, you talking about the cafe or the beans? There are plenty other roasters and cafes, as you put it, that rest purely on their reputation. My top 2 would have to be The Maling Room in Canterbury or St Ali in Sth Melb, I dont seem to have the time to get to any other cafes. And maltitude has new owners since it was last posted about in this thread.

askthecoffeeguy

De Graves in the city of Melbourne also makes great coffee. At least, every time I have been there, it has been consistently good ACG

Reschsmooth

I was in Melbourne over the weekend (basically loitering around the CBD) and tried most of the little cafe's in the lane way off the Block arcade. The first one (C&B I think it is), has a little bar (stools and bench) plus tables, with a 3 group Pavoni at the front, with the PBTM furiously cleaning filter baskets, group heads, back flushing, etc. However, and most disappointingly, each shot took about 10 seconds! Despite comments on other threads, I am not one to let the person know what I think of their coffee as I expect to get a respons along the lines of 'what would you know'? Another cafe had average coffee (serving Grinders), didn't try the one which served Vittoria, but the last one (fronting on the Arcade) had pretty good coffee - not over or underextracted. P

andybud

You seem to be pushing filter fairly strongly in a few threads, it either is as good as you say and you're one real happy customer or you're involved? What coffee do filter use? I'll have to check it out next time i'm in Brunswick st. I wouldn't say that about Atomica though, you talking about the cafe or the beans? There are plenty other roasters and cafes, as you put it, that rest purely on their reputation. My top 2 would have to be The Maling Room in Canterbury or St Ali in Sth Melb, I dont seem to have the time to get to any other cafes. And maltitude has new owners since it was last posted about in this thread.

I'm not involved at all but I'm a Fitzroy resident that has finally found a place thats actually better than the established places I've been going to for years. Filter has only been open a short time and you would think they have been there for years. Was there on the weekend and had to wait an hour just for a seat. They use Lavazza by the way.