Best of Melbourne 2019: city’s top 10 coffees revealed
We’ve filtered through the list and come up with a strong result — the full list of Melbourne’s top cafes to get a great coffee. Did your favourite generate some buzz? SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS
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It took a lot of filtering, but here they are — Melbourne’s top 10 spots to get a great coffee.
Arguably our city’s favourite hot drink, coffee can be found at cafes on every corner of our city.
But who does it best?
When we asked you to tell us who made Melbourne’s best coffee, it stirred up plenty of debate.
MORE:
MELBOURNE’S TOP 5 HIDDEN COFFEE GEMS
We received hundreds of nominations and thousands of votes — with strong contenders pouring in — as part of our Best of Melbourne series.
So, where in Melbourne should you go to escape the daily grind? It’s time to drink in the winners — scroll down to find out who’s been crowned the city’s caffeine kings.
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10. WILD WOMBAT CAFE, HURSTBRIDGE
2/784 Heidelberg-Kinglake Rd
Wild Wombat owner Angela Tambolash says she “screamed like a little girl” when she heard about her cafe’s nomination.
Mrs Tambolash and husband Daniel have been running their Hurstbridge shop since 2008, and say it’s a “hidden gem” where everything is made from scratch.
“It’s not pre-packaged or pre-made. We cater for everyone that comes into town, whether they’re coeliac, vegan, vegetarian,” Mrs Tambolash says.
The couple jumped at the opportunity to open the cafe after working in HR, IT and marketing respectively, with experience in pubs and cafes too.
“We got sick of working for other people I guess, and we just wanted to go out on our own and see how we went,” Mrs Tambolash says.
The cafe uses a custom blend from Thornbury-based roasters Cortado Coffee, with Mr Tambolash and Colleen McDowell the main baristas.
Mrs Tambolash says consistency is the key to a perfect cup.
“Making sure the milk is all the same, everyone has got the same training,” she says.
“We’re really passionate about what we do, we put love into what we do.”
Customer Kylie Banbury says Wild Wombat offers “consistently fantastic coffee and treats with the friendliest of service”.
Shed Giordimaina says the coffee is “not just a coffee, it’s accompanied with a great conversation. It’s served with love”, while Katrina Mannix says “the owners are amazing, the coffee is delicious”.
Andrew Drossinis says: “It’s all in the finer details … the freshly ground beans, the perfectly frothed milk, poured to perfection.”
More: wildwombat.cafe
Facebook: facebook.com/wildwombatcafe
Instagram: @wildwombat_hurstbridge
9. COFFEE & SOUL, MALVERN EAST
124-126 Burke Rd
Coffee & Soul is an East Malvern “institution” with queues out the door each morning, owner Victor Leeman says.
Mr Leeman has run the cafe — opposite leafy Central Park — with son Stephen for two years, and says customers are “treated like family and most are known by name and their coffee”.
“It’s the kind of place where if you accidentally leave your wallet at home, the person behind you could shout you a latte,” he says.
Mr Leeman says the coffee doesn’t “just happen”, with the duo keeping a “very close watch” on flavour and body.
He says they tweak it behind the scenes “to keep the full flavour (we’re) so highly regarded for delivering, so consistently”.
Happy customer Sally Sutherland says: “The coffee is consistently excellent. They make an effort to know everyone’s names and welcome them by name each visit.”
And Stephen Harle sums up the cafe in one word: “Addictive”.
More: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coffee-and-Soul/132337263557649
8. BLACK SEED CAFE, WERRIBEE
2/133 Watton St
One-time personal trainer Waleed Albaz was running a gym in Roxburgh Park with a small cafe when he became interested in coffee.
Mr Albaz, who came to Australia from Jordan as student in 2000, relocated to Werribee with wife Faye in 2014 and struggled to find a good brew — which prompted the opening of Black Seed.
“I couldn’t find a decent one back then — it was a bit hard,” he laughs.
Their cafe, which the husband and wife run with sons Ahmed and Kifah, uses a blend from Torquay’s Mikro Coffee Roasters and in 2016 was voted the best coffee in the west on cafe review app Beanhunter.
“I think it’s the freshness of the coffee, a good mix and a good barista,” Mr Albaz says of the secret to their popular brew.
“It’s a great honour to be honest, and very refreshing for us (to be nominated).
“We must be doing something right.”
Hayley Parker says the cafe staff treat their customers “like family”.
Samira Tabbit says: “Black Seed Cafe always goes above and beyond! Their coffee is always indulgent that I can proudly say I’m addicted!”
And Feryel Houli dubs their coffee “creamy (and) full of flavour”.
Facebook: facebook.com/blackseedcafe2
Instagram: @black_seed_cafe
7. SPLIT BEAN CAFE, MERNDA
1/59 Mernda Village Drive
As soon as school drop-off is out the way, Mernda mums head straight for the Split Bean Cafe in Mernda Village.
Owner Neil Gratton, who has run the cafe with wife Kristy for five years, says he loves Mernda’s community feel.
“A lot of the customers that come in, the majority of them come in every day, they drop their kids off at school and the mums all come in and have their little after school drop-off coffee,” Mr Gratton says.
The popular meeting spot uses a dark roast blend from Campbellfield roasters Reverence Coffee.
“Our coffees are good, our customer service is fantastic, our willingness to go over and beyond for our customers — I think it’s a combination,” Mr Gratton explains of his cafe’s loyal following.
“When you put it all together it just makes that cup of coffee a little bit nicer.”
He says “practise makes perfect” when it comes to a brilliant brew.
“It’s one of those things that, the more you make it, it’s like riding a bike, you can perfect it and having that eye for detail to be able to make sure that you’re timing your shots right, and you’re extraction, and milk — it’s like running a well-oiled machine, if it’s running smoothly it’s excellent.”
He says they are “honoured” by their nomination.
Natalie Hall says Mr and Mrs Gratton have created “a beautiful sense of community” and she loves the taste of their coffee and the excellent customer service.
Bree Whitford says staff remember her order and make her feel at home, while Michelle Course, who drinks “a lot” of coffee, says they have “such a smooth blend and excellent barista skills to match.”.
Ryan Hogan says: “The most dog friendly cafe I’ve come across with just the right amount of love in every cup.”
Facebook: facebook.com/Split-Bean-Cafe-1465536427020073
Instagram: @split_bean_cafe
6. LITTORIO’S, CROYDON
168 Main St
Littorio’s co-owner Michael Raydan says the quality of his coffee comes down to one thing: love.
“We love what we do, we do it with pride, we’re proud of what we do and we do it with love,” Mr Raydan says.
“I always tell my customers I do it with love, it makes a difference to the way I pour your coffee — I think it’s one of the secrets.”
The former civil engineer moved to Australia from Lebanon 11 years ago with his nephew, head chef and business partner Bahaa Elkadi, in search of a better life and with a dream to open a hospitality business together.
“Once you’re here and see how it is you don’t want to go back — for us it’s heaven,” he says.
The family took over Littorio’s five years ago and kept the cafe’s name, which pays homage to a racehorse the previous owners had.
They use a custom blend from Cortado Coffee — a mixture of Brazilian, Colombian and Indian beans — and Mr Raydan is a permanent fixture behind the machine, having taken just 10 days’ holiday in five years.
He says he can’t see himself doing anything else.
Candice Clark says Mr Raydan’s coffee is “consistently good, fast and efficient”.
Hayley Dunn says: “All orders are made with love (and) the quality of ingredients used are top notch.”
Julie Azzopardi agrees: “The way Michael makes the coffee comes from the heart.”
Adam Condie says the coffee is a “perfect temperature and a rich blend”, always delivered quickly with a smile, and Jacinta Rice says she “always gets to the bottom of my cup and wish for one more mouthful … yummy!”
More: littorioscafe.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/littorios.com.au
Instagram: @littorioscafe
5. MAD RAM CAFE, CROYDON
19 Paul St
They begged you to #vote1MadRam and you did.
The boys at this Croydon coffee hot spot serve up Toby’s Estate brews — and they do it well.
Opened by Mark Andersen, Dan McDonald and Alex Roberts in 2017, Mad Ram has fast made a name for itself.
The cafe’s name is a mixture of the first letters of their first and surnames, with Mr Andersen and Mr McDonald both chefs who worked for 10 years to open a cafe together.
Happy customer Mark Welten says the coffee is “smooth and perfectly made every time”.
“Staff get to know customers’ regular orders and look after you,” he says.
Holly Rowlands praises the “beautiful smooth, rich, consistent flavour, with latte art that is on point”.
Ebony Austin says the boys are “modest and humble, just a legend, amazing coffee and service”.
And Megan McDonald says: “Best part of my day getting coffee from the boys.”
More: madramcafe.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/madramcafe
Instagram: @madramcafe
4. CUCINA DOLCE, CHELSEA
426 Nepean Highway
The instant Cucina Dolce head barista and “backbone” Inas Kerbage sees you walking through the doors, rest assured she’s already got your order underway.
“She gives the customers a really nice experience by remembering their orders,” husband Fred Kerbage says.
“As they start walking through she starts making their coffee, so by the time they get to the counter their coffee is through, they pay and off they go.
“You can have the best coffee at any venue, but if you’re waiting 15 minutes for a coffee it becomes the worst coffee you’ve ever had.”
The husband and wife team started their Italian eatery six years ago after running award-winning restaurants La Piazza Allegra in Elsternwick, Caesar’s Italian Cuisine in Ferntree Gully and the Racetrack Cafe in Cranbourne.
They were attracted to up-and-coming Chelsea’s “massive population boom”.
“The average house was worth $500,000 and it’s just shot through, you can’t get anything under a million,” Mr Kerbage said.
“It’s got the cleanest beach in Melbourne, the beach lifestyle, everyone is moving down here.
“It’s a pretty relaxed environment and with the development that is taking place we’re seeing a lot of young couples moving into the area. It’s going to be the next suburb like Mordialloc or Mentone.”
Cucina Dolce runs across two shopfronts in Chelsea Arcade, backing onto the beach, and recently upgraded its outdoor area with $10,000 of heating.
“Coffee making is an experience and having the perfect coffee is not just about the coffee, it’s about everything else that goes with it — the staff, the surroundings, being able to sit outside on a cold morning and have a coffee with the heaters on,” Mr Kerbage says.
“You’ve got to have the right milk, you’ve got to have the right grind, the right temperature, so there’s a lot that goes into it and every single day we’re perfecting it.
“The easiest thing is getting to the top of the mountain — the hardest part is staying there.”
Mr Kerbage says with about 14 coffee shops in a 100m radius, they have to “rise all the time”.
Karin Storey says: “The flavour is perfect with just the right amount of crema.”
Gemma Howl agrees: “Inas knows your order by memory and makes your coffee with perfection every time.”
And Helen Howells says: “Inas makes the best coffee, can’t think of a better way to start the day.”
More: cucinadolce.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/Cucinadolce.aus
3. AUSSIE VETERANS COFFEE CO, BORONIA
Shop 9/50 Dorset Square
John McNeill is pouring coffee with a conscience.
The former infantry soldier, who was discharged in 2009 after serving in East Timor, opened the Aussie Veterans Coffee Co cafe in Boronia Mall a month ago, providing jobs for injured and ill veterans, first responders and their families.
The business deals as a social enterprise, putting all profits back into more projects helping former servicemen.
Mr McNeill began his venture two years ago as a market stall, progressing to a food van before opening the shop, where everything is made in-house.
A local roaster prepares the beans under the Aussie Veterans brand, and Mr McNeill also does some small batch roasting.
He offers five different blends in the cafe, and is installing nitro brew coffee on-tap.
But he says his shop is about so much more than coffee, with the ultimate goal to open a fitness and wellness centre for veterans.
“The coffee business, even though we’re passionate about it, we see it as our stepping stone to achieving our first major goal,” Mr McNeill says.
“The plan is to have one of them in every state around Australia, but you’ve got to start somewhere.”
Mr McNeill was a chef before serving in the army, and says coffee was a natural progression.
“Everyone drinks either coffee or tea, I thought that would be the best way to start, and also from a social point of view, when you get the support groups in everyone enjoys a good brew,” he says.
“I understand how this industry works so I thought we’d start with something that I know.”
The dedicated veterans’ advocate also runs a prison outreach program, visiting incarcerated veterans, and is talking with two rehabilitation companies that help discharged veterans return to work about a workplace trial arrangement.
And in two weeks he will open the shop after-hours to host a support group for veterans who don’t cope well in public.
“We just help people — I guess it’s not just about the coffee for us.”
Luke Morrison hails Mr McNeill’s offerings as “damn good coffee for a damn good cause”, while Val Athanassiou says it is “roasted, blended, ground and poured with military style precision”.
More: aussieveteranscoffee.com
Facebook: facebook.com/aussieveteranscoffeeco
Instagram: @aussieveteranscoffeeco
2. PROJECT BLACK SPECIALITY COFFEE, MITCHAM
3a/26b Enterprise Way
For Angus Shen, coffee is about way more than “pressing a big button”.
Mr Shen, who opened Project Black Specialty Coffee in Mitcham a year and a half ago after previously running Oskawhyte in Armadale, is fascinated by the science.
“When I had my first cafe I didn’t know how interesting it was,” he says.
“But after I started my friend started to teach me to make coffee — it’s actually science behind it, it’s not just pressing a big button.
“Bar pressure, temperature, timing, the liquid passing through the coffee.
“I’m really fussy about it.
“The way I make coffee is slightly different to the others. I actually do lower bar pressure, and I find that this way the coffee is more consistent.”
Mr Shen says he has a great relationship with his supplier, head roaster Valeri Tkatchenko from Torquay’s Mikro Coffee Roasters, with whom he “speaks the same language”.
“When I have problems then he will find a way to change the roasting profile to make what I want,” Mr Shen says.
The Mitcham local, who also worked at renowned coffee roasters St Ali in Clayton, laughs there was “no good coffee around this area”, prompting him to open his new venture opposite the local Coles.
He says he is grateful for strong community support.
Pam Yin says Mr Shen is “super professional, his passion for the job comes through quite naturally and his coffee is always very consistent”.
Linda Lau says he will only serve his coffee when it’s “perfect”.
“So I know I never get a bad coffee from Angus,” she says.
And Peter Fulton says Mr Shen has a great knowledge of coffee and is clever at “artistic latte art”.
Facebook: facebook.com/projectblackcafe
Instagram: @projectblackcafe
1. VOLT CAFE, CLYDE NORTH
Selandra Rise Shopping Centre, corner Selandra and Linsell boulevards
Cathy and Maki Mastrogiannakos have thrown their all into their Clyde North cafe — and their customers have rewarded them.
The husband-and-wife duo’s Volt Cafe has been named Melbourne’s top coffee spot, with loyal patrons hailing their “delicious, fresh and strong coffee”, always delivered with a smile.
Mrs Mastrogiannakos worked in finance at Monash Uni for 12 years, but she and her husband come from families with strong hospitality pedigrees, and the lure to the industry was strong.
“My dad was a chef by trade and we always had shops, fine dining restaurants, takeaway pizza shops, cafes,” she says.
“In Greece (Maki’s) dad always had souvlaki places, charcoal chicken places.
“We thought we’d take the risk and do something on our own.”
The couple, who juggle cafe life with bringing up kids Samara, 12, and Rafael, 10, live in Oakleigh but were drawn to start their Clyde North shop four years ago because “we knew this area needed more cafes like this”.
“Since we started that’s all we hear from our customers, ‘thank you for bringing a city-style cafe out to us’. The risk paid off,” Mrs Mastrogiannakos says.
She says she “100 per cent knows we’ve got amazing coffee”, with the cafe using specialty beans from Collingwood’s Proud Mary.
She says customers appreciate “how creamy it is, it always tastes good and it’s not burnt”.
“I think they know when they come here they’re going to get a good quality coffee, no matter who’s behind the machine,” she says.
The hands-on owners are rarely away from their shop — and if they are, they still have work on the brain.
“Sometimes you find the owners aren’t quite as hands on all the time (but) when we’re not here (customers ask) ‘where’s Cathy and Maki?’” Mrs Mastrogiannakos says.
“One of us always tries to be here but also when I’m not here I’m always doing something at home, paperwork, payroll.”
She says their nomination is “just so rewarding”.
“It makes it feel like our hard work is worth it. It all pays off when you know your customers are happy with what you provide, whether it’s the coffee, the service, the food. I’m so grateful and thankful for all of them.”
Happy customer Kylie Butcher says: “They know our order as soon as we walk in and no matter who makes it is always consistent.”
Facebook: facebook.com/thevoltcafe
Instagram: @thevoltcafe
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