Melbourne’s top coffee suburbs revealed

Not all Melbourne suburbs are equal when it comes to coffee. The city’s top areas for our daily caffeine hit have been revealed. See where your suburb ranks.

Collingwood cafe Proud Mary is in one of Melbourne’s top coffee strongholds. Picture: David Caird

The heart of Melbourne continues to be coffee central with a new index listing the CBD, Collingwood and South Melbourne as the best places to get your daily caffeine hit.

Hipster Fitzroy ranked fourth while Docklands surprisingly jumped in at fifth, ahead of trendy Abbotsford and South Yarra.

Kensington was best in the west at eighth, while Fitzroy North and Armadale completed the top 10, but bohemian Brunswick was down in 24th, the new analysis revealed.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers ratings list the best and most accessible suburbs cementing Melbourne’s reputation as a coffee-loving metropolis.

The PwC analysis blends Google data and ABS population statistics and reveals that inner-city and middle-ring suburbs dominate cafe and coffee quality in Melbourne.

“If there’s one thing all Melburnians can agree on, it’s that we are the envy of the nation when it comes to our coffee and cafe culture,” PwC Australia Melbourne managing partner Peter Konidaris said.

“As we dust ourselves off from the hugely challenging economic impacts of Covid-19, we need to play to our strengths and rediscover the best of what makes Melbourne so great.’’

Mr Konidaris said hardworking small businesses, such as cafes, would play a critical role in the state’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

“Melburnians are immensely proud of our globally renowned cafe culture. But while we all love a good coffee, this analysis shows that the quality cafe culture many of us take for granted is not on everyone’s street corner.’’

Brodie Roberts, general manager of Proud Mary Cafe in Collingwood, said the secret to a good cafe was combining consistently great food and even better coffee.

“(And) with a relaxed environment and professional, genuine heartfelt service, you have a winning formula.’’

Collingwood’s cafe culture was thriving, she said, because it was a suburb rich in heritage and had a strong sense of community.

“It’s constantly filled with people who are passionate about what they do and the added bonus of proximity to the city; it’s unpretentious, real, edgy and raw Melbourne,’’ Ms Roberts said.

The PwC cafe ratings emerged from PwC’s annual CityPulse 2021 report which assessed the best areas to live and work.

The report, revealed in the Herald Sun in December, rated trendy Northcote as Melbourne’s best suburb in which to live, ahead of Rosanna and Aberfeldie.

Middle-ring suburbs such as Burwood performed well, jumping up in the annual rankings.