Melbourne’s best cafes for working or studying
LOOKING for a cosy, distraction-free place to power through some work ahead of a big deadline? Or just want a quiet place to study where you can also get a bottomless cup of filter coffee? These are some of Melbourne’s best cafes for working or studying.
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FED up with working at your desk but don’t want to succumb to the lure of Netflix?
Your local coffee lair could be your next best study/escaping-the-office friend.
As well as being brightly lit and boasting a constant supply of caffeine and food, the humdrum background noise that fills cafes is the ideal antidote to office or bedroom study boredom.
If you’re looking for an ambient space to amp up your work output, here are some productivity-boosting cafes to plug in, tune out and smash through your deadlines.
20 CAFES TO WORK OR STUDY FROM IN MELBOURNE
2-10 Reserve St, Berwick
This hidden Berwick gem is a haven for latte lovers and lone laptop rangers.
Pull up a seat at one of the communal benches and give your brain a boost with a specialty coffee and some fairy floss waffles.
8 Wellington Road, Box Hill
If aesthetic spaces help you get your creative juices flowing, you’ll want to check out Box Hill’s Second Wife.
This understated, Japanese-fusion cafe is all about the neutral palette, mixing polished concrete floors and stone tabletops with white-textured walls and black and gold accents to create a minimalist luxe interior.
1161 Toorak Rd, Camberwell
Beats, brunch and breakfast burritos — Japanese style.
These are the calling cards of Camberwell newcomer Habiki, which is spinning rad tunes and slinging Japanese-inspired eats (yuzu porridge, anyone?) all day.
Industry Beans on pour, plenty of seating and an intimate atmosphere for when you just want somewhere calm and quiet while you perform some serious mental labour.
114 Berkeley St, Carlton
This Carlton caffeine dealer is a hot spot for students and suits alike, making it an ideal spot to smash out some study, assignments or last-minute projects.
Fuel up with some specialty coffee and beef brisket hash browns while you work.
210 Queensberry St, Carlton
Keep it simple with some sunnyside-up eggs on sourdough or a chicken toastie at Queensberry Pourhouse.
This popular hole offers a cosy, sun-drenched study nook with bottomless filter and free Wi-Fi so settle in for a serious powwow.
Shop 1, Railway Walk, 255 Charman Rd, Cheltenham
This chilled out Cheltenham local is all about the nine-to-five study vibes.
Settle in on a cushioned swivel chair by the window and while away the workday with Portuguese tarts, Disciple Roasters bean juice (the pourover is en pointe) and an endless playlist of vinyl soul sessions.
They’ve also got plenty of power points if your battery needs some extra juice.
21 George St, Dandenong
Mint walls and hanging greenery set the breezy tone at this contemporary Dandenong study escape.
With a cushioned bench set running the length of the spacious cafe, as well as plenty of communal seating, you can always get a spot, making it a go-to for local business people searching for a light-filled meeting space or students looking for an excuse to get out of the house or lecture theatre.
21 Brougham St, Eltham
Award-winning warehouse cafe with comfy bench-style couches, leather lounges, an indoor fireplace and all the coffee and fresh-baked Noisette bakery bread your stomach could ever wish for.
Coffee by Rosso Roasting Co, cakes by Bistro Morgan and increased productivity thanks to coffee and a seriously cosy fit-out.
104 Fletcher St, Essendon
Fresh produce, seasonal specials and specialty coffee make Captain Grey a lovely place to park for an afternoon.
237 Napier Street, Fitzroy
This bustling weekend brunch dealer is the ideal spot for some more subdued, midweek study break action or off-site meeting hook ups.
Leather bench seats, sun-lit window tables and Inglewood Coffee on tap — or at least on pour — make it a warm and inviting spot to sit back and smash out some strategy.
16-20 Leeds St, Footscray
A shipping container cafe doesn’t sound like the most conducive space to work or study, but this light-filled Footscray hub has nailed the casual-but-cosy brief.
11 Argyle St, West Footscray
You’ll want to snag a spot along the comfy, cushioned bench at this stylish, converted milk bar, where little round tables are the perfect size for your laptop and latte.
8 Kananook Creek Bvd, Frankston
Leave the lackadaisical attitude at home and let the fresh air and sea breeze reinvigorate your study session at The Milkman.
And if the salt air doesn’t appeal to your senses, the Nutella hot chocolates, ham and cheese croissants and smashed avo are sure to.
248 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn
This sprawling Burwood Rd study spot is all about the laud-back vibes.
Awash with natural light and boasting plenty of places to park your laptop, you’ll be spoiled for choice — and Dukes Coffee — at this leafy Hawthorn outpost.
54 Lower Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe
Exposed brick walls, bentwood chairs and chocolate brownies make for an inviting afternoon at Mr Peebles.
510 Waverley Rd, Malvern East
The sheltered rear courtyard (yes, it’s heated) at Jake and the Beans Talk is a lovely spot to smash out some work in the fresh air.
They’re slinging Five Senses specialty roasts, Prana Chai, superfood smoothies and smashed avo.
650 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Duck out of the office/classroom for an hour or so and clear your head at Higher Ground.
This open space with ultra-high ceilings and plenty of spots to kick back with a coffee (or a wine, if the mood strikes), relax, and let your fingers do the talking (or typing) for you.
21-35 Ricketts Road, Mount Waverley
Copper, polished concrete and plenty of solo seating options make this the sun-drenched space the ideal spot for some midweek out-of-office action.
Pull up a stool at the counter, get cosy along the padded bench or spread out and soak up some sun at one of the window tables.
They’ve also got you covered with St Ali beans and a selection of snacks and bigger bites.
64 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood
Space, snacks and Axil beans are reasons enough to settle in at Fingers Crossed.
76 Turnham Ave, Rosanna
Jump off the train and into this spacious Rosanna study retreat.
With plenty of tables and an extensive breakfast, coffee and snacks menu — they’ve got your caffeine and sugar craving needs sorted.
HAVE WE MISSED YOUR GO-TO STUDY/WORK CAFE? LET US KNOW BELOW.
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