The average Melbourne coffee order and how it compares to Sydney

MELBURNIANS are most desperate for a coffee on Wednesday mornings and we’re paying more for our cup than Sydneysiders.

Melbourne coffee drinker Joanne Spain at St Ali in South Melbourne can't decide which coffee to have out of the array of different options available. Picture: Sarah Matray

THE typical Melburnian is getting their caffeine hit around 8am on Wednesdays.

And when the hump day cravings set in, a strong latte is the most popular order.

Keeping up the caffeine habit is more expensive in Melbourne compared to Sydney, with locals paying nine per cent more for a large coffee and seven per cent more for a medium size.

Cappuccinos are the beverage of choice in Sydney, and peak ordering time is around 8am on Thursday.

While they hold out a day for most orders, coffee-lovers in Sydney are more likely to order their coffee stronger than people in Melbourne.

For most, it’s sacrilege to mess with their standard coffee order.

But for the adventurous types, a ‘magic’ coffee is a hot trend sweeping Melbourne.

Salvatore Malatesta, owner of South Melbourne cafe St Ali, said his baristas make up to 1000 coffees a day, and that many coffee-lovers are opting for specialty brews.

“It’s a legal drug of dependence,” he said.

“We are a nation driven by coffee.”

Barista, Leon Holdsworth at South Melbourne’s St Ali has all bases covered when it comes to the Melbourne coffee drinkers. Picture: Sarah Matray

Latte art is now a given at almost all cafes, with skilled baristas capable of free pouring everything from a rosetta through to a monkey or astronaut.

And as the preference for designer coffee is changing, as is the way we are ordering our coffee.

Online ordering apps like Skip are increasingly being used by caffeine addicts seeking to jump the coffee queue and get their hit on demand.

The average cost of a medium coffee in Melbourne is $4.19, while Sydneysiders pay $3.91. The average large coffee costs $4.50 in Melbourne, and $4.13 in Sydney.

And it turns out we are becoming a sweet-tooth nation, with a significant rise in Australians adding one sugar to their coffee.

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