Best Coffee in North Melbourne - A Most Underrated Coffee Destination
North Melbourne doesn’t shout about its coffee scene. It just quietly delivers, day in and day out. From industrial roasteries to hole-in-the-wall bakeries, the neighbourhood has built a kind of understated excellence. Here are the places locals return to, and covet North Melbourne as Melbourne’s most underrated coffee destination.
Roasting Warehouse
23-25 Leveson St, North Melbourne
This place is a North Melbourne classic. Big space, a bit industrial, always humming. The coffee’s consistently great, strong without being bitter. The food portions are very generous (think: chilli avo toast, breakfast burgers, the works). People love the personal touches here too, like little handwritten notes with your takeaway order. There’s a reason this one’s often in the conversation when people talk about the best coffee in Melbourne. This place is always teeming.
Things to try:
Iced long black or strong flat white
Avocado chilli toast
Breakfast burger with a hash brown inside
Rosso Coffee Experience
Photo credit: Rosso
Address: 117 Dryburgh St, North Melbourne
Tucked into a repurposed warehouse, Rosso is more than just a café; it’s an immersive coffee playground built by founder Ramez Abdulnour and his team. At Rosso, there’s a working roastery, a make‑your‑own‑coffee bar, public cupping sessions, and masterclasses led by expert roasters. It’s a place where you can see coffee happen, and learn to make it yourself.
Things to try:
The Commuter, The Governor, or The Bohemian espresso blends, three distinct character blends by Rosso
Make‑Your‑Own‑Barista session or Roasting Experience (great for learning and tasting)
Chorizo chilli folded eggs, lobster roll, or steak frites
Path
Photo credit: Laura Angelia
362 Victoria St, North Melbourne
No milk. No sugar. No distractions. Path is for the black coffee drinkers. The ones who want to know where the beans came from, how they were roasted, and what flavour notes they’re supposed to be tasting. The baristas here will walk you through everything with a colour-coded system that actually makes sense. It’s minimalist, sharp, and refreshingly nerdy in the best way.
Things to try:
Pour-over with a fruity single-origin
Espresso flight
Filtered sparkling water palate cleanser (trust us)
Small Batch Roasting Co.
Photo credit: Concrete Playground
3-9 Little Howard St, North Melbourne
Small Batch feels like the kind of café you stumble into once and then keep coming back to. It’s unassuming, but serious about the coffee. Beans are roasted in-house in, you guessed it, small batches. And the team here cares about where they come from. The vibe’s calm, tucked away in a Victorian-era back alley, where you pull up a milk crate to sit on and relish in the afternoon sun. And yes, the pastries are excellent too.
Things to try:
Flat white with Candyman blend
Freshly baked kouign-amann or lemon polenta cake
Filter coffee when you're not in a rush
Bread Club
Photo credit: Bread Club
558 Queensberry St, North Melbourne
Bread Club’s more bakery than café, but the coffee here is no afterthought. It’s take-away only, so don’t expect to linger, but if you’re after a perfect meat pie (harder to find than you think) and a great flat white that’s no more than $5 (even in this economy). The hot cross buns spark queues every Easter, and their signature pull-apart garlic bread, Fugazzi, is worth grabbing year-round. Good bread, good coffee, zero fuss.
Things to try:
Flat white and a Long John
Baker’s Breakfast (Pizza)
Le Bajo Milkbar
Photo credit: Mamma knows Melbourne
8-14 Howard St, North Melbourne
Part Japanese café, part Aussie milk bar throwback, Le Bajo is one of a kind. They roast their own beans and bake their own shokupan—a fluffy, milky bread that features in everything from sweet fruit sandwiches to katsu sandos. The whole place has a warm, nostalgic feel. It’s playful without being gimmicky and very family-friendly.
Things to try:
Batch brew
Fruit sando with seasonal strawberries
Katsu chicken sandwich on shokupan
Twenty & Six Espresso
Photo credit: What’s On Melbourne
594 Queensberry St, North Melbourne
A smaller, cosier café with a loyal following. The menu is creative but never overdone, and the coffee’s always reliable. You can sit in for a relaxed brunch or just grab a coffee on the go. Friendly staff, plants everywhere and a low-key vibe that makes it feel like a local secret.
Things to try:
Strong flat white
Wild mushrooms on toast
The "Healthy Hangover" breakfast
Mörk Chocolate Brew House
Photo credit: Mork
150 Errol St, North Melbourne
Okay, technically this is a hot chocolate haven—but their coffee’s solid too, and it's an essential stop for anyone with a sweet tooth. Mörk's specialty is high-quality drinking chocolate, served in theatrical, beautifully presented cups that make it feel like a dessert experience. Ideal for when you're coffeed-out but still want a little indulgence.
Things to try:
Campfire hot chocolate (served with smoke and a toasted marshmallow)
Espresso or short mac if you must stay caffeinated
House-made crumpets with burnt butter and honey
Hot Poppy
Photo credit: Hot Poppy
Address: 9 Errol St, North Melbourne
Hot Poppy’s been serving the neighbourhood for years. It’s a proper locals’ café. Laid-back, welcoming and unpretentious. You won’t find pour-overs or tasting flights here, but the flat whites are strong and dependable, the food is generous and the staff treat you like a regular even if it’s your first time.
Why is North Melbourne’s Coffee So Good?
I firmly believe that North Melbourne has the most underrated coffee in Melbourne. It’s typical of such an understated neighbourhood. One that I call home. With such good promixity to the city, it somehow has the lowkey energy of a country town. For a relaxing cup of coffee, North Melbourne’s cafes are the place to go.