This cafe is off the beaten path, blinked and you will easily miss it…read more Located in a hidden alleyway of Raffa Pl, precisely next to a gas station. From the outside, this looks like one of the crappiest Cafe I've ever been to in the city, but once inside, the atmosphere transforms into something different... The space actually feels like I'm walking into someone else's backyard! High glass ceiling, wooden furnitures, industrial vibes adorned with lush greeneries hanging throughout the restaurant - what a relaxing ambiance and the kind of place that invites you to hang a little bit longer. Originally, I came to try their famous salmon garden entree, but unfortunately they no longer have that on their menu *Sad*... So I settled for their breakfast pasta and happy to say, it doesn't disappoint in any way. The pasta comes in a pretty ceramic bowl, the presentation was fancy to the eyes, consisting of bacon, three kinds of cheese and poached egg. The dish was seriously creamy without giving you that nauseating feeling, absolutely yum! For my drink, I had the hot chocolate and it was a disappointment, slightly bitter, grainy and watered down, should have stick with the coffee, next time. The pricing was quite affordable per my Melbourne cafe standard. The service was quick and efficient, although I feel they kinda rushed you to order. But that aside, what a delicious find!!

Walking behind the Shell service station down a dodgy Carlton alley doesn't seem like a good time,…read morebut Vertue makes the trip worthwhile. Spinning the alley corner you are immediately greeted with giant open doors and polished floorboards, leading to an impressive counter layered with fresh coffee blends, beans barreled up and ready to be ground, and some great looking snacks to go with your caffine. This is definitely a place for coffee lovers, with various batches of beans available for purchase to take home and brew yourself. They also have a lovely seating area with a menu available for eats, but I was only stopping for coffee. And what a coffee it was! Beautifully roasted with a maple finish that made me feel like I was drinking a coffee flavoured pancake. I have no idea what magical method they use on their soy, but it was light, fluffy and sweet. So go down that dark alley and find one of Carlton's finest establishments.

So I tried this place after a few years not hailing worked down Docklands way!…read more I'm glad to say the coffee is still great! Morning and lunch! I tried the meatball panini, would give a Sorrento one a go as this one lacked taste and would have liked some more meatball, sauce and even some Parmesan to sprinkle. The seats outside have a heater which was nice as the sun popped through and the guy played soccer in the grass area. Really enjoyed, will return, but want more tasty food.

The Docklands is now almost spoilt for choice when it comes to good coffee. I mean, with the three…read morebig banks, a major department store HO, builder and financial companies to suggest a few industries in the area it's no surprise there would be a huge market for coffee, tea and chai drinkers. Bambino impressed me the first time. I've always seen it buzzing and always full to overflowing. It is smallish with limited seating outside and just four bars tools inside but it faces a small oval with some good seats around it for a sunny day ideal for breakfast or lunch. The guys are friendly there, my colleague couldn't stop gushing how cute the barista is/ was especially with the accent-o. He did make a really good cup of coffee. I had a latte which was at a really good temperature, milk was good with nice level of froth and the bean was rich, velvety and slightly nutty but by not much. I will have to report back about which grind is used. The sandwiches looked amazing I will have to try them out at lunchtime soon. There's this amazing egg sandwich...

Maybe I have been suffering a bit of brunch fatigue of late but not much has really stood out for…read moreme. Everything in Melbourne is just a bit samey and call me grumpy, but why has everyone accepted the fact it can take up to an hour to even get a table at most places for the same old avo on sourdough? My weekend visit to The Maling Room was such a refreshing change that i walked away feeling happy, full and wondering when I can pop by again. We were greeted by friendly staff who were quick to bring out a pretty fabulous tasting latte while I looked through the menu. The variety was great and although i ended up going for the special of warm grain salad with lamb (amazing!), the brunch offerings looked delicious. The vibe was friendly, relaxed and efficient. Definitely worth a trip to the 'burbs.

Perfect coffee, atmosphere and staff - you can't want for anything else! The light and airy post…read moreoffice-come-cafe is a reliable haven for those times you just need a no-nonsense perfectly-crafted latte close enough to the city to be convenient, yet far enough away in leafy Canterbury to feel like you've just slipped away to your favourite cafe at your weekend home in some yet-to-be-discovered nook of heaven! Friendly, knowledgeable, personable staff, sunshine teeming from every crevice - you won't be able to tear yourself away from the place until you have the coffee-jitters from too much Costa Rica cuatro mujeres or the staff slowly coax you out the door and turned the "closed" sign in the process. If you're contemplating it, just go experience it already - you're missing out!

Scarvelli Cafe was opened by Clare Voitin in 2013 with a commitment of serving "real food" and…read moreoutstanding coffee. They pride them self in showcasing some homemade retail food as well as their own produce from Sway Bay Farm. "Paddock to Plate" is one of the trending topic in food industry right now and it's a philosophy that so many Australian chef, cafe's and restaurants embrace. Clare has an entrepreneurial spirits inside of her starting with her own jewellery store in the district than finally entering her first venture into the food scene inspired by her lawyer husband who grew up on a farm. Her husband passion for the country lead on developing their own farm where some of the meat and majority of the vegetables are produced for Scarvelli's. It's the real Paddock to Plate experience. Clare with her husband run their own business, a 12 acre farm while raising their three boys is just beyond impressive. I was invited to Scarvelli Cafe by Carlos and decided to visit them on a Friday afternoon. I travel from the city using 109 tram from Collins St, the journey takes approximately 40-50 minutes. Upon arriving, I was amazed by the rustic but modern decor. The cafe itself are divided into 4 separate spaces; they have several seats outdoor upfront and then there are two indoor spaces. Honestly, I love the second space the most with open bricks, deer decorations and the world map on the wall. Somehow it was homey, warm, messy yet well decorated. I was seated back on their spacious patio. There is a warm country vibe with some plants, vegetables, rustic wooden panels decorating the dining area. It's perfect for any seasons since they also provide shades to avoid direct sunlight or rain.

I used to go to the gym across the road from Scarvelli and watched it being put together dreaming…read moreabout what it was going to be like while on the stair-master earning more 'eating out' points. Now I go to Scarvelli more than I go to the gym. Unlike the great Snow Pony down the road, we've never had to wait here, so it's a viable back-up option if you can't be bothered waiting there. Not that it's a poor-man's Snow Pony at all: Food is great, but agree with @Monique H about the lack of bread on some breakkie dishes - just seems like an odd statement to make, and means some egg googyness goes to waste without anything to sop it up with. I'm not a regular coffee drinker (I feel your scorn) but the few short blacks I've had here smelt and tasted truly amazing. Might be the fact that the staff is quite young, and everyone below 30 now looks the same to my old-man eyes, but feels like every-time we go in there there's a whole new set of faces working. That's ok though, unlike some I don't get too attached to my waitstaff, and plus it means I can re-use my jokes. Also I think their POS system is rigged through an iPad and every staff member settling our bills seems to struggle with it, but hopefully they've smoothed that small crack over by now.

Pros: - Super friendly staff…read more- Bangin' coffee from Dukes. - Pretty serving ware. Order a pour over and I swear you'll be tempted to steal the pretty glass it comes with. - Enough sweet temptations to break the resolve of any healthy eater. - Lots of "grab and go" options for lunch Cons: - Can be tricky to find the first time (it took me 20 minutes!). Pro tip - come in via the concourse level of Southern Cross station. - It's a bit dark in there due to the surrounding buildings. - Only four tables inside that are big enough for 5 people but are generally only used by 2 who give of the "I don't want to share" vibe.

Oh Story, where were you back when I was stuck in Docklands? Churning out delicious Dukes coffee in…read moreespresso, filter and batch brew in a pretty little space with cheery dudes behind the counter - it's great to see places like this satisfying the masses of workers that flood the area on weekdays. So as a place for great coffee, Story is a no-brainer. For lunch, they have a good selection of salads, baguettes and flat bread sandwiches for eat in or take away. As a dine-in cafe, the seating arrangement is a little awkward. It appears to be designed for solo lunchers, but the way people space themselves out doesn't always work out like that. Thankfully my lunch buddy and I came a little later and were able to snag one of the larger tables to ourselves to enjoy a more relaxed lunch and a chat. Probably better for take away, unless you can time it right. I wouldn't recommend it as a work-meeting type spot. Overall though, solid cafe with great coffee.

It's hard to miss this cafe, with it's wooden booth facade. Tiny in space inside, with lots of…read morenooks and crannies. Their attention to design details keeps on drawing me back. Check out the Yellow Pages stools! Their coffee is great and their sweet snacks make it a perfect combination. Do yourselves a favour and check it out before it gets too busy!

FLIP WHAT? It's Flipboard, an independent café, in front of Brolly Studios and Bennetts Lane Jazz…read moreClub. It's one of those places that you will easily miss if you don't paid attention, when driving or walking along La Trobe Street. There is no other café like this one in Melbourne. On the outside, it does not appear to look like a café and when you walk in, it still does not look like a café. The genius architects from Brolly Design did not waste any space with this café. They turned a 20 metre square space into a split level functional café with wooden tables and seats. It's the epftos machine, La Marzocco coffee machine and cakes that bring this little architectural wooden box into life. Surprisingly, it's cozy inside this small space. You can spend an hour or more at this place typing away on your laptop, finish that stretch for your art subject, read a book or enjoy your coffee in peace whilst appreciating the genius architecture. If you're claustrophobic to small or refined spaces, you can always take a seat outside. This is the café for you if you like quiet, simple and modest cafes. Perhaps you appreciate interesting architecture then this place is worth the visit. The coffee and sweet danishes (or healthy cacao balls if that's your thing) are good enough for you to take a seat. I had the Alex Cafe Columbia ice brew, which probably wasn't exactly weather appropriate but I was drawn to their "brew of the day" chalked onto their little blackboard. The ice brew and apple danish was the perfect bitter sweet pick me up. As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say "I'll be back".

At the intersection of Collins St and Elizabeth street, positioned in front of the Bendigo Bank,…read morethere is this little stall that specialises in the traditional morning coffee. Okay, most people probably walk in here, grab their usual, and walk out, but they do have some seating where you can sit down and take in the Melbourne morning vibe before you head for a day at work. What impressed me was how friendly the guys behind the coffee machine were, and they even offered me a discount on my morning tea since, in their words, it was only water. Okay, it was a little strong, but I can generally handle that, but I do quite like this place, and will certainly make it a stopping point on my way to work. Mind you, as far as I am aware, it is only open during the day because when I walk past here after work it is usually closed up.

Once in a while you'll find unassuming places with ordinary looking people making good coffees and…read morethis is one of them. No fancy looking barista with beard, tattoos and oversize apron with a leather strap listening to some Latino music in a fancy grunge environment ... just clean cut old boring office lobby. I'm sure I'll have more meetings there, so will try more of their coffees and food, looks "standard" fresh too. Tall Soy Latte for $3.90 is almost unheard of in Melbourne CBD.

Laid back, cute Brunswick st cafe for breakfast and lunch or brunch! Good prices, great coffee and…read morea cosy atmosphere. The breakfast bowl is healthy eating at its finest. Although the menu is little, it looks delicious for not too much cost. Only one table for four people so not recommended for a big group but great for a catch up with a friend either to eat or just a coffee date. If you are after a hangover breakfast, this isn't your place as the menu appears healthy.

In a world where the price of coffee is rising every day (I have decided that once it hits $4 a…read morelatte I'm switching to water) it's great to find a gorgeous little coffee shop that sells them for only $3.20! But Newtown is not just about coffee, they have great food as well! The menu is all about the simple stuff where you will find muesli, baked eggs and even the classic avo and fetta on sourdough - but all of a fantastic quality and made with fresh, good quality produce. There is no 'heavy' food on the menu, so don't come here if you are after a big, greasy hangover brekky. This morning I treated myself to the muesli which came with poached pear, sliced banana, cranberry and yoghourt to top it off. So. Very. Tasty. The interior is very kitschy, but Newtown pulls it off without being tacky - mismatched crockery, wooden tables and chairs and even a photo of Milo & Otis on the wall. This is a great place to kick-start your morning or weekend.