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    Kinfolk

    4.3 (41 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea, Korean
    Closed 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Kinfolk Photos

    KINFOLK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Kinfolk

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    Mocha with thick chocolate.
    Vincent Manjin L.

    This nice little cafe is located near the southern cross station. It serves wonderful Mork Hot chocolate and coffee. The granola bar was extra good with crunchy nuts and sizable portion for a good snacks or breakfast. The environment is a little crowded, and the toasts are a bit pricy for what it is. The walls are very well decorated and the lighting in the place is good. It's worth spending an afternoon drinking coffee and reading here. The noise level is quite low when we visited at noon. The staffs are friendly and they are volunteers. It is best to come here by tram since there is no parking spaces. The Kinfolks are also linked to charity and part of their profit goes into donation, which might justify the price a little more for their food. The coffee goes for normal 4$ AUD and there is not much more we can ask for. Overall, it was a great experience having lunch here.

    Tresna L.

    This little café opened in early 2010 and has been choc-full ever since. I'm still surprised, though, meeting people who haven't visited to experience the feel-good vibes that belong here. A social enterprise, Kinfolk directs the majority of its profit to three charities. Most of the staff are volunteers and work hard to produce a comforting breakfast or lunch time experience to weekday punters. They come for the Di Bella Coffee, Little Bertha cakes and a tight little menu that changes daily with the season and available produce. Think soaked grains with hot milk in winter, open faced sandwiches with baba ganoush, salted zucchini in spring, and poached chicken salad with herbs in summer. With a communal bookshelf, a resident poet and lots of beautiful artwork, you're going to walk out pretty happy with the world once you've been here. The best bit? When you pay you will be given a coffee bean which you can then place in one of three jars on the counter. Each represent the current supported charities and you can choose where your money goes. How's that for good karma?

    Fried eggs on toast with pesto & salsa verde.
    Zhungyi C.

    Kinfolk is a social enterprise, or a social business to use their words. The concept is admirable. The staff are all volunteers, and the profits are distributed between four development projects. (Skimmed from their website) I went for a catch-up session with a friend. Inside, the tables are a mish-mash of communal and single tables. The decor is hard to describe...but works. The menu is written on a blackboard which is hung on the back wall. As we arrived, the waitress was in the process of exchanging the breakfast menu for the lunch menu. I ordered a latte and the fried eggs on toast. My coffee wasn't too bad, but I noticed that the crema on my friend's long black started dissipating 10 seconds after it was served, which was a bad sign. I never asked him how the coffee was. My fried eggs were good, cooked well. It arrived on a slice of toast, with pesto, feta cheese, and salsa verde. The dish itself could have used more seasoning. The salsa was fresh, but the portion was really small, consisting of a few halves of tomatoes. It wasn't a bad dish, but overall lacklustre, especially in the competitive brunch scene of Melbourne. Overall it's a pretty good place for breakfast or brunch. Based solely on the food and coffee, I probably won't go back since I have other favourite places. But knowing that you're helping out just by having brunch makes you feel good inside. And the staff are really chirpy. No jaded hospitality veteran here.

    Tuscan beans and smashed avocado with the surprise addition of apple
    Andjelka J.

    My first 'port' of call when I come to Melbourne is always Kinfolk. Faux city puns aside, its a cafe - yes - but also a community that feels like your best friends house the minute you walk in. The menu is rustic and seasonal with equal vegetarian and meat dishes, all using locally sourced ingredients. Like a best friend, Kinfolk introduces you to impressive Melbourne brands like Storm In A Teacup on the tea menu. I'm a tea lover, and really enjoyed the Lemonzilla tisane with an added twist of turmeric - order with a side of honey. The Tuscan beans with kale and root vegetables was like a breakfast stew with a hearty side of GF toast. I requested an avocado hit that came out as a side of guacamole (a breakfast must have!) - and they added apple to the mix which I've never had and enjoyed. My waiter was super lovely and very attentive - and the fact that Kinfolk staff are volunteers is remarkable. Grab a window seat, a good friend or a good book, and settle in for a few hours - you'll feel right at home here like I always do.

    Quinoa porridge - so pretty and tasty!
    Vivian W.

    Imagine a social enterprise cafe with mainly volunteer staff offering a friendly smile and table service! Well it exist in the name of Kinfolk, located right next to the Southern Cross Station in Melbourne's CBD. Sit by the bar or a communal table, either way you can take in the chilled vibe. My order of the quinoa porridge was not only delicious but was akin to a work of art. Decorated with edible flowers, sweet syrupy bits and something crunchy for added texture. A bowlful of healthy, yummy goodness to nurture the soul. A rudimentary glance around the place offered me a view of the wooden theme decor from their tabletops to the timber floors. You can admire the artwork on the wall with photos of the reno crew who helped to build this place and a wall of names from their many volunteers across the globe to leave their mark. You too can leave your mark at the counter when you check out, a coffee bean is offered to you to choose 1 out of 3 jars to represent which charity you can support. Love it!

    The fish special today!
    Anne-Claire A.

    Good food for a good cause! I like this place, second time I go and I was not disappointed. The staff is super friendly, the food is good (and looks pretty! There were flowees in the fish special today) and the whole atmosphere is hipstery & cool! 100% of their profit goes to charity. What is there not to love?

    Avocado toast with salmon
    Rachel M.

    The avocado toast was to die for - and everything else on the menu was unique and fresh. Some of the ingredients I had never heard of, so if you're someone with a dietary restriction make sure you ask the server what's on the plate before you order it. The decor of the restaurant is adorable, and overall it was the best breakfast I had during my stay in Melbourne.

    Ross H.

    The whole Donkey Wheel House building is home to a set of social ventures but you would never know it until you settle your bill at Kinfolk. While the profits from everything are distributed amongst the projects described on the wall this doesn't affect the quality of the food and experience. The menu changes daily based on the chef's imagination and the seasons.

    Heavy salad

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    11 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Kinfolk

    Well it exist in the name of Kinfolk, located right next to the Southern Cross Station in Melbourne's CBD.

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    Kinfolk - coffee - Updated June 2026

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