Brunswick is one of Melbourne’s trendiest suburbs, home to some of the best cafes in Melbourne. For a city obsessed with coffee, this is a big deal.
The quality of food and locally sourced roasted coffee make Brunswick a well-known hotspot. Attracting crowds from all over that can’t resist Brunswick’s rustic charm and talent for serving up a delicious smashed avocado. (Would you really be a Melbournian if you didn’t love a good smashed avo?).
With so many great cafes in Brunswick, it was hard to choose which ones to include on our list. Here are our picks for Brunswick’s best coffee shops.
Padre Coffee Brunswick
Padre Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster, wholesaler, and retailer, located in Brunswick East, Melbourne. Padre Coffee was born in the dawning age of specialty coffee in Melbourne back in 2008 they have been roasting, brewing, and selling their delicious in-house coffee ever since. The team at Padre Coffee are proud of their history and are firmly focused on creating an ethical workplace that promotes sustainable growth and are always seeking to raise the bar with everything they do.
The team at Padre Coffee is committed to building a workplace culture that supports personal development, collaboration, and teamwork. They believe in quality produce, sustainability, and fostering long-term committed relationships throughout the supply chain. The community values education, guidance, support, and approachability, and this ensures the Padre bean lives up to its name, wherever you might find it.
Padre Coffee is one of the most respected names in the coffee industry and is known for making some of the most delicious coffee locally, as well as across Melbourne. Their Lucky Boy blend is a must-try, with it being described as a mild blend featuring warm chocolatey notes. Their premium and diverse range of single-origin and blended coffee beans will be sure to satisfy any coffee lover’s taste palette. Have your brew in any form that takes your fancy – espresso, batch brew, cold drip, V60 – paired with a freshly baked pastry and a bag of beans to take home. The café is a great spot for early morning breakfast or afternoon brunch.
Another thing to love about Padre Coffee? The business runs regular workshops that take you through various methods of brewing coffee and also offers espresso brewing courses. Just in case you’re interested in brushing up on some of your skills.
Smug Relish
If you’re looking for a trendy and delicious café in Brunswick East, Melbourne, look no further than Smug Relish. This brightly lit, open space features handmade furniture, quirky wall art and has a great vibe for lunchtime hangouts.
Upon entering the café, you’ll be greeted by the main counter area, a small and cozy room with a comfy sofa and a couple of tables, the perfect place to stop for a quick coffee or wait for your takeaway. Through the doorway is the main eating area, which boasts a mix of white and exposed brick walls, bright white high ceilings and huge windows looking out onto Lygon Street.
Customers have raved about the food at Smug Relish, with many describing it as delicious and wonderfully presented. The café offers a good amount of options on the menu, from sweet to savory, including crowd pleasers such as blueberry pancakes topped with maple syrup and whipped cream and their famous Za’atar Baked Eggs.
In addition to the delicious food and cozy atmosphere, Smug Relish offers a tasty selection of beverages including a full-flavored, smooth and nutty St Ali coffee that is sure to delight coffee lovers. In addition to their standard coffee options, they also offer a refreshing iced chai that’s big on cardamom and an invigorating ‘green punch’ blend of kale, ginger, celery and carrots that is sure to give you a boost of energy.
El Mirage Cafe
El Mirage is a hidden gem located in the heart of Brunswick East, Melbourne. As soon as you step inside, you’ll be greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere that is perfect for catching up with friends or simply enjoying a quiet coffee on your own. The café has a rustic charm with plenty of natural light streaming in through large windows, creating a bright and inviting space. The decor is simple yet stylish, with long wooden tables, green booths and an impressive curved timber ceiling with plenty of surrounding plant life.
The coffee at El Mirage is truly something special. Their baristas are experts in their craft and take great pride in their work. They use only the best beans and brewing methods to ensure that every cup is as delicious as the last. Whether you’re a coffee expert or simply looking for a good cup of coffee you’ll be impressed with the quality at El Mirage. The café is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your dog along with you.
The café features an all-day brunch menu, with some of the most delicious and creative dishes around, including but not limited to pancakes served with lemon curd, mascarpone, almond praline, blueberries and maple syrup, japanese corn fritters with charred corn, fried halloumi, and avocado salsa. There’s also a wide selection of bagels and toppings to choose from – who doesn’t love a bagel?
In short, El Mirage is a fantastic café that offers great coffee, delicious food and a warm and inviting atmosphere. It’s the perfect cafe to catch up with friends, enjoy a quiet coffee on your own or bring your dog along for a doggy date. So, if you’re ever in Brunswick East, we recommend dropping past.
Bellboy Cafe
The newest kid on the block, Bellboy Cafe is a personal favourite of ours (we may be a little biased) but we’re incredibly impressed by the standards set by Emilio and his team!
Chef Michael has created a menu tailored to fit just about anyone’s desires, there’s plenty to choose from whether you desire something savoury or sweet. Want the inside scoop? Keep reading to find out what locals and EBV residents have voted for as their top picks.
Looking to curb your sweet tooth? The Buttermilk Waffles with caramelised white chocolate cheesecake, summer berries, hazelnut crumble and maple syrup ($19) mustn’t be ignored. This decadent breakfast may send you into a sugar coma but it’s worth every bite.
The cafe is most commonly known for its impressive bagel selection. The Grilled Halloumi ($13) served with handmade cut chips being the crowd favourite since the opening of the cafe, along with the healthy Chop Chop Salad ($17). Gluten-free and plant-based options are available, as well as common favourites, Eggs on Toast & Sourdough Crumpets (also made in-house). Honestly, we don’t believe you can make a wrong decision at this cafe, including the drinks.
Golden Bean winner & coffee connoisseur Mark Leo roasts all coffee beans on-site. There are two signature options to choose from, espresso and filter – both are delicious. What’s more? All furry friends are welcome. There’s even a custom-built dog kennel by Frank & Friends Design that sits outside, now that’s 5-star service for you!
There’s free parking on-site and spacious outdoor terrace seating – just to give you another reason to love this place.
Small Axe Kitchen
Small Axe Kitchen is located in the heart of Brunswick on Victoria St and is owned by executive chef, Adam Pruckner. A talented, chef that’s mastered the art of cooking for the past 20 years in Melbourne. Adam’s cooking style is influenced by his mother’s heritage, southern Italian style food but with a classic, Melbourne twist.
The menu features a number of sweet breakfast options, including Sfinci, (otherwise known as sicilian ricotta donuts) these donuts come with orange, dark chocolate ganache, pistachio, blood orange curd + whipped ricotta. Another sweet tooth’s dream is the french toasted bread, with butter pudding, mascarpone & fennel honey.
If you’re looking for something a little less sweet, fear not. They have plenty of delicious options to choose from and all work perfectly with a delicious cup of coffee, which Small Axe Kitchen supplies in abundance.
A Minor Place
A Minor Place, is a quaint, wood-accented cafe tucked away in Albion St, (between Sydney Rd and Lygon St). This little gem packs all the spunk, character, and charisma that you’d expect from a popular, local cafe in Brunswick.
Their menu is packed full of vegan options, as well as juices, smoothies, kombucha drinks and of course coffee! Brunch is available all day, and the menu is sure to please.
If you’re looking for another local hangout, or simply happen to be in the area, then we suggest you stop by at A Minor Place.
Double Dutch Coffee Bar
Double Dutch Coffee Bar is highly regarded by the Brunswick community for having an extremely talented barista and one of the finest brews along Lygon Street.
This affordable, quirky and welcoming little cafe is home to delicious treats and bagels, with killer deals such as toasties that sell for just $5!
The very best part about Double Dutch is that you can enjoy a beautiful day in the sun with your furry companion beside you. Being dog-friendly is certainly a perk and definitely gives you extra incentive to visit.
Cafe Ray
Cafe Ray’s is a hotspot of cultural diversity and has stayed a favourite among locals for quite some years. This buzzing little cafe harnesses the full culture of Brunswick, inspired by the street art and music that Brunswick is known for – not to mention the local’s love of coffee!
Their delicious and extensive food menu is inspired by rich, hearty Middle Eastern foods, each dish bursting with flavour. They’re also home to a vast selection of vegan-friendly dishes and are regarded highly by their regular customers for being one of the best vegan-friendly cafes in the area.
Project281
Project281 inhabits a beautiful industrial-chic look, designed by Splinter Society Architecture. This former warehouse has since been converted into an industrial jungle, with plants covering every square inch of the building.
Project281 roasts its own brand of coffee, known as Founder Coffee which is roasted with precision by multi-award-winning coffee connoisseur and coffee roaster Anne Cooper.
If you regard yourself as a bit of a foodie, then this place shouldn’t be overlooked. They serve up all of your usual breakfast favourites, (with a twist!), adding hints of Japanese and Korean flavours throughout their dishes.
What goes better with coffee then freshly baked goods? If you’re reading this thinking about the best place to get a tasty treat then why not check out our article on The Best Bakeries In Brunswick.
ONA Coffee
Originally established in Canberra in 2008, Ona Coffee was born for one reason: “to create great coffee and share it with as many people as possible.”
They have since made their way from Canberra to Melbourne (and have even reached Sydney), with one of their cafes turning up right here in the heart of Brunswick. Unmatched by their competitors, Ona Coffee has managed to win multiple awards such as ‘Australian Barista Champion’ for four consecutive years since 2015.
Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters
What was once an industrial warehouse has now transformed into one of Brunswick’s trendiest coffee roasters. With cool Scandinavian vibes and a wholesome all-day menu to choose from, it’s no wonder it’s one of Brunswick’s hot spots!
This spacious and welcoming cafe is decked out with communal benches and cosy booths to choose from, regardless of your coffee choice – whether it be filter roasts, batch brew or pour over-wide, Open Road has it all. While their coffee is definitely the hero, their food isn’t to be overlooked. With a wide choice of delicacy focaccias and sandwiches to choose from, it’ll be worth the trip whether you’re a lover of coffee or not.
Our friends over at Brunswick Daily have also expressed their love for coffee. Stay up to date on the lingo and check out their Italian Coffee guide, sure to test even the most avid coffee lover.
Brunswick is one of Melbourne’s most vibrant inner-city suburbs, brimming with history and rich in culture. Brunswick is home to a diverse community where arts, music and food all have an important role to play.
New developments in Brunswick and apartment living have made it more easily affordable for first home buyers and young families to live in this vibrant inner-city suburb. If the Brunswick community (and good coffee) is something you would like a part of, then register your interest with East Brunswick Village and get a feel for what could soon be your neck of the woods.
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We wanted to put East Brunswick Village (EBV) to the task and have had our sales team answer these ‘six essential questions you should ask when buying an apartment’, and we think we shape up pretty well!
We wanted to put East Brunswick Village (EBV) to the task and have had our sales team answer these ‘six essential questions you should ask when buying an apartment’, and we think we shape up pretty well!
