Melbourne doesn’t just do coffee — it lives and breathes it.
There are thousands of cafes in Australia’s second city and they don’t just some of the best cofffee in the world but some of the best elevated breakfasts too. From stylishly plated poached eggs and sourdough to Japanese-inspired rice plates,
But not every cafe is created equal. Or shall we say not every cafe is created for students.
The way you experience Melbourne’s cafe scene depends on who you are and why you’re here.
If you’re a tourist, you’re probably happy to spend a little more, follow popular paths, and hit up the spots that pop up when you search “best cafes in Melbourne.” It’s easy, it’s convenient, but hey, the coffee usually lives up to the hype.
But as a student, it’s a whole other game.
When you’re juggling assignments and watching your budget, finding cafes that hit all your needs becomes an art. You’ll want the less-travelled, study-friendly, and affordable option that still serves up good coffee.
That’s what Caitlin Goh mastered.
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As a former international student in Melbourne, the city quickly became her second home. And with that came insider knowledge, especially when it came to finding the best cafes in Melbourne that most tourists never stumble across.
Then there’s Aseera Shamin, a PhD candidate from the University of Melbourne. She doesn’t cafe-hop much, but when she does, she knows exactly what she’s after.
“It’s so hard to find a good matcha place that isn’t watered down,” Shamin says. “Most of them are watered down, and because of the sudden hype, it’s also become expensive.”
So, we asked both Goh and Shamin this question: “Can you name four of the best cafes in Melbourne that serve great coffee, and have the kind of environment where students can actually study?”
Good news — they served. Here’s a list of cafes recommended by students, for students.
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8 best cafes in Melbourne to hang out or study at:
1. Tori’s
Opening hours: Daily (10a.m. to 6p.m.)
Google reviews: 4.3 stars (1,122)
Location: 28 Niagara Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Matcha lovers, where you at? Tori’s, a small bakery café, is serving up the flavourful matcha drinks and desserts in a hidden alleyway in the busy streets of Melbourne.
“I might sound like a snob because I love matcha, but it’s incredibly hard to get a good matcha latte in Melbourne,” Shamin shares. “However, I usually find myself at Tori’s because they serve really good matcha pastries. Plus point for the café is that you can taste the bitterness of the matcha, which I love. ”
The café serves strawberry matcha lattes, Basque cheesecake, Mont Blanc, freshly baked garlic bread, canelés, and cakes. Prices are also affordable, ranging from five to 20 Australian dollars, making it one of the best cafes in Melbourne.
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2. Cafe Belt
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7a.m. to 4p.m.) and Saturday to Sunday (9a.m. to 4p.m.)
Google reviews: 5 stars (547)
Location: Shop 1C/250 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Founded by a Korean couple, Cafe Belt is a little quiet, cosy, and friendly cafe in the centre of Melbourne CBD that serves specialised coffee, toasties, and pastries.
“Cafe Belt is good for studying,” says Goh. “It’s quiet and the ambience is nice. The coffee is good too, if that’s your go-to drink, and they sell nice pastries too.”
And she’s right. The cafe is climbing the ranks of the city’s top-rated coffee shops, and it’s even laptop-friendly — perfect for you to enjoy a lovely cup of coffee while getting your assignments done.
Another reason why Cafe Belt is one of the best cafes in Melbourne? Drinks and food range from AU$1 to AU$20, making it affordable for international students on a budget.
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3. Good Measure
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday (8a.m. to 11p.m.), Friday and Saturday (8a.m. to 1a.m.)
Google reviews: 4.5 stars (1,253)
Location: 193 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
If you’re into sandwiches and dog-watching, Good Measure is the place to be. The café serves mean-looking sandwiches alongside finger foods, cakes, and a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks.
The café is open until late hours, which is uncommon for cafes in the city, making it one of the best cafes in Melbourne. They also have a DJ spinning the decks every Thursday night. For those studying at the University of Melbourne, this café is located in your neighbourhood.
And for good measure (no pun intended), we asked Goh how she felt about the café, “Whatever they serve is delicious, but I don’t think it’s study-friendly. It can get very noisy, making it hard to concentrate.”
Drinks range from AU$5 to AU$15, while meals cost between AU$10 and AU$16.
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4. Overlay Coffee
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7:30a.m. to 4p.m.) and Saturday to Sunday (8a.m. to 4p.m.)
Google reviews: 4.5 stars (427)
Location: 320 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, Overlay Coffee is a must-try.
The café has been rising in popularity due to its high-quality drinks, particularly its “Peanut Cream Latte”. A Google review states that the “peanut butter cream is thick and creamy, giving a rich, authentic peanut butter flavour” that they’ve “fallen in love with”.
Goh agrees, “You need to try it. They have the only, if not best, peanut butter foam latte.”
However, if you’re planning to visit, be prepared for a long queue due to the shop’s popularity and limited seating inside.
Prices range from AU$4.50 to AU$7.50, perfect for international students on a budget.
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5. Blue Doors
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday (8a.m. to 4p.m.), Saturday (1p.m. to 5p.m.), Sunday (10a.m. to 4p.m.) and closed on Fridays
Google reviews: 4.4 stars (650)
Location: 19 Somerset Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Tucked away on Little Lonsdale St, this trendy, minimalist café serves up delicious coffee, breakfasts, pastries, and light lunches. The drinks and food they serve are so good that Blue Doors has several locations across Australia, as well as in Indonesia, which is why they made it onto the list as one of the best cafes in Melbourne.
“It’s quiet, and it has nice coffee,” says Goh. “I think it’s the best place for students to study and hang out at, as there’s both outdoor and indoor seating.”
Blue Doors’ drinks range between AU$5 to AU$8.50, and their coffee beans are sourced from around the world to provide a unique coffee experience.
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6. Little Rogue
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7:30a.m. to 5p.m.) and Saturday to Sunday (8:30a.m. to 5p.m.)
Google reviews: 4.7 stars (1,624)
Location: 12 Drewery Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
If you pass by a shop with a blue door on Drewery Ln, that’s most likely the entrance to Little Rogue.
This cosy, vintage-looking café is one of the oldest in Melbourne and has been serving excellent coffee for the past decade. However, for Goh, her go-to drink at Little Rogue is their matcha latte: “It’s so good, and it’s hard to find good matcha in Melbourne.”
Their drinks are so good that the café sells weekly roasted coffee, as well as hojicha and matcha powder.
The prices at Little Rogue are affordable, and their drinks are available in a variety of sizes. The prices range from AU$4.70 to AU$7.20.
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7. INI Studio
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7a.m. to 4p.m.) and Saturday to Sunday (9a.m. to 4p.m.)
Google reviews: 4.6 stars (259)
Location: 225 Queensberry St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
Located in an inner-city suburb, INI Studio serves both matcha, coffee, and a whole range of sweet goodies — tiramisu, cookies, pastries, waffles, and cakes — that pair with your beverage.
This café was recommended by Goh herself: “If you love café hopping for the vibes and all-white aesthetics, then INI Coffee is the place for you,” she shares.
INI Studio has a nice space with a lovely ambience, and of course, friendly staff whipping up your coffee; however, the seats may not be comfortable if you’re planning on getting your assignments done there.
Prices ranged from AU$5 to AU$20.
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8. Cathedral Coffee
Opening hours: Monday to Tuesday (7:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.), Wednesday to Friday (7:30a.m. to late), and Saturday (8:30a.m. to 10p.m.)
Google reviews: 4.4 stars (397)
Location: 37 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
This café is a hidden gem. Tucked away in a little nook inside Cathedral Arcade, Cathedral Coffee is serving up coffee, desserts, and food.
The best part about this café is that it turns into a little wine bar at night — and you can still get your caffeine and sweet tooth hit late into the night.
Their drinks and food prices range between AU$6 to AU$26.
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