The Best Cafés in Brunswick, Melbourne

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There are two things that hipsters require for fuel – smashed avocado and speciality coffee – and they’ll find both in abundance around the streets of Brunswick. From chic boutique roasteries to charming hole-in-the-wall brunch spots, these are the top 10 places for a caffeine hit in the trendy inner-north neighbourhood of Brunswick, Melbourne.

Before Mark Dundon opened iconic Melbourne cafés Seven Seeds and Brother Baba Budan – as well as Sydney speciality coffee giants Reuben Hills and Paramount Coffee Project – he started out with this charming Brunswick institution. Ray’s buzzes with a diverse crowd who flock to this rustic Victoria Street institution for the top-notch coffee by Northcote roasters Atomica, and the beer, cider and Bloody Marys later in the day.

Step through the mysterious unsigned red door to discover one of Brunswick East’s best-hidden brunch spots, pumping out house-roasted coffee, freshly baked pastries, and seasonal brekky dishes. East Elevation shares its stylish space with artisan chocolatier Monsieur Truffle, so you can marvel at those confectionary creations while you’re sipping on your cappuccino. The café also curates an alley garden around the corner to grow fresh ingredients for the kitchen.

This social enterprise café serves more than just porridge in the morning and bagels in the afternoon – 100 per cent of the profits go towards fighting youth homelessness and hunger in Victoria. Dishing out coffee and brunch from a hole-in-the-wall near Anstey railway station, Home.one donates its lunch profits to Eat Up Australia and its coffee and bagel proceeds to organisations helping young homeless people, meaning your morning cuppa really makes a difference to the community.

Code Black‘s decor is – predictably – jet black, a suitable setting for one of Brunswick’s coolest coffee joints. Sitting just off Sydney Road, this Weston Street café serves a seasonal blend plus a rotating single origin roasted in-house, as well as a tasty food menu. This impressive roastery is spearheaded by Joseph Haddad, the brains behind the chain of Cafenatics stores sprinkled throughout inner-city Melbourne.

Small Axe, big flavours. Former Code Black chef Adam Pruckner opened his own place just off Sydney Road in 2016, combining modern brunch classics with traditional Sicilian flavours in a sunny 100-year-old building on Victoria Street. The coffee, of course, comes from Code Black – the lightly roasted house blend is used for black coffees, while milk coffees employ the medium-dark ‘ex-wife’ blend.

This Lebanese bakery, grocer and café has been an institution in the heart of Sydney Road since way back in 1992. The decor is old-school, the welcome is warm, and the coffee is best enjoyed with A1’s signature baklava. This family business also serves a hearty dinner, bakes an array of bread, and also supplies Middle Eastern groceries and specialities to take home.

Padre boasts locations in South Melbourne and Noosa, but Brunswick East is where it all began. This sleek Lygon Street café roasts a number of single origins and house blends from dozens of different estates around the globe, accompanied by a punchy selection of takeaway sweet and savoury snacks. Padre also hosts roasting and cupping courses, and features a retail space brimming with everything a budding brewer could ever need.