The Best Cafes and Coffee Shops in Fitzroy, Melbourne

Inspired by the Third Wave coffee roasters movement, brothers Steve and Trevor Simmons founded Industry Beans in 2010. It has since become a renowned coffee roastery, cafe and brew bar. Their flagship Fitzroy café operates out of an open-planned, award-winning warehouse conversion and features rotating single origin blends across Espresso, Pour Over, AeroPress, Gold Mesh, Cold Drip and Cold Brew. Industry Beans Fitzroy also serves a seasonal brunch menu by Head Chef James Sanders.

Contrasting with the stark black façade, Sir Charles is a bright, spacious and effortlessly Scandy restaurant, espresso bar, and roastery that challenges the norm of the typical Fitzroy café. Named after Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy, whom Melbourne’s oldest suburb is named after, the establishment features an Asian-inspired menu with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. When it comes to coffee, Sir Charles offers a house blend that hits the note between sweet and intense. Can’t get enough? Sir Charles is even available for functions.

When the team behind Bluebird in Collingwood moved into the bluestone building (once occupied by Southpaw), they were filling a niche that hadn’t yet been tapped into in Fitzroy. From a refined globe-trotting breakfast menu to wine and beer in the afternoon or an evening bite, Archie’s All Day is just that: an all-day experience. Coffee comes courtesy of Proud Mary and includes a bunch of fancy variations such as pour-over filter and cold brew.

The food and coffee is so good here that you really do become addicted. Opened in 2014 by Greg Brassil and Joe Ventura, from The Coffee Communication Culture Group, Addict Food and Coffee offers an all-day breakfast and lunch menu as well as a range of coffees including Moccamaster, pour-over and cold brew. When it comes to food, head chef Ryan Lynch’s meals are temptation overload.. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free you’ll find something to suit.

The first thing you notice upon entering the cutely named Slowpoke Espresso is the timber-clad feature wall that adds a stylish thriftiness to the Brunswick Street café. Ideal for a lazy Sunday, Slowpoke Espresso features a sustainably focused menu with hearty soups and stews, steaming three-grain porridge and awesomely gooey grilled cheese. In the background, the La Marzocco espresso machine purrs behind the counter.