Melbourne · CBD
Cafés in CBD
Laneway espresso bars, Flinders Lane cafés and weekday coffee on the Hoddle Grid.
Photo: Jyju Jossey, Pexels License
The CBD is the Hoddle Grid, the street plan Robert Hoddle marked out in 1837: a rectangle about 1.6 by 0.8 km, with 30 m main streets and 10 m "little" streets between them.1 Many of the center's cafés are on those little streets and on the lanes cut through the blocks. Trams inside the grid are free. The Free Tram Zone, reaching Queen Victoria Market, Docklands, Spring Street and Flinders Street Station, started on 1 January 2015.2
The CBD has more cafés than any other part of Melbourne, from Pellegrini's, on Bourke Street since 1954, to standing-room bars on the little streets that open early on weekdays and shut by mid-afternoon.37
Local tip: On weekends, skip the weekday-only bars and head for Degraves Street, Brother Baba Budan or Supersede on Elizabeth Street; inside the Free Tram Zone you can ride between them at no cost.
At a glance
377Cafés listed
66With opening hours
05:30Earliest opening
00:00Latest closing
- Opens earliest: Sir Osborn, from 05:30 (Mon–Fri 05:30–15:00 · Sat–Sun Closed).
- Closes latest: Brunetti, until 00:00 (Mon–Thu 07:00–22:00 · Fri–Sat 07:00–00:00 · Sun 08:00–22:00).
- Most listed streets: Collins Street (22), Bourke Street (16), Collins St (16).
- Most common features: takeaway (14%), wheelchair access (14%), outdoor seating (13%).
Anda
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Wheelchair access
- Open by 6am
Bowery to Williamsburg
Brother Bubba Budan
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
Brunetti
- Wheelchair access
- Open late
Bullrun
Cartel Coffee Roasters Melbourne
- Wi-Fi
- Takeaway
- Specialty
Cherry & Twigs Cafe
Common Place Coffee Brewers
- Takeaway
- Wheelchair access
- Open by 6am
Corner & Bench
Croque Monsieur
Kenny’s
Kenny's Bakery & Cafe
- Indoor seating
- Bakery café
Kit Espresso
- Takeaway
- Wheelchair access
Le Yeahllow
- Air-con
- Bakery café
Little Bang Espresso
- Takeaway
- Air-con
- Card payment
- Wheelchair access
- Smoke-free indoors
- Bakery café
Little Rogue
- Takeaway
- Air-con
- Card payment
- Toilets
Little Sparrow
- Indoor seating
- Bakery café
Little Sparrow
Maker
- Outdoor seating
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Partial wheelchair access
Marche Board Game Cafe
- Indoor seating
- Open late
Mork Chocolate
- Takeaway
- Partial wheelchair access
Original Chai Co
Patricia Coffee Brewers
- Outdoor seating
- Takeaway
- Card payment
- Wheelchair access
- Vegetarian options
Project Zero Coffee
- Takeaway
- Card payment
Quists Coffee
- Takeaway
Realfoods Canteen
- Wi-Fi
- Outdoor seating
- Air-con
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Wheelchair access
- Smoke-free indoors
Regulars
Schmucks Bagels
- Outdoor seating
- Air-con
- Indoor seating
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Smoke-free indoors
- Bakery café
Schmucks Bagels
- Outdoor seating
- Takeaway
- Indoor seating
- Wheelchair access
Seedling Cafe
- Outdoor seating
- Takeaway
- Vegetarian options
- Partial wheelchair access
Sir Osborn
- Card payment
- Vegetarian options
- Partial wheelchair access
- Open by 6am
Stand Up Cafe
Standing Room
- Outdoor seating
- Air-con
- Wheelchair access
- Smoke-free indoors
- Bakery café
Strozzi
- Card payment
- Partial wheelchair access
Nothing matches those filters here. See all cafés in Melbourne.
Coffee chains in CBD
Chain
Axil Coffee Roasters
Show 7 locations
Chain
Gloria Jean's Coffees
Show 5 locations
Chain
Starbucks
Show 8 locations
- CBDMon–Fri 07:00–19:30 · Sat–Sun 07:30–19:30
- 117 Swanston St
- 166-172 Exhibition StreetDaily 07:00–19:00
- 201 Spencer StreetMon–Wed 06:30–19:00 · Thu–Fri 06:30–20:00 · Sat 07:30–20:00 · Sun 07:30–19:00
- 246-249 La Trobe StreetMon–Fri 06:30–21:00 · Sat 07:30–21:00 · Sun 08:00–20:30
- 9-29 Swanston Street
- Starbucks Town Hall Station, Shop 901-71 Town Hall Station, 44-86 Swanston Street, Melbourne, 3000
- Starbucks Bourke Street, Tivoli Arcade, 235-251 Bourke Street
Chain
Degani
Chain
Hudsons Coffee
Chain
Code Black Coffee
- 189 Flinders Lane
- 477 Collins St
- 630 Little Collins StreetMon–Fri 07:00–17:00 · Sat–Sun 08:00–16:00
Chain
In A Rush
Chain
Market Lane Coffee
- 8 Collins St
- 83-85 Victoria StreetMon–Thu 07:00–16:00 · Fri–Sat 07:00–17:00 · Sun 08:00–17:00
Chain
The Coffee Club
Chain
People's Coffee
- CBDMon–Fri 07:00–16:00
- 181 William StreetMon–Fri 07:00–16:30
- 7 Benson WalkMon–Fri 07:00–16:00 · Sat–Sun Closed
Chain
Good Bean
Chain
Streat
- STREAT Cafe (Purpose Precinct)Mon Closed · Tue 07:30–15:00 · Wed Closed · Thu–Fri 07:30–15:00 · Sat 08:00–16:00 · Sun Closed
- 485 Bourke St
Chain
Dukes Coffee Roasters
- Flinders LaneMon–Fri 07:00–16:30 · Sat 08:00–17:00 · Sun Closed
Chain
Segafredo
Degraves Street, Flinders Lane and Hardware Lane
Degraves Street, the short pedestrian lane between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, takes its name from Charles and William Degraves, Hobart merchants who built a flour mill at the Flinders Lane corner in 1849.4 The Campbell Arcade, an underpass built in the 1950s, connects it to Flinders Street Station.4 Degraves Espresso Bar is at number 23, with TOFWD at 28 and Waffle On at 9.
Flinders Lane runs 2 km from Spring Street to Spencer Street. From the 1880s it was the center of Melbourne's clothing trade, known simply as "The Lane", and clothing firms there peaked at 610 in 1939.5 Its cafés now include The Journal Cafe at 253, Seedling Cafe at 275 and Cuff at 325, and Dukes Coffee Roasters is on the same lane.
Hardware Lane was Wrights Lane until 1927, when it was renamed after Hardware House, and it is closed to traffic from 11:00 to 23:00.6 Jeremy's Café is at 13 Hardware Lane and La Petite Crêperie at 32.
Pellegrini's and the standing-room bars
Pellegrini's, at 66 Bourke Street, was founded in 1954 by the brothers Leo and Vildo Pellegrini, who sold it in 1974 to Nino Pangrazio and Sisto Malaspina; the National Trust of Australia listed it in 2014.3 Its curved neon "Espresso Bar" sign once pointed to a rear entrance on Crossley Street that is now closed.3
The newer bars are often tiny. Brother Baba Budan, at 359 Little Bourke Street, was the Seven Seeds team's first city café; it has about 15 seats, plus more chairs hung from the ceiling, and opens daily 07:00–18:00.8 At Patricia Coffee Brewers, on the corner of Little Bourke and Little William Streets, the tiled entrance reads "Standing Room Only"; it opens 07:00–16:00 on weekdays.7
Several roasters keep bars in the grid too: Market Lane Coffee at 83–85 Victoria Street, Industry Beans at 345 Little Collins Street, Code Black Coffee at 630 Little Collins Street, ST. ALi Canteen at 30 Collins Street and Cartel Coffee Roasters at 19 Somerset Place.910
When CBD cafés open and close
The center keeps office hours. Sir Osborn and Sargon Cafe open earliest, at 05:30 on weekdays, and Anda on Spring Street, Common Place Coffee Brewers and Little Sparrow at 567 Collins Street follow at 06:00. Anda, Sir Osborn and Traveller Coffee on Crossley Street close on Saturdays and Sundays. Supersede, at 521 Elizabeth Street, opens at 06:00 every day.
Late coffee is harder to find. The Journal Cafe on Flinders Lane stays open until 20:00 from Monday to Thursday and 21:00 on Friday, Le Yeahllow on Little Collins Street until 18:30 from Monday to Saturday, and Brother Baba Budan until 18:00 every day.
Sources
- Hoddle Grid, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Free CBD tram zone from 1 January 2015, Yarra Trams (September 25, 2014), accessed October 2026
- Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Degraves Street, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Flinders Lane, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Hardware Lane, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
- Patricia, Broadsheet Melbourne (updated July 7, 2026), accessed October 2026
- Brother Baba Budan, Broadsheet Melbourne (updated March 13, 2018), accessed October 2026
- Market Lane Coffee: specialty coffee roaster, Melbourne, Market Lane Coffee, accessed October 2026
- Code Black Coffee: specialty coffee roasters, Melbourne, Code Black Coffee, accessed October 2026
Keep exploring
More of Melbourne
South Melbourne & Southbank
129 cafés
Carlton & Parkville
108 cafés
Fitzroy & Collingwood
121 cafés
Brunswick
124 cafés
Northcote & Thornbury
78 cafés
Richmond & Cremorne
90 cafés
St Kilda & Elwood
82 cafésIn CBD, also browse: Specialty coffee Brunch Outdoor seating Bakery cafés Open by 6am
FAQ
CBD cafés: questions
When did Pellegrini's open in Melbourne's CBD?
Pellegrini's Espresso Bar opened at 66 Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD in 1954, founded by the brothers Leo and Vildo Pellegrini. They sold it in 1974 to Nino Pangrazio and Sisto Malaspina, and the National Trust of Australia listed the café in 2014. Its curved neon "Espresso Bar" sign once pointed to a rear entrance on Crossley Street.
Are trams free between cafés in Melbourne's CBD?
Yes. Since 1 January 2015 tram travel inside Melbourne's Free Tram Zone has been free. The zone covers the CBD and reaches Queen Victoria Market, Docklands, Spring Street and Flinders Street Station, so Degraves Street, Flinders Lane, Hardware Lane and the Bourke Street espresso bars are all a free ride apart.
Which cafés open earliest in Melbourne's CBD?
In Melbourne's CBD, Sir Osborn and Sargon Cafe open at 05:30 on weekdays, and Anda on Spring Street, Common Place Coffee Brewers and Little Sparrow at 567 Collins Street open at 06:00. Anda and Sir Osborn close on weekends; Supersede at 521 Elizabeth Street opens at 06:00 every day of the week.
For café owners
Own a café in CBD?
Free listings are free for good. A featured page gives you photos, a menu and your own URL, in your café's own design, for less than a coffee a day.