As the capital city of Victoria and the second largest city in all of Australia, Melbourne has a lot to offer for tourists and locals.
Like many cities around the world, one of the most popular things to do in Melbourne every weekend is going out to brunch. There are countless places to have brunch in Melbourne.
In fact, there are so many, you may wonder where to start!
If you’re looking for the best places to get brunch in Melbourne in 2024, look no further!
Here are my choices for the best places to get brunch in Melbourne, in one of Australia’s most popular cities!
Best Brunches Melbourne
Melbourne enjoys a breakfast earlier than anyone else and if you take advantage of the city’s great reputation for coffee and food you are certain to find the best brunches in Melbourne,
The Melbourne breakfast scene is renowned for its diverse and innovative offerings, making it a must-visit for brunch enthusiasts. Here are some I recommend.
1. The Hardware Société
If you ask people around Melbourne for one of their favourite spots to have brunch, you’ll likely hear “The Hardware Société” a few times!
This brunch spot is a popular choice due to its competitive pricing and menu variety, including their famous eggs benny. To enjoy some of the most popular dishes of this restaurant, order the lobster benedict on a black bun.
This dish keeps customers coming back, owing to the striking visual presentation as well as the upscale twist on a classic eggs benedict. While there are delicious dishes available at the Hardware Société, the prices aren’t exorbitantly high like some other places.
For an upscale twist on your favourite breakfast dishes that keeps you coming back, The Hardware Société is the brunch place to be.
2. Lux Foundry
Whether you’re a tourist or a local, you may be craving a traditional Australian breakfast when brunch-time rolls around. Lux Foundry is one of the best spots for brunch Melbourne, which captures a contemporary feel along with traditional Aussie breakfast favourites.
Lux Foundry offers a diverse brunch menu that captures the essence of traditional Australian breakfast favourites. You’ll feel like you belong in the Melbourne scene after a brunch at this delicious restaurant. Even the ambiance, a heritage site that used to make lux-brand stoves, captures Australian history.
For one of the more emblematic dishes, order up a smashed avocado or crispy poached eggs that could have come out of your mother’s kitchen. If you need a powerful complement to your meal and a powerhouse pick-me-up, order a coffee alongside your meal. Lux Foundry partners with Proud Mary, a local coffee legend, to provide excellent coffee. Cold brew and batch brews stand out especially strongly here.
Unless you want to try out the cocktail menu, with mimosas, bloody marys, and more, to elevate your brunch experience!
3. Higher Ground
If your social media feed is hungry for a stunning venue, Higher Ground is one of the best brunch spots in Melbourne to feed the eyes and the stomach!
This restaurant sits in an old power station in the centre of the city. The new look embraces an open floor plan and high windows, which allows diners to see out onto the city. If those incredible views and light weren’t enough, prepare to feast your eyes on the delicious brunch food that awaits you as well!
There are several notable dishes on the menu, depending on what you’re in the mood for. If you’re craving avocado toast, try something different with the avocado pretzel!
If you want something that feels more upscale consider the Spanner Crab Benedict for a unique twist on an eggs benedict. For a sweeter option, order the blueberry & ricotta pancakes, which melds sweet and savoury together into one mouth-watering dish.
No matter what you choose, your stomach and your eyes are bound to be pleased at this Melbourne brunch favourite.
4. Au79
For some, brunch means delicious pastries and stellar coffee more than anything. If that sounds like you, Au79 is the right place to have brunch in Melbourne for you!
In addition to a brunch restaurant, Au79 offers a delightful selection of early morning pastries that are perfect for starting your day. Au79 houses a patisserie, coffee roaster, chocolatier, and all-around bakery. The prices here are reasonable for the quality they offer, as well as a menu that offers brunch classics as well as fun twists on traditional offerings.
If you need a bit more than a pastry, one of the most popular dishes on the menu is the mango waffles, which give a memorable, sweet twist to a breakfast staple. The ambiance in Au79 is also memorable since it is a renovated auto garage turned into a modern spot with pops of green and colour.
When you’re enjoying this best brunch spot in Melbourne, make sure you order one of the in-house coffees, as they are spectacular!
5. Monk Bodhi Dharma
Everyone deserves to go out for a delicious brunch, regardless of dietary restrictions. Monk Bodhi Dharma prides itself on using fresh, seasonal vegetables to create dishes that cater to all dietary restrictions.
Monk Bodhi Dharma allows everyone to enjoy brunch, since they have options incorporating all restrictions, down to vegans and those looking for healthier choices. One of the most popular options on the menu is the Banana Dharma pancakes, a buckwheat twist on pancakes featuring dulce de leche, banana chips, and maple syrup.
The restaurant is also a fun spot that feels local, since it is a small restaurant. That being said – if you want to grab brunch at Monk Bodhi Dharma, consider getting up early to grab a table!
This restaurant has limited space, so you can’t expect to roll in on the weekends and immediately have a table.
Although Monk Bodhi Dharma doesn’t have their own coffee brand, they partner with Disciple Coffee Roasters for the best beans and delicious coffee creations to complement your meal.
6. Hemingway’s Tavern
True to the name, Hemingway’s Tavern strives to bring the experience of Florida’s Key West into the heart of Melbourne!
In addition to its tropical-inspired menu, Hemingway’s Tavern also features a wine bar with a selection of fine wines and cocktails. You may feel like Hemingway among the tropical-inspired food and drinks of the tavern. If you want to take part in some of the most popular menu options, consider a Cuban Sandwich, Key West Bowl, or Snapper Hemingway.
No matter what you order, grab a side of truffle French fries to complement the dish.
The ambiance stretches from the menu into the restaurant itself and through to the cocktail menu. There are plenty of drink specials and mixes, such as the Old Fashioned and Cuban Martinis, to make you feel like you’re lying out on a beach somewhere. For the best experience, get there early enough to snag a spot on the patio, so you can enjoy the Melbourne weather along with your meal!
Although it may not be the most classic option for brunch in Melbourne, Hemingway’s Tavern is a delicious option that should not be overlooked!
7. Terror Twilight
Of all the best brunch spots in Melbourne, Terror Twilight probably comes the closest to capturing the look and feel of a classic diner.
While the decor will give you the feel of a classic diner, the menu offers a healthier twist on a greasy spoon menu. Think sweet potato pancakes next to a bright, popping acai bowl. If you’re looking to order some of the most popular dishes on the menu, the Kurozawa eggs and smashed avo should be on your list!
Plus, if none of the menu options cater to your fancy, you can build your own breakfast!
Like many of the spots on our list of the best places to get brunch in Melbourne, Terror Twilight is a popular weekend spot. You’re more likely to see people waiting outside the door before you see Terror Twilight itself.
If you want to get a meal at Twilight Terror and a steaming cup of coffee to accompany it, you’ll want to turn up early to enjoy their popular fried eggs.
8. Grain Store
If you want to get a true taste of Melbourne, Grain Store is a great place to grab one! Grain Store highlights sustainable, local ingredients paired with modern brunch offerings. Grain Store’s menu features a variety of dishes, including the popular poached egg with seasonal vegetables.
If you want to try some of the most popular offerings, consider the Blue Swimmer Crab Chilli Scramble or the Summer Tomatoes & Stracciatella. Both of these dishes feature delicious, seasonal ingredients, sourced directly from the greater Melbourne area.
Inside the Grain Store, you’ll find a space that is as welcoming and modern as their menu. If you decide to check out the Grain Store on a weekend, be prepared to wake up early or wait in line, since it’s a popular spot.
Once you get seated and enjoy your meal, make sure that you order up a coffee. Grain Store sources some wonderful beans from St. Ali, for wonderful black and white coffee.
Brunches in Melbourne with a twist
9. For curing a hangover – visit Secret Kitchen in Chinatown CBD
Take a seat at a large round table, sip on herbal tea and watch as a push cart trolley takes dim sum to you.
In addition to dim sum, Secret Kitchen also offers creative dishes like baked eggs, with a few notable features are steaming golden cheese buns and the black truffle shrimp prawn dumplings and steamed custard buns shaped like piglets.
10. For an Instagram-worthy brunch – don't miss Feekah in Hawthorn, Moonee Ponds and Doncaster
There are many photo-genic places in Feekah that feature floral flowers on the walls. Feekah’s menu features popular dishes like chilli scrambled eggs, which are as delicious as they are photogenic.
The drinks include lattes, juice and cocktails in a gold-coloured hue, which proves Feekah is certainly worthy of an Instagram spotlight reel. Bring the friends and enjoy a 90 minute boozy lunch.
11. For one of the best dog-friendly brunches in Melbourne – book at Vertue Coffee Roasters in Carlton
Visit Vertue Coffee for coffee and a fun brunch with your best furry friend. Vertue Coffee Roasters is a haven for coffee lovers, offering a variety of coffee options to complement their brunch dishes.
The restored stable (complete with graffitied alleyways) exudes an interesting cafe culture of Melbourne. Expect bold variations of classic brunch dishes such as mac and cheese croquettes with slow-braising hamhock, House-made harissa sauce and harissa scrambled egg..
12. For an outdoor brunch at an environmentally-conscious cafe – visit STREAT Cromwell Café in Collingwood
Brunch has an objective in this unique café, the STREAT Cromwell Café is aimed at assisting the young people with hospitality training. One of the popular dishes at STREAT Cromwell Café is the Korean Pork Belly.
Although Melbourne boasts many outposts its headquarters location is a 150-year-old heritage site featuring industrial vibes, flexible indoors and outdoor spaces plus oversized lawns that have an edible garden.
Eating Around Melbourne: 12 Best Brunch Spots in Melbourne
When you’re visiting Melbourne or if you’ve lived there for years, there are always new things to explore!
One of the best ways to explore any city is with your palette, discovering new flavours and restaurants in the city. From the renowned coffee culture in Melbourne to unique twists on traditional breakfast flavours, Melbourne offers a variety of delicious brunch spots.
If you want to learn more about the city, soak in the culture, and enjoy a great meal (or two), checking out these great places to have brunch in Melbourne is a wonderful place to start!
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