The Best Cafes in Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs for a Local Bite

One of the greatest joys of Melbourne is its cafe culture — there’s one on nearly every corner, each with its own character, coffee roast and menu worth lingering over. You don’t need to venture far for a quality brunch, but if you point east, you’ll find some of the city’s best.

Whether you’re a local on this side of town or looking to branch out beyond your regular haunts, we’ve rounded up the best cafes in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs — from cult pastries and creative sandos to whimsical brunch spots and hidden gems. Happy brunching.

Mackie

Mackie Mulgrave knows how to keep brunch interesting. The menu leans playful without losing heart, like halloumi and pumpkin fritters that hit all the right notes, a pork belly Benny that’s unapologetically indulgent, and smashed avo dressed up with beetroot relish and roasted squash. Sweet tooths are sorted too, thanks to warm apple doughnuts worth ordering just for yourself. Smoothies come in under $10, coffee is reliably strong, and every plate looks like it’s been styled for a Sunday scroll.

71 Mackie Road, Mulgrave

Vanilla Lounge

On Eaton Mall’s lively strip, Vanilla Lounge is Oakleigh’s beating heart — a sprawling cafe, patisserie and dining hall that never sleeps. The menu spans generous Mediterranean plates and modern cafe classics, but it’s the cakes and pastries that steal the show. Think syrup-soaked baklava, glossy cheesecakes and whole celebration cakes baked fresh each day. Alfresco tables spill onto the mall for perfect people-watching, while upstairs transforms into a function space fit for milestones. For sweets and community in equal measure, Vanilla delivers, big time.

17-21 Eaton Mall, Oakleigh

Peddler Cafe

Beloved by locals for years, Peddler is always bustling — and with good reason. This family-run café balances warmth with seriously good food, from rotating specials to all-time classics. Their Braised Belly Benny is a genius clash of savoury and sweet: pork belly on waffles, topped with poached eggs, hollandaise and sweet potato crisps. Those with a sweet tooth can’t miss the berry French toast or vegan pannacotta.

Sitchu Tip: Order one of their toasted pides for the ultimate comfort hit. Our picks: the EBC, BLT or chicken.

295B Springfield Road, Nunawading

Matta Melbourne

What began as a humble Japanese cafe in Balwyn North now has a sibling in Blackburn North — proof of its cult appeal. Matta swaps out the standard brunch line-up for Japanese comfort: katsu pork sandos, okonomiyaki waffles, and even an ice-cold matcha soba soup. It’s quirky, flavourful and a little eccentric — just like the cafe’s cosy interiors.

335 Balwyn Road, Balwyn North

55 Katrina Street, Blackburn North

Aunt Billie’s

Warm, buzzy and always in demand, Aunt Billie’s is the beating heart of Blackburn mornings. Book ahead, because locals pack in for the creamy harissa scramble, juicy Billy burger, and coffee that’s smooth as silk. If you’re the type to need something sweet for later, their cabinet cakes are an irresistible takeaway option.

184 Surrey Road, Blackburn

Mister + Miss

Modern Australian brunch with a playful twist, Mister + Miss is where you bring a crew who can never agree on what to eat. The menu runs from salmon rosti and breakfast burgers to pizzas and salads, meaning no one leaves hangry. Sweet tooths are rewarded with pancakes and waffles, while the savoury-inclined will happily demolish a pizza. Bonus: their sibling cafe Mr Robertson in Nunawading brings the same charm to another pocket of the east.

711-713 Whitehorse Road, Mont Albert

Hatter & the Hare

Famous for their whimsical petits gateaux that look as good as they taste, Hatter & the Hare is both brunch and theatre. Their Alice in Wonderland interiors set the scene for cakes and pastries that flood Instagram feeds, but don’t overlook the savoury side: brunch classics come with playful twists and as much imagination as their patisserie cabinet.

1/21 Scoresby Road, Bayswater

Crest Cafe

It’s a mystery why Crest Cafe in Wantirna hasn’t gone viral as one of the best cafes in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs — maybe its unassuming spot keeps it under the radar, or maybe the locals are simply gatekeeping. Either way, this eastern suburbs favourite deserves the spotlight. Expect clever spins on café staples and smoothies that nourish without breaking the bank (under $10, which feels almost miraculous right now). Standouts include the Mojo Rojo, fiery chilli scramble, umami-rich X.O mushroom and a signature benedict that leans satisfyingly meaty. A quiet achiever worth seeking out.

17 Crestdale Road, Wantirna

Matilda

This cute Mont Albert cafe is loved by locals. You’ll regularly see groups of friends and young families frequenting Matilda on weekend mornings for a delicious breakfast, or people picking up takeaway meals to enjoy on their lunch break and fuel the rest of their day. Known for their delicious range of toasties and salads, plus their refreshing acai bowl, you can either sit down here for a meal or head across the road to their solely takeaway and catering window, Petite by Matilda. It’s a charming little slice of Paris in Melbourne’s east.

15 Arcade Road, Mont Albert North

Just, Loved

Hello Kitty and Miffy fans, prepare to swoon. Just, Loved Creative Studio & Cafe in Blackburn South serves comfort food with a side of pure nostalgia. The Asian-inspired brunch menu runs from waffles and toasties to udon, but the real stars are the Miffy comfort curry and Hello Kitty tomato-and-rice curry — almost too cute to eat. Pair it with their silky, creamy matcha for the full experience. With a floral studio and events space attached, it’s also a dream setting for birthdays, engagements and beyond.

8 Hunter Drive, Blackburn South

Rombe

At Burwood Brickworks, Rombe delivers rustic charm with a refined touch, making it a standout among Melbourne’s eastern cafes. The space flows easily between alfresco coffee catch-ups, long brunches and celebratory meals. Head Chef Jerry Yi (ex-Shihuishi, Red Spice Road) champions seasonal, locally sourced produce in a menu that feels both thoughtful and indulgent. Highlights include ricotta hotcakes and cacio e pepe eggs, while specialty drinks bring playful flair.

Sitchu Tip: Order the coco cloud matcha — iced, airy and refreshingly addictive.

T38-39/70 Middleborough Road, Burwood East

Zero Mode

Zero Mode, inside Box Hill’s Whitehorse Towers, is an eastern suburbs cafe in Melbourne that demands a booking — and for good reason. Its Asian-fusion brunch is bold, inventive and dangerously delicious. Think truffle mushroom or crab chilli scrambled eggs for breakfast lovers, or the Wild West waffle: a charcoal base topped with crispy chicken, fried egg, sriracha maple bacon and chilli sauce. Lighter choices include a vibrant salmon poke bowl, while playful drinks seal the deal. Come hungry, bring friends, and prepare to share.

G03/850 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

ae Coffee

ae Coffee in Box Hill is as chic as it is inventive — a light-filled, minimalist space where brunch feels like an art form. The menu dances between playful and refined: chilli crayfish croissants with a fiery kick, fried chicken waffles that nail sweet-meets-savoury, and French toast dripping in biscoff indulgence. Specialty drinks are a highlight too — from ube and coconut lattes to a nutty hojicha. Stylish yet welcoming, Ae brings something fresh to the eastern suburbs brunch circuit.

9 Prospect Street, Box Hill

Down the Rabbit Hole Cafe

Down the Rabbit Hole has carved out a cult following thanks to its signature bronuts — the lovechild of a brownie and a doughnut — but the story doesn’t end there. Brunch is playful yet polished, with a menu that tips its hat to Alice in Wonderland. Classics come with clever twists, and names that add a dash of whimsy. The standout? A silky yuzu Benedict that balances citrus brightness with indulgence. A café where brunch really does feel a little magical.

8/22 Newmans Road, Templestowe

Locavore Studio

Locavore Studio brings brunch with bravado. Set inside a heritage-listed 1880s building, this Lilydale standout fuses café, restaurant, roastery and providore into one seamless experience. The menu dazzles with invention: chilli scramble lifted by fermented garlic, rye-and-chive waffles crowned with smoked salmon and finger lime, and a reimagined Benny with nduja-spiced pork shoulder doughnuts. Proximal roasts coffee onsite, poured with finesse and best enjoyed slowly in the sunlit space. For the eastern suburbs, it’s brunch at its boldest.

148 Main Street, Lilydale

Harrow & Harvest

Housed in a converted 1890s church, Harrow & Harvest in Lilydale is as pretty as it is delicious. Think dried florals, high ceilings and sunlit courtyards where coffee arrives with a side of calm. The all-day menu leans indulgent yet clever — Swedish rosti with smoked salmon, pulled pork piled on corn fritters, and “dream pancakes” crowned with custard, caramel and candy floss. Vegan options are equally enticing, and there’s even a kids’ playroom. A brunch pilgrimage worth making, halo and all.

42-44 Castella Street, Lilydale

Cafe 1809

Glen Waverley has quietly become one of the east’s great dining playgrounds, where cafés and restaurants jostle shoulder-to-shoulder. Among them, 1809 at Willow Avenue Shopping Centre more than earns its stripes. Breakfast bowls brim with colour, scrambled eggs land just the right side of creamy, and the menu reads like a greatest hits list.

But the showstopper? Their French toast—dusted with icing sugar, drenched in maple, and crowned with a tumble of seasonal fruit. A sweet finish so decadent it feels like the encore you didn’t know you needed.

34 Willow Avenue, Glen Waverley

Eastwood

Eastwood may sit quietly on a Burwood East corner, but the menu is anything but demure. Those lamington hotcakes — pillowy stacks crowned with cream and jammy decadence — have locals lining up like it’s Saturday morning mass. Brunch here swings from smashed avo jewelled with beetroot tahini to pork belly Benedict on a cornbread waffle, while the lunch crowd digs into bao, burrito bowls and burgers. Coffee is a given, smoothies too. Modest in postcode, Eastwood is gloriously immodest on the plate.

1 Robinlee Avenue, Burwood East

Via Porta

Via Porta is equal parts family-run empire and neighbourhood essential — the place locals swear by for coffee, croissants and long, indulgent brunches. With two eastern outposts — the original in Mont Albert and a sibling in Hawthorn — it’s become a beacon for pastry lovers. The croissants, in particular, have earned near-legendary status: light, flaky, and impossibly buttery. The almond croissant is a standout, the perfect choice when you crave something exquisite without committing to a full meal.

677 Whitehorse Road, Mont Albert

Want more local cafe goodness? Why not check out our top picks of cafes in Camberwell, or, if you’re looking for a fun activity to do, check out the ins and outs of what’s happening around Melbourne.