The Viral Drinks in Melbourne You Need to Try ASAP

There’s no denying that Melburnians love a good coffee, and some of us may be a bit of a coffee snob. We can’t help it; we know what’s good and what’s not. And Melbourne cafes are starting to get creative with their menus. Perhaps it’s because they have a reputation to uphold, or maybe it’s simply because people are growing tired of the classic coffee and are eager to try something new. But local favourites and hot spots alike have been branching out of the standard menu and experimenting with unique drinks that have been sending the internet wild.

Wondering what they are? Here are the viral drinks you need to try next time you’re craving something that’s not your regular oat latte.

Standing Room Coffee – The Cherry Shrub Spider Is Back

Some drinks deserve an encore. Fitzroy North favourite Standing Room Coffee is bringing back its Cherry Shrub Spider, and Melbourne’s sweet-treat crowd has every reason to celebrate. The nostalgic-meets-new-wave creation starts with a cherry shrub — a punchy, fruit-infused drinking vinegar that delivers a delicious sweet-tart kick — poured over ice and finished with a cloud of lemon cream and a maraschino cherry. Think old-school spider with a grown-up, slightly eccentric twist. It’s fruity, creamy, refreshingly sharp and just unusual enough to become your next little obsession.

Sitchu Tip: Try the cherry shrub without the cream, too, for a brighter, tangier sip.

187 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North

Pudding Latte

Someone has put an entire crème caramel on top of an iced coffee, and Melbourne is understandably delighted. At Maison Bake on Corrs Lane, Le Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef Lalita Punpanawan has turned the humble caffeine run into dessert. Her now-famous pudding latte pairs salted-caramel iced coffee with a lovely, wobbly flan, and it’s been selling out since opening. The tiny laneway bakery is a beauty, too, with truffle-parmesan buns, orange tarts and beautiful French-inspired pastries competing for your attention. Get there early.

28 Corrs Lane, Melbourne CBD

Dirty Pistachio

Pistachio coffee is having a very good year, but Code Black has taken things next-level delicious at its new Cremorne outpost. The Dirty Pistachio brings together a double ristretto, fragrant pandan, pistachio-coconut milk and a generous layer of panela cream. Nutty, silky and beautifully balanced, it’s an excellent departure from your usual iced latte. The cafe itself is worth seeing, with dramatic black interiors, reflective chrome and a cabinet of house-made pastries. For your next visit, the coconut cold brew deserves a look, too.

Corner of Fitzgibbon and Dover Streets, Cremorne

Olive Oil Cold Brew

Olive oil in your iced coffee? Stay with us. At Great Jones in Armadale, it’s making a very persuasive case for abandoning your usual flat white. After nearly a decade running cafes in New York, Josh Evans and Nick Duckworth have brought a little Williamsburg inspiration home, borrowing from a dessert at the acclaimed Lilia. Their cold brew arrives beneath a silky layer of vanilla foam, finished with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and a snowfall of shaved chocolate. Sweet, savoury, a little salty and completely delicious. The folded eggs with Calabrian chilli, fried capers and stracciatella make an excellent breakfast companion.

1184 High Street, Armadale

Regulars, Melbourne CBD – The Dirty –85°C

Melbourne’s latest caffeine obsession arrives ice-cold — literally. At Regulars on Little La Trobe Street, the Shanghai-style Dirty –85°C coffee has landed, drawing queues and selling out fast. The drink is made by pouring hot espresso over super-chilled milk in a frosted glass pulled from a –85°C freezer, creating thick, marbled layers designed for the camera and the palate alike.

The milk base can be swapped for flavours like pistachio or walnut, adding depth to the rich espresso hit. Meant to be taken in generous sips, the contrast in temperature brings the drink together in one smooth, textured moment. It’s no surprise TikTok has claimed it — this is the viral sip everyone’s messaging the group chat about.

GROUND FLOOR/38-40 Little La Trobe Street, Melbourne

Blueberry Matcha

Strawberry matcha might have started Melbourne’s fruity green tea obsession, but blueberry has proved it has serious staying power. Sweet, slightly tart and a beautiful shade of purple beneath that earthy green matcha, this iced beauty is one of our favourite ways to get our caffeine fix. Bakehouse by Vic in Brighton makes a gorgeous version with house-made blueberry syrup, while Meet Forest in South Yarra has earned a devoted following for its own. You’ll also find it at the team’s newer CBD outpost, Hana by Meet Forest, where Japanese Uji matcha meets house-made blueberry goodness. Summer sipping, sorted.

2 Railway Walk, Brighton

1a/7 Yarra Street, South Yarra

435 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Coffee Frappé

Forget your usual iced latte. There’s a wonderfully frothy coffee situation happening on Coventry Street, and Melbourne’s caffeine devotees are paying attention. At Juniper, the charming South Melbourne cafe from Florian’s Dom Gattermayr and Rose Richards, the signature coffee and chocolate frappé takes its cues from the Greek classic, with whipped coffee, a little chocolate and iced milk creating a rich, cloud-like finish. It’s sweet, strong and enormously satisfying on a warm day. Order it alongside the cult chicken roll, packed with roast chicken, garlic mayo, salsa verde and crispy chicken skin. A very good double act.

269 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

Tiger Bomb Coffee

There’s viral coffee, and then there’s the Melbourne creation that’s made its way onto menus overseas. At TONE Coffee, 2015 World Latte Art Champion Caleb ‘Tiger’ Cha has turned a simple combination of espresso, milk, silky cream and fragrant orange zest into something rather extraordinary. The Tiger Bomb is beautifully layered, rich without being overly sweet, with a lovely citrus finish that keeps you coming back for another sip. First poured in Prahran in 2023, it’s since developed an international following, and there’s now a second TONE outpost in North Melbourne for anyone chasing their next fix.

Shop 7/121 High Street, Prahran

653 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne

Butterscotch Cream Iced Latte + More Beautiful Drink Specials at Baguette Studios

North Melbourne’s Baguette Studios has a rather delicious habit of turning the morning coffee run into dessert. Inspired by Korean cafe culture, its cult-favourite butterscotch cream iced latte brings together rich espresso, cold milk and a thick cloud of caramel cream, finished with a generous swirl of butterscotch sauce. Sweet, silky and far too easy to fall in love with. And the drinks don’t stop there. There’s the beautiful coconut cloud matcha, the fragrant Earl Grey and tonka bean cold brew, and a vanilla cream latte for anyone who likes their coffee with a little indulgence. Order alongside the bakery’s famous pretzel baguette, and you’ve got yourself an excellent morning.

15–27 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne

Bloom-tini

Someone at Bloomwood looked at the classic coffee-and-croissant pairing and decided it needed a little reinvention. Enter the Bloom-tini: three darling miniature croissants threaded onto a skewer, served with your drink of choice and ready for a good dunk. Go for an iced strawberry matcha, a citrus cream brew or your usual latte, then get to work on those buttery little beauties. It’s deliciously unserious, very Melbourne and an excellent excuse to explore the Exhibition Street cafe’s Asian-inspired pastry cabinet while you’re at it.

G01, 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne CBD

Mont Blanc

The queue snaking down Lygon Street has a very specific purpose, and it involves one of Melbourne’s most famous iced coffees. At Good Measure, the Mont Blanc has become something of a cultural phenomenon, inspiring imitators around the world. The magic is in its simplicity: lightly sweetened cold filter coffee crowned with a thick, silky layer of whipped cream, freshly grated orange zest and a dusting of nutmeg. Sip it through the cream rather than stirring, and you’ll understand the obsession. Years after its debut, the Carlton original remains every bit as good as its reputation suggests.

193 Lygon Street, Carlton

Craving a sweet bite to eat to go alongside your drink? We’ve searched for the best bakeries in Melbourne and the best cake shops serving up sugary goodness across the city.