Morning Start: The Best Breakfast in Melbourne CBD

Considered the day’s defining meal, breakfast in Melbourne comes with sky-high expectations. Perfectly poached eggs, bacon with proper crunch, and coffee that borders on the sublime — this city won’t settle for less.

For locals, commuters, and weekend wanderers alike, a great CBD brekky spot is non-negotiable. From hole-in-the-wall counters to sun-drenched dining rooms, Melbourne’s best cafes deliver mornings worth waking early for.

So next time you’re in the city, skip the soggy cereal and greet the day with one of Melbourne’s finest breakfasts — every bite proof that mornings here matter.

Bottari

Bottari delivers a slice of Seoul’s cafe culture with Melbourne flair. Their viral doughnut lattes—chai cinnamon, chocolate, matcha—arrive crowned with caramel cream “doughnuts,” indulgent and Instagram-ready. Pair them with chewy kkwabaegi doughnuts, dusted in soybean powder, for the full experience. Owner Jiwoo Kim weaves tradition and trend into one irresistible stop: chic, playful, and utterly craveable. For a coffee break that feels fresh and fun, Bottari is the CBD breakfast spot to beat.

600 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

Kombu

Step aside, avo smash: Kombu QVM is redefining breakfast with Japanese finesse. Just off Queen Victoria Market, mornings open with Ichiju Gosai sets: rice, soup, five side dishes and a star protein like miso salmon or salt-grilled mackerel. For comfort, nothing beats chazuke, with hot dashi poured over rice in a bowl that feels like a warm embrace. Add a matcha Basque cheesecake, an iced blueberry matcha or an okonomiyaki bun, and suddenly your morning looks heroic. Refined, restorative and utterly crave-worthy, this is Tokyo mornings with a Melbourne postcode.

10 Dhanga Djeembana Walk, Melbourne

Omo Cafe

Down Merriman Lane, OMO Cafe awaits with the elegance of a Japanese kissaten. The space is calm, deliberate, designed for slow mornings and long afternoons. Coffee, made with Ona beans, comes straight or spun into playful signatures like the birru latte—espresso folded with non-alcoholic beer and cream — or the peanut butter cream latte, a cult favourite already. Plates balance refinement with surprise: miso-char siu eggs Benedict crowned with yuzu hollandaise, udon carbonara tangled with nori, and delicate onigiri for lighter moments.

18 Merriman Lane, Melbourne 

Cathedral Coffee

In the heart of Cathedral Arcade, Cathedral Coffee brings a touch of Europe to Melbourne mornings. Start the day with a rich cup of coffee, buttery croissant, mortadella-and-cheese baguette or a glossy Austro pastry — simple pleasures done exceptionally well. By dusk, the mood shifts as the counter becomes an Italian-style wine bar, pouring natural drops with inventive snacks to match. Equal parts comfort and cool, it’s a sweet spot for slow mornings, lively evenings, and everything delicious in between.

37 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Tomos

On Little Collins, Tomo’s delivers Japanese-inspired breakfast with colour and flair. Baristas pour perfect brews beside plates of chilli prawn scramble, bircher muesli, and their signature French toast, while savoury standouts include truffle feta bruschetta and strawberry honey toast with matcha ice cream and red adzuki beans. Specials keep things lively — Friday’s avocado tuna don with koshihikari rice and onsen egg, or weekend seafood tempura bowls. Cosy, vibrant and flavour-packed, Tomo’s might just be the CBD’s most underrated breakfast spot.

382 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Elio’s Place

This all-day Euro-style cafe and restaurant has quickly become one of our favourite new spots for breakfast in Melbourne CBD. At Elio’s Place, moody interiors set the tone for a menu built on modern elegance: buckwheat porridge with rhubarb and hemp seeds, Kaiserschmarrn pancakes with blueberry and yoghurt, and smoked trout with soft egg and pepperberry crème fraîche. For something handheld, the mortadella sandwich with pistachio butter and Dijon is essential. Breakfast is served until 11am — well worth planning your morning around.

1/238 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Bloomwood

In the heart of the CBD, Bloomwood is a bakehouse with a flair for drama and detail. The pastry cabinet is a parade of invention — taro croissants, earl grey and grapefruit danishes, lemon-lychee flower pastries — each sculpted as much for the eyes as the palate. Every piece is delicate, decadent and utterly irresistible. Pair your pick with a velvety matcha or expertly pulled coffee and you’ve got a morning ritual that feels like a little luxury — almost too pretty to eat, but worth every bite.

121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Bakemono Bakers 

A Japanese-inspired bakery tucked off Drewery Lane, Bakemono is a small but mighty CBD favourite. Its cabinet is tight, precise and wildly popular: strawberry-Nutella and blueberry-custard danishes, textbook ham-and-cheese croissants, ricotta-spinach savouries and pillowy shokupan buns. Pastries sell out quickly — arrive early if you’ve got your heart set on something. With its timber-fronted shopfront and laneway charm, Bakemono is a masterclass in less-is-more, proving that Melbourne’s best breakfasts can be carried out in a paper bag.

273 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Antara 128

Part bakery, part all-day eating house, Antara 128 brings morning-to-night elegance to Exhibition Street. Swing by early for still-warm viennoiserie — pain au chocolat, twice-baked almond croissants and seasonal pastries straight from the ovens. Settle in for breakfast and the dial lifts: house-made, wood-roasted granola with poached pear, coconut yoghurt and macadamia milk; a smoked rainbow trout omelette brightened with mint, pea salsa, crème fraîche and sorrel. Contemporary, quietly luxurious and deeply delicious — Antara feels like the CBD at its most grown-up, from first coffee to last crumb.

128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

MAKER

The team at MAKER are meticulous to the last gram, sourcing standout beans from around the world and pouring with quiet precision. With bars in South Yarra, Richmond and the CBD, they’ve turned coffee into a daily ritual worth crossing town for. Drop in for a perfectly balanced espresso or a creamy flat white, then stay for something to eat: a freshly made baguette or a pastry from Melbourne’s Söt by Mörk. Polished, consistent and deeply satisfying — this is coffee culture done right.

387 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Operator Diner

Retro daydream, modern tempo. This cosy CBD spot riffs on classic Americana with fresh Melbourne energy: stacks of buttermilk pancakes glossed with syrup, golden French toast, breakfast muffins and specialty sandwiches with a clever twist. Coffee comes courtesy of Code Black — rich, steady, right on cue — while house-made iced tea, lemonade and thick milkshakes bring the nostalgia. Vinyl booths, chrome touches and a gentle glow set the scene; the cooking keeps it current. New yet old-school, Operator Diner is the feel-good breakfast movie you can actually eat.

Shop 2/130 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Operator 25

In a heritage telephone exchange near Flagstaff Gardens, Operator 25 hits Melbourne’s sweet spot: dialled-in Code Black coffee and brunch that flirts with Asia without losing cafe comfort. Think silky congee-style plates, barbecue-pork Benedict, matcha-leaning granola and crisp greens that cut through richer bites. The room hums with brick, light and leisurely pace; service is switched-on, never showy. Come early, stay for the creative drinks list, then file this one under CBD classics you’ll continually crave midweek. Also, the playlist always nails the morning mood.

25 Wills Street, Melbourne 

The Grain Store 

Step inside The Grain Store and breakfast feels instantly elevated. Specialty coffee flows alongside a menu that balances comfort with sophistication: lemon and blueberry porridge, blue swimmer crab chilli scramble, Spanish baked eggs with chorizo, even a decadent lobster florentine. Fluffy ricotta pancakes round out the line-up for those with a sweet tooth. Come weekends, the kitchen expands into lunch with refined European flair and seasonal Australian produce, plating dishes as beautiful to photograph as they are to devour.

517 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 

Maverick

Meet Maverick, Little Collins Street’s sophisticated yet relaxed breakfast haunt, serving inventive twists on the classics. Eggs Benedict arrive with house-made pastrami and pickles; cured salmon is paired with a soft-boiled egg, beetroot relish, watercress and crisps; while hotcakes come warm from the pan, finished with honeycomb, blood orange and double cream. Stylish but unfussy, Maverick is where thoughtful flavours and polished plates turn an ordinary brunch into something memorable.

95 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

Krimper 

One of the most atmospheric spots for breakfast in Melbourne CBD, Krimper blends the city’s cafe culture with a century of history. Housed in a former sawmill and cabinet factory, the space wears its past proudly: a disused lift car transformed into a booth, exposed beams, raw brick and mechanical wheels turned into design features. The mood is warm, dimly lit and brimming with character. On the plate, indulgent dishes like almond French toast with saffron-poached pear, honey mascarpone and pistachio sit alongside classics — eggs Benedict, coconut porridge, baked shakshuka. Krimper delivers breakfast with substance and soul.

20 Guildford Lane, Melbourne 

Cuff 

In Melbourne’s maze of vibrant streets and laneways, Cuff bottles the city’s daily theatre — steam, chatter, and great coffee — inside the grand old Customs House on Flinders Lane. The all-day menu plays the hits with flair: corn fritters with halloumi and almond romesco, eggs your way, golden waffles and a panko-crumbed fried-chicken burger that means business. Slip in for a quick caffeine fix or settle into a booth and watch the world glide by; Cuff is easygoing, polished and reliably delicious.

325 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 

Brother Baba Budan

Nearly two decades in, Brother Baba Budan remains a CBD caffeine rite — ceiling of chairs, laneway hum, and espresso dialled to perfection by the Seven Seeds crew. The brief is simple: outstanding coffee first, everything else second. Expect a tight food offering — toasties, a few pastries — and a barista bar that moves with precision. No sprawling brunch menu, no fuss; just immaculate shots, silky flat whites and filters that reward attention. Drop in for a quick hit or pause at the window bench — this is Melbourne coffee culture in its purest form.

359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Dame 

A sophisticated spot for all-day dining, Dame offers an elevated breakfast in Melbourne CBD. The gorgeous interior, awash with soft pink and red hues and framed by floor-to-ceiling curtains, creates a surprisingly intimate space in the bustling heart of Collins Street. Head here for lavish all-day breakfast sets, complete with cocktails. Fancy, much?

35 Collins Street, Melbourne

Liminal

All curved leather, cool marble and glints of brass, Liminal serves breakfast with grown-up gloss. Avocado on toast arrives dressed in furikake and finger lime; toasted pumpkin brioche wears buffalo curd, honey and bay leaf oil. Coffee is polished, the room sunlit and spacious, and the details quietly indulgent. When you’re done, wander the in-house wine shop, deli and produce store to stock the rest of your day — Liminal is equal parts morning ritual and provisions run, wrapped in impeccable taste.

161 Collins Street, Melbourne

Hardware Société

Melbourne institution Hardware Société has a decade’s worth of local brunch knowledge. Lush with salmon pinks, deep greens and marble pendant lights, the decadent interiors set the scene for a French-infused breakfast to remember. From rich croque madame to satisfying eggs benedict, you will never want to eat breakfast at home again.

10 Katherine Place, Melbourne

Greta 

Greta is the chic little sister from the team behind Maverick and Richmond’s Mayday—sleek, convivial and already hard to resist. From breakfast through dinner, mornings lean effortless and delicious: house muesli with seasonal fruit and mascarpone; anchovy toast crowned with gribiche and soft eggs; an omelette folded with stracciatella and mushrooms. If you’re in a hurry, their famously good sandwiches make an excellent grab-and-go; if not, linger — no, luxuriate — over a dialled-in coffee and watch Flinders Lane wake. Polished without fuss, Greta makes everyday eating feel special.

450 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Higher Ground

All soaring brickwork and soft light, Higher Ground sets the CBD’s breakfast tempo with dialled-in coffee and plates that feel both polished and playful. Start savoury with the cult chilli scrambled eggs or the clever avocado pretzel — whipped ricotta, lime, seed cracker, a perfectly poached egg. Then switch tracks to the blueberry and ricotta hotcakes, a city classic for good reason. Service runs from early to late afternoon across multiple levels, equal parts cafe ease and restaurant poise.

650 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Brick Lane

Down a pretty laneway and behind a vintage façade, Brick Lane hums from open to close. This bustling bakery-cafe in Melbourne CBD pours meticulous coffee and plates seasonal, creative spins on the classics. Settle in for silky hollandaise over eggs Benedict or a bright smash of avocado with herbs and citrus; add a flaky pastry for the table and keep the cups coming. It’s Melbourne breakfast culture distilled — warm, lively and always a step ahead of the seasons.

33 Guildford Lane, Melbourne

Manchester Press

Down Rankins Lane, Manchester Press is something of a city ritual: sunlight slipping into a lofty warehouse, grinders purring, bagels warm from the pass. Blueberry-mascarpone clouds, salmon with capers, a proper Reuben moment; everything built for coffee that arrives rich, clean and quietly persuasive. Find a table, trace the old timber, and watch the lane wake. It’s breakfast with character—unfussy, generous, and Melbourne to its bones, best enjoyed early, when the first flat white sets the day to rights today.

8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne

Caffe e Torta 

A slice of Italy in the city’s heart, Caffe e Torta charms with old-world poise and a menu that prizes simplicity and flavour. Mornings call for velvet-smooth cappuccinos, flaky pastries and classic eggs; later, generous bowls of soup and comforting plates arrive to match the mood. Take a table, watch the suits stream by, and let the room’s patina do the rest. If you order one thing, make it the signature bolognese — slow, rich, and, frankly, pure gold.

314 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

If you loved our picks of the best cafes in Melbourne’s CBD, why not take it one step further with our must book restaurants in Melbourne’s CBD, or check out the markets around the city you need to visit at least once.