I had read about the thriving café culture in Melbourne before arriving and was really looking forward to checking them out. My sisters and I found out soon after landing that our aussie relatives had an unreasonable amount of fear for our general safety – they were all convinced that we were ideal targets for kidnappers and muggers. I never quite understood why they thought this way but we had many conversations to dissuade them from this erroneous notion. After having won our freedom from our over-bearing (yet well-intentioned) aussie family, my sisters and I were finally allowed to wander and explore the city on our own without the need for an appointed tour guide( or bodyguard.) We soon discovered tons of coffee shops all around the downtown area of city tucked away in the shadows of the financial districts’ towering skyscrapers.

The cafes reminded me a lot of the kind of cafes I found in Italy during a girls trip I took 5 years ago with their individual character and quirks. Don’t get me wrong, Melbourne had their fair share of chains like Gloria’s Coffee Shops and Hudson Coffee, but for the most part, it seemed like the locals really preferred the independent shops. According to auntie Vichi, these independent shops produced a superior cup of coffee and were typically found in these cute little cobblestone streets referred to as “lanes” which were only for pedestrians. Tables and seats spilled forth from these fragrant coffee and tea slinging establishments beckoning passerby’s to come in for a quick cup or a leisurely sit down. They seemed to be bustling at all meal periods and the all times in between. During the daylight hours, the libations tended towards the traditional teas and coffees and as the day progressed stiffer drinks were preferred.

cafe culture