The 11 Best Cafes in Port Melbourne for Breakfast, Brunch or Lunch

Cafes in Port Melbourne are a popular place for locals to meet friends, catch up on the news, or just relax. But there’s no reason why you can’t take full advantage of these fabulous places if your just visiting Melbourne for the day or for a weekend getaway. 

This fabulous bayside suburb of Port Melbourne is known for combining inner-city ease with a relaxed beachside lifestyle. It’s also home to a healthy cafe scene that has locals and visitors spoilt for choice. Cafes in Port Melbourne are different to Cafes in Melbourne CBD, Cafes in South Yarra and Cafes in St Kilda. Whether you are after a latte, cappuccino, flat white, mocha, espresso, or something else entirely. You will find it in spades in Port Melbourne.

There are long-standing local favourites, award winning coffee roasters and warm little coffee shops scattered all over this beachside suburb. Port Melbourne has so many gorgeous cafes that serve delicious food and beverages. Whether you're looking for a place to grab lunch or an afternoon pick me up, the wonderful cafes in Port Melbourne will satisfy any craving.

Discovering Port Melbourne

Port Melbourne is an affluent coastal suburb, with ritzy apartments in high-rises and converted warehouses. Located 4 km’s south-west of central Melbourne. Port Melbourne is bounded on its north and west by the Yarra River, on the south by Hobsons Bay and on the east by South Melbourne.

Port Melbourne offers safe swimming and is a popular place for outdoor activities.  When the weather is nice, families gather along a wide stretch of sandy beach. Cyclists can be seeing following the Bay Trail past Sandridge and Port Melbourne beaches. Kayakers are often out paddling on the bay and the Spirit of Tasmania ferry is always coming-and-going from its dock at Station Pier. The foreshore reserve is lovely with grassy strips, palm trees and a great walking and bicycle path which snakes along the coastline.

Bay Street is Port Melbourne’s main retail shopping precinct and features lots of amazing restaurants, fabulous bistros and trendy clothing stores. There are so many cafes that serve delicious food and drink all over Port Melbourne.

I want to share 11 of my favourite places to grab a bite or sip on a delicious latte.

Station Street Trading Co

Created to fit the needs of local residents, workers and commuters. Station Street Trading Co is located at 166 Station Street Port Melbourne. It is my favourite espresso bar in Port Melbourne. An emphasis is placed on takeaway goods to satisfy nearby workers. From cups of Allpress Coffee to daily special eats, there is plenty on hand for those on the run, without compromising on quality. The menu is seasonal and created using high-quality, locally sourced products. 

My Sister Says

On a quiet strip of shops just around the corner from Port Melbourne's main street. You will find the lovely My Sister Says (118/120 Bridge Street Port Melbourne).  It’s so light and bright with bright yellow chairs and joyfully wall art that screams happiness. The coffee is great and the food is even better. Its generous, fresh and full of big flavours. The John Harbour ham with smashed avocado and tomato salsa is next level. Cauliflower fritters with carrot dip are big on the menu and the gutsy steak sandwich is a local favourite.

Did I mention the service? It is next level. The staff are always so friendly and happy to help with whatever you need.

Balderdash

Located at 295 Bay Street, Balderdash isn’t just a classic name for a cafe. There is nothing silly about the coffee, food or interior design at Balderdash. It is one of the more coffee-focused cafes reinforcing Port Melbourne's cred as a legitimate bean hub.

Housed in a former 19th Century pub that’s been given a grunge-meets-glam makeover. Balderdash has whitewashed walls, hessian coffee sacks, a communal timber table and exposed copper piping which is a nod to Port Melbourne’s former factory aesthetic.

Balderdash serves up expertly brewed coffee and wholesome, satisfying food. The space is cosy and designed for locals and visitors alike, to linger over that first latte of the day while reading the paper, or a flaky almond croissant for afternoon tea.

My favourite breakfast on the menu at Balderdash is the Bricher. It’s yogurt, coconut milk, seasonal fresh fruit, chia seeds, cranberries, hazelnuts, pear, apple and walnuts. Delicious.     

Vertue Coffee Roasters

Located at 425 Graham Street, this royal blue roastery rocks some serious curb appeal. Vertue Coffee Roasters serves up full-bodied brews with no fuss snacks to match. They serve both blend and single origin espresso, batch brew and cold brew. A popular takeaway coffee spot for morning commuters, the food has been designed with busy locals in mind. Think takeaway cabinet goodies that pair perfectly with your skinny flat white.

Coe & Coe

At 1 Fennell Street you will find Coe and Coe. If you’ve been to one of Coe & Coe’s other locations in Yarraville or Cremorne, you know what to expect. Fabulous coffee, paninis, and all-around good times thanks to their friendly and very knowledgeable staff. The same goes for Port Melbourne. Where breakfast is concerned, the egg and bacon panini with sweet hickory BBQ sauce is a simple classic. When the clock strikes lunchtime, I love to order the Burger Life panini. It’s fully loaded with chicken, cheese, avocado and Jalapeño aioli. I love to pair it up with a juice, smoothie or my second or perhaps third coffee of the day.

Sensory Lab Roastery

Located at Unit B/706 Lorimer Street, Sensory Lab has some of the best coffee in the area. This is Sensory Lab’s Coffee Roastery. It is in the industrial side of Port Melbourne closer to the West Gate Freeway.

You can stop in on the award winning roastery and pick up some seasonal beans for home. Sensory Lab source their beans from the finest farms across the world and expertly roast them in their Port Melbourne Roastery. Their coffee is brewed utilising a variety of methods to offer customers a full sensory experience. 

Unlike Sensory Lab’s sleek CBD café’s they’re known for, this is very much a warehouse space, filled with machinery and the captivating smell of freshly roasted coffee. It is a great place to go to learn about Coffee Roasting. At Port Melbourne they roast, pack and sell coffee on a daily basis and look forward to sharing their journey with their customers.

Leona Cafe

At 2/285 Bay Street, you will find the most delicious crepes that Port Melbourne has to offer. If you love crepes as much as I do, then have I got the café for you. Leona Café specialises in this delicious French dish, traversing the sweet-savoury divide, to give you crêpes suitable for breakfast, lunch and dessert. I recommend starting with the ham cheese and egg crêpe, or a smoked salmon crepe accompanied by a freshly brewed flat white. If you are feeling like something sweet, order one of their sweet crêpes filled with your choice of fruits, chocolate, Nutella, crushed biscuit and more. It doesn’t get much better than Nutella crepes. Yum!

Hurricane Handsome

Located at 329-331 Bay Street, Hurricane Handsome is a  bright and buzzy corner café who takes a round-the-world approach to brunch. You will find everything from crispy cauliflower pakoras and dukkah lamb bagels to a spicy take on avocado toast. They also have a brand-new outdoor dining area making it a lovely place to soak up some lovely morning sunshine.

The coffee is amazing, and the food is equally as great. There big secret is that they connect with ethical farmers and traders from the best coffee producing regions, which translates to fresh seasonal beans, consistently.

Their amazing food is created by Head Chef Babu Ram Giri. Babu was born in Nepal and came to Australia to study under some of Australia’s best Chef’s. Babu’s passion for food comes through in all his dishes. He brings youth, experience, and a wealth of diversity in flavours to the Hurricane Handsome team.

Grey and Bliss Cafe

Located at 197 Bay Street, this local favourite is a stylish spot for top-shelf coffee with a smile. The food is delicious with breakfast dishes including their avocado smash, cauliflower and potato croquets or my personal favourite the blueberry and ricotta hotcakes. There are also ricotta buttermilk hotcakes which come with maple-glazed banana, whipped mascarpone and crispy kataifi pastry. For lunch my pick is the char-grilled Portuguese chicken or wasabi crusted calamari. The salad bowls are pretty dam impressive as well.

Grey and Bliss also have a delicious range of fresh smoothies, juices and milkshakes as well as smooth coffee blends from Five Senses Coffee Roasters.

Rock Paper Scissors

Located at 136-138 Rouse Street, Rock Paper Scissors is definitely worth a visit. After 15 years building cafés and restaurants for other people, Owner and ex-carpenter Zack, decided to branch out and build his own. Rock Paper Scissors has a lovely fit-out, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Their menu is full of healthy delights including homemade bircher with strawberry labne, greens and grain bowls and a rich selection of salads. The coffee is from the amazing Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters.

Rock Paper Scissors is definitely a winner and a café l love to visit when I am in Port Melbourne.