Top Coffee Roasters in Melbourne
It's no longer debatable that Australia is home to the best cup of coffee in the world.
London, Reykjavik, Rome and Singapore all have global reputations for a delicious brew, but Australians; and specifically Melburnians have given the phrase 'specialty' in specialty coffee a whole new meaning.
Not long ago, the average consumer's knowledge of coffee was limited to distinguishing an Arabica bean from Robusta. Today, we know so much more! Coffee lovers want to know about the sourcing of the bean and how it was packed. Coffee lovers now know the intricacies of the roasted bean and can distinguish between a Light Roast and a Medium Roast, or a blend and single origin coffee. Today, consumers place a premium on fair trade practices and will not buy from suppliers that don't source their coffee ethically.
As you can imagine, with such broad criteria, compiling the list below was an uphill struggle. Nevertheless, like you, we're coffee fanatics. We thoroughly enjoyed writing this one, and hope you will too.
That said, below is our take on the top 9 coffee roasters in Melbourne. Take a look!
*Updated - July 2022*
Rumble Coffee Roasters | Seven Seeds | Market Lane | Five Senses | Dukes Coffee | Axil Coffee Roasters | Small Batch | 23 Degrees | ACOFFEE |
1. Rumble Coffee
The team behind Rumble Coffee also happens to have run some of the best coffee bars in the city. This wholesale roaster is the result of a small team's desire for a coffee roasting supply chain that is quality-driven, consistent, and above all transparent! That ethos is reflected in the roaster's location, an unpretentious bare-brick warehouse conversion in one of Kensington's backstreets.
Rumble doesn't just pay lip service to fair trade practice. The company's commitment to ethical sourcing is unquestionable. For instance, few brewers will tell you how much they pay for their beans, but Rumble will. Moreover, on the company's website, customers have access to the company's Transparency Project, Rumbles platform for communicating their commitment to ethical sourcing to their customers. Customers have access to an annual report, detailing the company's bean sourcing policy and justifying any change in buying price.
Rumble supplies a carefully curated assortment of blends roasted using beans sourced from as far as Peru, Colombia, and Ethiopia, and as close as Papua New Guinea. Though spoilt for choice, take note of Rumble's signature blend- Shadowboxer. Puritans are also taken care of here, as the roastery offers single-origin roasts from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Guatemala. The Roastery also supplies everyday coffee (they call it office coffee), as well as filter coffee.
Unlike many roasters, Rumble's espresso bar is not located far from the roastery. The team behind Rumble wants you to see everything as it happens. The espresso bar is in the thick of it. Customers get to see much of the roasting process, as it happens. After all, Roasters has nothing to hide! At the bar, customers can enjoy a diverse selection of accompaniments. However, as you might have expected, nothing outshines the brew!
Address: 8 Thompson St, Kensington VIC 3031, Australia
Website: rumblecoffee.com.au
2. Seven Seeds
A Melbourne coffee icon, many coffee shops swear by Seven Seeds coffee. Seven Seeds' brews are a fan favorite across the city. If you don't believe us, visit their Carlton branch, or Brother Baba Budan on a busy day.
This coffee roaster is the brainchild of Mark Dundon and Bridget Amor. The roastery came about after the two business partners, having experienced success with the smaller scale St Ali, decided to go big. Located in Fairfield, Seven Seeds is one of the major coffee suppliers in Melbourne. The roastery sources its coffee largely from Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. At the Seven Seeds coffee shop, you're spoilt for choice. Seven Seeds has a huge catalog of filter coffees, blends, single origins and decafs.
What of the roaster's trade practices? As part of the Transparent Trade Colloquium, Seven Seeds has obligated itself to consistently meet the highest level of transparency when it comes to sourcing. You may read more about this on the company's website.
Address:114 Berkeley St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
Website: sevenseeds.com.au
3. Market Lane Coffee
Market Lane Coffee is supplied by Melbourne Coffee Merchants, a company that approaches transparency as seriously as Rumble Coffee (our first entry) does. As the name alludes, Market Lane Coffee is located at Queen Victoria Market or on the market's online sales platform.
Market Lane sells a wide variety of espresso and filter beans. The roaster also has a subscription service. To learn more about Market Lane's coffee subscriptions, visit their website linked below.
Address: Shop 13,Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra 3141, Victoria Australia
Website: marketlanecoffee.com.au
4. Five Senses Coffee
Five senses strategy for consistently producing some of the best coffee is simple- get close to the farmer. How so? In 2014 this coffee roaster financed the construction of their own coffee mill in Sumatra. That decision is the reason behind the company's success. Doing so also ensured traceability and a closer relationship between the producer and buyer.
Five Senses is a true coffee specialist. This is reflected in their merchandise. Not only can you buy coffee from five senses, but also espresso gear and brew gear. It's worth mentioning that this company has one of the best barista training programs in Victoria.
Address: 300 Rosslyn St, West Melbourne, Victoria, 3003, Australia
Website: fivesenses.com.au
5. Dukes Coffee
Dukes Coffee is a great wholesale specialty coffee roaster, with offices in Melbourne and Perth. Like all coffee roasters on this list Duke's business model is sustainable. For five years now, Dukes has partnered with Weforest to support an aggressive reforestation campaign In the coffee-growing communities that it benefits from.
Dukes coffee is diverse. The company gets its coffee beans from as near as southeast Asia and as far as Africa and South America. As you can imagine, that results in some of the most exciting blends in the market. For a taste of some of Duke's delicious coffee, we recommend Ross House, on Flinders Lane. Of course, you may also opt to order your favourite dukes coffee, from the roaster's website!
Address: 247 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Website: dukescoffee.com.au
6. Axil Coffee
Axil Coffee Roasters is located in Hawthorn, though you can taste their coffee in thirteen other cafes across Melbourne. Axil directly negotiates prices with farmers, ensuring that they get what they deserve for their beans.
This roastery uses beans mainly from South America and Africa (Colombia and Kenya) regions renowned for having the best coffee beans in the world. Visit the roastery's platform to view all their offerings.
Address: 322 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia.
Website: axilcoffee.com.au
7. Small Batch Roasting Co.
Small Batch's coffee philosophy is that everybody can make great coffee at home. This philosophy anchors the company's approach to its products, a fact that has seen it twice recognized as Melbourne's best coffee roaster by The Age Good Cafe Guide. Visit the company's website to learn more about its coffee.
Address: 3-9 Little Howard St, North Melbourne VIC 3051, Australia
Website: smallbatch.com.au
8. 23 Degreesº
The team at 23 Degrees has been praised for their fast delivery times, excellent brewing techniques, and overall great coffee. But so has every other listing on this article. So, what makes 23 Degrees special? Turns out, a lot!
This roastery is one of the few Certified B Corporations in Melbourne. This certification means that the team at 23 Degrees has been seen to balance between profit and their company's social and environmental responsibility. For instance, this roastery goes a step beyond making sure their beans are sourced ethically. Having been founded exclusively by women, the roastery has through the years made efforts to uplift women farmers, by making sure at least half of all their purchases are from women coffee farmers.
So what of their coffee? 23 Degrees has a robust selection of blends and single origins. Their espresso blends are sourced from as far as Peru and as close as Papua New Guinea. They range from the roastery's bestseller 'Little Ripper' to the honey processed 'Finqar Liquidambar.' The roastery also stocks filter coffee and decaf options. 23 Degrees offers free standard shipping, countrywide for orders above $25!
Address: 11a Viking Ct, Cheltenham VIC 3192, Australia
Website: 23degrees.com.au
9. ACOFFEE
Melbourne’s inner north is mecca of specialty coffee in Australia, with dozens of micro roasters sourcing and roasting delicious coffee from the world. Nestled in behind Johnston St in Collingwood, you’ll find ACOFFEE roasting and brewing beans from Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala and more.
Their roastery is in an eye catching minimalist white warehouse, accented with light timber and plenty of natural light. Not the typical style we see for roasting operations, and it’s clear the team care about the look and feel as much as they do about delivering amazing coffee.
Definitely one to check out if you’re in the area.
Address: 30 Sackville St, Collingwood 3066 VIC
Website: acoffee.com.au
Conclusion
Melbourne's coffee scene is vibrant, and still growing! This means that there are many, many more great coffee roasters not listed on this list. Even then, the ones above are a sure bet!