Best Cafés in St Kilda: 11 Local Brunch Spots to Try This Weekend

Vibrant St Kilda is more than a suburb – it’s an icon. So, it comes as no surprise that this eclectic neighbourhood is home to one of food mad Melbourne’s best and brightest café scenes. From carefully constructed vegan delights to full English breakfasts, here you’ll find the kind of eateries that people travel from the other side of town for (even North-siders have been known to make the trek across the river). Indeed, café culture is something of a religion here. So join us, as we deliver you into pure culinary bliss.

Neighbours Cafe

This mellow coffee shop and cafe in St Kilda comes replete with a green and sun-lit garden terrace, offering delicious brunch options and sandwiches. Settle in for great coffee alongside perfect smashed avo toast, pulled pork benedict with champagne hollandaise, shakshuka and breakfast burritos. There are plenty of vegan options too, making this a friendly little joint that's a vibe for all. 

42 Chapel Street, St Kilda East 

Drunken Monkey

Another wonderful little gem in St Kilda is Drunken Monkey. This charming and friendly cafe gets plenty of brownie points from us; the food is absolutely vibrant, fresh and delicious, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, prices are more than reasonable, the vibes are open but cosy, and the coffee is on point!

Sitchu Tip: Try the big brekkie or the veggie stack. 

G10/181 St Kilda Road, St Kilda

Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia is a locally-loved café serving up specialty coffee, award-winning eats and friendly service. Overlooking Albert Park, the homely space leans provincial both in flavours and vibes, churning out some truly delicious dishes thanks to fresh, local ingredients. Think carrot cake spiced toast to hot chilli jam scrambled eggs with tamarind, kaffir lime, crispy shallot, coriander and spring onion on ciabatta. Whether it’s a casual breakfast, mid-morning coffee or afternoon aperitivo, there is something fresh and delectable to be devoured. 

2/155 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

Sister of Soul

True to its name, this vegan and vegetarian café has a whole lot of soul, contributing to St Kilda's community gardens in between nourishing its locals with wholesome, delicious food. Many of Sister of Soul's dishes have become staples for their loyal fanbase, like their blueberry and acai bowls, panko eggplant bao buns, turmeric tofu scramble, Thai red curry topped with crispy tempeh, linguine Bolognese, or their rainbow buddha bowls. They even have a list of vegan friendly wines, beers and cocktails, or you can try something a little more left field with their spiced carrot and dandelion lattes.

73 Acland Street, St Kilda 

Galleon Café

A true local institution, the hippie flavoured Galleon Café harks back to the peace and love touting St Kilda of old. Eternally laidback, the brekkie bagels and lunchtime burgers come on mismatched crockery and the cheerful wait staff stop by for conversations over coffee. All a welcome reminder that sometimes, they still make them like they used to.

9 Carlisle Street, St Kilda

Frankie's Top Shop

Owned by food writer Michele Curtis, her passion for the best local and seasonal ingredients is evident on the menu at Frankie's Top Shop. Focusing on a plant based diet, the salads are the star of the show here, typically featuring Ottolenghi style salads with grains, seed, fresh vegetables and nuts, teamed up with free-range chicken, eggs and bacon. There’s plenty of sweet treats too with cakes, biscuits and slices, as well as many gluten-free and healthier treats like protein balls and banana and chia bread.

20 Cowderoy Street, St Kilda West 

Woodfrog Bakery

The Woodfrog Bakery takes its bread very seriously. Taking the time to nurture the ingredients from scratch, the result is high-quality bread full of nutrition and flavour. Specialising in sourdough, Woodfrog’s St Kilda branch offers a huge variety of bread and patisserie treats baked daily, along with freshly brewed coffee. 

108A Barkly Street, St Kilda

Hannah

With a smooth soundtrack courtesy of a much-loved record player and vintage Rotel amplifier nestled behind the counter, Hannah is the certified cool kid of the St Kilda café scene. Offering deli classics with a welcome twist, such as cheese on rye with Kimchi, as well as wholesome specials like their nourishing homemade cornbread – this charming local keeps its growing fan base coming back for more of that winning hip yet homey atmosphere. The Proud Mary coffee being poured doesn't hurt either. 

141 Chapel Street, St Kilda

The St Kilda Dispensary

For eggs served with a side of history, there’s no beating The St Kilda Dispensary. What is now a charming café was once the largest dispensary in the Southern Hemisphere, housing doctors’ surgeries, a pharmacy and dentists. In its newer culinary iteration, as apothecary-inspired café with bold colours, quirky touches and fresh feels, it's prescribing top coffee to many a local, with their kitchen preparing everything from healthy plates, smoothies in beakers and indulgent hangover cures. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, try one of their injectable doughnut delights. 

13 Brighton Road, St Kilda

Space-café 

This charming St Kilda café is shooting for the stars with its winning combination of friendly service, wonderful atmosphere, great coffee, and an all day breakfast menu and lunch daily. From baked eggs to avo on toast, French toast to Croque Monsieur, plus lunches that range from wholesome burgers to steak and chips, this is a quintessential Australian café experience, elevated in all the best ways. Settle in, relax and enjoy. 

183 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

Sorsi e Morsi

In our opinion, this is one of the best kept secrets in St Kilda, nay, all of Melbourne. Sorsi e Morsi is an Italian café meets restaurant, offering a slice of the Mediterranean in Melbourne's iconic beachside 'burb. At the heart of it all is good Italian food, great service and a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

For breakfast and brunch, dishes run the gamut from braised beef brisket with potato dauphinoise, fried egg, sautéed mushrooms and a cacio e pepe sauce, to corn and basil fritters with capsicum jam, creamed corn, mascarpone and spicy baked beans. Everything is fresh and so, so tasty...just wait around a little longer and then you even get to tuck into stuffed zucchini flowers, a glass of vino and hearty bowls of delicious pasta. Buono mangia! 

31 Blessington Street, St Kilda

Worked your way through the best cafés in St Kilda? We've got plenty more delicious eateries to fuel your appetite. From gourmet burgers and Italian pizza joints to romantic date nights and bottomless brunches, we've whittled down the coolest things to do in Melbourne to make sure your next food date is a complete success.