Full of hidden gems to discover, Melbourne’s laneways are lined with cafés where you can swing by to unwind after a day of walking. You’ll never quite know what you can find at the next cobblestone alley in Australia’s most liveable city! Home to the world’s best coffee culture, here’s 7 Muslim-friendly cafes where you can go to sip on exceptional artisanal coffee and chow down brunch in the land Down Under!
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Disclaimer, people! Some of the cafes may serve non-halal food so do double check with them on their halal status and please dine at your own discretion. Majority of the cafes in Melbourne are not halal-certified but they do offer Muslim-friendly options such as vegan, vegetarian and seafood dishes.
1. HIYC Café & Restaurant (Halal)
Credit: HIYC Café & Restaurant on Facebook
More than just a café, this is also a restaurant with a prayer room, Islamic bookstore and clothing, kids area and even a gym! Offering quality halal meals, confectioneries and coffee, this place is a food paradise?
Credit: HIYC Café & Restaurant on Facebook
Expect generous portions, friendly customer service and an amazing range of Western food and tantalising pizzas. If you are a meat lover, get their rump steak, weighting more than 1 kilogram – no exaggeration! Don’t forget to try Nutella Yum, their delicious pancakes to complete your meal. It is a little higher price-wise but definitely worth dropping by.
Address: 1-15 Motto Dr, Coolaroo VIC 3048
Opening hours: 12pm-10pm daily
2. Matcha Mylkbar (Fully Vegan)
Credit: Matcha Mylkbar on Facebook
Calling all Matcha lovers! This Insta-famous café is the place to be if you are into green tea flavoured food, drinks and desserts.Located at one of the most trendy spots in Melbourne – the beachside suburb of St Kilda. Even their burgers come in the colour green ?
Credit: Matcha Mylkbar on Facebook
We recommend trying their soy chicken burger and vegan “eggs” on toast. End your meal with some tasty Matcha pancakes! Your meal here isn't complete without choosing from the plethora of latte drinks and coffee – like café latte and mushroom latte. Just the perfect Sunday brunch. If you are an early riser, try their picture-perfect smoothie bowls!
Credit: Matcha Mylkbar on Facebook
Address: 72 Acland Street, St Kilda
Opening hours: 8am – 4pm daily
3. Izz Café
Credit: Izz Café on Facebook
If you're missing local fare back home, Izz Cafe is the place to go! It's a Malaysian-Aussie cafe, with rustic interiors and a homely atmosphere - perfect for a cosy get together ?
Credit: @izzcafe on Instagram
Located not far from the Great Ocean Road, this newly opened café offers the best of halal cuisine. It has everything that you need, from coffee to gluten-free cheesecakes, halal Malay dishes and even Malay desserts such as kuih lapis! And yes, this cosy café is definitely Instagrammable ?
Address: 60 Charles St, Newcomb VIC 3219, Australia
Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday 4pm - 9pm, Friday to Sunday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 9.30pm, closed on Mondays
4. Brother Baba Budan
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You just can’t get any more hipster than Brother Baba Budan! With a funky collection of chairs hanging from the ceiling and a cosy seating area, this place has sustained their reputation as one of the best in the specialty coffee scene here. In case you’re wondering about the café’s unique name, the cafe was actually founded by a 17th-century Sufi. Legend has it that he smuggled seven seeds of fertile coffee from Yemen to India, introducing that in Melbourne for the first time!
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Don’t be surprised if you see no brunch items here beyond pastries – it’s all about coffee in Brother Baba Budan. But if you're hungry, you can still choose from their quaint selection of little nibbles such as muffins and cupcakes! Be sure to try some unique blends like the Panama Esmeralda Geisha blend while you’re here.
Address: 359 Little Bourke Street Melbourne 3000
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5pm, Friday and Saturday 7am to 8pm, Sunday 8am to 5pm
5. Lakeside Espresso
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Lakeside Espresso is also located just beside a lake (hence its name) so you can drop by the lake after a lazy chill-out coffee sesh! With exceptional service, their meals will never disappoint you ?
Credit: @lakesideespresso on Instagram
There’s just something about cafes tucked away in industrial estates. This particular cafe has some of the best house-baked specialty cakes! Take your pick from vanilla custard Mille feuile and hazelnut mousse for desserts. Their specials are also a must-try. With no pork or alcohol served here, it's time to put this on your café-hopping list!
Address: 1/40 Lakeside Dr, Broadmeadows VIC 3047
Opening hours: 6am – 2.30 pm daily, Saturday and Sunday closed
6. Hyde n Seek
Credit: Hyde n Seek on Facebook
A local café serving up tasty Moroccan and Turkish food, this café is a little out of central Melbourne. It’s worth heading to though - we're sure you'll be in awe of the little rustic décor here! We suggest you sit at the alfresco tables, Paris-style by the pavement, or sit inside at a raised counter while you watch the world go by. Our idea of a perfect afternoon ?
Credit: @hydenseekcafe on Instagram
With a homely atmosphere and a trendy bicycle-theme interior, you can enjoy some cold-drip coffee, a plethora of different tea, or swap that caffeine for some healthy and fresh juices –perfect for a pick-me-up. No pork or alcohol is served here, so drink and dine to your heart's content ?
Address: 6 Yertchuk Ave, Ashwood VIC 3147
Opening hours: Monday to Fri 7:30am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 9am–3pm
7. Kere Kere Café
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Set within the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre, KereKere (pronounced as kerry-kerry) is a breezy coffehouse serving a plethora of drinks and food with great garden views. For Muslim-friendly options, go for the vegan or vegetarian dishes! Similar to the previous two cafes, there's no pork or alcohol served here.
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KereKere had humble beginnings - starting from a coffee cart at the University of Melbourne more than a decade ago to a fully operating café. Over the last decade, they have refined their coffee and source their blends from sustainable producers from Brazil, Panama, Colombia and Ethiopia. As of last year, they have used an exclusive blend instead! This lovely café even has an interesting concept of handing over a playing card to track your order. How cool is that?
Address: 230 Wellington Parade, Melbourne
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7am - 5pm, Saturday & Sunday 8am - 5pm
Even if you don’t drink coffee, these cafes serve up so much more that are hard to resist! Cafe-hopping is a must-do when you're in Melbourne so we hope this list will give you a good start ?