Brunch tends to be everyone's go-to social meal, and you can see crowds waiting outside some of the more Insta-famous hot spots in Melbourne every weekend. For a café to really stand out and make an impression, they’ve got to tick all the boxes, consider dietary requirements, the protective Melbourne coffee culture, and the strong influence of social media. If you're the renown foodie in your social bubble and need some new places to discover and have ready in your pocket of recommendations, I've put together a list for you of 5 brunch-ready places in Melbourne!

The Crux & Co

Inside this South Melbourne café is an undeniably impressive, contemporary and minimal interior. There’s an ample amount of seating available to cater reasonably well for their busier hours, and they have a mix of shared and individual tables. They have a good mix of options for those with a sweet tooth and those who are on a bit of a health kick. When we went, I decided to go for the oatmeal with almond milk. It was presented beautifully and it had the right amount of rhubarb to give it enough flavour without being too over-the-top. The coffee was decent!

Jethro Canteen

This Richmond café opened up relatively recently but already it seems to have caught on to all the latest brunch trends and all that other good stuff buzzing on the online world of food. They have adapted an industrial-style interior with rustic brick walls and large windows, and I love that there’s a lot of natural light.

The staff was welcoming and seemed quite knowledgeable about the menu, which is important when you have a million and one questions about fancy food definitions and dietary requirements. One odd thing about the menu is that alongside the soy and almond milk options, you will find that they also offer camel’s milk. Someone – please give this a go and let me know how it is. I’m so curious but definitely not game enough haha!

They’ve got a mix of individual tables, a shared table, and window seating. When you go up to pay at the counter you can see a few sweet treats in the display that look very very tempting. I have yet to try any but I appreciate cafés that have those available for times when you just want to relax with a coffee and some dessert. Definitely pop into Jethro Canteen if you happen to be searching for food or coffee in the area!

Mothers Instinct Eatery

I popped into this cute little café in Elsternwick and instantly loved the feel of the place – it was busy but not crowded to the point where they were obviously trying to fit as many people in as possible. The place was buzzing and on every occasion that I have been here, the staff has always been very bubbly and welcoming. Even with a lot of other brunch options out there, it can be difficult to find a place that delivers consistent service every time and you never really get staff who have an “off” day here. From the waiters to the coffee guy at the register – it really creates a feel-good vibe. There’s also an open kitchen area so if you like that sort of thing, you’ll be happy to see all this good food being prepared.

After trying this place for the first time, I brought my dad here - he is the ultimate decider of what is and isn’t good coffee. And guess what? Mother’s Instinct passed the test. To quote his words, “Wow. The coffee is really good”. And I agree wholeheartedly.

I’ve noticed a lot of people in their gym and exercise gear who pop in after a bike ride or a morning workout. I’m not surprised as the menu definitely leans more to the healthy side of things. I love that there are many options to choose from so I never feel limited. Despite this, I’m a creature of habit and the primary reason I go back here is for their corn fritters! The eggs are always perfectly poached and the fritters are not oily or overly fried. But the standout for me has always been the salsa - it really makes this dish come together and gives it a bit of a kick.

Rustica Canteen

My sister and I were in need of a good brunch spot in the city before engaging in some retail therapy so the night before we were going through the menu and sussing out what they had at Rustica Canteen. The prices seemed average for your usual foodie hotspots nowadays so we figured, what the hell let’s give it a go.

Rustica Canteen is hidden away in an alleyway close to Melbourne Central. The coffee was just what I needed after being somewhat deprived and experiencing withdrawal symptoms whilst overseas.

The café isn’t very big but it’s definitely got that quaint rustic feel going on. It was fairly loud in there and there were people constantly coming through the door. Although it was busy, our food came out super quick! I decided to go for the poached eggs and asparagus on toast with hommus. It was so much better than I expected it to be and so was so glad I ordered it. The portion was perfect too so I wasn’t overly full. My sister had been eyeing the waffle with mascarpone and she loved her meal too.

The waiter was friendly and observant, replacing our water before it got too low and noticing when my coffee was all gone. I can imagine that this place could get quite hectic on the weekends as we went on a weekday, but I’m keen on making another visit sometime soon.

Patch Café

Recently, we were in the Richmond area so we popped into Patch Café, which offers a perfect environment for anyone who appreciates modern and industrial designs. The weather was lovely so we sat outside. I’m usually not a big fan of eating al fresco, though I really enjoyed the outdoor seating at Patch Café and I noticed that the tables and seats were kept nice and clean.

I ordered a beetroot and pumpkin fritter dish with a poached egg, avo-hollandaise, and cashew feta, topped off with some pomegranate. I fell in love with the presentation as soon as my meal came out. The colours were vibrant and I thought it was put together in a unique way. I’ve ordered many brunch fritters before but this one has to be my favourite so far. Everything about it made me feel super healthy!