Star-crossed lovers: Melbourne and coffee’s spirited history
It’s a tale as old as time. One’s from the country, one’s from the big smoke. They fall desperately in love – and live happily ever after. Except in this story, we’re not talking about people – we’re talking about coffee and Melbourne. Our city’s craving for coffee is no secret. After all, we have more independent coffee shops per capita than anywhere in the world. And heck – our unofficial nickname is ‘The Coffee Capital’, for goodness’ sake! But how did we get this way? When did we say farewell to our tea-drinking ways – and embrace the coffee bean? To find out, we’re tracing this romance back through history. And it all starts in the 1830s, with alcohol – and Italians.
Farewell to frothies
It was the 1830s.
People across the country were getting silly on alcohol; public drunkenness and antisocial behaviour were rife. The government decided to crack down on booze, the Temperance movement began – and alcohol disappeared from Melburnian bars.
But people still wanted a drink while they socialised. Enter the iconic duo: tea and coffee.
Australians were well placed to make the switch from beer to caffeinated brews. Aboriginal communities have enjoyed tea for centuries.
The rest of Australia joined the (tea) party in the 1700s when the First Fleet introduced several tea crops and coffee seeds. Sure, they failed to grow. But by the 1800s – thanks mainly to some enterprising businesspeople – most Aussies had the means to brew a pot of tea or coffee.
So when alcohol was banned, we simply opened the tea tin. Or if you were feeling fancy?
You could head to a coffee palace.
A cuppa fit for a king
Every bit as majestic as they sound, coffee palaces were divine establishments built in the 1880s and dedicated entirely to tea and coffee. You can guess from their namesake which drink was the favourite.
By 1888, Melbourne had over 50 coffee palaces. One of its most famous? The Federal Coffee Palace – an enormous, four-storey architectural masterpiece on Collins Street.
With 370 guest rooms and a penthouse suite located in the tower, it was one of Melbourne’s biggest and most distinguished social hubs. Eventually (and tragically) demolished in 1974, the Federal Coffee Palace marked the beginning of our city’s coffee culture.
Buongiorno espresso!
In the 1890s, an economic crisis hit Victoria, forcing many coffee palaces to close. But Melbourne’s favourite morning brew couldn’t be ousted that easily.
In fact, things were about to get serious. Though there’s conjecture today over exactly who was responsible (some say it was Signor Pelligrini – of the eponymous CBD restaurant fame), the Italian espresso machine had arrived on our shores.
Thankfully, somebody dusted off the sand and brought it inside a café.
After drinking only percolated coffee, the espresso machine was a revelation to Aussies. It brought delicious decorative styles. More control over each stage of the brewing process. And a less bitter brew with a creamy top.
By the 1930s, the Italian diaspora was serving lattes to a dedicated band of bohemians, migrants and teenagers. To them, we can credit our passion for piccolos, our lust for lattes.
Alert the media: coffee goes mainstream
A million American servicemen passed through or stayed in Australia during World War II. And their well-documented taste for coffee led to a greater demand than ever before.
Newspapers of the time published articles on how to prepare coffee. Inner-city families flocked to coffee shops in their droves. And imports of grinders and beans increased rapidly.
Plus, with hefty tea rations during and long after the war, coffee became more accessible – not to mention tea’s most viable alternative.
Coffee was starting to go mainstream.
Batch brews and unburnt beans: Melbourne’s coffee scene, today
From the 60s to the 90s, coffee continued to grind in Melbourne’s inner suburbs: with cafés, restaurants and bars all serving the stuff. And by the 2000s, Melbourne’s coffee scene had become highly competitive.
This greater competition yielded greater results. The humble espresso was transformed into flat whites, magics, and three-quarter lattés with almond milk.
Strolling through Melbourne’s suburbs today, you can find just about any coffee variation you please.
Have a taste for single-origin beans? No worries. In the mood for a batch brew? Absolutely. Prefer your oat milk to be organic and biodynamic? Sure thing!
We Melburnians know what we like and what makes a good cup. We have the literacy to discern when our beans are burnt, when our coffee’s been over-extracted, or if our milk isn’t hot enough.
And it’s this iterative process between maker and drinker that keeps the industry evolving.
Good coffee – just around the corner
From Carlton to Castlemaine, Victoria has no shortage of stellar places to grab a cup.
Even abroad, you’ll find that Melburnian flair for coffee – and our drinks are replicated in cafés worldwide. (New York, in particular, has a taste for flat whites.)
Here in the southeast, we’re fortunate to have countless terrific cafés just around the corner. And for that, we say thank you. To our ancestors, the Italians, those American soldiers – and the dedicated coffee professionals who make the magic happen today.
Espresso experts: 5 of our team’s top coffee orders, and cafés, in Melbourne
Want the inside scoop on the best places to satisfy your caffeinated cravings?
We chatted to five of our coffee-sipping team members for their favourites. And to grab their insider insights into southeast Melbourne’s hottest coffee spots.
Arlene Joffe, Property Consultant
- Favourite coffee spot: Pantry - 1 Church Street, Brighton
- Go to coffee order: Skinny cappuccino
Glenn Bricker, Licensed Estate Agent
- Favourite coffee spot: Mooks Café - 451 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield South
- Go to coffee order: Long black (always with a dash of skinny milk)
Ned Hellier, Team Leader & Leasing Consultant
- Favourite coffee spot: Kettle Black - 50 Albert Rd, South Melbourne
- Go to coffee order: Cold drip
Tammy Nadelman, Leasing Concierge
- Favourite coffee spot: Moby - 1150 High St, Armadale
- Go to coffee order: Long black
Yan Dosen, Licensed Estate Agent
- Favourite coffee spot: Fifth Chapter - 399 Centre Rd, Bentleigh
- Go to coffee order: Latte