The Iglu Guide | Blog
6 of the best cafés in South Yarra
From quirky boutiques to foodie hotspots, the South Yarra postcode continues to deliver, and the area is positively brimming with café options both new and old. Switching out your bedroom view for a ringside table is a great way to mix up your study environment, and could be just the break you need to refresh your mind. Student-friendly and community-minded, many South Yarra cafés offer up free Wi-Fi and will happily share their space. If you’re after some of that famous Melbourne coffee and some of the best eating options around, South Yarra has you covered. Here’s where to go.
1. Two Birds One Stone
12 Claremont St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Warm, bright and undeniably cool, this delightful French café is a popular hangout on the student scene and attracts a large regular trade from the local community. Serving up deliciously aromatic Five Senses coffee, an awesome vegan brekkie and arguably some of the best pancakes in the city, if you like the sound of fluffy ricotta with mascarpone and rhubarb-raspberry compote, this is the place for you. It’s perfect for that weekend brunch with friends, a quiet booth for studying or just as an escape from your own bland cooking. Sensibly priced, you definitely won’t leave disappointed.
2. Tom Dick and Harry
242 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
As the name would suggest, there’s something on offer here for everyone. Steeped in the owner’s Italian heritage, the coffee is served through a tiny hatch along with a piece of his mother’s homemade biscotti. Inside, you’ll find an evolving and health-conscious salad bar accompanied by delicious breakfast options and tasty lunch dishes. Definitely a spot to remember, it’s the perfect place for a quiet coffee or a weekend hangout with friends.
3. Lawson Grove
1 Lawson Grove, South Yarra VIC 3141
Named after Ratcliff Lawson, a famed architect from the 1900s, this one-time retail space is today a charming little café that happily embraces its local history. Offering daily specials and homemade takeaway dishes, there’s also a range of mouth-watering sweet treats that line the back walls and are really hard to ignore. Sit in and enjoy the simple surrounds, free Wi-Fi and cosy outdoor area, or grab a meal to take home and enjoy at your leisure.
4. Kanteen
154 Alexandra Ave, South Yarra VIC 3141
If you’re after a table with a view, you can’t miss out on breakfast at Kanteen. Perfectly situated at a bend in the Yarra River, this one-time public amenities block now has nothing more than pleasant smells emanating from the kitchen. Inhale the fresh air as you try some of the delicious Turkish Flatbreads, cakes or brekkie options. It’s tasty, simple and perfectly situated, with bar heaters set up to keep you toasty in the cooler months.
5. The Final Step
1C Murphy St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Part of an emerging ‘café with a conscience’ movement, the Final Step is happily nestled in a tiny space just off Toorak Road. Pull up a seat at the central communal table, because this eatery is all about investing in community engagement and encourages the idea of paying it forward. The owners donate a portion of all their profits to Food For Thought, a charity that helps feed hungry children in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The menu stays limited to drinks and pastries, but there is the option to bring along your own lunch if you prefer something more filling with your coffee order. It’s the perfect place to meet your neighbours, gain perspective and remember what really matters.
6. Husband
377 Malvern Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Escape the bustle of the main drag and drop into Husband for the self-proclaimed perfect life-partner. The perfect listener, Husband always knows what you really need – whether that’s your favourite coffee, something sweet or the ideal take-home parcel so you can put your feet up for the rest of the day. From baguettes and salads to fresh juices and eco-friendly coffee beans, that’s just the beginning. Husband has big plans for the future, make sure they include you.
Image from Two Birds One Stone
