The best cafés to work from in Melbourne
The 10 coffee shops in Melbourne that are best for working on a laptop, led by The Journal Cafe, Pellegrini's Espresso Bar and Lush Rooftop & Bar 2.0.
Ranked by work score: Wi‑Fi, power, seating, hours, what reviews say about laptops and noise, and who recommends working there. One branch per chain.
01The Journal Cafe
café253 Flinders Lane★ 4.1Wi‑FiWork 92
Light meals in a spacious, high-ceilinged cafe with suspended bookshelves and retro furniture.
A reliable Flinders Lane cafe that's open late each night... Plus, you can pick up wifi from the City Library.
Concrete PlaygroundMay 2026 02Pellegrini's Espresso Bar
café66 Bourke Street★ 4.4Work 82
Established, family-run Italian coffeehouse with a changing daily menu and counter seating.
03Lush Rooftop & Bar 2.0
café446 City Road★ 4.6Work 75
Lush Rooftop & Bar 2.0 is a rooftop café in South Melbourne that opens from 5pm. Reviewers praise the vibrant, cozy atmosphere created by the rooftop setting, decorative jungle animal paintings, and good music. The space is comfortable and well-styled.
04ST. ALi Coffee Roasters - South Melbourne
café12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne★ 4.2Work 72
Located in South Melbourne's backstreets, ST. ALi is one of the pioneers of Melbourne's coffee scene.
Insider GuidesNovember 2025 05Patricia Coffee Brewers
café493-495 Little Bourke Street★ 4.8Work 72
Trendy, bare-bones, standing-room-only spot for artisanal coffee ground on-site, and small treats.
07Dead Man Espresso
café35 Market Street★ 4.4Work 70
Dead Man Espresso is a stylish cafe on Market Street in South Melbourne with wooden decor and a street-facing balcony. It serves gourmet breakfasts and specialty coffee alongside vegetarian options and alcohol.
09Mr Tulk Cafe
café328 Swanston Street, Melbourne★ 3.7Work 69
The big communal table is a good place to spread out your notes and really get stuck in.
Broadsheet MelbourneMay 2015
