Smoothe, South Melbourne

Address: 77 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne
Beans: Di Bella
Rating: 7

Even if nobody else came here, they'd still get a steady stream of business from the ANZ staff in the building. But they do a good job with their coffee anyway, it's one of the better places in South Melbourne this side of Kingsway.

Dancing Goat, Melbourne

Address: 280 King Street, Melbourne
Beans: Veneziano
Rating: 8.5

Gotta say I went out of my way to try the coffee here, having heard so much about it. And yes it was good, but not quite great enough for me to keep going out of my way for. If I was in the area of course, this would be the cafe of choice...

The Maling Room, Canterbury

Address: 206 Canterbury Road, Canterbury
Beans: Self-sourced and roasted
Rating: 8.5

Rather chaotic on a Sunday morning, but I guess that's to be expected. Still, the coffee didn't take too long to arrive at our table, and it was more than worth the wait. One of the best suburban lattes, I think!

Jasper Coffee, Prahran

Address: Prahran Market
Beans: Self-sourced and roasted
Rating: 8.5

These guys have got themselves a high-traffic area, to say the least. But I wonder if their business has been affected by the arrival of Market Lane. There's really not much to choose between the two, although Jasper probably comes across as a bit more down to earth...

Auction Rooms, North Melbourne

Address: 103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne
Beans: House Blend
Rating: 9.5

Oh. My. Goodness. How good is the coffee here! My latte was close to perfect, and the food was good too. Doggone it, if I lived a wee bit closer, I'd be here every day...

Mart 130, Middle Park

Address: 107 Canterbury Road, Middle Park (Tram Stop 130)
Beans: Genovese
Rating: 8

This innovative location is no longer a secret, and they still make good coffee. Genovese is my brand of choice at home, but I don't do justice to these beans, unlike these guys. Goes well with corn fritters too!

Switchboard Cafe, Melbourne

Address: Manchester Unity Arcade, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Beans: Supreme
Rating: 8.5

If there was a 'Best Use of Space' award for cafes, Switchboard would be a clear winner. It's just a couple of friendly blokes making use of a couple of tiny holes in the wall. The result? Great coffee!