Melbourne is by no means short of excellent cafes making exceptional coffee. There is no question that the standard of both cafes and the coffee they serve is outstanding. But sitting above the rest, at the top of the pile, is Seven Seeds. You’d be hard pressed to find better coffee anywhere.

After selling St Ali in 2008 – then, and still, making some of Melbourne’s best coffee – Mark Dundon moved to Carlton where he and business partner Bridget Amor converted an old warehouse into Melbourne’s high temple of coffee. In addition to the roomy café, there is a state of the art roasting facility, retail counter and a dedicated room where they hold regular cupping and training programs.

The Seven Seeds house blend is superb, but they also offer a selection of carefully sourced single origins and guest blends, often from top international roasters. There is also a small menu of simple food, such as sandwiches and muesli, all made with notably high-quality produce.

The place is regularly busy and always humming with energy. It’s not uncommon to have to wait for a table – Melbourne University is only a block away so students often drop by while they kill time between classes.

If you find yourself in the CBD looking for coffee, be sure to drop by Brother Baba Budan, Seven Seeds’ smaller city operation and by far the best coffee in the area.