Melbourne is world-famous for its coffee culture, but a truly great cup is about more than just flavour – it’s also about the values poured into it. In this list, we spotlight eight of the best coffee roasters in Melbourne who go the extra mile in both taste and ethical responsibility. These small-batch and artisan roasters aren’t just roasting exceptional beans; they’re building fair supply chains, supporting farming communities, caring for the environment, and giving back locally. From direct trade relationships and women-grower initiatives to carbon-neutral operations and community programs, each of these roasters proves you can have a coffee that’s as good in purpose as it is in your cup. Grab a mug and get ready to discover some of the best coffee roasters Melbourne has to offer, where flavour meets conscience.
1. 23 Degrees Coffee Roasters (Bayside)
One of the best coffee roasters in Melbourne for flavour, sustainability and social impact.
23 Degrees Coffee Roasters (named for the latitude of the coffee-growing belt) is a Melbourne gem that delivers “seriously good coffee” with a serious commitment to doing good. Founded in 2015, this women-led roastery champions both quality and impact.
Their coffee offering includes seasonal blends (like its legendary "Little Ripper"), microlots and beautifully profiled filter roasts - sourced ethically from smallholder farms and women coffee farmers.
They were one of the first Certified B Corporations in Melbourne's coffee scene and are also Climate Active carbon neutral certified. Together with the Café Femenino Foundation, 23 Degrees funds life-changing community projects in Peru's coffee-growing regions – from healthcare and education to infrastructure initiatives. Their approach to sourcing is deeply purpose-driven.
Education is at the heart of what they do. 23 Degrees runs unique tasting experiences, workshops, and school collaborations designed to build local awareness with global impact. Whether helping customers explore flavour or sparking curiosity in the classroom, they're true trailblazers in using coffee as a tool for learning and change.
You can visit their Bayside roastery (bring your own coffee container for a refill) or order online (they roast in Melbourne and ship Australia-wide).
Address: 1 Belrose Avenue, Cheltenham, VIC 3192
Website: https://www.23degrees.com.au/
2. Five Senses Coffee (West Melbourne)
An ethical leader among Melbourne’s best coffee roasters.
Five Senses Coffee has long been a leader in specialty coffee with an ethos of “impacting people positively.” Founded in the 1990s and now roasting in West Melbourne (as well as Perth), Five Senses is devoted to exceptional coffee quality and strong relationships at origin. They even financed the construction of their own coffee mill in Sumatra in 2014 to ensure traceability and quality control from farm to cup.
The result is a range of stunning single origins and blends that Melburnians adore, backed by real farmer connections. Five Senses’ sourcing model is built on direct trade – their buyers regularly travel to work with producers, paying well above market rates for top-grade beans. They’ve helped fund clean water projects in Tanzania and a rainforest regeneration initiative in Burundi as part of giving back to the communities that grow their coffee.
On the environmental front, Five Senses operates as a carbon-neutral roaster (since 2020) and proudly became a Certified B Corp in 2023, reflecting high standards in social and environmental performance. With one of Victoria’s best barista training programs and brew bars open to the public, Five Senses also excels in customer experience – sharing knowledge through classes and brewing gear.
Address (Barista Academy): 300 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne, VIC 3003
Website: https://fivesenses.com.au/
3. Proud Mary Coffee (Collingwood)
A cult favourite among Melbourne’s best coffee roasters with a global footprint.
Proud Mary Coffee is a Melbourne success story that has gone global, all while staying true to a mission of great coffee done right. Founded in 2009, Proud Mary started as a humble café and roastery and grew into one of the most respected names in specialty coffee.
Step into their café and you’ll find an all-day brunch menu and friendly vibe, but the real star is the coffee: from “Mild” and “Curious” filter roasts to “Wild” experimental processes and even “Deluxe” competition-level coffees, their menu caters to every kind of coffee adventurer.
Proud Mary has built an impressive reputation for sourcing high-end, single-origin coffees (including Cup of Excellence winners) and roasting them to perfection. Proud Mary focuses on ethical sourcing, forming direct relationships with smallholder farmers and cooperatives, and promoting equitable practices in the supply chain. “Great Coffee for All” is their mantra – meaning everyone from the farmer to the drinker should benefit.
While they may not chase certifications, their commitment is evident in initiatives like paying farmers above-market rates and investing in processing infrastructure to improve the quality of life at origin.
Address: 172 Oxford Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066
Website: https://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au/
4. Market Lane Coffee (Prahran)
A go-to Melbourne coffee roaster blending flavour, transparency and care.
If you’ve strolled through Prahran Market or Queen Victoria Market, you’ve likely smelled the heavenly aroma of Market Lane Coffee. For over a decade, Market Lane (in partnership with sister company Melbourne Coffee Merchants) has built direct trade relationships with dedicated producers across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. They visit growers annually, pay premium prices well above Fairtrade rates, and have been a Certified B Corporation since 2022.
On the sustainability front, they look to reduce waste wherever possible – pioneering the use of biodegradable coffee bags and recycling used grounds and cups through local schemes. The result of these efforts? You can sip a cup of Market Lane’s seasonal blend or a delicate filter, knowing it was roasted with care for both flavour and footprint. With six retail locations (including a charming standing coffee bar in the Prahran Market) and an online store, Market Lane makes their beans very accessible and positions itself firmly among the best coffee roasters Melbourne has to offer.
Address: Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Website: https://marketlane.com.au/
5. Rumble Coffee Roasters (Kensington)
A bold presence in Melbourne’s ethical roasting scene.
Founded in 2014 by a group of experienced baristas and cafe owners, Rumble Coffee Roasters set out to change the way coffee businesses operate. From their Kensington warehouse, they roast standout coffees with a focus on sweetness, balance, and transparency.
Rumble's standout feature is their industry-first Transparency Project, which openly publishes how much they pay for every coffee. This radical honesty ensures their farmer partners are properly compensated. With direct relationships at origin and a commitment to paying well above commodity rates, Rumble proves that transparency can go hand in hand with quality.
They are a Certified B Corporation and a proud member of 1% for the Planet, contributing a portion of revenue to environmental causes. Their popular Shadowboxer blend is a staple in many Melbourne cafes – and you can buy beans directly from their roastery.
Address: 8 Thompson Street, Kensington, VIC 3031
Website: https://www.rumblecoffee.com.au/
6. Jasper Coffee (Fitzroy)
A trailblazer among Melbourne’s sustainable coffee pioneers.
Jasper Coffee has been roasting in Melbourne since 1989, and they’ve been leading the sustainability charge ever since. They introduced Fairtrade coffee to Australia in 2003 and became the country’s first 100% carbon neutral roaster in 2009. Their Fitzroy store is a Melbourne institution.
Their selection includes Australia’s largest range of organic and Fairtrade-certified coffees, with adventurous single origins and tried-and-true blends. Jasper sources only high-quality, full-flavoured beans and roasts them fresh daily in Collingwood.
Whether you’re exploring their hidden courtyard café or shopping beans online, Jasper delivers what they call "addictive excellence" – coffee that tastes great and does good.
Address: 267 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
Website: https://www.jaspercoffee.com/
7. STREAT (Collingwood)
Melbourne coffee with a mission to end youth homelessness.
STREAT isn’t just a coffee roaster – it’s a social enterprise that gives young people a fresh start. Since 2010, they’ve helped over 900 disadvantaged youth gain work and life skills through their hospitality training programs.
From their Cromwell Street roastery, STREAT roasts specialty beans with a strong emphasis on ethical sourcing. Their Organic Blend and rotating single origins are available to enjoy at their cafés or take home in compostable bags.
All profits go back into training and supporting young people. So every cup of STREAT coffee helps create brighter futures.
Address: 66 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066
Website: https://www.streat.com.au/
8. Core Roasters (Brunswick East)
A new kid on the block bringing flavour and purpose together.
Every now and then, a new roaster pops up that reminds us just how dynamic Melbourne’s coffee scene really is. Core Roasters might be new, but they’re already turning heads for their ultra-clean flavour profiles, transparent sourcing, and planet-first approach.
Founded in 2021, this small-batch roastery in Brunswick East set out to create a coffee brand that puts both people and planet at the core. They're already forging direct relationships with growers, sourcing traceable, high-quality beans, and roasting them with the kind of care that highlights every origin’s best characteristics.
Their clever, recyclable cardboard coffee boxes (instead of plastic bags) and calm, minimalist café space show that they’re not just thinking differently — they’re acting on it. Even better? They offset emissions through reforestation projects, use fully compostable packaging, and operate with a genuine low-waste mindset from roastery to door.
Address: 14 Barkly Street, Brunswick East, VIC 3057
Website: https://www.coreroasters.com.au/
Brewing what makes Melbourne great.
Each of these Melbourne roasters proves that amazing coffee can come with an amazing conscience. From 23 Degrees elevating women growers , to Jasper Coffee blazing trails in carbon-neutral operations, to Rumble and Market Lane making transparency the norm, these companies marry flavour and purpose in every batch they roast.
Your taste buds might fall in love with a floral Ethiopian pour-over or a chocolatey espresso blend, but you’ll love even more knowing the coffee was sourced fairly, the farmers were paid justly, and maybe even that your purchase helped plant a tree or train a local youth.
Melbourne’s best roasters aren’t just curating delightful flavour profiles – they’re also fostering a more equitable and sustainable coffee industry, from farm all the way to your cup.
Visit these roasteries and cafés, chat with the passionate folks behind the bar and roaster, and brew their beans at home. In a city that takes pride in coffee culture, these eight roasters are leading by example, ensuring that our daily brew tells a story – of quality, care, and positive impact.
Blog posts
-
It Takes a Whole Supply Chain to Brew Change: The Cafe Femenino Story
Have you ever thought about how many hands your coffee passes through before it reaches your café or is delivered to your home? The farms, the co-ops, the traders, the...
-
Best Coffee Beans in Australia: How to Choose the Perfect Beans for Your Brew
Finding the best coffee beans can transform your daily cup into something truly special. This guide will help you choose the perfect beans for your taste – whether you prefer...
-
Best coffee roasters in Melbourne that go the extra mile (in flavour and impact)
Melbourne’s coffee scene is world-renowned — but it’s not just about a great flat white. The best coffee roasters in Melbourne today are blending rich, specialty flavour with real purpose:...
