Best cafes in Carlton

Best cafes in Carlton, ranked

1. #1Stevies Little Shop for takeaway salads and a grocery run

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Barwell Park, 2 min walk

   Stevies Little Shop is a small corner store and cafe at 109 Willison Road, open from 6am to 2pm every day. Pastries come out of the front display each morning, but the main reason to go is the fridge, where the ready-made meals and fresh salads sit. Chicken salad is the dish visitors mention most, and the sandwiches are made on sourdough, with a BLT on bacon and spinach singled out. It also stocks local produce and specialist groceries, so a coffee and a shop can happen in one stop. Barwell Park, in Bexley, is just around the corner for a takeaway lunch on the grass.

   Best for: Takeaway salads, meals and grocery shopping

2. #2Unfiltered for a fusion brunch with the whole family

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Stell Reserve, 2 min walk

   Unfiltered on Railway Parade suits a long brunch where tastes differ. Dishes cross styles, so a table can share a Mexican chilli scramble, a katsu poke bowl and a falafel mezze bowl in one sitting. Beef brisket tostadas are the order to start with. The room is bright and calm enough for laptop work, and a kids' menu keeps younger diners busy. Dogs are allowed outside only, and Stell Reserve is a short walk away for after the meal.

   Best for: Mixed-taste family brunch, fusion dishes, laptop sessions

3. #3The Fork on Bellevue for big breakfasts and a kids' menu

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 West Street Reserve, 2 min walk

   Commuters and early risers can eat at The Fork on Bellevue from 5:30am on weekdays. Portions are large for the price, and the forked bacon and egg roll and the hangover brekky burger are the orders diners come back for. Younger diners have their own plates, including a mild chicken wrap and a marshmallow breakfast. The covered outdoor deck takes dogs, and the indoor room is there for wetter mornings. West Street Reserve is close enough to walk over afterwards.

   Best for: Families with kids, big breakfasts, dogs on the deck

4. #4Sweet Marie's Cafe for bánh mì and a budget breakfast

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Stell Reserve, 1 min walk

   Sweet Marie's Cafe on Carlton Parade is one of the two lowest-priced picks here, and bánh mì is what draws diners back. The chicken bánh mì has a crisp baguette and fresh fillings. For breakfast, the big breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages and toast is a generous plate, and the bacon and egg roll is the other order to try. Coffee is praised across several years of visitor comments, and it pairs well with the breakfast. The cafe opens at 5:30am on weekdays and has a kids' menu. Stell Reserve is about a minute's walk, and the outside tables take dogs.

   Best for: Bánh mì, budget breakfast, dog owners

5. #5flourbomb for a vegetarian lunch and a cake stop

   $$🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 West Street Reserve, 3 min walk

   At flourbomb on Planthurst Road, the menu leans Middle Eastern, and the bakehouse does the cakes. A vegetarian wrap is made to order, and manoush is on the list too. A large grill plate with chicken skewers, haloumi and labneh arrives with warm pita for the table. The bakehouse counter holds croissants, tiramisu and caramel slices, banana and pear bread and macarons, so cake can be the whole visit. Dogs get a spot outside, and the entry is step-free. It opens Monday to Friday only, so plan a weekday visit, and West Street Reserve is a short walk away.

   Best for: Vegetarian lunch, cakes and macarons, weekday visits

6. #6Pantry eleveneleven for latte art and Mediterranean breakfasts

   $$Outdoor seating🌳 Stell Reserve, 2 min walk

   Pantry eleveneleven on Carlton Parade is a small, light space, and seats go quickly when it is busy. Coffee is the first thing regulars mention, and the latte art is singled out as exceptional. Breakfast and lunch are Mediterranean-style, such as salmon on sourdough with soft-boiled eggs, pickled red onion and capers. Vegetarian plates are on the list, and high chairs suit little ones. The mango and biscoff muffins travel well, and the cafe opens at 7am every day. Stell Reserve is close enough for a coffee on a walk.

   Best for: Latte lovers, Mediterranean brunch, small groups

7. #7LOB Cafe for a takeaway coffee on the way to the station

   $🐕 Dogs outsideOutdoor seating🌳 Stell Reserve, 1 min walk

   LOB Cafe on Jubilee Avenue is a short walk from Carlton station and opens at 5am on weekdays, which suits a commuter's coffee. The coffee gets a steady run of praise, and one takeaway regular says it is consistently good each morning. Cold brew and a single-origin pour are on the drinks list. Breakfast and lunch come in good-value portions, and there are vegetarian options. Dogs can join at the outdoor tables, and Stell Reserve is about a minute away for a short sit on the grass.

   Best for: Commuters, takeaway coffee, early starts

8. #8Dilly's Cafe for big lattes in a sunny room

   $Outdoor seating🌳 Stell Reserve, 2 min walk

   Dilly's Cafe on Railway Parade has a sunny, warm room that is comfortable to sit in for a while. Regulars call the coffee consistently great, and lattes come in generous sizes, one of them the biggest a visitor had seen. The acai bowl is beautifully made and fairly priced, and the sweet treats on the counter get regular praise. Early risers can start at 5am on weekdays, and younger diners get their own menu. Stell Reserve is close by, so a coffee before a stroll fits well.

   Best for: Big lattes, sweet treats, a sunny room

Compare best cafes in Carlton

The table compares price, brunch, outdoor seating, dog access, weekend opening and the nearest park for each pick.

How we picked best cafes in Carlton

Order follows visitor scores, weighted by how many visitors each cafe has collected, so a long record outweighs a new one with few. For this page, the facts that matter are brunch on the menu, weekend hours, dog access inside or outside, and tables outdoors. Where two cafes sit close, the food and coffee notes from their own pages settle the order.