Visit Victoria is teaming up with some of Melbourne's leading cafes to give out hundreds of free coffees today with 'Sip For Vic'
Starting with the original Pellegrini Espresso Bar which opened in the 1950s – a thriving Italian influence helped the spread of coffee culture in Melbourne over the decades to follow – Melbourne has become one of the world’s foremost coffee capitals.
So, in an effort to engage Melburnians in supporting their cafe culture, Visit Victoria and 12 Melbourne cafes are shouting free coffees tomorrow to those lucky enough to be in the CBD 15 kilometre zone.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in Melbourne here.
CBD residents and authorised workers will be able to quote Visit Victoria’s ‘Sip for Vic’ initiative to receive a free cup of coffee to help kick start their day at their local participating cafe.
Participating cafes include a range of businesses spread across the city who sell coffees made from Victorian-produced coffee beans. Some include top roasters Industry Beans and Axil Coffee Roasters, the iconic Brother Baba Budan and tiny hidden gem Little Rogue.
“Caffeine has been pumping through the arteries of Melbourne’s city centre for years. Our Sip for Vic initiative is about supporting the CBD and reminding Melburnians about why we’re the coffee capital of Australia,” Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said.
“If you’re lucky enough to benefit from this initiative, I’d encourage you to pay it forward – be extra kind to your baristas, post about the cafe on social media, or even consider buying a morning muffin with your coffee if you can.
“Heading to our local café has become the biggest outing we have each day,” Melbourne’s coffee culture pioneer Salvatore Malatesta continued. “Your barista is your daily high priest serving up your daily dose of caffeine, therapy, love, community and a conduit to some normality.”
The Sip for Vic initiative – an extension of Visit Victoria’s Click for Vic campaign – will be available to the first 100 customers at each participating cafe and there is a limit of one per person.
Victorians living outside the CBD zone are encouraged to celebrate International Coffee Day by buying their favourite brew from their local cafe or ordering Victorian coffee products online via Click for Vic.
Participating cafes include:
The iconic café opened in 2003 and is named after the world’s first coffee smuggler. As an added bonus, BBB uses some of the best coffee in Australia, roasted by Melbourne’s own famous coffee smuggler, Mark Dundon (Seven Seeds). 359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
The teensy café packs a punch with its wonderfully whimsical yet sleek and stylish design, transporting visitors away (holiday vibes) from the bustle and concrete jungle of the city centre.
1 Exhibition Street – corner of Flinders Street, Melbourne
It’s standing room only at Patricia and it’s all about simplicity. The selection of coffee – roasted fresh in Abbotsford – comes three ways and three ways only: black, white and filter. Corner of Little Bourke and Little Williams Streets, Melbourne
Dust off the morning cobwebs with a caffeine fix from the friendly baristas and tuck into a French pastry while catching some sun in the window. Stock up on single origin beans and assorted caffeine paraphernalia from across the globe whilst waiting for a coffee.
8 Exploration Lane, Melbourne
Previously known as Sbriga, this is an old-school Italian espresso bar (stand-up only) serving up yummy Italian delights such as homemade pizzas, paninis and sweet treats. 270 King Street, Melbourne
This is no ordinary subway coffee stand. C.O.T. combines two pairs of Vue de Monde-trained barista fingers, and the godfather of all espresso machines – the Synesso – to produce coffee so smooth you’ll never want to get it at street level again. 12 Degraves Street, Melbourne
Nestled in Drewery Lane, this cosy laneway venue is a typical hidden gem in the city centre. Be sure to visit their sister venue, Japanese-inspired bakery Bakemono across the street for some of the most coveted pastries in Melbourne. 12 Drewery Lane, Melbourne
The cute little café and wine bar is tucked away in Cathedral Arcade and roast all their coffee weekly at Bureaux Coffee with changing origins and roast styles as new coffee lands. The café is currently doubling as a takeaway natural wine shop. 9/37 Swanston Street, Melbourne
- Dukes Coffee Roasters
Dukes Coffee at Ross House is the flagship store of the Melbourne coffee roaster. With sustainability and unrelenting quality at the heart of Duke’s ethos, they serve directly traded, organic coffee paired with locally baked sweets. 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Work up a thirst before coming as there’s a detailed, comprehensive menu of house-roasted coffee, house-brand teas and fresh juices to wet your whistle. Watch the roasting and brewing as it happens, at the La Marzocco Modbar. 345 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
People’s Coffee serves great coffee to people who know great coffee. Visit for your morning brew, pre-meeting power up, or afternoon sip, with the refined precision great coffee deserves. A member of the Five Senses café family, they exclusively serve their blends and single origins from across the world. Their mission: positively impact people through coffee. 7 Bensons Walk, Melbourne
To find out more about similar initiatives, head to Visit Victoria here.
