Who Really Makes Australia’s Best Coffee?

International Coffee Day was celebrated last week, but one great Australian argument continues. Which city deserves the title of our coffee capital?

Melbourne and Sydney have been battling for bragging rights for decades, and neither is backing down.

Melbourne claims its famous laneway cafés and rich Italian coffee heritage, while Sydney points to its thriving café culture and a strong claim to inventing the flat white.

In fact, Sydney’s Toby’s Estate was named the world’s best coffee shop in 2025, with Melbourne’s Proud Mary also ranking highly.

Australians now consume an estimated 16 million cups of coffee every day, despite importing almost all the beans we use.

And while Australia and New Zealand still argue over who invented the flat white, there’s no denying we’ve helped make it an international favourite.

So, Melbourne or Sydney?

For us Victorians, surely there’s only one answer!