Melbourne’s Best Cafe and Fast-Casual Openings of 2022 (So Far)

In a year of such varied openings, it felt too restricting to go with just cafes – in the traditional sense – for this list. The addition of “fast-casual” opens up its ambit, so we can include all the bakeries (plus a cult charcoal-chicken joint, a sandwich-shop-by-day-and-trattoria-by-night and a peerless ice-creamery) we’ve been struck by thus far.

They’re all in their own lane, and they’re all worth lining up for – which you’ll often have to do.

And – ICYMI – here are our round-ups of Melbourne’s best restaurant and bar openings of 2022 (so far).

El Jannah, Preston
If you’ve spent time in Sydney, chances are you’ve heard of charcoal-chicken joint El Jannah. And if you’ve tried it, you’ll know why the Lebanese chain has ascended to legend status since opening in 1998; it’s the stuff of charry, garlicky dreams. So, it’s no surprise the long-awaited Melbourne debut – a two-in-one diner and drive-through in Preston – is stopping traffic. Literally. It’s not uncommon to see cars queueing along High Street on a weeknight, basking in the store’s green neon halo that can be seen from blocks away. For those uninitiated into the cult of El Jannah, the chicken plate is the simplest expression of what the affordable, fuss-free brand does best. It’s a quarter, half or full bird with Lebanese pickles (cucumber and turnips), pita and an oomph-y secret-recipe garlic sauce that you’ll want to slather on absolutely everything. BYO mints.

Hareruya Pantry, Carlton
Put simply, we’re obsessed with Hareruya Pantry. And so is a fair chunk of Carlton. The roller door goes up at 10.30am at the new all-day Japanese eatery – which looks out onto the playground in Lincoln Square – and that’s the best time to arrive. While the menu here is decidedly simple – made up of Japanese classics with some inventive flourishes – it almost always sells out. There are three beautiful, full-to-the-brim bentos on offer; the house option has soboro (or ground) beef and egg on rice, with a soft-boiled egg and various osouzai (side dishes) like pickled veggies. Plus, there’s mochi-wrapped, Japanese-inspired gelato for dessert. And as for the pronunciation? “It sounds like hallelujah, but in Japanese it means ‘sunny shop’,” says owner Kantaro Okada.

Holy Sugar, Northcote
Audrey Allard – aka Holy Sugar – was responsible for a spike in many Melburnians’ serotonin (and sugar) levels during lockdown. At the height of restrictions, her Instagram bakery’s once-a-week dessert boxes brought some serious sweetness to a not-at-all-sweet time. But, only a year on, the former Lune pastry chef has opened a cosy bricks-and-mortar shopfront in Northcote, brimming with farmhouse nostalgia. The cabinet is filled with all the sweets that made Melbourne swoon in 2021: both custard and lemon-meringue tarts; Basque burnt cheesecake, dulce de leche, pecan and almond tarts; and yes, her famous butterscotch crullers. But two notable new additions have joined their ranks: focaccia sangas and chocolate eclairs.

Hugo’s Deli, Richmond
Melbourne’s sandwich game is indisputably strong, but there’s always room for hot new contenders – like Hugo’s. When it opened on Swan Street in Richmond at the start of the year, co-owner Ash Davies told Broadsheet that the strip “needed something that feels like it’s been around forever”. And it’s been swarming like an old faithful ever since. The stars of the show are the fried-chicken sanga – served on shokupan – with American cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles and Hugo sauce; and the Reuben, an early favourite, with Uncle’s Smallgoods pastrami, sauerkraut, American cheese, pickles and Hugo sauce. Plus, the Mortadella Bella is layered up with more slices of the supreme smallgood than you can count on one hand.

Kariton Sorbetes, Footscray
When Filipino chef John Rivera (former executive chef at Lume and chef de partie at Sunda) and Minh Duong (former head pastry chef at Maha) first launched ice-cream delivery service Kariton Sorbetes in 2020 – with the goal of becoming “the Asian Messina” – they thought their audience would largely be Filipinos looking for a taste of home. A lot has changed in two years. Now, the two top chefs are scooping vibrant, textural flavours such as ube, cheese and crème caramel in their very own store in Footscray, which opened to crowds in summer. The Filipino-inspired ice-creamery is unlike any other in Melbourne, and its delightfully colourful window display and rattan panelling are nods to its Filipino origins.

Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca, Fitzroy
Channelling trattorias of years gone by – and visits to Nonna’s house – the Poodle team’s wildly popular lockdown sandwich pop-up has popped down roots on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy. And it’s all about all-out Italiana. By day, the menu revolves, of course, around the beloved Rocco’s sandwiches, which were an instant hit in lockdown (particularly when billed by the team as “Italian Maccas”). That includes the signature saucy meatball sub and fried-bologna sandwich, as well as a want-for-nothing continental roll. By night, there’s a slew of larger Italian-style dishes – including phenomenal flatbread with pesto Modenese – and house-made Italian liqueurs, in a
a nostalgic space full of rich amber-wood details and curtain-covered windows.

Tarts Anon, Cremorne
Out of Melbourne’s many, many lockdowns rose many, many exceptional Instagram bakeries. But while some have remained online-only, others – like Tarts Anon and Holy Sugar, mentioned above – have since expanded into the real world. In the past, these tarts – by Gareth Whitton, former head pastry chef at the now-closed Dinner by Heston – were only available online. And they sold out in seconds. But now, you can pick them up by the slice, whenever you want, at his snug new Cremorne shopfront. The light, bright high-ceilinged space has a fit-out inspired by the apartment where the side hustle started. And flavours-wise, they vary, but you’ll likely find the signature pear, a classic lemon tart and an ooey-gooey crowd favourite of caramel and chocolate custard. Plus, we’ve got good news for north-siders: it’s opening a second store in Collingwood soon.

Honourable mentions
Three other attention-grabbing cafes need a call-out here, too. These are Dame, Melbourne’s most beautiful new cafe, which punches way above its weight in the interior design stakes; Hi Fi, a vinyl-spinning (actual) hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop by the crack team behind Terror Twilight and Tinker; and the superbly named Baguette Studios, which goes real hard on the ham.

Additional reporting by Quincy Malesovas, James Williams, Amber De Luca-Tao, Chynna Santos and Jo Rittey.

This article was published on July 5 and reflects what had opened at that point of the year.