Auction Rooms Cafe | Coffee & Cafe North Melbourne

One of those cafés that give Melbourne its vibrancy and charm. A lofty spacious venue with diverse seating options indoors and outdoors, small and communal tables, window seats and even a few solo diner tables. The menu is predictably filled with brekkie-brunch staples, and Auction Rooms’ variations on those are very palatable. The coffee is good. The staff is friendly and efficient.

After a fantastic first visit on a heaving weekend, we happily returned to Auction Rooms on a much calmer weekday, expecting the same magic, great food, great coffee, great vibes. Auction Rooms remains an absolute Nth Melb institution. The industrial, loft-style space is still gorgeous, flooded with natural light, filled with plants, and offering everything from communal tables to outdoor street seating. It’s vibrant, welcoming, & effortlessly Melbourne. The food? Still outstanding. The Rhubarb French Toast ($26) to me is a show-stopper. The Beer Braised Pork Benedict ($28) is rich, indulgent, & worth every calorie. And the coffee is strong enough to hold its own in Australia’s coffee capital, which is saying something. Every dish is delicious & Instagram-ready. Unfortunately, while the plates were warm, one part of the service was… distinctly cold. On this quieter weekday, we were served by a male waiter (skinny, bald Caucasian name unknown) whose enthusiasm suggested we’d interrupted something deeply important by asking if we could sit down, he pointed us to a another table & directed us to sit on the other side instead. There was no smile, no welcome, just an air of urgency usually reserved for emergency rooms or kidney heists. He took our coffee order quickly, stated to return for food… & then vanished. Coffee arrived. Time passed. Still no waiter. Eventually, we waved down a much friendlier waitress who kindly took our order, thank you, mystery hero. The plot thickened at the neighbouring table. A lady dining solo politely asked the same waiter, who was clearly assigned to our area, if he could take her order when ready, mentioning her friend would arrive shortly. A simple “Sure, I’ll be back soon” would’ve done the trick. Instead, she received a curt response about needing to do “these tables first,” delivered with the tone of someone under extreme pressure. “These tables,” by the way, were two recently vacated tables that required resetting, not exactly a fire-alarm crisis. He then proceeded to reset them… wander around… do various low-priority tasks… before eventually returning to her. Watching this unfold was uncomfortable to me enough that I could only offer the poor woman a silent nod of solidarity. Confidence is great. Hospitality without warmth, however, is just theatre without an audience. To be clear: other staff members were friendly, welcoming, & professional, just like during our first visit. This inconsistency in service is what left a sour note in an otherwise exceptional experience. If this were a factory canteen, I wouldn’t blink. But in a café of this calibre, every customer deserves basic courtesy, not a “do as you’re told” attitude from someone who seems to believe they’re the most important person in the room. Bottom line: Auction Rooms is still absolutely worth visiting, weekday or weekend, if you love great food, excellent coffee, & soaking up Melb café culture. Just cross your fingers that your experience doesn’t depend on the overly confident, snobby waiter making a guest appearance.

A very popular cafe in North Melbourne and in my opinion, one of the best in Melbourne. I love the menu. The menu looks amazing. I recommend the Pan Fried Tasmanian Salmon. The Rhubard French Toast is also a great option. The coffee here is always on point. The cafe is spacious.

A wonderful brunch find. Was lucky to have been able to use the outdoor seating on a sunny day and enjoyed the tasty brunch options with the highlight being the pulled pork eggs Benedict. Also enjoyed the chilli scrambled eggs. Friendly service throughout the meal.

I absolutely love the industrial-style interior, especially the indoor backyard filled with plants and beautiful natural light 🤩 🍺Beer Braised Pork Benedict (AUD 28)
🦞Seafood Linguine (AUD 31) ☕️Iced Long Black (AUD 7) 🥃Butterfly Pea Velvet Coffee (AUD 10) The food and drinks were amazing, they use St Ali coffee beans, so you know it’s good! Definitely worth a visit 😎

This is used to be a hype cafe in Melbourne but the quality of foods dropped. Very pricey now with small portion. Stagflation definitely observed in the food quality and portion. Sad to see another popular cafe has dropped overall standard.

An absolute Melbourne institution. Since opening in 2013, this venue has set the benchmark for breakfast and brunch in the city, and it still delivers every single time. It’s one of my all-time favourite breakfast spots in Melbourne and a place I keep coming back to, whether it’s a relaxed weekday visit or a buzzing weekend brunch. Even after all these years, it continues to feel relevant, dependable, and genuinely special. A must-visit for anyone who loves Melbourne’s café culture.

Haven’t been to Auction Rooms for many years and decided to visit again today. It was a very nice brunch. We got seated in the courtyard strait away and got offered coffee. Batch brew was hot and smooth very enjoyable! I ordered the salmon dish with a side of greens. Price is little on the expensive side but I liked the flavour and the variety of items on the plate. Super healthy! Service was efficient and friendly. Will be back!

So nice, we ate it twice!! The breakfast boards are such a perfect combination of brekky items. I had been looking for a traditional Australian Brekky on my trip and finally found it with this place! The venue itself was lovely. What really stood out to me was the chorizo, so good! Loved this place!

Food and atmosphere are both great. I order breakfast board and flat white with soy milk. The breakfast is surprising me since I can taste several sides at the same time.

This is one of those cafes that you would basically expect to find in the inner city. Actually, it was quite cool that the tram to the exam venue passed through North Melbourne, since I hadn't had the opportunity to check out many of the cafes here. Well, as the name implies, this place used to be auction rooms, but is now a cafe. The breakfast was nice, but honestly, the tea was really strong, and I didn't particularly like the sugar.

This review was also sent to the owner of the establishment as a formal complaint about the bullying tactics and the appalling, unprofessional, and discriminatory behaviour of your manager and staff on duty today (Thursday 23rd Sept. 2021) at 3:12 pm. I have been a repeat customer of your cafe, and I sadly will NEVER be returning to your cafe; I will ensure that no one from my circle of influence visits your cafe unless they want to risk being humiliated, discriminated against, and bullied by your establishment. This all started with me walking into your cafe wanting to get some water. The manager refused to communicate with me and used his rude hand gestures to tell me to leave. I walked out of the cafe feeling something was not right - the way I was treated felt unfair. So I walked back in, seeking clarification, giving him the benefit of the doubt, thinking perhaps he didn't get what I was looking for. To my surprise, he said he did and he started defending his actions, blaming me for not wearing a mask and walking in, discriminating against me for not wearing a mask, despite me telling him that I had a lawful, medical exemption, telling me to, "get out" of the cafe, threatening to call the police, pointing fingers to my face, towering over me like a bully, rudely raising his voice, rolling his eyes, telling me to get out because he had other customers to serve! I then advised him that I shall complain to his management about his unlawful, unprofessional behaviour, which he immediately reacted to saying very shamelessly and arrogantly to go ahead and make a complaint to his management. But he refused to give me his name - all he kept saying was, "You've got all the details, go ahead and complain!" I then asked for his manager's name (or the cafe owner's name) and contact details, which he refused to give and kept yelling at me to "get out" of the cafe. The other staff member (the man with very short hair, round face - potentially the chef) started yelling from the side saying, "who are you?" while they were ganging up on me. This man threatened me too and was ringing the police! He was also coercing and bullying me to show evidence for not wearing a mask and that he was calling the police or to get out. After a lot of insisting, he very reluctantly and arrogantly revealed the name Jenny to be the cafe owner. All this has been witnessed by my partner who was waiting with our dog at the entrance of the cafe. Please treat this matter very seriously, because what your manager and your staff have done today is in breach of The Disability Discrimination ACT 1992 and The Privacy Act 1988. All I walked in for, was to get some water, and instead, I was harassed, intimated, coerced, threatened, shown aggressiveness towards and bullied because I was not wearing a mask and that I wanted to make a complaint against the unlawful impositions of your staff's beliefs and opinions upon me. In uncertain times like these, instead of looking after every customer, your business is demonstrating a callous and hostile attitude towards them.

Service with a smile. Quality food. Be prepared to enjoy the conversation while you wait for a well cooked meal. We were there during a busy brunch and the meals were delicious. Caters for children as well.

It has been a while since I have been here, but Dang I love this bustling little spot. Headed here for brunch with a girlfriend and we fell in love with the hipster vibe meets bustling city dweller feeling of the place. The space was cute, we sat up front by the window watching the passbys. Enjoyed some yummy coffees (delish) and ordered our egg dishes. I enjoyed the chilaquiles- yum! It felt like nachos, with a few eggs stuffed between. Heavy on the sauce but still had a really nice crunch. Really enjoyed the flavors. One of the better chilaquiles of the world. Returning soon and I cannot wait!

Today was my second visit to the much hyped favourite in the Melbourne brunch scene. My slight tendency of being swept up in places meant I decided to wait a week and visit again. Firstly WOW what a space! Ex-industrial and modern with a Nordic feel. My coffee was smooth and went down a treat. Could have been a touch hotter (this is definitely a theme .. Does one need to request it hot?) The menu is inspired .. With some Latin American inspired dishes on there. I ordered the Arepa e'huevo (Colombian corn pancakes), which was dispatched swiftly by the friendly staff. Beautifully presented I enjoyed the different flavours and textures of the crisp poblano peppers, soft goats curd, gooey egg and puffy pancakes. Even with a side of avocado I could easily have eaten the pancake dish again. Music - good volume, ambient tunes added to the atmosphere but very easy to talk. Papers - yep. Nb. Extra marks for a pepper grinder that delivered proper cracked pepper!

This place is definitely five stars worthy if it wasn't for the horrid coffee. The ambience, the spacious seating area, the cylindrical lighting, the outdoor area suitable for summer days and Sunday sesh (if the Melbourne weather allows it), the upbeat music, friendly staff, interesting menu, glorious food presentation, quick and friendly service, free WiFi and split billing are only some of the positives of this place. I ordered the roasted eggplant dish with stuffed paratha poached egg and brown rice freekeh salad. The roasted eggplant with delicious spiced dukkah and Indian flavours (almost tasted pickled) was one of the best things I've ever had. I then moved onto the brown rice freekeh salad with pomegranate seeds and omg again such beautiful flavours of spices and nuttiness. The paratha stuffed with peas and potato was deliciously flavoured. My mouth was just immersed in so many flavours. The lonesome poached egg was not even needed. My lunch companions loved their meals which included the beautiful brioche toast, the salmon dish, and another dish with mussels. We stayed until closing time not wanting to leave. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes.

Going once.. Going twice.. SOLD, were the words that rung in my mind as I entered Auction Rooms. It had such character, such beauty that I immediately fell in love with the place. Oddly enough, though, I had been here before - I visited this place with a friend - but we didn't get to sit down as there was such a large wait for a table. This time, I made sure I sat down. This review's scope will be a limited one as, no, I didn't order food. I would've loved to, I surely did, but when I visited this place I had one goal - one sincere goal and desire - and that was to have a nice cup of coffee while reading a book. I definitely got that. The Auction Rooms' coffee is special. It wasn't the 'best' coffee I've ever tasted - where the beans had a distinct character and taste to them, no - but it was special because of the amalgamation of both ambiance and the coffee itself. The ambiance of the Auction Rooms' is wonderful, it is something that I'd consciously come back for. It was rustic, well laid out, spacious and charming. The staff was equally wonderful, greeting you with many smiles and pleasantries. It was definitely a wonderful experience. Though limited in scope, I'd definitely come back to the Auction Rooms when I get the chance. I'd love to read another book whilst sipping on another cup of coffee. If you're around and have the time to check this place out, then do yourself a favour and go! You won't regret it.

Really pretty decor, from the outside the tinted windows you can't really see inside but from the inside it's gorgeous and can see out so clearly! Coffee was pretty good but no discount for bringing a keep cup- I know a lot of us look toward those kinds of incentives

What a place! And a great find to make as your 'local' for brunch. After sitting in the courtyard for around 10 minutes we decided to move inside. The courtyard was stuffy and with no air circulation on a beautiful day - it wasn't a great place to sit. Appealing, but not practical. So we moved inside. And our lovely waitress didn't bat an eyelid. She smiled and assisted. We ordered some cocktails, which were perfectly balanced with sweetness and sour. Needless to say they were sipped quickly while waiting for our meals. What a surprise I received when my meal arrived at the table with an explanation of what the corn cakes were made from and the recipe to encourage you to give it a try at home. The egg was cooked to perfection as were the corn cakes. The peppers and Philly dip were beautifully seasoned - the meal was the best I've had in a long time. I could have eaten the same dish again. And not because it wasn't filling, but because it was that good. The fish bun was beautifully cooked and melted in your mouth. And if you get a chance you must order the croquettes from the specials menu. We devoured these delightful crunchy balls. I can't rate this establishment highly enough. Try it, you certainly want be disappointed. Enjoy.

This is a really fantastic spot for brekkie and coffee. There is free wifi, and despite being very popular, the staff is happy if you want to linger. The one drawback is that there isn't any A/C, and the atrium area was particularly hot (and had no fans). I could see the people adjacent to us were sweating as much as I was - perhaps not a good spot on a hot day. Breakfast was great - the usual egg dishes were on offer, but I went for the corn pancakes with veggies, crema, and a fried egg. It was flavorful and creative. Coffee was very smooth, and the iced coffee came with nice, large cubes so they didn't melt too quickly and water down the coffee.

When I was looking for a good brunch spot in North Melbourne, a foodie friend recommended Auction Rooms and I'm so glad he did! The food was delish and the bright, airy establishment was perfect on a sunny morning. Everything on the menu looked tasty and luckily my brunch companion was up for sharing. We went for a sweet and savoury combination with the Brûlée French Toast and the Frittata with cauliflower, kale, and mint. Both dishes received happy thumbs up. The venue has a neighbourhood vibe, with mums pushing prams strolling by the big glass windows. This place is clearly no hidden secret to locals either. Even on a casual mid-morning Wednesday there was a line for tables. The busy environment also meant there was a wait between times when we needed a server and one actually appearing. With the yummy food on offer and good vegetarian options, I'll happy return to Auction Rooms and brave the wait.

Bit out of the way for the gang but in all fairness to our token ranga mate who lives up nth.. this location was set... Had high expectations of the quality of the place and am happy to report that we left very satisfied. Coffee was great!! Service was great!! and the menu?? hmm... took awhile to digest but after eyeing what was being ordered and devoured around me... settled for the poached egg and maple glazed bacon.. basic in idea but full of the hearty goodness!! Made the mistake of trying to bite into it prior to cutting it itI pieces first. The bacon was an inch thick!! I had 3/4 of the bacon hanging out my mouth when the waitress came along asking me how things were... I could only manage an "uh huh" as an acknowledgement looking up at her through the corner of me eyes ... yeah I know.. can't take me no where!! happy eating folks!!

After getting off an early flight, grabbing breakfast close to the apartment was logically the next step. In true Melbourne style, I began my morning with a beautiful ristretto via Small Batch Roasting Co. It touched my lips and 7:30AM began to beat itself into my sleepy system - this is definitely one of the best coffees I've had all year. The french toast ($14.00) caught our eye immediately - how exactly does the humble eggy bread get brûlée-ified? Better yet, the components of blue cheese, dates, bacon and rhubarb posed as an eclectic mix of flavours that were too good to resist. Another great dish was the Schadenfreude ($19.00) - what actually stood out the most for me on the plate was the parsley salad with the fried capers. The capers were sweet and tangy, which not only went well with the beautiful pork belly, but also added an extra crunchy texture to the fresh parsley salad. The staff were quite pleasant and efficient throughout our meal - since my friends and I got there early on in the day, it was still relatively quiet. I definitely recommend that you do the same if you're hoping for a good seat and a well timed feed. By the time we left at just past 9, Auction Rooms was filled to the brim!

Arrived during the busy Saturday lunchtime period & after a 20 minute wait we were seated. Two of us tucked in to eggs poached to perfection on sourdough with spiced tomato chutney...very tasty. My dad had the pan seared rockling & exclaimed it was the first time he'd eaten flowers!!! With an iced coffee & old auctioneer's lemonade to drink we left with nicely full stomachs. The service was friendly & efficient, I'm sure I'll be back again.

Love the European feel of this cafe. Staff are friendly and efficient and the coffee is exceptional, one of Melbourne's best. Had the poached trout and my friend had the duck confit, both meals were something really special, delicious and flavourful. I almost don't want to post this review because this place is busy enough already. Very satisfying experience and also reasonably priced

With beans from their own roasting brand (Small Batch), Auction Rooms do an excellent job at getting your heart started in the morning. Syphon, pour over and cold drip are prepared in a beautiful area dedicated to unusual extractions (like an art installation set amongst the warehouse space) and there are bags of retail beans to take home. The menu is tight and interesting - breakfasts range from rice pudding with mango, to chickpea stew with shanklish and sourdough crumbs. Even plain old toast comes with the option of pink grapefruit marmalade or rhubarb jam. A huge industrial space, there are a number of different "regions" to sit in (so you won't always be aware of the other 80 people at breakfast). There are spots in the sun out front, high seats at the "bar", quiet tables in the middle, or a table out the back in the courtyard if fresh air is more your thing. The service is capable and friendly. On my most recent visit for brunch, I also took a squizz at the dinner menu, which made me pull out my diary to see when I'd be able to make it back over this side of town. Can't wait to try out their Spanish-influenced share plates.

I have to update my review of Auction Rooms, because I've come back on 3 occasions hoping for that chilli and orange braised rib sandwich and it hasn't been on the menu. I don't want to break your heart while I'm at it. The food here is good though, I'm sure you'll find something else to satisfy your needs...just not your rib'wich needs. Damn you delicious mysterious rib'wich. It's North Melbourne's most popular brunch spot, hands down. Know that you'll be hard pressed to get a table. But if brunch is your thing, you have to do it at least once. I just want to give it 5 stars for the coffee. Small Batch is one of my favourites. Whenever I see that Small Batch 'Candyman' espresso is being served at a local cafe, I snap it up. As a black coffee drinker, it's one of the best espressos/LB's you'll ever get. I once ordered it in bulk for an office I was working with and owner Aaron Wood was more than happy to chat about machines, grinders and set up so that even our humble office coffee could be amazing. The little coffee lab to the side of Auction Rooms is what always fascinates me. The baristas care a lot about their product and are always open to feedback, especially when they're trying out new blends or methods. I want to pull up a chair and drink coffee until my caffeine-fuelled heart says stop. Looking forward to checking out their new smaller take-away spot so I can do pretty much that!

Came here for a Scarf dinner tonight. We really liked the layout of the bistro. It's a lovely warm and welcoming space. There's a lot that's right about the feel here. I started with the blue swimmer crab with sweet corn risotto. It was a gorgeous dish that I really enjoyed. I had the slow cooked lamb shoulder for main. I was quite disappointed by it as it lacked flavour which was surprising. Service was lovely throughout from both the trainees and the permanents. A Scarf dinner isn't always a completely reliable indicator. The menu and wine list are both restricted as is service. I loved the night and felt very positive about the bistro itself. My plan is to return here for breakfast as I know that do it extremely well.

Consistent quality and service plus have never had to wait for a spot! My complaint is that it isn't closer to home but thank goodness it's close to work - winning. From pulled pork, corn pancakes, smoked ocean trout to french toast i've tried many delicious and insta-worthy dishes at Auction Rooms. The Chai could be a bit stronger but sometimes I order it for the pretty mug it comes in. They let you split bills and there are several seating options available so go on, visit for a meal and then pop over the streat to Mork for some hot cocoa.

So today my partner and I enjoyed a nice cuppa and a meal at the Auction Room. What did I think? Well... the burger I order was $20 (plus a 15% surcharge due to the P/holiday). I assure you, it is not worth the money double patty should have been titled double lettuce. That's how thin the parties were! And Maccas sauce?! Really? Like really? It's nice, but $20 nice? No. Just NO. My partner had the corn pancake, presentation and taste was acceptable. It was good. But again not worth the price nor quality of the dish. Otherwise the coffee was good (not great) and the decor was rustic industrial. Disclaimer: I ate here about a year ago and remembered it as average at best, so perhaps I'm a little bias. Who knows?

Auction room is a buzzing, rustic-chic cafe with a sophisticated industrial interior. Boasting a sunny courtyard the modern layout is accompanied by Small Batch coffee and inventive breakfast and lunch dishes to start off your morning or afternoon. We were prompted greeted upon our arrival, and quickly seated next to the window which showcased the beautiful modern courtyard. With plenty of options to choose from their seasonal menu, we opted for their lunch dishes, which was the pressed pork shoulder and corned beef brisket with potato hash. ​ The Pressed Pork Shoulder was a abundance of textures on a plate, it had a delicious pressed pork shoulder, white bean puree, morcilla, pickled carrots, sweet potato crisps and a slow poached eggs. The flavour worked immensely well with each other and I wasn't left bored with the dish as every ingredient played a crucial part in flavour and texture. My only complaint was that the pork shoulder was too dry for my liking. the Corned Beef Brisket & Potato Hash, featured an amazing creamy sriracha hollandaise which enhanced the elements of the dish. One issue in my opinion was that there was a lack of potato hash to be found within the dish, as it compromised primarily of vegetables. Accompanying our dishes were the Iced Coffee and Iced Chocolate. Sadly, the iced coffee was possibly one of the worst iced coffees I have ever had. It tasted like water and lacked barely any sweetness. It felt like it was just coffee, water and a spoonful of milk. I'm not sure whether it was an off-day but I won't be ordering it again. The Iced Chocolate on the other hand was satisfactory but was nothing to rave about. For photos: http://thatfoodieblog.weebly.com/blog-feed/auction-room

One of my favourite brunch spots. They always have something a bit out of the box. The cafe itself is gorgeous. From the lights to the trees to the structure. Love it.

Had a quick brunch here today and was generally pleased with the experience. Tried their flat white and poached eggs on toast, and my eggs were cooked perfectly. The coffee was delicious, but needed slightly less froth. Would recommend it for brunch, but go in twos or threes as this place is busy and you may need to wait

The epitome of melbournes 's cafe scene. Old repurposed auction rooms meet state of the art espresso setup and a dedicated brew bar. The only problem with this venue is the wait time which I guess you could argue.is a function of how good it is. Worth checking out

Much better options in the area now. Was great a few years ago, but consistently below average service now.

So much yes. The filter coffee is amazing (Small Batch), the decor is hipster-chic - it made me feel like I was in an up-and-coming New York cafe... you know, one which actually served good coffee - and the menu was interesting. I had the breakfast nachos, and was incredibly impressed - everything was fresh, wonderfully seasoned and honestly? Just a nice change of pace from the usual smashed avocado on toast (though that definitely has its place). I bought beans here for coffees at home, and they bring me immense amounts of happiness.

Coming to North Melbourne would be incomplete without popping into this local Icon at least once for a coffee or a bite to eat. Even with a large open plan & seating galore, it's easy to see why on a weekend you'll have people queing up and flowing out onto the grass median - but not to worry, if that's your style...just bring a rug & enjoy the sunshine (and coffee, of course)!

It's always nice to venture into North Melbourne and visit Auction Rooms with friends. The venue is open and airy and light and great for a small group. The coffee is excellent, and they do a fantastic iced latte, which is hard to find in Melbourne (as a Canadian I prefer my iced drinks without ice cream and unsweetened, which is unheard of in most venues). The food menu changes with some regularity, but there are always interesting choices which usually work out well. I find that anything with pulled pork and chorizo is always a win. The dishes can be on the small side, especially for the price. Overall, though, the food and coffee are delicious. Worth the wait for a table.

People tend to go nuts for Auction Rooms. It's very hip and trendy, and always very busy. Sometimes there's a bit of a wait for a table. But the coffee is awesome and the staff are friendly. Because it's always so packed and bustling, I usually head down to Grigons and Orr if I'm looking to sit down for a meal or a slow coffee and chat with friends. But Auction Rooms is a definite must-do for coffee in North Melbourne. It's the best choice especially for takeaway coffee.

I think Auction Rooms' good reputation is deserved, mostly due to its brunch offering, which does a good job of stepping away from the traditional "Eggs Benedict/scrambled/what-have-you". On a morning when I needed a mega-lavish breakfast boost, I loved the pork spare rips wrapped in a crepe, with a cute mini milk bottle of coleslaw on the side. Coffee arrived quickly and was good quality. There's a nice feel to this place - you could easily enjoy it solo with a newspaper, as well as with a group of salivating friends. Decor is trendy without making you feel like you have to buy a new outfit just to get a takeaway latte, so it wins points there - nothing more annoying than needing to dress up to go to breakfast. Keep in mind though that it really does get busy on weekends, any time after around 9.30am. However the longest I've ever had to wait is 45 minutes, which was on a public holiday at 11.30am. My own fault, really. Get there early and enjoy!

This place is beautiful, striking and airy. It evokes a modern renovated farm house and evokes places I've been in chicer districts of both my home city (NYC), as week as, like many other things in this city, San Francisco. Its no wonder this place has evolved into a certifiable neighborhood staple, apparently perennial packed, disturbingly so on the weekends. Melbourne hipsters do their civic obligation and leisurely lounge over their beloved flat whites and "brekkie" as morning rolls deep into afternoon. Some nice Aussie micobrews are offered along with an attractive Bloody Mary, one of the few I came into contact with in this country. The food, seemed fresh enough, however the flavor combinations seemed to hew more to the Australian palate, a pork shoulder sandwich being topped with a cloyingly sweet relish. Furthermore the service gave me flashbacks to more annoying establishments back home in Brooklyn, which is to say casual to the point of distant, and slightly annoyed and rude. Regardless the neighborhood loves it and this place doesn't seem to be closing anytime soon, and again its a really pretty space.

"Hit and Miss" sums up my experience at this place. Awarded best place for coffee in Melbourne recently, but my personal opinion is that the coffee here is overhyped. They are passionate about their coffee though, so maybe your experience will be different to the several times I've been. The staff are pretty good and the crowd is quirky and hipster. Food? Nothing to write home about.

Actually, I was just a little bit disappointed with Auction Rooms. There was a lack of willingness to be helpful from nearly everybody who worked there. I mean they were friendly, but they weren't very accommodating in terms of where I wanted to sit (because we were a party of three, we were given a two seater table and an extra chair, even though I asked if we could sit at the four seater). It wasn't at all busy, so I wasn't sure what the difficulty was. The food wasn't great, either. The menu described a very tasty sounding fruit platter, but I reckon I got one apricot, one nectarine, some very tasty dairy concoction, five cherries and chopped mint, all chopped up and nicely arranged. Which is fine, but not really anything special for (I think) $15. The cold filter coffee was okay. But I was reticent to buy anything else, and probably won't be going back. Sorry. Maybe Auction Rooms has gone the way of lots of coffee pioneers. Just a bit too cool for its own good.

Kealey N. is right: people do go nuts for Auction Rooms. And I'll admit, it is certainly a very pretty place. It has great lighting, a nice blue facade, and attractive employees/customers. But at its core, Auction Rooms is both over-priced and over-valued. (Though they do have some delicious baked beans and toast for only $8.) Even if this place didn't have queues out the door every weekend morning, I would always prefer to go to either Fandango's or Wooly Bully. As far as the coffee goes it's really nothing special. And any place that charges you out the ass for filter coffee as if it were some exquisite delicacy is just being silly. I mean, I do love Chemex coffee, but $6 is just ridiculous considering all you need is a 10 cent filter, a glass funnel and some hot water.

Like many have said, our trip to Auction Rooms wasn't the result of a chance walk down the street and stumbling upon cafe greatness, rather we were told it was a must-eat at place in Melbourne. So dutifully, after a brisk walk from the city to North Melbourne, we found ourselves seated outside on a busy Sunday morning at Auction Rooms. As we waited, I dreamed of ways to turn this warehouse space into a residential area. We were seated by a beautifully bearded gentlemen (who I later discovered, after racking my brains why he looked so familiar, is also one of the bar men at Woods of Windsor) and despite the Sunday rush our coffees arrived relatively quickly. Not sitting inside and with a big sense of "we're pretty busy" I regret not being able to really suss out their coffees given they roast their own blend. My flat white was ok but I would have liked to explore their single origin or something more exotic. The menu posed a good problem - 'what do we have?'. I chose the smoked ocean trout and he chose the lamb neck ragu. Both came out together and were exceptional. The lamb, perfect for a hearty "warm your belly" kind of breakfast and the smoked trout a wonderfully light yet filling breakfast to fuel you for a day of walking. I'd love to head back on a week day when it isn't so manic and you can feel at ease leisurely reading the paper or whatever currently 'in' magazine is acceptable to read in print. I sense for locals this was once a place they were excited about but now that it's joined the cafe zeitgeist they talk of the days when they could get a seat without waiting. Oh and, I have to say the peanut butter and jam muffins at the counter were too good to pass up on the way out. Fresh baked and still warm in the centre.

Put simply, Auction Rooms takes the Melbourne coffee wanker thing to an entirely new level. For realsies... you think you've seen art assholes and highbrow wine afficionados, but you aint seen nuthin' 'til you've met a coffee wanker. What saves Auction Rooms from tipping over that very fine line is three main things: 1. The coffee is consistently terrific. I believe statements like "best coffee in _____ is served at _____" should be outlawed, but this is definitely on the good list. 2. The baristas may run the coffee area like it's a lab (complete with beakers) but at least they aren't wearing lab coats. 3. The hipster staff don't give you the 'coffee isn't coffee if it's a latte / soy / decaf / whatever' lecture. The restaurant itself is gorgeous in a partially refurbished DIY industrial space sort of way and the food generally hits it out of the park. The only reason this place stopped being our regular is it just got too busy (oh, and they may have known our names which can be a little weird). Be prepared to wait, but know it's worth it.

Great coffee and service. It's a shame they don't and won't make scrambled eggs. Interesting.

Have been here several times and always come here when in the 'hood. Their coffee is consistently great and this morning I had a piece of carrot cake ($5) with my coffee and is was beautiful; moist and not too sweet. I have previously had a cooked breakfast here and that was very good too. Highly recommended.

I absolutely love this restaurant. Highly recommended. I particularly like the Arepa dish. Must try. I will come all the way from the US for this.

Auction Rooms is alright. It's a killer space - especially that beautiful glass wall leading out to the courtyard - they have an interesting menu and okay coffee, but I don't understand what the hype is about. Recently while in Melbourne, we were told by a few local friends that we should check out the Auction Rooms - with the subtext being that we should be prepared to be amazed. I have to admit, I was not really amazed by much other than the glass wall and the vanilla labna on the muesli. Maybe it's an expectation thing and we went in with ours a little too high. But seriously, how can breakfast arrive and there still be no coffee? While the baristas did look pretty busy on this mid-week morning - it didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary for a popular cafe. With so much good food and coffee available in Melbourne, I probably won't be making a return trip to Auction Rooms, not even to marvel at that beautiful glass wall.

This place is highly rated and came highly recommended to us as a Melbourne cafe bucket list. My take on French toast was extremely tasty. My partner had the Mexican adaptation which she took care of muis rapido. The coffees were very good as expected. The decor in the place is really interesting. They have managed to keep some of the original interesting bits while making it a clean, brightly lit place to enjoy breakfast or lunch.

This is by far my favourite place for brunch! There is often a wait for a table but it's worth it every single time! The maître d' is always so familiar and on the ball. Once inside, the decor is fantastic, intriguing and so well suited to the dynamic cafe. Their is a semi outdoor courtyard with a garden box come breakfast bar where you can enjoy your meal or beverages under the shade of a tree! They are accommodating to groups but also well set up for single diners, the sort of place you would never be uncomfortable having a coffee or a meal with the company of your newspaper or a good book. Service is super attentive without being suffocating, they never allow your glass to empty before bringing a new bottle of water to the table, and I really respect their ability to make you feel like the only person in the room when they ask if you would like another beverage and remember exactly what you had down to the kind of milk! As for the menu, it changes regularly and at times I have been disappointed that something I previously loved devouring was no longer on the menu. Fortunately delicious dishes are replaced by new delicious dishes and I have never been dissatisfied with anything they have served me! Over the years I have loved their banana bread, seasonal fruit salads, salmon bagel, and eggs on toast (with delicious sides of avocado, chorizo and feta of course)! So highly recommended!

Went back here this morning after not having gone for a couple of months and they did not disappoint. Love this place and don't mind having to wait 5 minutes for a table to become available. Had a simple poached eggs with the avocado side and shared a bacon steak. All was cooked to perfection with the highlight for me being the bacon steak!!! Coffee - piccolo, was extremely delicious! Will be back soon x

Their espresso paired well in my strong flat white. Although the texture was of a latte, it tasted fine. The decoration of the place was pretty awesome though. Little greenhouse in the back, slow bar on the far side, and spro right in the heart of it all.

What can I say about a place that already has such a great reputation? I often go to the Auction rooms on my way to work for a quick coffee & maybe a cheeky almond croissant during the week. Auction Rooms an ambience about it that doesn't ever want you to leave.. I could stay there all day drinking coffee, eating & reading - SERIOUSLY! Great funky tunes in the background playing, barista's that know their stuff & are SUPER friendly. My experiences the counter staff that serve you can are a little unpredictable on how friendly they will be on the morning, but meh - its the coffee that counts in my books. Your taste buds will definitely thank you as soon as you take your first mouthful of your perfectly heated caffeinated beverage..

The space is often full but at 11:00am on a weekday we got seats straight away. There was a small group of 5 of us. The coffee was very good.

Auction Rooms is a standout café in Melbourne and exudes industrial chic as well as being a serious coffee haven. Housed in the old WB Ellis Auction House it is an oasis of coffee perfection in trendy North Melbourne. Loads of serious coffee lovers descend on Auction Rooms in its accessible location on Errol Street. Admire the blue façade then enter into a massive warehouse style building featuring the rough texture of exposed brick along with fine dark timbers and concrete floors. Ambience is also created from unusual aspects such as Six Degrees lead lighting and pendant low hanging PVC lamps. Come here on a lazy sunny day and be inspired by the natural light that pours in from the large front windows. Auction Rooms is a spacious café with split levels and a charming courtyard. When you are done admiring the ambience and architecture, call on the helpful hipster staff to engage you with an outstanding coffee experience. The coffee here is consistently rated among Melbourne's best. Auction Rooms recently won an award for Melbourne's best coffee over a 6 month period by a panel of The Age Newspaper judges. Auction Rooms roast their own coffee and so are a roastery not just a cafe. This sits them in the place of coffee royalty. Enjoy single origins of the day. Enjoy a syphon or pour over or cold drip. Admire the gleaming Synesso. And of course score an irresistible espresso. The coffee here is silky and velvety and resonates with nuances of the blends. I enjoyed the Candyman blend by Small Batch which is one of Melbourne's best. It's famous for its serious coffee but Auction Rooms also serves great food! Hearty interesting meals are prepared with flair. The menu selections feature inventive names playing with the auction theme such as "opening bid" (two free range poached eggs on sourdough with bacon, field mushroom, grilled tomato and sautéed spinach on Dench sourdough) and "shady deal" (Moroccan style tomato and chorizo stew with eggplant served with poached eggs, olives, dukkah and feta and flatbread). The home made toasted muesli and the Pain perdu with pear and walnut cream, apple and fennel puree and poached pear are other standout brunch options. Three cheers for brunch being served all day. At lunchtime the Roasted pork belly served on a corn crepe with coffee BBQ sauce is a popular menu item. Then there are the fine cakes to go with that coffee!