Brother Baba Budan

In the heart of Melbourne’s ultra-competitive café scene, this spot stands out for its solid reputation and loyal following. The space inside is compact, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in charm – there’s a cosy, almost intimate feel that draws you in and invites you to slow down and savour the moment. It’s very much a coffee-first kind of place, and that focus shows. The brew here is well-executed – smooth, balanced, and satisfying, exactly what you’d hope for in a city known for setting high standards in every cup. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to – the consistency and quality speak for themselves. There weren’t any real downsides to mention. While nothing stood out as particularly exceptional beyond the coffee, everything was reliably good – service, ambiance, and overall experience. It’s the kind of café you can count on for a dependable pick-me-up, whether you’re a local or just passing through. In a city filled with standout cafés, this one earns its place with quiet confidence.

It’s a unique cafe along little Bourke street (near hardware lane area). Glad to make it here in the morning on a weekend and the cafe was extremely crowded. We queued about 15min to order two latte and their ham & cheese croissant. We love their flaky croissant. It’s very well baked and on a second thought, I should have bought two croissants instead of one for sharing. Coffee is okay and not bad (not the best I had in Melbourne). One thing great and interesting is the cafe vibe and environment. It’s a very nice ambience to be sitting here, take your morning breakfast and read a book or chill out. Recommend you all to visit :)

We visited a café known for its exceptional coffee and high-quality coffee beans. Upon arrival, we found that all the seating, both indoors and outdoors, was occupied, so we opted for takeout. While we were there, the café became quite busy and crowded, especially for takeout orders. We tried their iced latte, and the flavor of the coffee was impressive, which prompted us to purchase their house-roasted beans as well. I highly recommend this café to anyone seeking quality, tasty coffee.

Excellent coffee. Constantly with a line of 5-ish people but service is quick. They have a small selection of pastries to go with the coffee too. Around 10-13 seats inside the store with a few more outside

MELBOURNE COFFEE CRAWL STOP 3: Excellent cafe serving Seven Seeds Coffee. Came highly recommended, and did not disappoint. The baked goods were top notch. The “Single O” was great - it was a Kenyan the day I visited. Would definitely return.

The Seven Seeds coffee espresso blend was as one would expect a decent Melbourne cafe would serve. Being one of the coffee cultural hubs of the world, the coffee was not particularly outstanding as there are plenty choices in Melbourne. The acidic brightness of the coffee may suggest it was under extracted or it ran too fast? The interior decor was the highlight of this visit with ceiling full of suspended chairs. Staff were super helpful and friendly and we managed to sit both inside and outside in the laneway to slowly people watch and enjoyed our drink.

My favourite for the atmosphere and vibe in Melbourne...and I think my favourite coffee also..well definitely in the top 3! Tasty Tasty medium roasted coffee. Im giving this one an 8.25/10. Arrived at 7am when they opened. It does get quite busy here and it is a small shop.

One of Melbourne’s true coffee benchmarks. Every cup here reminds you why this city takes coffee so seriously. The tuna toastie and ham & cheese croissant are next-level—comfort food done right and made to match their flawless brews. Seating’s tight but turnover’s quick, and honestly, even a takeaway is worth the detour. Came here three times in just a few days—and I’d do it again without thinking twice.

Great place for an afternoon coffee. I had the coffee latte and it was very smooth and tasty not bitter at all. I needed no sugar. It was perfect. The ambience is cool with all their chairs in the ceiling. Service was very friendly. They have tables and chair outside and a large table that can accommodate about 6 people for a social gathering. Definitely worth the trip!

Best coffee in Melbourne. I was tipped off to Brother Baba Budan by an American colleague who was a coffee aficionado and who had done some serious research into the Melbourne coffee scene. He was right!! This is the best coffee I've tasted in Melbourne (maybe in Australia?!?!). If you are there for breakfast make sure you also try their Breaky Roll - as the chap in the shop said it is a glorified bacon sandwich - which is an excellent mix of bacon (and lots of it!), burger mayo, relish, tasty cheese on Turkish bread. Go there! Do it!

I was told I MUST get coffee while in Australia cause they're known for their amazing coffee! So we finally had a chance and decided to check out the famous Brother Baba Budan, smack in the middle of CBD in Melbourne! This place had the most top notch reviews so we were glad we were able to stop here, an hour or so before they closed! Like any other popular coffee shop, this one was packed with a line out the door, unless you come at the right time and get a break in the crowd. The cafe is small, with a few seats! Hardly any room to stand after you order though! The place is cute, with chairs and stools as decor up on the ceiling! They sell beans as well, if expensive quality beans are what you're looking for!! I bet this place gets lots of tourist as well. They even sell pastries! Though it's mostly too loud and packed to relax or do any work here!! I had to order the flat white while in Australia, basically an espresso with micro foam on top! Much like an American latte but with more coffee and less milk ratio! The cups here are super small for the price, though the coffee taste different from the states, it was a good blend of high quality beans! Though I couldn't taste the difference otherwise cause I'm not an avid coffee drinker! But a local must have checked off the list!

Great little coffee shop in a small street in the CBD. This is my favorite coffee place in Melbourne and it's a must when in the big smoke (city). It's always busy and the coffee is always good. Better to have in store but only about ten seats as quite a small store. But the takeaway coffee is also great being that it's in a takeaway cup and can detract from the taste. I've also had an Apple and toasted almond Danish pastry and it was Very nice. I highly recommend coming here even if it's out of your way just to grab a coffee preferably to sit in but take away is also good. Will be back as many times as I can when in Melbourne.

To be completely honest, I should not be writing a review, since I know nothing about coffees. But my boyfriend does and loved it! As a coffee noob, I did notice that the coffee had a very strong and distinct flavor that wasn't overpowered by the normal bitterness I dislike. Their food menu is limited, and it seems like they specialize just in coffee. Their store was a funky, retro, hippie, free spirited, but also down to earth vibe all at once! It's small inside and a bunch of people were filtering in and out, so not a great place to work, but a great place to stop by to start your day!

I probably should mention that if you are wanting some breakfast, then this place isn't the best place to go, namely because they don't actually do breakfast. In fact, it is a coffee shop through and through. I ended up having tea, and one of the good things is that they had some rather unusual blends, so don't expect your typical English breakfast. The other really cool thing about this place are all the chairs hanging from the ceiling. I probably should mention that they also make some pretty killer coffee, so expect the crowds in the morning.

My Melbourne based coworker thinks this place is the best place in town for coffee. The line and the number of tourists would echo that sentiment. While in town I was able to try Brother Budan and market place coffee. I would say Brother Budan is the better of the two. I tried both the black and the white coffee. The piccolo had a nice creaminess and the espresso taste rang through. Oftentimes this balance isn't there and the espresso is too strong. The black coffee was batches brewed, which J was really disappointed by. I am surprised that finding pour over coffee/ made to order coffee is hard to find in Australia. For a place that prides itself on being a coffee centric place AU hope this trend changes soon.

Brother Baba Budan has this laid back vibe. Interior is small but we were lucky to grab 2 seats at the communal table in the front. Flat White and Chai Latte both nicely done. Cafe can be a little busy so it might not be a place if you want to come for a fast takeout for a coffee. Worth visiting if you are in the hood and want to have a drink.

This was my last coffee in Melbourne when I visited pre covid, and it was a good one! This shop is super tiny, cutely decorated, and packed when I visited. My latte was very tasty and made well. I was glad I had given it a try.

A coffee gem. Brother Baba Budan (BBB) is a breath of fresh air among the hipster coffee scene in Melbourne CBD. Not only this place pack a punch in terms of personalities (check out their quirky chair decors hanging from the ceiling), their coffee is just as sensational as the rest of the cafe. They do mostly to-go basis, unless you have a chance to sit at their single small communal table. For my coffee, I ordered the flat white ($5) and it was stunning! It was perfectly bitter, well bodied with just a nice kick of sourness *LOVE*. BBB currently only serves coffee and small bites with prices that's more than affordable. Also, the staffs here are gracious and super talented mates. Short to say, if a good coffee is your top priority, then BBB will do your cravings justice!

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My little life on Little Bourke brought me to BBB. I actually thought this place was closed coz from the street the store front was dark. Then people came out and others went in. So I crossed over to see what Brother Baba was. A nice surprise for me was it was another amazing coffee shop. It was dim lit inside with some communal seating but my eyes were fixated on the seating hanging from the ceiling. I just found it humorous. Just curious on how they got so many to hang in a quirky chaotic way. So clever! I got into a fun chat with one of the workers and I settled for a Fly High chai. They serve Seven Seeds which I like. I came in a second time and had a Piccolo and a 3rd time for a flat white. Their coffee is yum! Being in this type of ambience where it feels part hipster, part local artsy and part speak easy just puts an exclamation on the fact that I am so far away from San Diego I luv it. Great experience having a quality cup of coffee or chai here. Friendly, fun, chill. Come as you are coz they except you just the way you are. The workers are patient if you don't know what you want to order yet. You can sit down but I preferred just to hangout and stand around and take it all in. What a cool little spot on Little Bourke. Mel M Yelp 20:28

Always Nice coffee with friends. Welcome, staff all the time beautifully decorated. Defo recommended.

Cute little coffee store with cool decor and amazing coffee. The coffee culture in Melbourne continues to amaze me. There's a coffee shop around every corner and everyone brings their reusable cups (other than tourists like myself of course) and wait outside for their delicious coffee while chatting with friends. Absolutely love it!

Excellent coffee, phenomenal taste and a nice little setting at the heart of CBD. The coffee is rich and flavorful, the baristas are warm and welcoming. Must visit.

Their coffee was strong and had such a good distinct flavor! It was the pick me up we needed as we were touring the city of Melbourne on foot after lunch put us in a bit of a food coma. It's a small coffeeshop that is always overflowing with people cause of how popular they are. A good stop while you're in the city for sure.

The choice was between Seven Seeds, and Brother Baba Budan, another popular cafe that serves Seven Seeds coffee - and well, I chose this one. I decided against Seven Seeds Cafe, as I've heard mixed reviews about how they serve their coffee... The place was decorated with fresh flowers, which I liked, and although a small little cafe, there were lots of chairs. Speaking of chairs...their ceiling is also lined with chairs! It's no longer novel to decorate with chairs on walls and ceilings, and although it made me a little apprehensive, it's an interesting and memorable idea. I had a regular latte, as I wanted to compare it to other lattes I'd had on this trip. The latte was smooth, and not quite as aromatic as the one at Market Lane Cafe, but it was less acidic, and possibly better. The latte wasn't bad in any way, just a bit disappointing. If I was in Melbourne CBD, I would probably return, but it just wasn't perfect! Maybe it was the barista, maybe it was just bad luck, but the one thing I do know is it's probably the best espresso you can get on a weekend in the city!

Thick & creamy flat white with nice smiles I ever had and made my rainy day better!

Phenomenal Seven Seeds coffee. This is a drastic (but welcome) contrast to the bright, clean, hip cafes in Melbourne and is instead more cozy, a little darker, still hip. Flat white, long black, and iced coffee were all lovely. I came back before leaving town and the staff were super happy to help me choose some beans to bring home with me, which I really appreciated.

My strong latte using the Colombian blend was near perfect. Not a hint of acidic aftertaste. No need for any sugar. My peanut butter and caramel slice was also great.

I was looking after a good coffee place something different than the coffee network I usually go. After some researches I decided to go there... And I was not disappointed, service was fast, staff friendly and decoration is pretty funny. I ordered a Latte for 4.5$ (small glass) I often take away so I don't know but it might be a little expensive. Taste was good though, I really enjoyed it. I only have 2 reproaches : - The place is really small, I took my coffee inside but there is not a lot of seat and I guess you might have to wait when it get more busy. - No Wi-FI. It is not the place where you to bring your computer and take your coffee while working or doing other stuff, or even chill. At least not around 3:20 as a lot of people are coming and some of them want to drink inside, I felt like I should let my seat to someone else once my coffee finished, I should go probably it is better when less busy. If you are on a rush or you are the kind of person to take away otherwise I would definitively recommend this place. Fast, friendly staff and good coffee, and well located it worth a visit or severals.

Great busy coffee place that is always busy. Managed to get a seat at the huge share table. Ordered 2 flat whites - they use seven seeds coffee beans - so the coffee tastes good. It's pretty cool that this place has chairs hanging from the ceiling, it adds a cool hipster element feel to it :)

The coffee is reliably good here and there is a good selection of cakes and pastries too. The lemon & blueberry tin is delicious with a flat white. This is a perch-on-a-stool or at the communal table type of place and has a lovely, convivial buzz about it. Don't forget to check out the ceiling decor!

This small spot is popular for a reason - their coffee is exceptional. There aren't many places to sit but most people are taking things to go so you can usually find an open stool. The latte was perfect! And they clearly sell a lot of beans.

Years ago, Brother Baba Budan was one of the few cafes in Melbourne that serve quality speciality coffee. Nowadays, there's so many speciality cafes in Melbourne CBD. So why is Brother Baba Budan still a popular coffee destination in Melbourne? Brother Baba Budan continues to serve consistent quality specialty coffee whilst being very efficient. They make sure they get your coffee right and within a short period of time so you won't be late for that morning meeting with your boss. You'll be satisfied whether you decide to get a flat white, latte, soy chai latte or filter. If you really like their coffee, Seven Seeds coffee beans is available for purchase. It's a small place, so seating area is limited to a communal table and a side table. There's a better chance of getting a seat on a morning weekday than on a Saturday morning. They don't serve brunch/breakfast, only pastry of the day kind of thing. Brother Baba Budan is still a popular coffee destination in Melbourne CBD for two main reasons: 1. Quality coffee 2. Efficient service I'll leave it at that since the number of positive reviews speaks for itself. Go Brother Baba Budan!

Full of people In a small room. Seven seeds brand beams. Taste a little bit strong to me. But i like the feeling with coffee In a Full of people room. The decorations In the shop are so unique. I love it!

Went there for cappuccinos and a hot chocolates for take-away for me and my friends. 3 cappuccinos and 1 hot chocolate took just 5 minutes and I was ready to go. They tasted very delicious and are part of the best cappuccinos we drank in Australia.

Dropped in for a coffee after hearing many great things. I was not disappointed, this small coffee shop packed a huge punch. Friendly and fast BBB turned out one of the best soy lattes I've had in Melbourne city to date. The focus is on the coffee with a small selection of pastries from Brioche by Philip if you've got a sweet tooth. Highly recommend and will be back.

A tiny coffee spot in what is fast becoming a happening cafe strip in the CBD (Little Bourke Street), BBB pumps out delicious coffee thanks to exceptional beans from parent company Seven Seeds and baristas who take pride in their work. You'll sit elbow to elbow with other caffeine addicts, which for me is all part of the charm of this place. It's not a place to sit for hours, but somewhere to perch for 10-20 minutes while you get your fix. These kids know their stuff, so when it's a little quieter, ask one of the awesome baristas about their Single Origin of the day which they will prepare on the Clover filter for you. If you're really keen, get some beans to take home.

Brother Baba Budan makes great coffee. I'm always happy to visit here and enjoy a good latte. In addition to the great coffee, the venue itself is pretty cool. Look up when you go inside: the ceiling is decorated with old wooden chairs. Seating is provided by a large square communal table that seats roughly a dozen, plus several small sections of bar seating.

Just a 2.7 for me on today's experience. It's a small but funky little place. I received a moderately pleasant greeting and ordered my large long black. The cup size was disappointing and half the serve you get in most other places including those with a similar coffee pedigree that this establishment has. Seven seeds coffee apparently here but that doesn't guarantee a top brew. This was not a great coffee for mine. It was a bit bitter and unsatisfying overall. Not what I was after. I may have just caught this place on a bad day but to me it says a lot when the server and barista are more into themselves than the customers.

Chairs on the ceiling, cool music, great vibe, a Synesso coffee machine, and Seven Seeds beans. #winning ! I have been going to Brother Baba for years now, and even when I worked at the other end of the city I would make it my morning-mission to have a brisk walk down to this gem. To these guys, it's ALL about the coffee. They know what they are doing in this regard, hands down. Everyone should try BBBs coffee at least once; in fact, put it on your bucket list.

It looks like this guys must've thought of a very big space and bought lots of chairs before knowing they occupy a really small space. Having nowhere else to put them, they decided to hang them on the ceiling. The thought of a small space become a non issue once you manage to grab a chair and enjoy the amazing job this guys are doing at making their coffee. So don't take a football team for lunch, whenever nearby, get in, take a coffee, sit, enjoy and like me you know, write a review about how amazing this place. I know you will like this place and appreciate what they do.

Seven seeds coffee has always been one of my Favorite caffeine dealers and so it's great to have their beans available in the city from a team that really know how to extract the most from each of them. In short: your coffee will be delicious. This place is always incredibly busy but don't be scared and hang around in the doorway, lock eyes with some staff and let them know how many seats you need or your takeaway order. I would suggest never coming here with more than 3 people. They just don't have the room. Also just coffee and some cakes, they don't do cafe food.

Cute and hippy. Interesting decor as many have noted. Reminds me of the speak easy in Budapest but without the alcohol. The place is tiny but service delightful. Great coffee but chai latte wasn't great.

Brother Baba Bundan, the only coffee shop that treats chairs like ceiling decor rather than for it's traditional uses, is a fantastic cafe located on Little Burke street. Its vibe and interior decoration is well and truly awesome and is a great spot for a nice sit down after a stressful morning, or in my case after a great gaming sesh at C4 Lan Cafe. There are plenty of great aspects of this cafe to talk about, such as the coffees and the products they sell, but there's really one aspect that I appreciate the most having visited BBB (Brother Baba Budan) and that is the communal table. If you've read any of the reviews currently on Yelp about BBB, the common trend of 'the communal table' keeps appearing. It is actually and most probably one of the coolest factors of BBB, as having a table where you're not isolated to your own personal space you get the amazing opportunity to meet new people. However, if you're not quite the social butterfly, like me, having a communal table is still pretty cool. The space between people isn't in the awkward range and it just gives the table a sense of community without having that awkward feeling of being with strangers. The coffees are not bad either! The cup that was presented to me had just the right amount of milk and froth. BBB also sports their own coffee blend. I'm not too sure whether or not they used it for my particular cup I ordered but if it is then I can confidently say it's worth buying a bag to grind at home. This is definitely a cafe worth visiting. It's got a brilliant sense of community with a handful of rustic interior decor. The communal table makes for a relaxing environment to have a chat with your friends, family or even strangers. My only problem? Yes. There is a problem. There's no sign outside, which makes this shop easy to miss. This definitely should not be the case for a cafe of this calibre.

A nice little nook in the corner with pleasant staff and delicious expressos. I saw the good reviews and tracked this coffee shop down during my visit from California. The flat white was made exactly how I like it!!

Lovely quirky decor, friendly chatty staff, and good coffee to boot. You can buy so many coffee blends here as well. Highly recommended!

Walking inside Brother Baba Bhutan you realise that your world was just literally turned upside down. Although it is easy to find a very good cup of coffee in Melbourne, to find a really good cup can sometimes be a challenge. If you work in the city or are just a shopaholic you will be happy to know that this little boutique coffee shop will always make a very good cup of coffee. Don't forget to bring your keep cup as they don't have much seating and you might have to drink on the run.

This place is amazing. I've had Seven Seeds before at home, but damn they do a good job with a bag of beans in a brew basket! Tight for space but full of character. The staff are friendly, the coffee is reasonably priced, and you WILL travel here for just one cup. Check if out, or you haven't experienced Melbourne yet.

Chairs hanging from the ceiling? Check. Tattooed baristas? Check. A small, cosy space with loads of wood? Check. Decent coffee? Not so much. Maybe it's because in part I've had such high expectations for the coffee in self-declared coffee capital of the world, Melbourne. But in truth, the flat white here was markedly worse than the excellent one I had at humble Cafe Quince in Clifton Hill and clearly worse than the decent places in London. Quite simply, I couldn't really taste the coffee - no richness, no depth. Disappointing. The staff were really friendly and service was quick. But unfortunately that didn't make my coffee taste any better.

Love the different flavours of the coffee! Incredibly friendly service, too. We came in, ordered 2 long blacks and the barista asked if we want to try the coffee of the day for the beans. We said yes, he explained that it was from Guatemala and told us some stuff about it. We sat down, poured ourselves some water, and within no time at all the coffee was ready. Beautiful, thick crema, unique flavours and we were even given a little flavour profile card explaining the different notes. Fantastic experience, I wish there were more coffee shops like this around! (don't forget to try the donuts, they're delicious. We went for this cheesecake donut, and it was perfect).

The reason why five stars were given was not due to the coffee, which while I am not even a self proclaimed coffee expert, did not sit well with my palate. I found it to have an acidic, burnt after taste. However, each and every one of the five stars was earned by the chocolate chip brioche. Never in my life have I enjoyed a pastry with as much gusto as I did this bun. Each chocolate chip was place the perfect distance from the next, thus only adding the bittersweet flavour rather than overwhelming it. Brioche it self was baked to perfection. There was no hard crust, it had a beautiful deeptan and the flesh flacked in a way reminiscent of a well made croissant. Congrats to the baker, I will be thinking of you creation...

This place is my local in the city, love how fast the coffee is and how it's always consistent. The staff have got to a point where they see me in the line and already have my coffee ready so when I get to the till all I have to do is tap my card, grab my coffee and walk out. Legends, they must be memorising 1000's of people's coffees per day. Cakes are delish but I'm a glutard now so can't have them any more.

Dope coffee. It's pretty hyped up but it's worth it. I wasn't disappointed. Definitely one of my go-tos in the city.

Stepped in craving a coffee and received a Sub-par almond latte for $5. When I crave coffee it's relatively easy to make me happy. Guys, 711 coffee makes me happy when I crave coffee. I become some sort of coffee harlot. But this place did not make me happy. And it cost five dollars, which is at least a dollar over the average. Can confirm that the increased cost was not invested on tech; cup did not levitate, nor was it some kind of bottomless cup which refills itself once empty. It was just expensive, bitter and ordered in a super cramped humidity box.

Awesome coffee - always a pleasure to find people who not only have good coffee but know what they're talking about and passionate about a good brew too!

If I worked in the CBD, Brother Baba Budan would probably be my first stop after getting off the train in the morning. The coffee's great (well we're talking about seven seeds after all, aren't we?..), the guys are nice and the place is pretty cool with its wooden chairs attached to the ceiling. The place is named after Baba Budan (who apparently smuggled seven seeds coffee out of Yemen and into India during the 17th century) and you'll find it at the corner Little Bourke and Elizabeth Streets. It's pretty small and gets jam-packed, especially in the mornings but it's definitely worth the wait to get your cuppa..... and probably a pastry as well.

Very good coffee, it's a great option you can choose to do 1/2 sugar. Best to take out - limited seating inside and no WiFi.