Auction Rooms / North Melbourne

Auction Rooms has been known to deliver the best coffee in Melbourne. It was a small trek – located in North Melbourne, a quiet area that didn’t seem to have much to offer.

Upon arrival, I immediately knew it was going to be a cool café by the cute little tea pots, rustic wooden tables, and the bunch of hippie staff.

A beautiful conversion of the old WB Auction House, the Auction Rooms has a beautiful rustic feeling with the smell of delicious coffee and a touch of nature.

Lovely open space with invigorating natural light. The ambiance was peaceful, the service was friendly and lucky for us - it wasn’t too busy. People have said you have to line up for hours to get a seat. 

They have a great selection of drinks, coffee and alcohol. They stop serving the coffee after 5pm and move towards the stiffer drinks. Unfortunately I didn’t stay that late. The menu also offers great food with a unique spin on everything. I wanted everything. 

After a delicious espresso cappuccino, I had to give their filter coffee’s a try. They had some very cool Japanese baristas working their magic in their laboratory. I tried a couple of different Syphon coffee’s, one called “Falda Grande” and the other: “Golden Ticket.” Both by Small Batch, delicious and served perfectly.

The Falda Grande was light and smooth while The Golden Ticket had a fruity punch, balanced by a fuller body and sweetness. I preferred the Golden Ticket, mostly because it had a cooler name.

House made banana and walnut bread with espresso butter and maple syrup. Served lusciously soft, this was probably the best banana bread I have ever tasted. The espresso butter definitely brought this dish up to a whole new level.

Salmon on house-made rosti and kale. I really enjoyed this dish, especially the kale. It added fabulosity.

I noticed they had some delicious looking cakes/slices too. I didn’t get anything as I saw a few flies trying to devour them which put me off, plus I felt fat enough already.

The Auction Rooms has excellent coffee, great food, and amazing Aesop hand soap in the bathroom! Definitely worth the trek, i’ll be back to try more.

View ForkSake in a larger map