Ask any Australian which is the best café in Melbourne and most of them will direct you to Proud Mary.

The Collingwood café has achieved a lot over the past seven years; it was ranked as Melbourne’s Best Café in 2012 by The Age Good Food Guide and most recently, it was ranked as Australia’s second best cafe by review site Beanhunter.

Proud Mary is more than just a coffee shop. The household name has evolved tremendously and today, it is also a coffee educator, a coffee retailer and a coffee roaster. Founder Nolan Hirte makes it a point to visit the coffee producers annually to maintain a sustainable working relationship.

Proud Mary is packed daily as eager patrons flock to the backstreets of Collingwood to get their brunch and caffeine fix. The queue is notorious and if you cannot wait, do call to make a reservation. However, do note that bookings are accepted only on weekdays.

Start your day with a Flat White (A$3.80) or a Nitrogen Infused Cold Brew (A$6). The beans used to prepare your coffee are on a rotational basis—simply refer to the current coffee showcase menu to understand where your coffee comes from.

The speciality coffee café also takes its food very seriously. Ingredients are primarily local and vegan options are available. Treat yourselves to Pork On Ya Fork (A$21.50) or Butterscotch Hotcakes (A$18.50).

Should you be interested to learn the ropes from Proud Mary’s baristas, you could register your interest for coffee classes too. Courses range from a two-hour An Introduction To Grading Green Bean Coffee class to a two-day Barista Boot Camp.

Proud Mary
172 Oxford St
Collingwood VIC 3066
Tel: +61 3 9417 5930
Mon to Fri: 7am – 4pm
Sat and Sun: 8am – 4pm
Nearest Tram Station: Hodgson St/Smith St