I love St Ali. It's big enough for large groups (there were six of us for coffee this arvo) but with cozy nooks and crannies so it doesn't feel impersonal. Today was warm so they had all the doors open and it was cool and breezy inside. I had a fliter coffee which was lovely, and among our group most of us were happy with what we got. The only complaint was that the chai latte my mum ordered was warm enough to scull straight down, which she's not a fan of. Pretty quick service and friendly staff, too. Will definitely be back again! read more

St Ali - Filter coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - South Melbourne, VIC

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You really can't go wrong with St Ali. It's popular and for a reason. The coffee is always great as is the food. I've been here many times since I first moved to this part of Melbourne and haven't had a bad experience yet. Service is always good, and the ambiance is very cool. The exterior is very unassuming without much signage and on a side street, but the place opens up as you walk inside. I'll certainly keep coming back, and would recommend it! read more

St Ali consistently fails to live up to its reputation as one Melbourne's best coffee joints. As a fan of cold coffee, I feel St Ali's isn't as full-bodied and strong as those brewed by their counterparts; especially Industry Beans and Seven Seeds. In Melbourne there seems to be a competition to see who can have the boldest presentation. St Ali serves cold coffee in brown beer bottles, which apart from the novelty, isn't worth ordering twice. I'd resist being up-sold and order the cold drip or cold brew, which have a lot more flavour and distinct characteristics. Their food menu is complex and contains a lot of options - catering well to vegetarians. Savoury dishes are the highlight, and a lot more value for money than the sweet dishes. I'd recommend avoiding the pancakes (which are very dry) and going for the Mexican fritters or hash cakes. Sadly the biggest disappointment at St Ali is the service. Some staff seem to struggle during busy periods and unfortunately offload their stress and impatience on to their customers. I would recommend going during the week, or for an early weekend brunch (before 10am). read more

A little hard to find (or my Google map skills are lacking) but worth the effort. Crowded on a Saturday morning but was quickly accommodated at the communal table in the middle. Poached eggs on toasted sourdough were what you'd expect from, well, poached eggs, but the accompanying avocado and feta smash helped it a lot. Worth the $5 up charge. Several other veg items, and at least one vegan offering. Latte was very good, as good as any I've had in Melbourne. Service was efficient if fairly impersonal - more a factor of being busy, I think. Overall, well worth the visit. read more

There's a reason why this place gets such great reviews and was on EATER. It's hidden down one of the ally ways but has such a sweet ambience and is much bigger than I was expecting. I only got a flat white and a Detox juice when I was here but both were great and I'll definitely be back to check out the menu. read more

St Ali - Flat with with almond milk & Detox Juice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - South Melbourne, VIC

Great great coffee, I had a cold drip coffee which was strange but a new experience nonetheless. Then later on I had a latte, how very common huh? That went down well with the eggs on toast I had. We sat out in the front open-covered area, with the summer sun pouring in on us as we had our brunch. People queue to get in, but amazingly this place turns over customers pretty quick and I like to think my good looks got me my table quick haha. I suppose while you can linger it isn't the place for a long brunch or long catch up over coffee so be warned. Service is really good, the staff are cute and take the time to talk to you. I've seen families with young children but I won't recommend that as its noisy and crowded. Hipster count rates OFF the hipster-Geiger meter, so put on your outfit like you just don't care and strut right over. read more

I'm perhaps the only one, but I'm not a fan of the coffee at St Ali - I find the coffee too weak (heresy, right?). The food, however, makes up for it. For starters, the names are just so adorably whimiscal! I've had the My Mexican cousin, which are the corn fritters served with poached eggs and haloumi. The corn fritters are more substantial and thicker than the thin pancake-like corn fritters I've had elsewhere (kind of like a semi squished tennis ball in size and shape, but smaller) which I prefer. The eggs were poached well. The only critique was that the serving of haloumi was small, and has gotten stingier over time. My favourite dish was the Mexican Second cousin (sadly no longer on the menu - if you're reading this St Ali, please bring the primo secondo back!) - poached eggs on cream corn, served on toast with a bit of salad - perfection right there. The desserts. Ah. I still go on and on about the white chocolate lemon curd lamington I had here. So. Freaking. Delicious. Unfortunately it makes only random appearances in St Ali's dessert cabinet. With the service, yes, it can be slightly patchy and the waiters can get a bit frazzled, but I've had no real problems here. Sometimes you have to give the waiters some slack for being run off their feet, serving dozens of customers. The negatives? Well, if you turn up during the prime brunching times on the weekend, you're bound to have to wait (but then, you have to wait at most other places). The vibe can be a bit too cool at times. And it is on the expensive side for brunch. But St Ali is still a place I would definitely return to and recommend to friends for that quintessential Melbourne brunch experience. read more

Hidden away is this amazing Gem. Speechless. I have now been back 3 times this week as the menu is stunning, offers a great range to keep you going and then you see the ever changing specials board! The staff are amazing and they know there food inside and out. So they sit you these communal tables, I met some pretty cool people there, now it is a bit hipster but hey you are going to a cafe down an ally way in an old mechanics shop. What do you expect! The coffee is fantastic, one of the best Ive had for a while and they sell the beans also. So glad I went and tried something different on the menu, was definitely worth it. Get your but down to this awesome cafe, you won't regret it. read more

I am so glad we made it to St. Ali during a weekend getaway! OK, so after two juices, two coffees, two breakfasts, and a take away bag of ground beans for home, we were out $70, but it was one of those times I was ok paying that for breakfast. You could get out for about 21-25 a person, but we splurged. I had the "My Mexican Cousin", a juice, and the 1 and 1 coffee (a cappuccino, and an espresso). The espresso is passed through a paper filter eliminating any grounds or sediment in your cup, leaving you with a pure, beautiful espresso shot. What a start to breakfast! My partner had the "Koo coo ca chu", a juice, and a flat white. We had a 20 minute wait for a table, which was just fine. I lose my patience at 30 minutes. Funky decor, music for 20 somethings, but the food is what to go for! And the coffee. Dont miss this place. read more

Beautiful coffee. Great vibe. I had the "Mexican Cousin" for breakfast and it was just WEIRD. That being said, I want to go back and try something else because this place gets amazing reviews and everyone I know who's been LOVES it! read more

Yep. I was recommended by a friend who once lived in the area and I now owe him a coffee - you did good kemosabe! Great coffee, chilled decor (AKA lack of decor, AKA sah South Melbourne), and pleasant food. We had the KooKoo Ca Choo and the My Mexican Cousin dishes. The KKCC looked and tasted delightful. The texture of the Mushrooms with the Pesto was lovely, and the Poached Egg was runny and full of free range flavour. My Mexican Cousin was a little cold, but still delicious. I added the smashed Avo which complimented the dish superbly - it's a surprise they hadn't added it in the first place? No signage (sah South Melbourne), so if you can find it--try it! read more

I know, I know. As soon as people start reviewing places online, it does tend to ruin them. This already has HG (holy grail) status in Melbourne, so I can't do much more damage. The coffee here is fabulous, BUT, I'm sure you don't know about their dinner menu. They've only just started serving dinner in the last year. The food is fabulous, not too expensive for a mid-week catch up and the service is great. Go for dinner, so you won't have to compete with the Saturday morning breakfast crowds! read more

Solid coffee. Fluctuates between very good and not brilliant; quite a bit of variation from visit to visit. Vibrant, energetic crowd who are blatantly excited to be experiencing some renowned food and coffee. Well located in South Melbourne. read more

It's busy; It's loud; It's great. What can I say that hasn't already been said? Since I got a home espresso machine I have been buying their beans so that I can have the 'St Ali' flavor at home any time I like. Are you jealous now? Both the Chompy and Champion blends make great cappuccinos. read more

You know some place is really good while you are enjoying the almost perfect "My Mexican Cousin" but at the same time your eyes are savouring the looks and smell of other people's burgers and other dishes. I absolutely fell in love with "my Mexican cousin", but at the same time I know that I am going to eat one if those burgers. Can't wait for the next time. That's what makes this place so special. Did I say the coffee was amazing,and the customer service, and the setting, and the location. Sorry, I just can't stop. I am going to stop now. read more

Local friends took us here, as it is in a back street and not obvious to find. Great place for breakfast or lunch, the winter special Porridge with quince was amazing and very reasonably priced $16. Breakfast for 4 ended up at $90, not bad at all! Staff is very friendly, service is prompt and efficient. read more

Fantastic coffee!!!! Great balance. Very fast and efficient service. Wonderful industrial ambience and feel read more

St Ali - Coffee & Tea Near Me - South Melbourne, VIC

Such a nice place to have brunch on the weekdays or weekend but weekdays is less busy if you're not willing to wait for a table. If you're a coffee drinker then this place is for you. They make extremely good coffee and for a non coffee drinker i've tasted it and quiet like it. That means something right? I really like the corn fritters here as corn is one of my favourite things to eat. Friendly staff is always a good thing read more

St Ali - Coffee & Tea Near Me - South Melbourne, VIC

This is a great place to meet friends for a chill and chitchat at any time of day (all day breakfast, yes please!). The setting is pure Melbourne laneway cool, with its warehousey setup and mismatching chairs and tables. As for the food? My friend and I thought the flavours were very well done and much to our liking - not too oily and not heavy-handed with the salt. She had a breakfast-type dish with rocket, a potato cake, shredded mushroom, and a poached egg. I had the "Mama Antoinette", a pasta exclusive to St Ali South (i.e. not served at their new North location) with fettuccine, capsicum, olives and pecorino cheese. We tried each other's dishes so I can say that both were good. Drinks - I had a Pipsqueak cider for $8 which was pretty reasonable. I'm not a coffee drinker myself, but my friend enjoyed her cuppa. My #1 criticism? Yes it was delicious, but for $19, that pasta serving was tiny. I've had bigger pasta portions for the same price at 'proper restaurants'! I really think if you come to St Ali, the all-day breakfast dishes are the way to go. read more

We liked the food very much. I ate a muesli with burnt figs which was lovely. There are a lot of different breakfast types to choose from and the all sound great. You can tell by the menu that the chefs make a big effort to stand out and make their food special. The servers are also very attentive, friendly and helpful. Cool location. Improve: The portions are way too small. Compared to other breakfast places we passed afterwards the prices are very very high. The cups that the tea and coffee are served in are very difficult to hold and way too small (handels are tiny). For the food this would be a 4.5-5, however the price point and small portions are a big big negative for me. This recommendation was written by Katrin S. If you enjoyed my recommendation, I'd appreciate a "helpful" or "cool" given. read more

I was skeptical to try this place again, been once before, and the food was lacking, I gave it another shot because it was convenient, and I'm really glad I did. They've massively improved their food offerings and expanded their menu. The meal was a decent size and the coffee was fantastic, I will be returning! read more

St Ali - Koo Koo Ca Choo. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - South Melbourne, VIC

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It's hard to maintain disdain for Monday, en route to a South Melbourne office, when liquid gold from the spouts of St. Ali grace the morning. As though the non-locals are aware, the coffee rush seems to boom after 8:45am, allowing the patrons surrounding the area enough time to duck in, place a takeaway order with a friendly, preppy employee and settle in for 5 minute pause while the brewers work their magic. The food surely reaches the heights of their coffee, and a multitude of St. Ali supported events plaster the glammed up warehouse walls. Glowing Apples line two-people and share tables, though the noise level rises through the morning, the hip vibe, smooth tunes and exotic patronage make St. Ali an incubator of creativity. Note: share tables also welcome cycling buddies, 9am huddles and golden oldies catching up over sourdough toast, cultured butter and hot black coffee. A true gem of the South. read more

Haven't been here in years and it was just as good as I remember. Excellent service, perfect coffee (flavour, temp and quality) and homely fitout. Probably not my wisest choice to have a business phone call as the music is always just a little too loud, but my problem not theirs. read more

It's not wrong to want to sit here all day and try the full menu is it? I'm currently eating the coconut sago but drooling over all the other dishes that are flying past me. Have to be careful not to drool into the coffee as that is also pretty amazing Did I me took the Jimi Hendrix colouring in sheet for the kiddies? Totally fitting read more

Great coffee and great food. One of the best in south side. The music and staff are pretty cool, the building looks great tucked away down a side alley. read more

Down an alley, you don't expect what you get. The food is great, the coffee is roasted in house and the service is what you expect of a packed Melbourne cafe... Efficient and always on the move. read more

Balsamic reduction...ulgggggh. I thought that the Homer Simpson drooling noise was more than suitable for something this good. I wish I could buy it by the bottle. Melbourne is by far the best place in the world. This saying comes to mind time and time again when I think of places like St Ali. Whether you are laughing at the quirky menu or the fun wait staff, enjoying a perfect cuppa Joe (why Joe?) or coming back for the tenth time to try another meal from the menu, the word perfection will come to mind. read more

Headed specially to South Melbourne on my last Melbourne trip to try out this place after it was recommended, and it didn't disappoint. I had the Mexican Cousin and it was the best! So much tastiness, would love to know the name of the sauce. The only downside was that the meals took quite awhile to arrive (Monday lunchtime), and because we were sitting facing the kitchen, it was tough to see waiters picking up plates, then walking straight past us. I also had the chai tea, which wasn't quite spicy enough for my liking. read more

hipster flat white, industrial vibe, can draw lots of classic comparisons of Melbourne and SF.

A cult Melbourne favourite and with good reason, St. Ali inspires a rare kind of devotion in Melbourne's foodies that is presumably attributable to the Holy Triumvirate of its incredible coffee, delicious menu and really quite awesome interior design. Nestled on the back streets of South Melbourne not far from the area's excellent market, St. Ali literally buzzes with excitement and is so heavily patronized that the people behind St. Ali have been forced to open a pop up coffee shop opposite to keep their disciples caffeinated. I visited St. Ali for a much-needed breakfast after one too many cocktails the night before and although the place was positively teeming, we were seated within a matter of minutes. St. Ali's coffee is predictably great, its menu so good you need another coffee to tide you over while you choose, and the food superb. I opted for a 'Chickadee', or chicken burger replete with whole chicken thigh, bacon, avocado and chipotle mayonnaise which was gorgeous and, - rarely for me - almost too big to finish. Next time I'm in South Melbourne you'll find me propping up the - espresso - bar at St. Ali. Amen to that. read more

At first glance you may think that St. Ali's is another South Melbourne trendy cafe. You would be correct of course. But then again 'trendy' probably doesn't nearly begin describing this place. Maybe try 'coffee-mad gastronome hang out' and you will get closer. St. Ali's are obsessed with coffee. Of course they roast their own and enter themselves in worldwide prestigious competitions such as the 'cup of excellence'. They also have an array of funky machines hanging out the back of their cafe all to do with extracting extra flavour from coffee. Take the bizarre array of scientific looking beaker set-up created to make 'cold drip coffee' (apparently you get more flavour this way) or the fact that they source their coffee directly (no middleman) from about 10 different countries around the world. But I am digressing. Because this is all stuff you will probably never see or try (at least I haven't). What does matter is the fact that of course their food and coffee are great. And I hear that the degustation dinner menu is worth a try - it is next on my list I assure you. read more

I've been here a few times an could not stop raving about it. This is such a great little spot with a fantastic vibe about it. Whether you pop in for a coffee to go or peg yourself amongst the decor of milk crates and wooden wheeled tables, St Ali's menu will leave you feeling satisfied. The staff are a little on the quirky side but they know how to make good coffee and they are always friendly. read more

St Ali - Coffee & Tea Near Me - South Melbourne, VIC

If you're happy to pay $25-30 for a breakfast dish (albeit a very good breakfast dish) then this is the place for you! Coffee is great - not at all surprising - but like everything else it's on the pricey side Service is speedy and good. Food comes out pretty quickly, even on the weekend. You can expect quality food here. The avocado cheesecake will impress the health conscious among us. I, on the other hand, prefer something with hash browns, eggs and other delicious fattening items. Yum. The downsides: price (did I mention that?) and the lines. And the hipsters. Sorry. read more

I liked you before you were famous! This place used to be great but then word got out and now it's shit. That sounds pretentious, and it probably is, but it's true. Their service has gone down hill, the menu is all different and highly over priced. They've moved coffee paraphernalia to fit in more tables and the crowd has changed from early morning good coffee hunters, musicians, artists and intellectuals to uninteresting-parents-pay-their-way-students more concerned with the perfect Instagram filter than the people sitting in front of them. Oooo I've got my judgey face on!!! The coffee is still good though, so get takeaway? read more

Very Glad I decided to try St after reading the reviews. Really good coffee, perfect eggs, good service and illmatic playing at 7am on a Monday morning was the perfect way to start the week. They have won me! read more

Burnt coffee + stale sourdough + $$$ = disappointing. Recommended by several friends, I was excited to try it out. Loved the venue, loved the music, loved the cool kid hipster vibe. So disappointed. read more

Really great for coffee but a bit of a let down in terms of the food. I've eaten there twice and on both occasions, I wasn't blown away. There are definitely better brunch spots out there. On a positive note, I must say I can't stop coming back for the coffee!!! I've bought coffee beans from them several times to brew at home and I'm never disappointed read more

Excellent coffee. This is one of my favourite places in Melbourne. Comfortable seating options and down to earth staff.

Just all around lovely. Excellent coffee, excellent food, and helpful, smiling, unpretentious service. If you're going with kids, they do have high chairs, and can make a child sized portion of some menu items (i.e. one plain pancake). read more

Pleasant place. Had some kind of poached egg and veg dish that was good. Coffee was good, not great, served warm, not hot, but I find this the norm in Melbourne. I asked for cream and was brought a little container of something that appeared curdled. When stirred into the coffee it came up in lumps, as curdled cream does. Told the waiter, who consulted with the barista, then was told that's how it's supposed to be. I had a regular black coffee that arrived warm. Sorry, not good enough. read more