A hidden gem, literally, I stumbled in on it by going through the wine bar next door and was drawn by the music. The green smoothie was excellent, as was the gluten free toast. Looking forward to coming here again to try out main dishes. The vibe is what really caught me. With large tables big enough to seat 10 people, it's a great spot to meet up with friends or to make new ones. There are plenty of smaller tables as well and even a side room where you can feel more secluded. Good for working, reading, chatting, eating or just coffee drinking. read more

Delicious food and a great atmosphere. Perfect place to take your laptop and get some work done! Staff are delightful and it feels relaxing to be there. I started with coffee and moved to a couple of wines before I left. read more

My cousin didn't lie when she said Melbourne is known for having fantastic coffee and St. Ali was no exception. The modern decor, wooden seats and laid back staff only made me fall in love with Melbourne all the more. I could really go back for another cup of their soy cappuccino, and if, and when I do get another chance to return to the city I've fallen in love with, I'll have to try their menu items. I hear it's superb! While I didn't get to have anything savory, I couldn't help ordering a dessert solely because of the below menu caption: Sweet Treats All emotional eating carbohydrate fixes are baked by little bertha and sugadeaux cupcakes and are displayed deliberately at the counter to trigger impulse purchases Seriously, how can anyone NOT order a dessert after reading that silly, sweet message?! It sure worked on me and shared a wonderfully baked banana raspberry bread with almonds. Oh St Ali, you're such a charmer. read more

I am glad I waited a few weeks to write my review as at the time I thought the meal was generous and tasty but didn't expect to spend my days dreaming about the sticky caramel sauce and creamy banana filling to my fluffy waffles - clearly I have been as the addition of various adjectives suggests. I thought the modern set up nothing new, Three bags full, pillar of salt, proud mary....yawn. It was a bitter, harsh day which didn't do the bare floors any favours, it was cold and lacking warmth both in temperature and in ambience. So it was with disappointment that I sipped the cold coffee, desperate for something to open my mind, warm my heart (and allow me to take off my gloves). The meal was quite spectatular but has taken my reflection on the meal for me to come to this conclusion. I'll revisit on a kind day where my instant aprehension is soothed and perhaps, St Ali, you may reach 5 stars. Forgive me, St Ali, and my haste in drawing such premature conclusions about your value as a breakfast venue. read more

Food and vibe was ok!! I had been waiting to go to this place for awhile!! Enjoyed my coconut sago but my bf burger was covered in too much sauce! Looked like a whopper from hungry jacks and not worth the $21.50! Food was over priced for what it was! STAFF WERE SOOOOO RUDE!! Coffee was average. Not worth the wait. To busy trying to make money and not concerned about their customers experience! Overall I wouldn't go back or recommend it!! read more

Having heard a lot about Melbourne being the best coffee city in Australia my expectations were pretty high. St Ali did however manage to meet them. I had an excellent cold drip of and also the Kenyan as a Syphoon. I am usually not that in to coffee as a cold drink but when it is 40+ degrees (Celsius that is so for those who need Fahrenheit it is 104 or so) outside I can try it. Really liked it, but will stick to coffee as warm beverage. The coffee is excellent the food is also good although I would expect most people come here for the coffee. Staff were really helpful in providing advice on other place to visit for great coffee (more reviews will follow). read more

Put this place on your map when checking out the best of Melbourne. A perfect stop for breakfast with some amazing dishes and very savoury coffee. It's unique and hipster: very Melbourne. Take mates to impress. read more

What a great ally way coffee shop. We went there on Good Friday for the first time and were surprised at how large the place is. Great music, great coffee and great atmosphere. I look forward to venturing back for their baked goods. read more

coffee is good. food is not. which is a huge shame. i have been coming here on and off for years and the food has gone from great, to ok, to downright bad. the portions are tiny, the flavours really plain and bland and it has now also become so expensive. they are taking the piss out of tourists i think? my meal was the sort of thing a kid serves their mum for breakfast in bed on mother's day. so many great cafes in melbourne, and south melbourne, i'd grab a coffee here and eat elsewhere. read more

I've been a big fan of St Ali for a number of years. Every time when I'm in Melbourne town I will try and pop in for a cup of joe. I was back in Melbourne of the Christmas holidays and the only place that was open during this period was St Ali. Big tick on that especially when the likes of Auction Rooms and Proud Mary were closed over this period. I got myself a large skim latte and it was great as it has always been. One negative is that I paid over $5 for it. I don't pay that much for coffee in New York even if the beans are made from monkey poop. I guess inflationary measures have taken place, but it won't stop me popping by. 4 stars. read more

By far the best Bloody Mary I've ever had!! It definitely is a meal on its own!! Make sure you arnt driving ;)

Brilliant brekky! Very busy though so be prepared to wait a little for a table (worth it though)! Great coffee and fast service. Mmmmm.....yum! read more

Great little place tucked away from the main streets. The coffee is superb, and the food has a very warming feel and taste. I would highly recommend making the small trek to this place if you are in Melbourne. read more

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Good selection of well-presented meals. I want to come back and try all their menu options.

Good for atmosphere, celebrity spotting and coffee, bad for food. Eaten in here a few times and not been impressed. The eggs (My Mexican Cousin) are meant to be the staple dish but both times I've had them they've come out cold and greasy. And served with Haloumi, it's just too heavy/ unbalanced. Go here for a coffee but move on to eat read more

The best part about St Ali is their delicious menu. I LOVE EATING HERE! The Koo koo ca chu was sooo good. The mushroom duxelle (OMG) and the most crispiest golden hash brown ever were a highlight. To top it off they do amazing coffee. However, only decent person on the floor is the manager (who luckily works on the floor). He loves to top up glasses of water and have a chat, very friendly guy. The rest of the waiting staff are rude, look depressed and need a lesson in manners. read more

Hands down, the best breakfast we had in all of Australia. Quality ingredients prepared perfectly at a great spot in South Melbourne. Worth the trip without a doubt. Hoping for a Brooklyn location soon. read more

Love the ambience and the service... Hip service crew and great coffee. Tried luck and it rocks... Full package right here

Love the vibe here. Yes, it's a little hipster, but that's just Melbourne ;) The food is consistently delish, and they update their specials board regularly. The staff are across explaining all of these and are attentive without being ever-present. The coffee is pretty damn good too. One of those places you end up parking up at for that little bit longer over a second coffee....just because! read more

It was quirky, one of a kind, coffee to the core hangout ... now it's just a distance memory ....still above average coffee, sadly lost its edge and the casual pleasant service read more

Following on from good breakfasts and equally good times in the last few months with the highlights being Hardware Sociéte, Three Bags Full and Chez Dré I was told that I would not be considered one of those "cool kids" if I did not attend St Ali in South Melbourne before the years end and of course before I compose my much anticipated "Best of 2012 list" which is forthcoming. St Ali, like the aforementioned fine morning establishements was packed when I presented myself with one other hungry and thirsty soul. The wait time I was advised would be a mere fifteen minutes which passed quickly. The eatery is housed in what appears to be a converted warehouse on a side-street in South Melbourne that shows some of the typical Melbourne "character" that the locals have come to appreciate and almost expect. Metal roller doors act as windows and the loading dock when opened exposes part of the dining room. The place is easy to find if you keep an eye out for a crowd hanging outside a random building on Yarra Place. When our name was called and we were shown to our place at a communal table, the hostess immediately asked if we would be keen to order coffee. I thought that was very efficient as normally you are seated and wait a while for the pleasure. The place had a good vibe with background music that did not intrude, but yet complimented the environment. The staff actually smiled when you dealt with them and everyone in general that worked there looked like they were enjoying themselves which was remarkable if not refreshing in the morning. Posters for the Big Day Out 2013 are affixed to the wall and the menu even has a Big Day Out theme which made me fondly recall concerts from yesteryear, which I thought was fun and convenient enough for those who haven't thought about the forthcoming festival which is touring in January 2013. You have the opportunity to purchase a ticket direct from St Ali along with a premium beef burger for the package price of $165. One stop shopping indeed. The clever menu highlights a breakfast called My Mexican Cousin, which inspired the name of the restaurant at the Melbourne Theatre Company. Despite being intrigued as what could be so delectable that would cause the naming of a restaurant when I also like, I chose the Full Spanglish ($21.50) breakfast which included two eggs cooked at 63c for 63 minutes, house beans, blood sausage, Istra bacon, portobello mushrooms and house-dried tomato on sourdough. Freshly squeezed juices complement the one-source coffee, which lives up to expectations and the plaudits as so many of the "cool kids" that have recommended this place told me to go for the coffee (and to stop walking to St Kilda for my poor alternatives) and I wholeheartedly now agree with them. I may have to start wandering by for takeaway coffee in the new year. Dining in, you are provided a small flask of hot water so you can make, in my case, your long black, as strong (or weak) as you want which I thought was a nice touch. The food was served in a reasonable amount of time and when I requested another long black, it was delivered with a smile. The eggs on the sourdough were great and the blood sausage and gourmet quality bacon complimented them well. Such care was taken with the eggs (or at least it appeared so) that I thought I was holidaying on Hamilton Island at Qualia as that was the last time that eggs have made an impact on me not withstanding fights I had with them as a randy teenager on Halloween. Paypass facilities made payment a quick one when we decided to go and I left feeling not only satisfied but a bit happier compared to when I arrived. For that alone, it was worth the money. I am not sure that the "cool kids" will consider me one of their clique now that I have been to St Ali but I reckon I am a better person for having the experience. If you fancy driving to this place, be aware that on Sunday you can park on the street without having to worry about being fined as there are no parking restrictions on Sunday. read more

Great vibe. The coffee was superb. We also did had the My Mexican Cousin. Very tasty. If you go for the coffee slab, it's plenty to share. Lots of community tables. Which is what you want in a place like this. read more

Very happy with the music and the st Ali shakes. Particularly the espresso one. Good vibes and love the location in the alley.

Great place , seriously amazing people working there . Coffee is heavenly and food is great too. I recommend to call for reservation before Tho ! read more

Visited St Ali with a friend over the weekend. Must say I liked aspects of the interior setup but that is where the positive comments end. We ordered drinks quickly after being hassled 3 times in 10 minutes to order. Seemed the staff were in a rush to finish. One of there speciality drinks I ordered was not available and was suggested by a staff member similar options. The drink that was brought out was not at all like what I had originally ordered. It was undrinkable and tasted like rotten nuts. At one point a staff member suddenly appeared to clear another groups crockery and asked how I drinks were when I explained my feedback on the drink she just laughed and walked off. When my friends empty glass was cleared I request they also clear my hardly touched drink with the waiter not asking as to why or any feedback on our beverages or experience. Must say I was very unimpressed considering the hype around this venue. Will certainly be passing this review on to many people. Shame your staff are not caring enough to your customers feedback. 1 out of 5 rating read more

The standard of St. Ali has dropped dramatically in the last few years, not only the coffee has gone pretty bad but the staff there are below average, the Asian girl behind the coffee machine always seems to look like she is having the worst day of her life. I wouldn't recommend it especially when most weekends you will have to wait for a table . Plenty of better competition out there these days and better service. read more

Horrible service, arrived at 10 am and we were the only ones waiting for a table at the time. The waitress told us we can't wait indoors as we will be 'in the way' and sent us outside to wait in the cold. Definitely not impressed with the service and the rudeness of the waitress. read more

this place is so legit - the coffee was strong and not even a little bitter . the eggs were perfectly cooked and the mushrooms were DIVINE! and the space is super cool. it gets packed though so you may have to wait read more

St Ali offers warm, timely service amidst a rustic/bohemian confines. We were seated at a table already occupied by another party despite a free table for two available. The coffee was excellently brewed and arrived quickly. The menu is diverse and funky however less hip when viewed first-hand. The experience was adequately enjoyable despite the aforementioned shortcomings, until the ambience was destroyed by terrible music choices of radio top 40!! Unlikely to return, unless obtaining a property adjacent to the establishment... read more

With a funky interior, awesome coffee and REALLY good food (the El Gringo eggs, the 63 Degrees Above egg dish, and the Chickadee burger are all favourites) this is easily one of my favourite Melbourne breakfast spots. read more

Fun atmosphere even for a proud non hipster. Friendly staff who provided good sit down service. Good coffee. Well above average food for a coffee roaster/breakfast joint. We enjoyed an item off the special menu and some of the pastries. I got to enjoy my first vegimite and crumpets experience here - alone I would pass on them but the combination of flavors in the special pork neck - egg - crumpet - sauce worked better than I expected. read more

Been here a couple of times now. A very cool and hipster hotspot. The coffee is great and the food just as good.