7 Best Williamstown Cafes (We’ve Tried Them All!)

There are some fantastic cafes in Williamstown and in this post I include seven of the best.

Melbourne is known worldwide for having a fantastic food and coffee scene, and this spills over into suburbs such as Williamstown.

Having lived in this bayside-postcode or two years now after emigrating from the UK, I have been living like a local, but exploring like a tourist, so I feel well qualified to offer my opinion on the best cafes in Williamstown.

So, without further delay, here is my list of the best cafes in Williamtown….

The Grinder’s Story

The Grinder’s Story is our most visited cafe in Williamstown. Having grown up spending a lot of time in South Africa finding somewhere local that serves favourites such as Bunny Chow, Chakalaka and Boerewors alongside the more traditional breakfast menu was a real wonder.

The Grinder’s Story is in a great location on Williamstown’s main street, Douglas Parade. They have installed glass screens around the kerbside seating which offer protection from the breeze, making it the perfect place to sit and watching the world go by.

Highlights
A unique menu that includes lots of South African cuisine alongside Aussie and breakfast favourites.

Recommendation
A Boerie Roll and a homemade protein smoothie.

Find Out More
TheGrindersStory.com.au

Cafe Cirino

When we first moved to Williamstown we stayed for a month in the Quest Apartments beside Gem Pier. Cafe Cirino became our Sunday morning hangout spot, a place to enjoy great coffee and learn more about Australia from the provided newspapers.

There is outside seating, but we love sitting inside where they’ve created an Italian ambience (hardly a surprise given the owner is originally from Milan).

As a coffee drinker, there’s certainly not a shortage of places to choose in Williamstown, but Becca doesn’t drink caffeine, so the thing that keeps us coming back to Cafe Cirino is the HUGE choice of hot chocolates on offer.

As the day moves on they serve a bigger selection of food, from Arancini through to Spanokopita washed down with a glass of Italian wine.

Beware in summer that Nelson’s Place can get very busy with tourists arriving on boat tours from the city, so be sure to get here early or book in advance.

Highlights
Surrounded by photos of Italy, a great place to unwind on a Sunday morning with a fresh pastry and a newspaper.

Recommendation
Grab one of the homemade pastries and choose from their huge range of hot chocolates.

Find Out More
Cafe Cirino Facebook Page

Kodama Coffee

Kodama Coffee may not look like a lot from the outside with a few small tables strewn across the path and bar seating against the inside window, but it is always very busy and for good reason. The food here is simply delicious.

We always come to Kodama when we want a damn good brunch and have never been let down. This is a place to sit and indulge in a bigger plate of food and savour it. Their cooked breakfast menu is sensational, with everything from porridge and pavlova pancakes to goats cheese smashed avo.

Highlights
Relaxing on a Sunday morning, the sun shining, working my way through a beautiful cooked plate of something delicious.

Recommendation
Chilli scrambled eggs, which come with fried shallots, parmesan, green onion and whipped feta. My favourite cooked breakfast in town.

Find Out More
KodamaCoffee.com

Crowded House

The New Zealand band of the same name (who were actually formed in Melbourne) were my Mum’s favourite as a kid, so when we spotted Crowded House on our first walk through Williamstown I knew we’d have to stop back.

The subtitle on their sign says ‘Great Coffee, Good Times’ and it’s hard to argue with that.

Crowded House has become our spot for an early afternoon lunch as we love sitting out in the garden, especially now we have a little girl, as she has space to play while we sit and eat.

Highlights
Watching birds fly around the back garden, tweeting over the hum of conversation. A great place to stop in for lunch under the shade of the trees.

Recommendation
The lamb burgers are fantastic, washed down with one of Luke’s single-origin coffees (mine’s a soy latte).

Find Out More
Crowded House Coffee Instagram Profile

Tick Tok

When we think Tick Tok we are thinking one thing – CAKES!

This is the best place in Williamstown for an indulgent after-dinner (or lunch, or breakfast, or post-breakfast or mid-afternoon… you get the picture) snack.

There is more to Tick Tok than just sweetness (the beef brisket burger has been enjoyed on many an occasion) but cakes are where I feel they really beat the competition.

Oh, that and owl coffee (dusted rather than flavoured!).

Highlights
Peering through the window, at the cake cabinet to see what’s on offer today, before sitting on a bench opposite looking out over the bay at Melbourne.

Recommendation
Grab a caramel slice or piece of thick cheescake and order a cappuccino just so you can see them dust it with an owl-shaped chocolate design!

Find Out More
Tick Tok Cafe Instagram Profile

Heading to Williamstown?

Find out more about this fantastic town in my other posts below:

24 Awesome Things to do in Williamstown
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Jawbone Marine Sanctuary: The Best Place to Visit in Williamstown?
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Williamstown Morgue: A Historic Building [With Grisly Secrets!]

Piccolo One

If you’re looking for the best coffee in Williamstown, Piccolo One is where you’ll find it.

In a small laneway just off Douglas Parade, this is part of Williamstown that pays homage to its big brothers in Central Melbourne. If Hosier Lane and Centre Place had a secret love child that they tucked away over the Yarra, this is it.

Sit out on small wooden benches sipping even smaller coffees over a fresh pastry.

Highlights
Getting the proper Melbourne experience. Sitting in a graffiti-covered laneway whilst drinking some of the finest coffee on earth. This is Melbourne done right.

Recommendation
It has to be a piccolo latte – an espresso sized shot of coffee topped with warm, silky smooth milk up to around 100ml. This is essentially a baby latte (piccolo means ‘small’ in Italian).

Find Out More
Tick Tok Cafe Instagram Profile

The Kiosk D’Asporto

The Kiosk is the cafe with the best view in Williamstown. If you’re lucky enough to be able to grab a bench, you’ll get to sit looking out over Williamstown Beach, watching the boats head in and out of Melbourne’s busiest shipping route.

Owned by Italian Claudio Acquaro, (D’Asporto translates to takeaway), The Kiosk serves Italian favourites such as arancini balls, gelato and focaccia alongside the more traditional seaside fare of fish, chips and burgers.

Too often cafes that are lucky enough to have a great location compromise on quality, knowing they’re guaranteed customers either way, but that’s not the case here. The food is beautifully cooked, even when they’re busy and they certainly don’t scrimp on portion sizes!

Highlights
Enjoying an ice-cold drink and something not entirely good for you on a warm day.

Recommendation
Fresh fish and chips with garlic aioli and an ice-cold can of lemon San Pellegrino (oh, and an ice cream for good luck!). If you’re feeling more adventurous then try a ‘gelato slider’ ice cream inside a soft burger bun. You might be surprised, it’s much better than it sounds!

Find Out More
The Kiosk D’Asporto Instagram Profile

Recommended Reading: The Best Beaches in Victoria (As Voted for by Travel Writers)