Kaizen Coffee Ekkamai

Three friends drawn to Melbourne's cafe culture opened the first Kaizen in April 2015 as a half hidden spot that spread mostly through photos of its drinks and desserts, moving into this two story Ekkamai building in 2019 once the original room could no longer hold its crowds. The name borrows the Japanese philosophy of continuous, incremental improvement, a nod to how the team treats sourcing, roasting and brewing as an ongoing project rather than a fixed menu.

The brunch kitchen runs acai bowls, poke and spaghetti alle vongole alongside a serious espresso and filter program built around classic roast profiles served hot or cold. Free parking draws a steady weekend crowd, and the room keeps wifi, outdoor seating, wheelchair access and vegan dishes on offer for the regulars who treat it as a standing Saturday morning spot. Well behaved dogs are welcome too.