Melbourne Coffee Roasters by Dominic Pellegrino

Explore the origins of Melbourne’s coffee culture through this meticulously researched history.

Melbourne, Australia is internationally recognised as one of the world’s coffee cities. With iconic cafes such as Pellegrini’s and Brunetti’s, and the highest number of traditional and specialty coffee roasters in the country, it’s easy to understand why.

Melbourne Coffee Roasters- A History reveals the origins of a coffee-drinking city. From early colonial settlement to the post-war boom of Italian, Greek and Jewish immigrants, author Dominic Pellegrino reveals the changes brought about, both by these immigrants and because of them, in the way this city roasted, bought, sold, distributed, and drank coffee.

The book tells the stories of Melbourne’s Post WWII founding roasters – their triumphs, struggles, trials and errors – as told by the roasters themselves. Managers, founders, roasters and staff from iconic brands such as Vittoria, Mocopan, Genovese and others have informed the author’s research, bringing unique perspectives to the history of coffee in Australia – particularly traditional, espresso-style coffee, as drunk traditionally by Italians.

At its core, this is the story of migration, when, at each juncture – before the wars, during and after – immigration was the catalyst that changed Australia forever.

About the Author: Dominic Pellegrino was director of Mocopan Coffee, one of Australia’s founding coffee roasters, from 1982 to 1995. During this time, he witnessed many key changes in the industry, from when coffee ranked a lowly second to tea to the first trial by McDonalds for selling coffee from their Swanston Street store, which became the world-wide phenomenon that we now know as McCafe. Pellegrino is dedicated to sharing the history of coffee in this country, informed by his own family connection to one of the founding espresso roasters.

02 Jun 2026
 

Melbourne Coffee Roasters: A History by Dominic Pellegrino ISBN 9781922779663