Code Black Coffee

Overview

Code Black was founded by Joseph Haddad in Brunswick, Melbourne, in 2012 with the explicit goal of making high-end specialty coffee accessible — a 'Made for Humans' ethos paired with a Brunswick HQ that doubles as cafe, roastery, and educational space. The roastery won the 2018 Golden Bean Award for Best Single Origin and now operates seven Melbourne cafes spanning Brunswick, North Melbourne, two CBD addresses, South Melbourne, Spencer Street, and Queensbridge Square. Brewers Cup champion Thomas Hutchins (Australian Brewers Cup 2023) is on the team.

Known for

• 'Made for Humans' brand ethos
• Ex-Wife Espresso Blend (signature milk-based) and 3056 Espresso Blend
• Brunswick Weston Street HQ — cafe, roastery, training space
• Australian Brewers Cup winner Thomas Hutchins
• Seven Melbourne cafes across Brunswick, North Melbourne, CBD, South Melbourne, Southbank

Why it matters

Code Black sits in the 'second-wave Melbourne specialty' generation — post-Seven Seeds and post-Market Lane, but established enough to anchor Brunswick the way those names anchored Carlton and Fitzroy. Combining accessible pricing with serious technical work is a useful counterweight in a city where specialty can drift toward inaccessibility.

Production

roastery location

15-17 Weston Street, Brunswick VIC 3056

Café

15-17 Weston Street, Brunswick (HQ); plus six additional Melbourne locations

Recognitions

• Golden Bean Award — Best Single Origin (2018)
• Australian Brewers Cup Champion — Thomas Hutchins (2023)
• Listed in The Age Good Cafe Guide

Sources

• https://codeblackcoffee.com.au/pages/the-code-black-coffee-story
• https://www.kofio.co/code-black-coffee-roasters/about-us
• https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/article/south-melbourne-code-black-popular-coffee-roaster-has-opened-new-cafe-opposite-market
• https://www.beanz.com/en-au/coffee/roasters/code-black