MELBA Vulcan

About MELBA Vulcan

Established in 1995 as the original flagship of the MELBA group, MELBA Vulcan is nestled in one of Auckland CBD's historic laneways. With over thirty years of heritage, it serves as a cherished meeting place where locals, city workers, and visitors gather for great coffee, honest cooking, and warm hospitality in a vibrant laneway setting.

The kitchen offers an extensive all-day menu ranging from hearty brunch staples like Eggs Benedict on house hash cakes and sweet tiramisu French toast to savoury lunch favourites such as slow-braised beef brisket, wild mushroom pasta, and house-made salads. Complementing the dining menu is an array of specialty espresso drinks, custom cold drinks, pressed juices, smoothies, and a curated selection of wine and beer. Outdoor sidewalk seating beneath ambient festoon lights provides a relaxed spot to soak in the central city atmosphere.

MELBA Vulcan: Heritage Laneway Dining and Coffee in Central Auckland

Established in 1995 on historic Vulcan Lane, MELBA Vulcan stands as the original founding location of the MELBA brand. Operating for more than three decades in Auckland's central business district, this laneway café holds a distinct place in the city's hospitality history. Situated right amidst heritage brickwork and pedestrian laneway bustle, it serves as the foundation from which the wider group expanded across Auckland.

Today, the café is overseen by licensee Pranav Meelu, who manages MELBA's CBD locations while preserving the warm, polished standard that defined the original establishment. With its blend of historic character, outdoor laneway seating under hanging lights, and indoor counter dining, MELBA Vulcan continues to operate as an everyday fixture for city workers, residents, and visitors seeking a relaxed spot in the heart of town.

The All-Day Menu and Signatures

The kitchen at Vulcan Lane delivers an extensive all-day menu focusing on fresh, honest dining. Breakfast and brunch classics sit alongside substantial modern lunch plates. Morning staples include The Smash—smashed avocado paired with beetroot hummus, cherry tomato, roasted pumpkin, feta, and a poached egg on house sourdough—and the classic Melba Breakfast featuring manuka-smoked bacon, bratwurst, sourdough, grilled mushrooms, hash browns, and eggs.

Sweet choices feature the Tiramisu French Toast made with house brioche, espresso mascarpone, house chocolate sauce, and scotch finger crumble. Savory dishes include the signature Honey Garlic Chicken Salad tossed with apple, roasted cashews, avocado, and aioli, as well as the hearty Chicken Katsu Burger with Japanese slaw and togarashi fries. Guests will also find comforting staples like Baked Shakshuka with spiced tomato and goat cheese labneh, Wild Rice Porridge with apricot puree and seasonal fruit, Wild Mushroom Pasta, and the Salmon Mash topped with a poached egg and house hollandaise.

Double-Shot Coffee and Specialty Drinks

Coffee is an essential part of the MELBA offering, roasted under the direction of head roaster Kate Volkerling and served as standard double shots across espresso, flat whites, and long blacks. Alongside conventional espresso preparations and tea from Harney & Sons, the drinks menu features creative specialty brews.

Popular specialty options include the Cloud Nine—a long black or iced espresso topped with creamy vanilla protein cold foam and cinnamon—along with the iced or hot Mocha Nut and the peppermint-infused Mint Condition chocolate. Cold-pressed juices, house-blended smoothies like the banana-and-oat Breakfast smoothie or peanut butter Cacao smoothie, and a curated selection of beer and New Zealand wines provide refreshment throughout the day.

Signature items

• Honey Garlic Chicken Salad
• Tiramisu French Toast
• Cloud Nine
• The Smash
• Chicken Katsu Burger
• Eggs Benedict

Menu

Sides

• Vine Tomato — Fresh vine-ripened tomatoes
• Manuka Smoked Bacon — Manuka smoked bacon
• Smoked Salmon — Delicate smoked salmon
• Garden Salad — Fresh seasonal garden greens
• Grilled Free Range Chicken — Seasoned grilled chicken breast
• Mixed Mushrooms — Sauteed mixed mushrooms
• Chips & Aioli — Crispy hot chips served with house aioli
• Avocado — Fresh sliced avocado
• Spinach — Fresh spinach leaves
• Hash Brown — Crispy fried potato hash brown
• Grilled Halloumi — Golden grilled halloumi cheese
• Bratwurst — Seared bratwurst sausage

Beer & Wine

• Sauvignon Blanc — Available by the glass or bottle
• Rose — Crisp pink wine by the glass or bottle
• Chardonnay - Askerne — Hawkes Bay Chardonnay by the glass or bottle
• Prosecco - Soligo — Italian sparkling wine served in a mini bottle
• Steinlager Light — Bottled light beer
• Peroni — Classic bottled Italian lager

All Day Lunch

• Wild Mushroom Pasta — Linguine with spinach, cream sauce, fried enoki, parmesan, and house focaccia
• Beef Brisket — Slow braised beef, sour cream, salsa verde, cheddar, and fried egg on house sourdough
• Chicken Katsu Burger — Crispy chicken katsu, Japanese slaw, tonkatsu sauce on house brioche bun served with togarashi fries
• Honey Garlic Chicken Salad — Free range chicken, apple, roasted cashew, avocado, tomato, and aioli
• Shakshuka — Baked eggs in spiced tomato, goat cheese labneh, cherry tomato, and house Turkish pide
• Salmon Mash — Soft mashed potato with dill, lemon, and smoked salmon, topped with a poached egg and house hollandaise

All Day Breakfast

• Wild Rice Porridge — Red, black, and brown rice with chia seeds, soy milk, apricot puree, seasonal fruit, mixed nuts, and maple syrup
• The Smash — Smashed avocado, beetroot hummus, cherry tomato, roasted pumpkin, feta, and poached egg on house sourdough
• Mediterranean Omelette — Grilled eggplant, courgette, roast bell peppers, feta, and kasundi with house Turkish pide
• Melba Breakfast — Manuka smoked bacon, bratwurst, sourdough, grilled mushroom, hash brown, poached or fried egg, and MELBA sauce
• SEB — Scrambled eggs, sundried tomato pesto, and manuka smoked bacon on a bagel
• Breakfast Burger — Bacon, fried egg, avocado, hash brown, aioli, and bacon jam on a house brioche bun
• Eggs Benedict — Poached eggs served with house hash cakes and hollandaise, with choice of bacon, salmon & spinach, or halloumi & mushroom
• Tiramisu French Toast — House brioche with espresso mascarpone, house chocolate sauce, scotch finger crumble, and seasonal fruit
• Eggs on Toast — Poached or fried eggs served on 5-grain toast

Cold Drinks & Smoothies

• Harney & Sons' Tea — Selection of Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Peppermint, Citron Green, or Raspberry
• Iced Coffee — Chilled espresso with cold milk over ice
• Iced Chocolate — Rich chocolate sauce and milk served over ice
• Iced Mocha — Espresso and chocolate blended cold over ice
• Iced Americano — Espresso over chilled water and ice
• Iced Matcha — Whisked matcha served over cold milk and ice
• Cold Pressed Orange Juice — Pure fresh pressed orange juice
• Cold Pressed Apple Juice — Crisp pressed apple juice
• Immunity Juice — Cold pressed carrot, lemon, turmeric, and ginger
• Breakfast Smoothie — Banana, cinnamon, oats, honey, and oat milk
• Cacao Smoothie — Peanut butter, banana, cacao, honey, and soy milk
• Green Smoothie — Kale, avocado, chia seeds, citrus, and honey
• Berry Smoothie — Mixed berries, banana, and cold pressed apple juice
• Karma Cola — Craft organic cola
• Karma Cola Light — Sugar-free organic cola
• Gingerella — Fiery ginger ale
• Lemmy — Organic lemonade
• Sparkling Water — Chilled carbonated mineral water

Specialty Brews & Hot Drinks

• Cloud Nine — Long black topped with creamy vanilla protein cold foam and cinnamon
• Cloud Nine (Iced) — Espresso and water over ice, topped with creamy vanilla protein cold foam and cinnamon
• Mocha Nut — Hazelnut mocha topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup
• Mocha Nut (Iced) — Iced hazelnut mocha topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup
• Mint Condition — Peppermint-laced hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup
• Mint Condition (Iced) — Peppermint iced chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup
• Espresso — Double shot rich espresso
• Long Black — Double shot espresso poured over hot water
• Macchiato — Espresso stained with steamed milk
• Flat White — Double shot espresso with silky microfoam milk
• Cappuccino — Espresso topped with foamed milk and dusted chocolate
• Piccolo — Small ristretto shot with warm steamed milk
• Latte — Smooth espresso with steamed milk
• Mocha — Espresso blended with rich chocolate and steamed milk
• Hot Chocolate — Rich hot chocolate served with steamed milk
• Matcha Latte — Finely ground green tea whisked with steamed milk
• Hakanoa Chai — Spiced Hakanoa chai blend with steamed milk
• Hakanoa Ginger Latte — Spiced ginger syrup blended with steamed milk
• Hakanoa Lemon Toddy — Soothing lemon and ginger hot infusion

Frequently asked questions

When was MELBA Vulcan founded?

The café opened on Vulcan Lane in 1995 as the very first MELBA location.

What are the opening hours at MELBA Vulcan?

The café is open Monday to Friday from 7:00am to 4:00pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Note that the kitchen closes daily at 2:00pm.

Can I book a table at MELBA Vulcan?

Yes, table reservations can be made online via the booking link provided on their website.

Does MELBA Vulcan offer milk alternatives for coffee?

Yes, alternative milk options include oat, soy, and almond milk.

Is there an extra charge on public holidays?

Yes, a 15% surcharge applies on all public holidays.

Can the kitchen cater to food allergies?

Yes, the menu advises guests to speak with waitstaff regarding any allergies or dietary intolerances.

Tips

• {"body":"While the café stays open until 4:00pm daily for coffee and drinks, hot food service finishes when the kitchen closes at 2:00pm.","title":"Mind the Kitchen Hours"}
• {"body":"For a unique caffeine fix, sample the Cloud Nine brew—espresso topped with vanilla protein cold foam and cinnamon.","title":"Try the Specialty Cloud Nine"}
• {"body":"Grab an exterior table along Vulcan Lane to soak up the historic pedestrian atmosphere under the string lights.","title":"Dine Outdoors in the Laneway"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Oat, soy, and almond milk alternatives are available; guests are advised to notify staff of any food allergies."}