Picture this: a Sunday morning pulsing with fresh beats, the scent of ceremonial-grade matcha in the air, and a room full of people swaying, boogieing or simply sipping in peace over pastries and hash browns. This was the vibe at Mix and Matcha’s debut event, a sober morning gathering blending wellness rituals, electronic music and community connection. Matcha-fuelled, music-charged and hangover-free.
Held at Bourke Street Courtyard, the free (but fully booked out) session featured specialty coffee and a genre-hopping DJ set that moved from hip hop and baile funk to Afro house and amapiano. Designed as a gentle yet energising antidote to nightlife fatigue, the event offered something refreshingly new: a third space for early risers, burnt-out partygoers and caffeine connoisseurs alike. Think of it as an alternative to Zumba, a more joyful way to queue for your matcha or a soft substitute for the Friday or Saturday night you didn’t quite make.
As many of us collectively age out of sticky club floors and Sunday comedowns, partying culture is shifting. Since the pandemic, Australians have begun drinking less – nearly 30 per cent less than just seven years ago. The appeal of loud clubs and long lines is giving way to something calmer: mornings filled with movement, flavour and connection. And if you’re going to line up for coffee, why not add good beats and friendly faces?
Enter the rise of the “third place”. Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, the term refers to social spaces beyond home (the first place) and work (the second). Traditionally, that meant pubs, bars or churches, but today, a new wave of cafés is redefining what these spaces can look like, by day and night. They’re inclusive, multipurpose and often alcohol-optional, offering low-pressure ways to connect, create, or simply be.
Across Melbourne, more cafés are embracing this shift and reimagining what going out can feel like.
At Café Tomi in North Melbourne, weekends transform with Winter Night Labo: a low-lit mix of live jazz, vinyl listening and experimental desserts. The mood is slow, cosy and a world away from overstimulating club nights.
In Brunswick, Osoi takes a community-first approach. One weekend might feature a mellow DJ set; the next, a corgi-led dog walk called Lattes and Leads, where coffee meets companionship in the most wholesome way possible. The café also offers self-reflection cards, affirmation decks and postcards by local illustrators as part of a considered atmosphere that invites guests to slow down and check in.
“These little details are an intentional invitation to bring you into the present moment,” says co-founder Nguyen. ‘Osoi’, Japanese for ‘slow’, is designed to help you do exactly that.
Over in Cremorne, On Air brings energy to the early hours with weekly Espresso Sessions – DJ-led morning parties that blend fitness, fun and discovery. The café partners with running clubs and hosts the Listening Lounge Café, a relaxed Saturday morning hangout with paninis, smoothies and rotating DJ sets. One collaboration, Cremorne Run Club, kicks off at 8am and wraps just in time for the café’s breakfast mix.
Then there’s Good Measure, a day-to-night hybrid where On Decks DJ sets from Thursday to Sunday soundtrack your evenings without the chaos. Think natural wines, vibey soundscapes and baristas pulling flat whites late into the night. It’s a space where music and conversation can coexist. No thumping basslines, no headaches. The venue also champions local and Australian producers, both on the menu and in its playlists.
These venues aren’t replicating clubbing; they’re offering a different kind of buzz. One where friendships form in daylight or early evening, conversations flow easily and your body feels better the next day, not worse. Whether it’s 9am or 9pm, third places are emerging as thoughtful, creative alternatives to what nightlife and daylife can be.
For anyone craving connection without chaos, they offer something rare: warmth, rhythm and room to just be. Turns out you don’t need next-day hangxiety or a 2am HSP to feel like you’ve had a night to remember – just good beats, great brews and a room full of people who came for the vibe.