In a light-filled and airy double-fronted warehouse on Errol Street, with the comforting smells of roasted coffee beans, frying bacon and buttery pastries, you will find Auction Rooms Café.

The large beams and open spaces of the former WB & Ellis auction rooms is a Melbourne hospitality institution and it is often cited as one of the best cafes in Melbourne. 

The large open warehouse conversion invites you to sit and stay a while and chat with friends, while the outdoor eating space provides a view of the bustling trade of Errol Street.

Jenny Yu, the current owner, took over the reins in 2016.

“I have been in business for a long time. In 1998, while still studying, I owned an IGA supermarket and then discovered a love for specialty coffee and people, so I moved into owning restaurants and cafes.”

In 2004 she was approached about a partnership to purchase Auction Rooms and leapt at the opportunity to own a piece of iconic North Melbourne.

“I just fell in love with the space. This stunning heritage building, brought to life. The thoughtful interior design using salvaged and reused materials. The inside-outside courtyard,” Jenny smiles. 

Day after day, the team at Auction Rooms pride themselves on their excellent service for their customers and the consistently high quality dishes produced by the busy kitchen.

“We provide amazing service from a team that loves working at the venue; together we ensure that the customer feels the love. You'll always be very well looked after here,” Jenny smiles.

“Many of our staff are talented artists too - musicians, painters, ceramists, actors. They bring their creative work to us by providing their hand-painted coffee cups or drawing the window mural.

“Plus, the food is always outstanding. Our menu offers an elevated cafe experience and the sort of attention to detail on our plates that you’d find at the best restaurants.”

Crowd favourites include the expansive breakfast board, the corned beef hash (a dish that’s been on the menu for well over a decade) and the baked eggs, especially during the cooler months. 

For lunch, the fragrant seafood linguine is always popular and if you are after something sweet, try the iconic French toast, which has been snapped by thousands of Instagrammers and even replicated in Singapore at an invite-only Australian food showcase at Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Jenny loves the local North Melbourne community and the way that they help each other out, which was more evident during the lockdowns. 

“We kept the doors open with take-away and most of our staff stayed with us during the hardest times. As well as our customers, the other traders and the City of Melbourne all showed us strong support. Sam, a local architect and Wilson, a local builder, helped us to set up the outdoor dining area.”

For now, Jenny’s vision for Auction Rooms is to continue to provide impeccable food and service to its loyal following and the North Melbourne community.

 “The people here are beautiful. We will continue to build what we have here and try our best to provide a great experience for all of our customers.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna EncIO