Melbourne coffee drinkers are going crazy for non-dairy milk substitutes in their lattes, and it's driving the city's hippest baristas a little bit nuts.

Soy milk – famously dropped from the menu by Melbourne roaster Market Lane – was once regarded as the main villain, because of its tendency to curdle when brewed with the lightly roasted coffee favoured by our coolest cafes.

Happy Place is a new cafe in the South Melbourne Market that is gluten, dairy and caffeine free, selling turmeric lattes with almond milk. Credit:Penny Stephens

Now "wellness cafes" such as Serotonin Eatery in Richmond and Matcha Mylkbar in St Kilda offer nut milks including almond, macadamia, cashew and coconut.

Lachlan Ward is part owner of new wellness cafe Happy Place in South Melbourne and was a top barista at specialty coffee house St Ali, where he still works behind the scenes.