NORTH Melbourne cafe Auction Rooms last night won the title of Melbourne's best coffee after a six-month review of cafes by a panel of Age readers.

Fittingly, Auction Rooms owner Andrew Kelly was unable to accept the award in person - because he was in Guatemala haggling with farmers over the price of coffee beans.

The winners ... Hugh Coldwell-Ross, Adam Del Mastro, Rebecca Dunn, Tarn Fisher, Margaret Cockburn and Shaun McKinlay. Credit:Derek Swalwell

The Final Step (South Yarra), Little Bean Blue (city), Proud Mary (Collingwood) and Three Bags Full (Abbotsford) were named as runners-up, with another 25 cafes, including popular South Melbourne laneway haunt St Ali and surprise entrant Indulgent Cakes in Montmorency, commended.

The group of 150 readers, recruited by The Age's Melbourne Magazine and called the ''Coffee Army'', reviewed about 1000 cafes (including more than 120 in the CBD) before meeting to decide on a winner.