Coffee
Grumpys Green
Most bars I know look a little seedy during the day what with the light picking up the spilt beer and split chair fabric and whatnot. So it’s interesting that Grumpys Green is not only open for dinner and bar snacks, but also breakfast from 10. Having only visited for dinner, I can’t actually tell you how Grumpys fairs in the daylight but perhaps they’re going on the fact that the food is just that good that people don’t care. Or that they’re too hung-over too notice. Both are distinct possibilities.
New York Tomato
On the corner of New and York streets, embedded in the back alleys and one-way streets of Richmond, is a garage roller door with the wonder that is New York Tomato hiding behind it. It is not the newest cafe round the traps but it is one of the Melbourne definitive brunch spots. If you haven’t been there, you just haven’t been to Melbourne
Mart 130
Nestled behind the Middle Park tram stop, Mart 130 is quaint and irresistibly delicious. Hidden from the road, this charmingly refurbished station master’s house can be a little tricksy to find. It’s worth persisting though. Decked out with all sorts of vintage maps and knick-knacks, Mart 130 exudes a quiet confidence, that comes from knowing [...]
Dr Jekyll
Dr Jekyll is a really enjoyable coffee experience. It’s a hang out that considers their customers to be part of the family, so much so, that they take customer suggestions to heart. One of these being to expand their premises. Previously, Dr. Jekyll was unable to cope with the constant flow of patrons wanting to take cover indoors instead of on their outside terrace. As winter hit Melbourne like a high-speed train, Dr Jekyll expanded to the shop front next door with a massive bay view window, allowing patrons to sit right on Grey Street and watch the cross-section of St. Kilda’s inhabitance walk past, definitely a source of conversation starters.
Gill’s Diner
Gills Diner speaks an elegant discourse of Melbourne. The mood is dark, the the place is grungy and the people effortlessly eclectic.
Proud Mary
Collingwood leads a double life – for sure its a bit dero, for sure there are things you wouldn’t want your child to see. But on the other hand – sometimes there great shops, great food and the best of Melbourne’s cultural scene. Tucked away (of course) in the back streets of Collingwood is Proud Mary, a lovely cafe dedicated to great food, loud music and perfect coffee. It is most definitely something good about the suburb
Easy 15
When you speak to Ide, the Irish bred owner of Easy 15, she’ll tell you that she named her café after the street number and its own easy going feeling. It could just as well refer to the easy 15 steps it would take someone to head down from the café-laden corner that is Glenhuntly and Ormond Rds, Elwood. And what a worthwhile 15 steps it is too.
Tucked away a couple of doors down on Ormond Rd from the hustle that is The Turtle café, you walk into a place that is small and upbeat. It’s simple to see why that in just the space of a few years, this meeting place has become the favourite of locals who swear by it.
Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar
For fast service, delightful home-style Italian food and delicious coffee, it’s difficult to go past the famous (and sometimes infamous) Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar. Add the watermelon granita and the more-than-affordable prices, and it’s near impossible to pass up an invitation to visit.
Las Chicas
Las Chicas. Two words that instantly make me want to curl up into a ball like a contented kitten and purr.
Words that conjure up feelings of warmth and the sort of satisfaction that only comes with a few things: an excellent vintage find, an episode of mad men and pumpkin polenta with avocado.
Mmm pumpkin polenta.
Cafe Rosamond
There is one thing that marks the difference between a good cafe and an amazing one – attention to detail. Cafe Rosamond has this vital element down to a fine art, not to mention the kind of barrista and culinary skills to make your mouth water and your tortoiseshell specs fog up.
Tucked around a corner, behind a shop and down a step, Cafe Rosamond is a shining example of why chain store coffee just doesn’t cut it in Melbourne.