First I drink the coffee. Then I do the things.
BY JAMES PETERS
Melbournians dig coffee. Big time. In fact, some would say you’re not a true local until you indulge in the good stuff at least three to four times a day – well, that and dress for changing weather patterns and support the AFL, obviously. Want to know where I go for my caffeine hit?
Golden Child – Glen Iris
When Piers Smart first started serving coffee to festival-goers alongside his father in ’96, he had to stand on a milk create to reach the machine. Since then, he’s gone on to hone his fine coffee craft with stints at Café Racer, Coffee Darling and Little Ox. Next, it was time for Smart to create his very own ‘Golden Child’, with the help of his former Little Ox right-hand woman Jenna Langton and friend Tim Fetherson. Not surprisingly, the coffee is next-level. What you might find a little more surprising is the menu – think tender steak sandwich with Napoli sauce and kewpie mayonnaise, or crispy star-shaped pastry pretzels served with a warm pot of Asian pork mince, chilli and a poached egg. Everything I’ve sampled from these guys is equal parts daring and delicious, give it a whirl.
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Mr Foxx
Mr Foxx has a fine nose for good coffee – his establishment also ticks all the boxes when it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner, with cakes a plenty in between. Should a business catch-up run over, this guy’s also licenced, so you can kick back and enjoy a bevvy or two at the end of the day. Feeling peckish? The menu is packed full with anything and everything from felafel and labneh yoghurt salad to your classic corned beef sandwich. Want my opinion? You can’t beat the southern fried chicken burger.
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Axil Coffee
Axil Coffee’s aim is simple: to source, roast and produce the best cup of coffee. And believe me, that’s exactly what they do daily across their multiple locations in Hawthorne, Chadstone, Southern Cross Lane, Flinders Lane and Lonsdale Street. These guys are continuously working to master their craft, switch up their brews so we can try something new and do it all in the most sustainable way possible. That means they not only travel to meet the coffee farmers they work with in person, but guarantee to pay 25% above the current fair trade price to ensure a rock solid, long-term relationship with their producer. As for the results? Well, they’re rock solid too. Try them for yourself.
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Aunty Peg’s
Nolan Hirte, the Director of Proud Mary Coffee Roasters, named this beloved venue after his very own Grandma, affectionately known as Aunty Peg. Hirte describes her as a “bold Scottish lady with a heart of gold… her door was always open and her oven always on.” And it’s those warm, welcoming vibes he’s captured perfectly in this coffee bar – and yet it’s so much more than that. This two-storey venue also houses an events space, retail shop, barista training centre and, of course, the roasting house for Proud Mary Coffee itself. If you’re keen to get a little more hands-on with your caffeine hit, drop by at 10.30am on Saturdays for a free tasting session – next, you can sign up to learn how to brew with their very own baristas and tour the working roastery. Seriously, this place is amazing…I can smell the coffee from here.
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Wake up and smell the coffee!
Fancy getting your coffee nose up to speed before you hit these havens? Here’s how you can learn to taste coffee like a pro…
But ultimately… if it tastes good, drink it down, do amazing things, sorted.
