Beetroot
It is in Hardware lane just up from Lonsdale St.
5 cups!

Great little shop love to look after you.
The sort of place you walk in and if have been there a couple of times you don't even have to order!!

It's a brave man or woman that rates coffee in Melbourne - a city that's well above the national average in terms of number of cafes per head of population and quality relative to other cities. Tempting though it is to rate Brunetti's as 'il primo cafe' (including the new city Brunetti's on Swanston St in the city) I am going to pitch my tent next to Degraves Espresso. Sit in the actual lane (i.e. Degraves Lane) and drink Grinders Cafe - the brand that stakes the claim as the first blend of roasted coffee in Australia in the '60's, thanks to a dissatisfied Italian immigrant and Lygon St. 4.5 Cups!

Here is where we diverge D-Cup... Grinders coffee, whilst originally built on good principles, is now owned by, and hence tainted by, the scurge that is Coca Cola Amatil... Not to say that some barista can't do wonders with bad beans... but in my experience, big business is not the friend of the espresso artisan.

Being a former Melbournian, Pelligrini's on Bourke St is a favourite haunt. Great coffee and good ambience. Nick's on Queen St is also pretty consistent and great Pasta.

Melbourne has the best coffee in Australia! (Haven't been anywhere else actually but had plenty of bad coffee around the place)Brunetti's is still great - Faraday St Carlton (just near Lygon)Mario's - Brunswick St Fitzroy (no. 303 I think) BEST COFFEE in Melbourne.il Solito Posto - George Pde City (between Collins & Flinders Lane) It's at basement level on the left when going towards the river, you can't miss it. It's more of a restaurant, awesome food, but the resident "Coffee Nazi" does the best long mac. I've ever had (east coast style of coarse). I'm slightly biased as I used to work there.

Good coffee is not only relegated to inner city cafes. Mt Dandenong (east of Melbourne) has two places with fabulous coffee. LadyHawke Cafe (Kalorama) serves flavoursome coffee with a funky environment and great service. No need to order when I go in. They know my coffee, and seem surprised if I vary my order. LadyHawke serves Jasper coffee - so you may have coffee with a conscience as well as great crema.

My next (and equal) pick is Ripe, in Sassafras. Famous for anything gourmet, especially from local Yarra Valley Produce, their coffee is full bodied with the best crema I have ever had anywhere. While this is a coffee blog, I would like to mention that their hot chocolates are also brilliant - made from molten Lindt chocolate. This tiny cafe can not do anything wrong in my books.

The Wall by Balaclava station in East St. Kilda is the best cup of coffee I have had in Melbourne. It is in my opinion better than DeGraves. I give it five cups. The most amazing thing here is the consitancy, it is always perfect.

The cafe itself is small, and very cool. It was built by architects that use recycled building materials, and has a very cool feeling. It is usually busy, and takes a while to get your coffee, but good coffee cannot be rushed.

Out in the West there are a few good cafe's, one of my favorites is The Gravytrain in Seddon. I would rate it four cups, it is usually very good, but occasionally it is just good. If it improved its consistancy it might merit four and a half cups.

Le Chen is in Seddon and is a very cool place. The staff is very nice and they have amazing organic muffins. I would give it three and a half cups, they are always good cups of coffee, sometimes very good. But we go there over Gravytrain because we like the atmosphere.

Cafe on Paisley in Footscray is a great place. On Paisley st across the street from the library. The coffee is okay, sometimes it is good, and its always best when served by this totally hot blonde american chick who works three days a week there. I give it three cups, mainly because it seriously is the friendliest wait staff I have ever seen. Also the hot blonde barrista is my wife :)

the rev

Certainly can second il Solito Posto - traditionally great. Also like Atomica on Brunswick St in Fitzroy (they roast their own beans).

Although Melbourne coffee has a reputation of excellence this is actually not the case anymore. Melbournes Italian coffee heritage means that espresso preparation there is steeped in tradition rather than innovation. There have been amazing developments in the specialty coffee industry in the last five years and unfortunately Melbourne in general has not kept up. However this said, there are still a couple of places to visit. One place definitely worth visiting is St. Ali. The owner Mark is passionate about his coffee and roasts several origins and blends in his in-store roaster. They use fantastic equipment and are knowledgeable about their espresso preparation techniques. Definitely worth visiting. St. Ali are hands down the best in Melbourne, on par with Campos Coffee in Sydney.

Corey

What do you mean be specialty coffee? I am willing to give it a go, but every place I have ever been that roasts their own beans has not impressed me at all.

the rev

Specialty coffee is the industry whereby espresso professionals work versus minimum wage employees in other coffee shops (such as Dome, Gloria Jeans amd the majority of coffee shops). When I'm referring to Specialty coffee I'm talking about those who choose to be a barista as a career rather than a part time job whilst going through Uni. These baristas have skills in both the science and art of espresso preparation and are proficient at utilizing espresso machinery and troubleshooting. These guys know their craft and can demonstrate why one tenth of a degree whilst brewing can vastly alter the taste and profile of your espresso. The in-store roasters (at this elite level) I'm referring to are not to be found in Perth. There are only a couple of espresso bars in Perth also that are able to prepare espresso in this way and have such intimate knowledge of the process of espresso making.

Corey

I am obviously not as knowledgeable as yourself, but I love my coffee and am dedicated the the art of drinking it. But is it possible that your suggestion about the coffee in Melbourne is more about the fact that every single place here has an espresso machine? The traditional thai restaurant here in Footscray has one! Is it possible that Melbourne still has amazing coffee, made by incredible baristas, this quality is just watered down by the traditionalists? Because I have been a lot of places. Have had coffee by an award winning world champion barista. Have been to Europe. And the best coffee I have ever had is at the wall in St. Kilda.

the rev

It's just the same here in Perth, hairdressers have espresso machines. There are some great places in Melb, don't get me wrong. Maltitude was great but now has changed hands, Even South Yarra Car Wash Cafe had a passionate talented barista (albeit the beans he had to work with there were of very average quality). But regarding the overall quality, it is poor but for that matter so is Perth and so is Sydney. There are stand out places however who are consumed by their artistry. When you are referring to a WBC winner I guess you're referring to Paul Bassett and yes I've also had his coffee, he is a friend of mine. Paul is a great ambassador for quality coffee in Oz and what he will serve you will be FAR higher quality than anything that Wall will serve. If Wall 280 used fresh roasted, higher quality beans they could raise their standards considerably. I'm not trying to sound patronising here, but coffee is a subjective experience and what you might refer to as a great cup I might differ opinion on. And regards to Europe the Icelandic countries do it best.

Corey

No, I am talking about a barista in the states. I don't remember her name. There was a guy who also did the best cappuccino foam by far in SoCal as well, but socal sucks for coffee.

Where does Paul Bassett perform?

the rev

Hey Rev, I'm interested in which World Barista Champion you are talking about because no female has ever won the worlds. Are you perhaps referring to the US champion baristas of Bronwen Serna or Phuong Tran? Paul Bassett was the 2003 World Barista Champion, he lives in Sydney and consults in all things espresso, he is an ambassador for Sunbeam, BMW, Pura Milk, Villeroy and Boch and several other related companies. Paul does not make coffee at a coffeeshop, he is far beyond that. Coffee at this level is akin to an Olympic sport.

Corey

Look bro, I don't know much about these things. I would guess it must be like kickboxing where they have twelve world championships and only a couple really mean anything. But this was a gal from San Dimas in SoCal (home of bill and ted's excellent adventures) it was in the newspapers back home and everything.

the rev

Hey mate, no worries. I hope I didn't offend, it wasn't my intention. We all like quality espresso and that's great. My position is that I just want to champion those out there that go beyond the calling and put all their passion and devotion into espresso creation. Just the awareness that these guys are actually out there is worthwhile. Cheers.

Corey

No offense taken mate. I don't know a lot about coffee, beyond what tastes good to me. Maybe you could help me with something though. In the states if you ordered a cap it always was three thirds, and the foam was very dry. I used to order a dry cap and it was just a touch milk, a shot, and the rest of the cap cup filled with very stiff dry foam. How would I order that here? And in the states it was always cinnimon on the cap, any idea why they do chocolate here?

the rev

Hey Rev, generally there was on old italian rule regarding cappuccino that states that a cap should be one third espresso, one third milk and one third foam. That notion is fairly outdated, basically a cap should have one (or two depending on cup size) shots of espresso, steamed milk and about an inch of foam. In Italy of course they don't even put choc dust on a cap that's just a western thing for our sweet toothes! And yes the Americans just love their cinnamon. The stiff foam you are referring to is the old style of creating foam, nowadays the more proficient baristas will create what's called microfoam. It is silky smooth and glossy and tastes like liquid chiffon. Very nice, it's basically really creamy with no bubbles on the surface of the milk. There are such things as dry caps like what you are referring to above, dry means not much milk but rather more foam instead.

Corey

Yeah I don't order caps very often, but sometimes I really like a stiff dry foam. Not often, but every once and awhile, doesn't seem like anyone here does it well. Should I maybe try an old school italian place if I want a dry cap?

I will try the place you suggested here. And next time I am in Perth maybe you can take me on a coffee tour?

the rev

Hey Rev, yeah definitely drop in to St. Ali, you will be very impressed. Say hello to Mark the owner for me. And if you get over to Perth, I'd love to take you on a bit of an espresso haunt tour. Cheers.

Corey

Well, for out of townees, Warburton has some great coffee houses. Absolute best is the "Good Food Room", with amazing attention given to each & every shot by the barista. Near Melbourne, some of those lane way cafe's inner city are a coffee lovers delight. When in doubt, I always pick out a venue that looks like it has an Italian heritage. I haven't met an Italian yet who isn't particular about their coffee.
Cafe Sienna in Chapel street Prahran is a very good coffee experience
MM

Hey MM, although there are some great espresso places in Melb, I would certainly AVOID those with 'Italian Heritage'!!! Even though Italians invented the espresso machine system of brewing coffee, new innovations in the world of espresso are not coming from the Italians but rather places like Seattle, Vancouver, Denmark and Sydney. Although Italians by nature are particular they are not necessarily always correct. In general, Italians stick to tradition rather than innovation. In the last five years espresso has come a long way and certainly the Italians are not pushing any envelopes. Head over St. Ali and you will pleasantly suprised to taste exactly what I'm talking about.

Corey

Can you give me a bit more info on St. Ali I can't seem to find it.

the rev

Hey COrey,

told mark you said hello. Best coffee I have ever had, thanks. Will be going back often I hope. The food was great too.

the rev

Hey Rev, glad you dropped in and glad you enjoyed the coffee! Had a quick to chat to Mark yesterday and he mentioned you popped in. He is very serious when it comes to coffee and he's also a really nice guy. St. Ali has a nice little vibe and the instore roaster makes it well worth the visit. Look forward to dropping in there myself when I'm next in Melb.

Corey

oooh; Corey hath laid down the gauntlet of challenging my Italian claims. :-)
I guess Corey that you are correct with advancement of technology & so forth. But for mine, my food training was at the hands of some traditional provincial Italian techniques. I agree, not all Italians in food shops are foodies, but if you know what to look for then you will discover fairly quickly the delights of eating & drinking at the hands of some brilliant locally & traditionally learned techniques; for me, that will always win over technology (not saying all technology is bad though) And I'm certainly not saying that Italians are the only ones to make good coffee. I guess that my assertion is based on being in a food court with 20 options, I would always tend to avoid the houses that have a 15 year old on the counter making my coffee. There is no investment on their part in the art. Getting my coffee off italians that know what they are doing is like "home food".
MM

Hey mate, look certainly getting any food or beverage from a 15 yr old would be suicide. I would never consider buying a coffee made by McCafe, Gloria Jeans or Starbucks. Stale, overoasted coffee from undertrained staff. No thanks. What I'm actually referring to is that old Italian technique of espresso making is not current or best practice. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. However, no Italians have ever achieved the title of World Barista Champion. The specialty coffee envelope is being pushed by guys like David Schomer and Mark Barnett in Seattle, Sammy and Vince Piccolo and Mark Prince in Vancouver, Tim Wendleboe in Norway and Paul Bassett in Sydney but not by the Italians. I'm not talking about technology for technologies sake but referring to things like using PID technology to harness tighter temperature control on espresso machines to bring out more varietal nuances of coffee bean flavour. These concepts did not arise from the Italians and although you might get a reasonable espresso from a Italian you might also get a really bad one. And ultimately, you will get a far better one from other places if you know where to go.

Corey

This is a really interesting point that you make & I find myself waxing between agreeing with you & wanting to totally dismiss the technology argument out of hand.
Many a beautiful song has been written that was never recorded or published; many a work of art has been produced that has moved people but critics will dismiss as technically inept. In the grand scheme of things, we are only talking about coffee, & either you like what is put in front of you, or you don't. At the end of the day, I have never won, nor entered a barista comp, but I get a great result out of my stove top espresso machine. My old Italian boss whom I used to pick up each day would greet me at 5 am with home made job that still stands out as some of the more memorable coffee I have ever had.
Finding great unsung & untrumpeted local providers for me is part of the great joy of food. Our local Barista (who has never entered nor won a contest) treats each shot with an amazing sense of care. you should see him in action. He gets a consistently great result.
Oh well, there's a little bit more into the argument for all of us to consider
Cheers; MM

Look mate, I entirely understand. And the thing about coffee is that it is subjective, no two people will ever agree on what makes a really good cup. But there are also standards out there. For example, what speed should the espresso pour at? When are fresh roasted beans at their optimum usage? What is the correct technique for texturing milk? etc. Not to sound patronizing but what you might call a great cup I might not. My point about technology is only that technology is used as a means to achieving a greater result in the cup not that technology itself will always be the answer. Just because the barista you mentioned gets a consistent great result doesn't mean that there's not better coffee out there :) For example, you are in Melb Correct? How about you visit Mark Dundon at St. Ali in South Yarra and then come back online, I would love to hear your thoughts about his coffee. Let him know that Corey sent you and let's let the technological advancements speak for themselves in the cup. Looking forward to your reply.

Corey

No worries Corey
I will be in Sth Yarra next week so I'll see if I can muster up the time for a visit. Where abouts in STh Yarra is it?
It's funny that my undoing about coffee may be in Sth Yarra as my introduction to good food & provincial cooking was at the Prahran market where I worked in the early 80's . Could this mean that I am about to come full circle?
Mick

Hey that's great mate! Anyway just got off the phone with Mark and my location is slightly wrong, he's actually in South Melbourne which I'm told is not too far away from South Yarra. His address is 12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne. Do pop in if you get the chance, you won't be dissappointed. Cheers.

Corey

PS Yes, full circle :)

St. Ali's is the best coffee I have ever had. Same for my wife who is a barista at a local cafe. And my friend who is also a barista at a cafe in Torquay. I didn't think it was possible to get a better latte than the Wall in St Kilda, but I was wrong. The coffee at St Ali's is unbelievable.

Have gone back quite a few times corey and have told all of my friends. Glad to support the best coffee in Melbourne. Corey where are you in Perth, have some friends out there and would love to give you a plug.

the rev

Hey Rev, that's so encouraging to hear. It's just great when people appreciate the effort that some go to to produce amazing espresso. My business is Core Espresso, Shop 5 Lower Ground Floor, Allendale Arcade, 77 St Georges Terrace, Perth. We're in the business heart of the CBD so we're only open mon-fri 6.30-3.00. We love getting visitors, make sure they introduce themselves.
Cheers,
Corey

I one had a great coffee (5 Cups) at a Bunnings store in Kilsyth. It was fanstastic. I walked around the store looking for gadgets I did not need which just seemed to make the coffee taste even better!

KoKo-Black in Lygon Street is THE place for a decatent chocolate/coffee drink.

I reckon one of the best coffees I've tasted comes from Veneziano Caffe. Went to their cafe front, aka First Pour, and asked for a latte made from their premium blend. There was hardly anyone there and the premium blend (Veneziano Estate) wasn't in the hopper so the barista took a while to dial in the grinder and only served the latte when the pour was perfect. My latte came with a rosetta on top and the taste.. absolutely 5 cups. They're located a bit out of the way, in Bond Street in Abbotsford. Their beans are also freshly roasted, nothing too fresh (degassing phase) and nothing over 3 weeks old.

I was recommended this blog because I was going to Melbourne for the first time for a gig and had no idea where to go for coffee. So I wrote down a bunch of addresses but only found a few and this is my report.
St. Ali - AMAZING! The best coffee I have ever had. Perfect is how I would describe it. Conveniently situated around the corner from the rehearsal room we were using. I rate it 5 cups and all other ratings are based on this one. And the food and service is great also. I went there on two seperate days and had two coffees each time and they were consistantly awesome. (12-18 Yarra Pl Sth Melbourne) Degraves Espresso - Very good coffee and kind of a cool vibe. 4 cups. (Degraves st) Atomica - Also good, 3.5 cups Mario's - I wouldn't bother. (Brunswick st Fitzroy) Don Vincenzo? (next to mario's) - Drinkable, nothing special. 3.5 cups.
And that's all I could manage in a weekend.
Love Owen