I considered it was well overdue that I reviewed my favourite local, so here goes…

Just minutes away from King Street, you’ll find a small unassuming cafe called Cordial. Cordial – despite the name, is all about the coffee. And exceptional coffee at that. That’s if you like a good, strong cup; not for the fainthearted! You can get your usual coffee choices here; all with a golden crema. The coffee is a Golden Cobra roast.

Three words, CUP OF GOLD.

Want something with your coffee? There’s freshly baked muffins which are great and you can’t go past my fave Sunday morning breakfast: scrambled eggs and mushrooms on sourdough. Okay, for the meat lovers there’s bacon! Or you might prefer berry pancakes? Lunch is also available. Main meals average $7-12 and are a decent size.

The staff are great and very personable, just bear with them in rush times!

All dog owners and admirers (that’s me) welcome.

A.

Bow down and worship, the GOD OF THE Bean is alive and well in South Melbourne.
You haven’t had a coffee, until you’ve had one at St. ALI’s.
Must be a 5 beaner, an existential experience, truly, these guys do everything right! RESPECT!

Coffee: St ALI Roasters

Another ALL DAY Breakfast joint…. excuse me but how could you not get excited after sleeping in until 10 then off to brekky with my beautiful wife and 2 kids at 11.30.
Corner place, nice and spacious, hip, trendy and near the beach!
Perfect for a beautiful, sunny, summers Saturday in Melbourne.
The menu was delightful, reasonably priced, wide-ranging and decent serves too boot!
Lucky coz I was STARVING!!
To kick things off I ordered my customary espresso, which I was hoping would live up to the namesake of the place and be velvety and smooth, starting off a busy day with a bang
The golden crema concealed the aromatic oils of a complex nectar precisely fusing the caramel sweet taste with a distinct citrus fragrant aroma.
Sharp, yet sublime and sweet, it left an aftertaste that did not disappoint.
A moving experience!
With my tongue adequately coated now, I was ready to order my breakfast and my customary chaser, the favorite, double shot flat white.
I hoped this would not disappoint, but how could it; I was on such a high now that the day had begun so well.
And true to form it did not fail, the barista was firing, the perfect combination of nature, man and machine had created an orgasmic gastronomical masterpiece that was both aesthetically pleasing with its deep umber edging as well as perfect to the palate.
It may however have been a tad over-extracted as there were faint hints of an ashy, burnt aroma, but nothing that the perfect temperature and texture of the milk could not camouflage.
Two thumbs up and a definite four beaner: See you real soon.

COFFEE: Dimattina

What does this enigma mean? Q11, even the owner seemed puzzled!
Beatnik, Rastafarian, poetic, were all adjectives that popped into my mind as I entered this throwback café, nestled in a bustling cafe strip across form South Melbourne Market.
I half expected to find Cat Stevens or Leonard Cohen hanging out there, or at least a guy with a bongo-drum in a corner somewhere….
The menu exemplary, the fit out tardy, the space…. well lets just say you’d have trouble squeezing in a pram, or even swinging a cat, but cozy and welcoming nonetheless.
The barista was obviously experienced as my espresso came out in a warm Genovese signed cup, thickly coated in an umber crema, aromatic and full bodied, while my customary double shot flat white was presented with a delicate tulip etched with finely textured milk amongst exquisite tones of espresso, delicately designed by a maestro.
An aesthetic delight, all the more tempting!
The sweet aroma of my espresso was complemented by a thick, syrup like texture, which did not disappoint. Robust and rich it left its delicate flavors lingering on my tongue long after the last morsel of my delicious and substantial meal was devoured.
The delicate velvety mouth feel of my flat white left it’s delicious textured aftertaste coating the back of my tongue for most of the day.
Highly recommended, even grab a take-away if the place is full, BEWARE though if busy you may need to wait a while for a meal, coffee service is immediate though.
Deserves 4 beans, without a doubt!

Coffee: Genovese

Best coffee ever!!!! They have their own secret way of preparing the coffee. Very friendly young stuff, nice cosy atmoshphere, small outside sitting area from where you can watch all this ‘Ottensen guys’. Even good for drink in the evening. Funny thing: they play audi books on the toilet - ??? is the best!

Expectant, to say the least!
Impressed, Yes!
Satisfied, well almost!
What a glorious café, truly well designed and beautiful, a real showpiece of Melbourne’s café scene.
Three levels of glorious Italian architecture and Ice-cream heaven, I believe it actually won an interior design/architecture award a couple of years back.
Literally the name means, “Old Ice-cream shop in the main street”, and it did not disappoint, the kids loved it!
Who wouldn’t?
The food and cakes were decadently traditional Italian, to die for, and being owned by Nestle, you could be sure nothing was done half-assed…. apart from the coffee.
The pungent aromas of my espresso, seemed to betray the sulphuric odor of the underworld, where the dark overlord of ‘the bean’ resides.
I was hoping for a beautiful thick, sweet and rich crema’ instead it was too long, too mellow, too NQR!
A burnt and bitter aftertaste lingered and so I ordered the chaser to try to salvage the child-like glee that this Willy Wonkian paradise of the Ice-cream world had sparked inside.
It was the usual double-shot flat white which was not only watery and lacking in body and mouth-feel, in fact it seemed to vanish and dissipate as soon as it touched my eagerly awaiting taste buds.
I sensed their disappointment. Devastation!
The whole coffee experience lacked any passion and enthusiasm to match the expectation of such a glorious looking café, maybe it was just a bad day?!?!
No beans here, sorry, but definitely worth a visit for the aesthetic experience, the delicious food and of course, the main attraction, the Gelato.
The whole family will love it!

Coffee: COFFEX

There it was, beckoning me to come forth,this little hip and posh coffee shop;
Nestled in amongst the centre of busy Bridport St, with it’s trendy cafes, lined up one after the other.
The decision was difficult yet seemed obvious, once made, about where to go to consume the daemon baen!
Thankfully, starving with family en tow, it was like an Oasis in the desert.
Bustling and vibrant, kiddy friendly, I have two so I know, its menu was both enticing as well as variant.
Wow, what a selection, from all day breakfast through to delicious pasta and meals, well presented in this stylistic and chic corner megalith amongst so many tiny single front, single serve cafés.
It was pure bliss; Frank and his attentive and caring staff did their utmost to make us feel totally comfortable as well as special.
My short Machiatto was lovely…well presented, with great care to detail it’s taste almost perfect, both aromatic and sharp.
My wife’s latte was beautifully offered, flavorsome and creamy, smooth and rich, just like it should be.
It’s amazing what two and a half years between reviews can achieve.
A strong one bean maybe even a bean and a half, for Frank and his mighty crew.
A stand out amongst the Bridport Street coffee strip.

Coffee: Crivelli

For a Sydney local, lively and ‘festive’ Oxford St seems somewhere where you’d expect spoilt for choice for Cafe’s. This may be true, but not exactly for good coffee. Already littered with rubbish that is S****ucks and GJ’s, even most of the independent cafe’s on the iconic street are average at best. Most of the better cafe’s are well away from busy Oxford. Grumpy’s however, stands out from the crowd and personally I would say is perhaps the only place worth visiting for good coffee.

Although looks like a cafe, it’s first and foremost a bakery. Apparantly everything is baked on site. The muffins, gourmet breads, the croissants and baguettes are all of quality. They also do some great breakfast rolls. It’s open till late during the week and open 24hrs on the weekend which is great, as its pretty damn hard to find a decent coffee around there in the wee hours of the morning.

The decor is modern and trying to emulate something european, with lots of wood grain, it’s not too bad. Definitely more style than most of the shops nearby. Being on a busy street, the vibe really depends on the day and time you visit. Weekend mornings are most pleasant, but a late night on Friday makes for a very ‘different’ experience.

All in all, its pretty decent coffee and nice bites. Being on Oxford St, its not the most scenic spot for a cafe, but the smoker-friendly outdoor seating isn’t a bad spot to sit, relax and observe the life and the interesting characters of the street.

If you LOVE chocolate, and I do mean LOVE chocolate, and all things chocolate, then this is truly the place for you!
Make no mistake; this is a chocoholic’s heaven, beyond compare!
Everything about this place was outstanding: The service, the attention to detail, the ambient atmosphere, the décor, infact it was a faultless experience in the delights of the humble cocoa bean.
Although there may be many other chocolatiers and chocolate boutiques here in Melbourne, there is only one KOKOBLACK!
Now to the real bean, the bean that keeps the world turning.

The baen of the daemons!

Unlike its sister the cocoa bean, the coffee bean used here seemed a bit bland and ordinary, but hey that is probably because of the comparison to the exquisite chocolate flavours on offer.
The ristretto seemed a tad bitter with hints of being over extracted, maybe too fine a grind or time to clean the grinder.
The latte was well made, velvety and creamy the milk adequately camouflaging the deficiencies of the espresso.
A solid performance though, don’t get me wrong, but let’s make it clear, they are chocolatiers, coffee is only there to compliment the main attraction.
Nevertheless the combination of chocolate and coffee was enough to keep me going strong for a week, deliciously and satisfyingly!
A strong one bean here.
Highly recommended and make sure you try a truffle with your coffee, at any of the 5 or 6 locations around Melbourne.
The ultimate adrenaline rush!!!!

Caffe’ Greco, est. 1760, or so the famous motif goes, in the window at the famous Roman Coffee House at 86 Via Condotti.

What relation this has to the two namesakes in Melbourne, I’m not too sure, either way Café Greco @ Crown certainly has made it’s mark upon the coffee scene in Melbourne, possibly the world.

Truly it’s not a Friday or Saturday night out without the customary queuing up in the wee early hours for a Cake and Coffee from the glorious and pioneering cake display on offer at this sweet-tooth’s Nirvana.

Hard to be cool and part of the ‘in’ crowd without being seen at this hip place to be seen!

The atmosphere and décor give it a feel and ambience all it’s own, truly original, copied incessantly but never quite as sublime or as elegant.

The Chalice of the Daemon drink:

Or to the uninitiated, the Devil’s Cup:
If I wanted an iced coffee, I would have ordered it!!

My short machiato would have been and could have been quite adequate if it hadn’t sat on the bar in front of the barista for over 10 minutes waiting to be served.
The stain of frothy milk all but dispersed amongst the now watery and tasteless crema.
My wife’s latte now almost cold would have been perfect if served at the right time, and at the right temperature.
Obviously not the barista’ s fault, but they were in his face for the whole 10 minutes; maybe he should have hurried the waiters along.
I’m sure the coffee is good, judging by the crowds flocking, then again this may not be the best indicator, I wasn’t game enough to order a second cup, as the disappointment of the first was quite shattering.

Temperature, texture/body, flavour, aroma, acidity and aftertaste are my measuring benchmarks, and given the chemical breakdown of my unassuming beverage, and almost my own while I waited anxiously for it too arrive, I could not discern any traditional flavours or aromas.
A bland, black brew, reminiscent of percolated Yankee drip coffee.
In a word…. disappointed; the cakes were AWESOME though!

Little nut is the English translation of Noisette.
And frankly, you’d have to be, not to give this place a go.
It definitely has a certain je-ne-sais-quoi all of its own.
From the intimate lighting, the quaint Parisian background music to the glass-walled kitchen/prep area, it is definitely a delight, ‘c’est la bonne.’
Beautiful fresh bread baked on the premises, delightful and dainty assorted cakes and specialty sweets.
A real treat for the whole family, with its bright lighting and inviting and courteous staff.
Surprisingly the prices were quite reasonable given the excellent quality and service, and the fact that it’s in ‘trendy’ and usually over-priced Port Melbourne.

Onto the Devil’s Cup:
Not too heavy, not too light!

Temperature, texture/body, flavor, aroma, acidity and aftertaste were all positive, clearly indicating a superior barista at work at the Holy Altar making the customary oblation to the God of the bean.
Even though my ristretto was 30ml of pure bittersweet bliss, bold and full of body, my double shot flat white was a little bit too ‘just right’
A little too perfect and smooth, for my palate, but nonetheless an offering worthy of ‘the bean’, pleasing to the God’s of the underworld who gave man this potent potion.
Do yourself a favor and make your next hit a Café Noisette; you won’t be sorry.

Coffee: Espresso di Manfredi by Piazza d’Oro

In the immortal words of Stealer’s Wheel: ‘Stuck in THE MIDDLE with you.’
Well to be quite frank I was anything but stuck.
I was amazed, mystified even captivated, anything but just stuck.
But I guess these other adjectives don’t fit as well……
Anyway, what a delight.
Definitely worth a mention, a real be(an)autiful experience and quite the bean feast.
The atmosphere of this modern and popular suburban café was both clean and exciting, it’s ambience obvious.
Spacious as well as well appointed it was both inviting and comfortable.
Sparsely laid out tables covered a large section of the footpath as well as the inside, making it pram and child friendly.
The staff, were both courteous as well as knowledgeable, not in your face and overbearing.
The menu packed to the brim with culinary delights to satisfy even the fussiest of patrons, and all-day breakfast, a definite two thumbs up!!!
Finally, the devil’s cup:
GOLDILOCKS
Just great, a definite two beans up!!
Both samples were brilliant, the ristretto was awesome, an explosion of flavours, bitter and sweet, pure nectar of the underworld, while my double shot flat white was just about perfect.
Even my wife’s weak decaf skinny latte’ tasted half ok.
A coffee connoisseur’s delight.
Temperature, texture/body, flavor, aroma, acidity and aftertaste are my measuring benchmarks and all were perfect, or near enough too.
Well Done and thanks…….you’ll be seeing us again, real soon.

Coffee: LAvazza

A refreshing cafe with a relaxed atmosphere. The cafe is part of the Mill Hill East Church and has plenty of wide open space, delicious home baking and realistic prices.

No yuppies here - just a decent coffee served with a smile.

Less than 5 miles away from my home so I will make this a semi-regular haunt.

Well this is a genuine coffee lovers cafe. Alan the owner is a regular on the barista competition scene so what you are getting here is a product from someone who lives coffee.

The cafe itself is very small and deals mainly in take away but does have a few stools and tables which are not usually all taken. They have a some nice foccacia’s and cakes also. I think the main bean served there is Felici and Modena from DiBella roasting house nearby. If your after a quick fix with a kick this is your joint.