The World Loves Melbourne Blog

Collective Espresso is a standout cafe in Melbourne let alone the eastern suburbs with its uber cool vibe, engaging staff and sublime coffee and cuisine. It's a popular choice for locals but also worth travelling across town for.

In fact Collective Espresso is just across from the Camberwell railway station - so I took the opportunity to dive off the train one morning, engage with Collective Espresso, then dive back on. These tables outside are a desirable place to enjoy your morning coffee and are often full by 8am. It's amazing how many school students frequent the cafes of Camberwell - obviously they've done their homework the night before...

J Cafe is a superb Japanese cafe on Exhibition that thrills with its creative and tasty sushi burgers and salads. The combination of a sushi burger and a fresh classy salad is a sublime option for the hungry office worker. I'd heard about these sushi burgers but it took me too long to pay a visit. Melbourne has several excellent value Japanese cafe restaurants in the CBD which are well patronised by students.

J Cafe Restaurant is popular with students but also with a high proportion of surrounding professionals. I was superimpressed by the care, the quality of cuisine, the healthiness and the value of J Cafe. Oh and the service is great also - attentive, friendly and the meals prepared quickly.

Pellegrini’s, a Melbourne icon, and original Melbourne coffee destination, puts a big smile on my face. It's easy to fall in love with Pellegrini's as it exudes so much charm and nostalgia. Classico! Often misunderstood in a sea of nouveau cafes and restaurants, Pellegrini’s is unique.

It feels like ‘real’ Melbourne with its history and standing. I’ve been there a few times and love it. Where else can you go for such quality banter, home cooking and strong coffee?

I tried entering Pellegrini’s very early one morning and couldn’t get in the door. That’s right! The owner (I think it was), came and unlocked the door and showed me in! That was cool.

St Ali is a hip cool fun uber café with amazing ambience, stunning coffee and excellent creative menu choices - hidden down a laneway in South Melbourne. This is one of my “go to” places in Melbourne and have loved each of my many visits. The owner Salvatore Malatesta is an icon and visionary in the industry, in the city of Melbourne, and internationally. He has inspired an amazing culture in and beyond this cult cafe in a laneway.

St Ali is a cafe with style and culture. St Ali has some classic menu designs - here is one of my all time favourites...

Three Bags Full is a Melbourne darling and one of our more eminent cafes. Enter a world of Clover and Rwandan Aeropress (by the way so cool to see how Rwanda has recovered in recent years through things like coffee exports) and espresso bliss.  The vibe on a pumping Saturday brunch time is fabulous. Its another foodie haven and the coffee is seriously excellent.

Some confusion at first as to whether I was in Richmond or in Abbotsford. The colour scheme suggested I was in Richmond (bright yellows) but we were in fact in Abbotsford. Great ambience here. Walk in and immediately fall in love with this place.

Mama Wong's is a place I've walked past many times as I negotiate the junction to head towards the MCG. Who is Mama Wong? Finally I took the plunge and rolled up for lunch. I was surprised at the extensive menu with a huge variety of Asian meals.

Mama Wong's also delivers on instant Asian meals in the bain marie. As once again I was in a hurry at lunch, I ordered the Satay chicken with a  fried dim sim as extra.

Cafe Andiamo is a great little cafe in iconic Degraves Street with fast and friendly service and not without excellent ambience. Come inside this cafe and relax at one of several tables and watch the eclectic atmosphere of Degraves Street roll by. Or sit out at a table outdoors in Degraves and get amongst the action. Tables here can be a bit closer together but it's a great spot to dine.

Cafe Andiamo serves up excellent coffee. The picture here doesn't quite do it justice as the white froth belies the strong Italian style coffee underneath. and I love a strong Italian style coffee or two.

Ganache should be celebrated for its high standards and chocolate sublimeness and skill, and the fact that it's a Melbourne based chocolatier. These guys can hold their own against the best around the world. A European chocolate experience in Melbourne. The finest couverture chocolate.  Check out the decadent chocolate bars and blocks, chocolate sculptures and other products, and chocolate drinks. And the sensational gift wrapping.

Ganache make amazing hot chocolates and mochas for the chocolate lover. I like to duck in to Ganache for my chocolate fix. 

Even those who aren’t particularly discerning about their morning cup of coffee can differentiate a good cup from a terrible one. Surprisingly, what separates that good cup from a bad one isn’t a subjective matter of preference; there’s actually some very precise science behind creating a cup of coffee that appeals to the majority of taste buds. From selecting a type of coffee to roasting and brewing, every step that goes into the construction of a cup of coffee plays an essential role in how that eventual cup will taste, feel, and caffeinate. Read on to learn more about the chemistry of coffee which may just provides a few insights that will help you improve the way you brew up one of the world’s most popular beverages.

1. How coffee is extracted can dramatically change its flavor.

   Extraction is the process of dissolving coffee grounds in water, something most of us know as brewing, or in the case of espresso, pulling. How the extraction process happens can change the taste of coffee in dramatic ways, and not always for the better. Three factors influence the outcome of an extraction: the size of the grounds, the time that water spends in contact with the grounds, and the distribution of water among the grounds. Making things even more complicated, each method of extraction, from pulling espresso to brewing in a French press, requires different things to make palatable coffee and some methods simply produce better coffee than others. If any of these factors are off for a given method, it will yield coffee that’s bitter and in some cases virtually undrinkable. Why? As coffee is extracted, it first releases acids, then sugars, and then bitters. Brewing for too long, uneven exposure to water, or grinding coffee too fine can mean that too much bitter flavor gets extracted. On the flip side, if extraction is too short or done with coffee that’s too coarsely ground, you’ll get an acidic, watery cup of coffee.

2. Coffee contains a lot of trapped carbon dioxide.

   You might not realize it by looking at them, but coffee grounds actually contain a fair amount of trapped carbon dioxide. Much of this CO2 is released within the first 24 hours after roasting occurs, which means that if you grind, brew, and drink incredibly fresh beans, the taste of the coffee is going to skew acidic and there may be an alarming amount of froth on the top as the CO2 rushes to escape the coffee. For most, this won’t be an issue, but if you’re getting beans fresh from a local shop or are roasting your own then it’s wise to let the beans de-gas and develop a day or two before diving into brewing. If you can’t wait, pre-wet the grounds to help them release some CO2 before starting your brew.

3. Around 28% of the organic and inorganic material in a coffee bean is water-soluble.

   Somewhere between a quarter and a third of the material that makes up your coffee beans is water-soluble, though you don’t really want all of it to dissolve if you’re trying to get a cup of coffee that won’t make you cringe. According to most, the perfect extraction rate of coffee is about 19-22%, which achieves the ideal balance of the acidic, sweet, and bitter flavors in the beans.

   ...

Mocha Jo's is a super popular cafe in the heart of Glen Waverley with excellent coffee and cuisine and fabulous service. After driving around for 20 minutes trying to get a park on a weeknight I was struck again by how popular this precinct is. When the evenings are warm everyone gathers here and it's a cool ambience. Mocha Jo's is one of the iconic places to visit and a great cafe to meet with your friends.

Mocha Jo's has a modern fit out with quality furniture, modern lighting and intimate timber tables and hot chocolate colour themes. Service is sharp and the young hip waiters and waitresses are engaging.

Coffeehead is a groovy and serious coffee destination in Camberwell that soars high above the pack. Coffeehead is another masterstroke of Paul Mathis, who is taking all before him in the Melbourne cafe and restaurant scene. Coffee devotees are impressed with the wide range of Melbourne's and Australia's top coffee brands and blends available for consumption. Check out the row of great coffee brands for sale along the wall including Gridlock, Plantation, Coffee Supreme and Padre or go online and order.

I rocked up to Coffeehead as part of my prep for the AFL Grand Final. I needed some coffee and carbs before the big game. This was essentially Hawthorn territory although a few Swans supporters were also at the cafe that day.

The Whoopie Pie Bakery is a great place for relaxing with friends for a sweet dessert fix. The whoopie pies are an American craze come to Camberwell. I enjoy the size and the texture of a whoopie pie with its creamy inside. 

The Whoopie Pie Bakery has a great array of whoopie choices behind the large display cabinet. I elected for the Chocolate and salted caramel. After all this has been declared the Year of Salted Caramel.

Blueberry Cafe is a consistently excellent cafe on Swan Street with character and coffee and cuisine with flair. It is one of the standouts in the precinct.

Blueberry has a great retro ambience with brown funky lighting, great use of timbers, a large window with natural light and several communal tables.

Torch is a funky cafe that lights up Swan Street in Richmond. It's one of the standout cafes along Swan Street with its grungy if not quirky design and yellow and charcoal themes. Very Richmond colours.

Ambience is enhanced by the cool modern art wall (including the funky animals), concrete floor, open counter area, yellow stools, retro tables and black communal table and yellow lamps from the ceiling.

Torch serves up great coffee with Genovese blends (one of my favourites as it has a strength I like).

Cheerio will have you coming back for the warm and personable service, great use of space, Seven Seeds coffee baby and funky cuisine. Just off Swan Street and on Lennox Street it has quickly attracted a following.  

I'm at first thinking minimalism as the room isn't huge but seems spacious. Cheerio has a great ambience featuring the large window with plenty of natural light, white walls, retro black and white tiled floor, a cool timber work ceiling structure, funky hanging lights, and a timber bench along the wall with chic blue cushions.

Dave Matthews says he likes his toast with coffee and jelly. Methinks Dave Matthews and his band would enjoy Cheeky Monkey with its cool ambience and excellent cuisine (including the toast and coffee). Cheeky Monkey has a great vibe with its dark timber and great use of space. The golden walls with monkeys and palms is awesome. As the light fills the room from the large windows we feel the light of love and darkness falls away (Dave Matthews).

Cheeky Monkey has a great fit out with timber tables, concrete floor, exposed brick wall, naked bulbs over the communal tables, and a counter with red themes. Spot the monkey figurines including on the timber beam above. Monkeys are watching you.

Tree of Us is a cafe/restaurant sensation and a great find in the uber precinct of North Richmond. Being familiar with many of the cafes along Bridge Road and indeed throughout Richmond I am always looking for a cafe that stands out from the pack. I can throw a blanket across several and only a handful rise into the outstanding category. Tree of Us is a breath of fresh air with its understated charm and foodie gourmet excellence.

Started by three friends who went to Primary School on the Mornington Peninsular together, there is a sense of destiny and romance about this place. To be honest I don't even have one friend from Primary School. It was too long ago and I have no idea where they are now. Certainly none of my Primary School friends were ex chefs at Rockpool that I know of. Shaun is a top chef ex Rockpool and brings imagination, flair and skill to the kitchen.

Cafe Alcaston is a hidden gem within the hustle and bustle of Collins Street and Spring Street. Duck in to this charming establishment for a classic Melbourne cafe experience. Unpretentious and consistently good, Cafe Alcaston is popular and a favourite with those that visit.

Cafe Alcaston is famous for its baked pies and great coffee. They use Coffee Supreme and the baristas are skillful. 

The ambience is fabulous in this grand historical building featuring ornate ceilings, dark timber tables and cool cushions, lamps from the ceiling, fleck tiled floor and red ochre walls.

The Fair Trader has made a big impact in a short time with its fabulous coffee, spacious cafe and culinary delights. Having being used to cafes that are small and sometimes cramped, The Fair Trader can cope with hordes of coffee lovers descending from nearby offices.

I wondered whether the name of this cafe had any link to Fair Work Australia next door. Being the genius I am I think so. If the Liberals win the next election will the cafe change its name to "Work Choices"? Sorry, bad joke.

The Fair Trader has a great ambience with concrete polished floor, grungy chairs, retro stools, and naked bulbs. The Fair Trader could also be called The Chic Trader.

Cafe Bisqui is a fabulous cafe on Flinders Street with flair, great coffee and cool ambience. It's a haven and an oasis where you feel super welcome. I settled in with the morning paper and found it to be that cosy happy place in the hustle and bustle of the CBD.

Cafe Bisqui has a great fit out with plants, mirrors and cool timber tables. We all love an ample communal table and Cafe Bisqui delivers. Ambience is enhanced by the white walls, blackboards, concrete floor and low ceilings.