Melbourne Cafe Reviews

The Brunswick East Project
438 Lygon St
Brunswick East
Ph (03) 9939 8422

This place is the first I’ve been to that I’d describe as a modern day Coffee Bar. That is, the focus is definitely on coffee, with bites available as accompaniments to your coffee. Friands, slices, and muffins adorn a counter area near the large shiny and serious looking coffee machine.

It took some getting used to. I’m familiar with cafes that provide the full breakfast option, available all day. I’d say that’s a Melbourne love. But here, perhaps, we are moving gently beyond our initial embrace of ‘the breakfast cafe’ and into a new realm.

There’s an airy, light feel here. Wait staff aren’t frantically delivering copious plates of food whilst at the same time hoping the orders aren’t mixed as well as hoping that whatever peculiar breakfast tastes their customer has are met by the meal they receive. Here, instead, a person who clearly enjoys making coffee is dedicated to the coffee machine whist other staff roam about, bring out orders, chat with customers and package coffee.

This cafe also roasts coffee. There’s an interesting collection of rubber stamps alongside a stack of brown paper coffee bags which appear to be the equipment used to identify the variety of blends available.

Music isn’t loud. The seating arrangement manages to be interesting and allows one to quietly lob in a spot and feel undisturbed. There’s two modest armchairs in the front window with a round coffee table between them; this appears to be favourite spot. Today two interesting looking women in their late forties occupy these seats; one has the quiet observational presence of a writer.

A section of bar seating runs alongside a bench across the northern wall and there’s a communal table shared by both staff and customer, which breaks down the dividing line between the two. The roasting machine is housed in a small open room further in, and beyond this is another room with more seating. The whole area is filled with natural light permeated by the beautifully rich smell of freshly ground coffee beans. And the coffee’s good. My long black comes steaming hot with a golden crema.

Though I’d only ordered a long black and friand and three-quarters of an hour had passed, my water glass is filled, making me feel in no hurry to move on or place another order.

Each Peach
506 Lygon St
Brunswick East
Ph (03) 9383 4529

This is a pretty cafe, located at the top end of Lygon street in Brunswick East. Each Peach is a relatively new addition to this stretch of Lygon street which has become a thriving cafe zone. Though it can get busy here, I’ve come today at the sneaky time of 2:45 PM on a Tuesday whilst most people are working! Hence I can stretch out at the long pinewood table nearest the front window, read Kierkegaard’s diary and gaze out into the street.

There is a pleasant, warm and vibrant vibe here, in part due to the homely nature of the design and décor as well as the cheerful manner of the two ladies who run it. Natural light fills the front room, thanks to the large open window frontage. The ceiling is white and metal pressed, newly painted. The walls are painted white upper and, as a hasty search of the net reveals to me, a yellow chiffon lower. As well as the shared pinewood table there are two smaller tables in the front room, and in the street are a couple of laid back wicker seats with a small table. More seating is available out the back, whence from soft light glows.

Some randomly noted items from the blackboard menu: organic fairtrade espresso $2.50; milk coffees $3; organic sausage roll $6; waffles served with mocha ice-cream or banana, maple syrup and vanilla ice-cream $8; scrambled eggs with parmesan and asparagus $9.

Today I’ve just come for a long black and strawberry friand. The coffee comes in an old fashioned pale yellow cup, is hot, and has a fair crema. The friand is light and fresh. I look forward to a breakfast here one morning as the menu options look creative and I have a sense that meals here would be very good, (something I might mention here at a later stage). A lovely place.

Gingerlee
117 Lygon St
Brunswick East
Ph 9380 4436

Positioned on a north-eastern corner on Lygon street, this cafe was a lovely place to be this morning. A classic Melbourne mix of rain and sunshine. I was quite mesmerised watching rain rolling down the wide windows and a fan inside spinning at a lazy pace, hanging low from a high ceiling. Tables and seats run along the right-hand wall as you enter and are a great pace to sit in the morning sun. I sat a bit further back, where the glass was type you can’t see through and an intimate space opens up which is like a cosy enclosure away from the outside world. Fittingly, there’s soft booth seating here. A plain white wall has a large picture of a ship on it.

Coffee, which is all I had this morning, is first rate. The two lattes I had were smooth and creamy. Furthermore, the glass of water which was brought to my table seconds after sitting down was never allowed to fall below half-full. I noticed a macchiato at one table and it looked perfect: stark contrast of black coffee and white top, not too full in the glass.

El Mirage
349 Lygon St
Brunswick East
Phone (03) 9388 0966

Modern, slick design. Even a bit daring, I think — when you walk in, or in viewing the cafe from the street, the sparse look, and often being quite busy, can be off-putting. A better explanation might be possible through comparison. This cafe, in layout, is converse to one where you might peer through a window to check it out, walk in unobtrusively and have a look.

Back to design. The photo does not reveal much of this. The caf is deep. There’s a decent expanse wooden decking at the front, two bike hoops meeting the footpath (like this bike emphasis). At the top of the decking is `bar’-type seating and a large slide-up perspex window showing through to inside. It can be a bit funny when the window is drawn down and people sit facing you on the same seating arrangement from the other side.

Inside, the coffee machine, register and whole setup runs down the right-hand wall. On the left-hand wall, bar seating, khaki type green, running the entire length. Small wooden square tables and chairs fill most of the floor space, with table spacing good — not crammed (although an initial look from the door could give the perception of tables tightly packed in).

Coffee is excellent, my only criticism would be that sometimes it’s not hot enough.

I like the menu boards — a simple light wooden board with a single sheet of paper, computer printed in a very plain font with a low-detail printer. (A funny thing to comment on, perhaps; but this place has a noticeable style to it).

The menu itself offers a good selection of food. Egg breakies, muesli, BLTs 1 to 4, fritatta, pancakes and more. There’s a selection of small pastries and slices on display. I’ve found the food to be quality, a favourite being the pancakes which is simply and elegantly presented with a dollop of rhubarb and cream at its centre.

The atmosphere is interesting. Wait staff are great, very friendly, efficient. In it’s open design, the cafe loses that intimacy and cosiness we like. What it gains however, is a cool look, and in this, it’s simply interesting to be at. A place that you’ll remember and might like to be hanging out at again, in the not-to-distant future.

Cicalata
323 Lygon Street
Carlton VIC 3053
03 9641 8899

Public Transport: Catch any tram with “Melbourne Uni” on its Front (from City or South of) and get off at Melbourne Uni, the last stop. Walk East and you’ll come across Lygon St. If you’re in the North, easiest to explain is: go into the city and catch a Melb Uni tram back up, from Swanston St. Otherwise, lucky ones can catch a handy Toorak No. 8 which comes from the North, from Coburg, and it’ll take you within a stones throw: get off corner Elgin and Lygon Sts.

I’ve been to this cafe three times now, each time I like it more. The first time it was by chance. I noticed Cicalata had taken the place of an average cafe.

It’s a smart cafe, new tables seats and a pull-out awning. Just inside the front window there’s four white bar stools. Most noticeable to me first up were the friendly waiter staff. Then the fair pricing. And considering this is in a great location, near Readings, the Nova, and the rest that Carlton has to offer, this cafe is a good find.

Today I couldn’t sit outside, but there’s seats available inside. Which reminds me of another plus: each time I’ve come to this cafe there was no problem getting a seat. The first two times I sat outside. This morning I take a bar stool. The door is open and a gentle breeze comes in. I’m served promptly, offered a menu and asked what I’d like to drink. Long black straight up, and later I order pancakes.

Outside two old guys sit at a table. One smokes a pipe and the other has a crisp glass of white in front of him. At least two people have books. Bottles of water are at tables.

When the long black comes it has a dark-golden crema. It’s hot and the flavour is a smooth blend not a strong one. Pancakes are not my normal order at a cafe. The pancakes I got today will be a cafe meal I remember. Two pancakes, one on top of the other, blackberries, maple syrup and a dollop of vanilla ice-creme. Not being a great food connoisseur, I won’t try to describe the flavours etc., but it was elegantly presented the whole lot sat together well and it wasn’t over the top. It tasted great.

Total price came to $11.30