Definitely a cool vibe. So close to Melbourne Uni. People coming in with Foo-Go’s re-fillable cups — the cafe is quite serious about their environmental impact, and would prefer you have coffee in, or use a re-fillable cup — but the option is yours, they do have disposable.

Large brown stylish booths and a house type beat playing. Clearly marked and specially fitted help-yourself water station.

Can see people, Uni students, walking past. Conversation behind me begins, “So you’ve been overseas recently?” Can hear a girl requesting a water-melon, apple and pineapple juice.

At 3.00 p.m. on this warm summery day, a chilled beat playing, this place definitely has the ‘hang-in’ factor going. Could easily stay an hour or two. The door is wide open and a breeze comes in as well as ambient sounds in the street. A tram rattles past.

Good sign: every 5 minutes or so somebody enters. Sense of action, things happening.

Ah- yes. Ordered a large iced-coffee. Good sharp coffee taste and some whole coffee beans on top. Solid scoop of ice-cream.

Some things on the menu: Frittata, side salad, soup, English muffins, slices, cookies and cakes. Fresh juices 4.50 or 5.50 (small/large). Coffee, 2.80, 3.40, 4.00 (normal to large). Short Black, Ristretto, Short Macchiato all 2.50.

Over years of frequenting this cafe I have never received a coffee short of excellent.

Riding through the grounds of Melbourne Uni today, I came across this neat little coffee stop. Two wide brown umbrellas up, students laughing and ordering coffee. I had to get off my bike then and have a closer look.
 
Cafe latte in a cardboard take-away cup = $3.00. I’m given a large playing card: 4 of Diamonds in this case. You wait until your card is announced, then, you pick up your coffee and place your card in one of three holders: Environment, Charity, Owner. This will designate where 100% of the profit made on your coffee goes.

The coffee quality itself? It could’ve been hotter, but the blend was smooth and the latte well made.

I like the sense of fun in the idea, and that people were enjoying themselves as well as helping an important cause of their choosing. The location, in the grounds of Melbourne Uni, was well chosen — a sort of enclosed area, by the trees, shrubs and paving.