The Hunt for Specialty Coffee in Melbourne

Being the second largest traded commodity in the world (after oil), coffee means a lot to many people. While Melbourne is highly regarded as one of the best espresso style coffee town, the next step in the ever evolving industry is specialty coffee.

With the opening of Filter about a month ago, a new cafe on Collins Street that is not pure espresso but rather specialises in pour overs and all things filter, it seems like coffee lovers are always in search of a better cup of coffee and more convenience in producing it.

Esepcially for filtered coffee, it is definitely making a comeback in trendy cafes. I recommend that you try it with single origin coffee (and of course no milk) as every mouthful will give you an insight to the flavours. Here’s 5 cafes in Melbourne that does specialty coffee.

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Pardon
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The fellows behind Cup of Truth at Degraves Street have emerged from the underground to set up a new cafe in the backstreets of Prahran. Their filtered coffee is a perfect morning caffeine boost and they also serve excellent coffee with a selection of sandwiches and Matt Forbes’ pastries.

Filtered coffee is a different approach to coffee. If it is done well, it provides the most clarity of flavour, and achieves a refined and well-rounded drink. The ground beans are placed into a paper filter and slowly pouring hot water onto it to allow the water to seep through the coffee, absorbing its oils and passing through the bottom of the filter.

Address: Shop 4, 155 Greville Street (entry via Izett Street), Prahran
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 7:30am – 4pm
Website: www.pardoncoffee.com.au

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Dead Man Espresso
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Coffee is the main event, with high quality blends by North Melbourne’s Seven Seeds. They pour-over and filter too. Food-wise the focus is on quality, they have a herb and veggie garden on the roof.

Address: 35 Market St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205
Tel: +61 (03) 9686 2255
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 4pm
Website: www.deadmanespresso.com.au

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Chez Dre
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Chez Dre started doing batch brew in May with The Maling Room’s 3 Africans filter blend, beautifully aromatic with notes of berries and citrusy fruits. It is a perfect combination with their selection of cakes and macarons.

Address: Rear of 285-287 Coventry St, South Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9690 2688
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Website: www.chezdre.com.au

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St Ali South
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Hidden down a laneway in South Melbourne, the warehouse styled café is named after Ali ibn Uma al-Shadili, a 14th century mystic who apparently gave birth to coffee passion. Aside from espresso-based cuppas, you can also expect brewing methods like pour over, syphon and cold drip (cold processed coffee which takes 5 hours for one litre).

Address: 12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9686 2990
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7am – 6pm
Website: www.stali.com.au

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Top Paddock
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Top Paddock uses Five Senses coffee, as well as using green beans and an in-house roaster to create signature blends to match the food. The long bar features a white 4 group Synesso Hydra and a pour over brew station.

Address: 658 Church St, Richmond 3121
Tel: +61 (03) 9429 4332
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Website: www.toppaddockcafe.com

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