Red Door Corner Store – Melbourne

Address: 70 Mitchell Street, Northcote VIC 3070

Tel: +61 3 9489 8040

Web: http://www.reddoorcornerstore.com.au/

Beans used: The Maling Room

Food served: Yes, serving good range of breakfast and lunch items as well as sweets.

It’s places like Red Door Corner Store which reflect the true quintessential Melbourne – traditional, homely, artistic and cultural. On the corner of a roundabout intersection and a short walk away from the high street, Red Door Corner Store quietly awaits an appreciating customer. From the outside it appears to an old convenience store; a conversion which successfully retains the charm but modernises the experience. On the inside it’s a cozy and inviting café that seems more like someone’s personal living space from which they serve food and drinks. Outside on the terrace you’ll feel like you’re simply in one’s back garden, and the smiles and service that you will receive from the staff will further emphasise the whole domestic experience. The coffee is superb – smooth, strong, perfectly textured with a subtle sweet taste. A wonderfully unique place that is brilliantly presented and sure to please.

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Proud Mary – Melbourne

Address: 172 Oxford Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Tel: +61 3 9417 5930
Web: N/A
Beans used: Roasted on premises (available for purchase)
Food available: Yes, selection of baked goods, gourmet brunch and light meals.

This little cafe came runner up in The Coffee Army 'LIST' for 2012 (The official blog page for Melbourne Magazine's team of fanatical coffee reviewers) so we weren't surprised when the coffee was… well pretty damn smooth and tasty. (The Six-Group Synesso machine probably has a lot to do with this!) Set in an industrial back street of Collingwood, when I sit down at one of the large wooden communal tables I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be lapping up the retro groove (the far perimeter housing a feature wall of swirls, old records and a set of decks), or relax in the cottage type visions of delicious cakes and open brickwork; but I like the contrast, the mixed vibe! The service is attentive; fast and furious – which slightly disturbs the relaxed moment of having a coffee, but they are busy! And at least you're not waiting too long for a second caffeine hit!

The coffee itself is strong, smooth and extremely flavoursome. Just seeps through the palate. And as for the service; they're onto you like a seagull grabs a chip at the beach!

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Three Bags Full – Melbourne

Address: Corner of Nicholson St and Mollison St, Abbotsford VIC 3067

Tel: +61 (3) 9421 2732

Web: http://www.threebagsfullcafe.com.au/

Beans used: Five Senses

Food available: Yes, serving gourmet brunch and lunch options.

From the outside, Three Bags Full appears like a free-standing warehouse, or perhaps a master brick stable for some Melbourne sheep to keep warm on a cool winter's day? Either way, as you walk into Three Bags Full, its segregated setting will intrigue you. A relaxed dining room off to the right, a bustling cafe to the left and a middle room with a window seated dining table to separate them both. Now you’ll have to choose which stall to have your coffee in. The two main rooms are open, yet warm and cosy with the bustle of trendy Melbournians sipping their coffee at communal wooden tables lined with roses or. What a vibrant farm house! The coffee is rich and smooth – a real treat! The soy latte evokes a nutty flavour and the espresso is smooth and strong. The coffee brews on offer can be a single origin blend, or a signature mixed blend. As an example The Signature Blend is composed of 75% Santa Rosa beans (from Guatemala) and 25% La Fragua beans (from Columbia). The service is typical of a busy café such as this, however you won’t be kept waiting too long for your fix.

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Cafe Orange – Melbourne

Address: 126 Chapel St, Windsor 3181
Tel: +61 3 9529 1644
Web: N/A
Beans used: Taylors Estate; one of the only places that uses these
beans in inner Melbourne (apparently).
Food available: Yes, modern Australian menu. Brunches, eggs any style, bean mixes, fresh sides and bircher muesli. An erray of modern entrees and mains, meat and vegetarian dishes, salads and pastas available for lunch and dinner.

Half way between a chilled café and a modern dining space, Cafe Orange has a space to sip your latte and have your brunch eggs or chink your wine glasses over dinner. The courtyard out the back, overshadowed by a deciduous tree, makes for a lovely brunch in the sun. The coffee is good but not amazing; a tad too bitter on the after taste. However it still lives up to the standards of Chapel Street. With quick and friendly service and an inviting atmosphere, this place is popular amongst locals and visiors alike.

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Piccolo – Melbourne

Address: 149 High St, Prahran 3181
Tel: +61 3 9521 4306
Web: N/A
Beans used: Campos
Food available: Yes, brunch and light meals

Piccolo (Italian for small) is where grunge meets artistic; in decor, music and the clientele. The name implies this coffee house's dimensions, as you will most likely be sipping your latte at a bench in the window corner, the few tables located to the right of the bar or the cosey street lined benches. But don't let that deter you from visiting this fantastically intimate coffee bar. The size, along with the soulful jazz played in the background and artwork lining the walls just adds to the charm of this place. The coffee itself is medium strength and very smooth to drink with a velvety texture.

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Borsch Vodka and Tears – Melbourne

Address: 173 Chapel Street, Windsor 3181
Tel: +61 3 9530 2694
Web: http://www.borschvodkaandtears.com/
Beans used: Genovese
Food available: Yes, café and restaurant menu, selection of Polish dishes

Step into a bohemian land and enjoy the Genovese coffee at this Polish style restaurant/café/vodka bar. Savor your coffee out of rustic style crockery in a space of rendered mustard color walls, with dripped candles and mismatched ornaments – a real Eastern European feel. The coffee itself is strong without being overwhelming or producing a bitter after taste, and with a real caffeine buzz!

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