lastminute lovelies Angela and Louise make a quick dash down to Melbourne for a taste of coffee culture.
After our quick flight down from Sydney we check into the Stamford Plaza Melbourne, and are greeted by helpful and welcoming staff. Located in the Paris end of Little Collins street we are staying smack bang in the heart of the CBD.
With no time to spare, it’s a quick hop in the shower and a glass of complementary bubbles before we head off to the Melbourne Fashion Festival.
Cheers!
As staying in a fivestar hotel is a rarity for me, I just couldn’t help myself: I donn my hotel room slippers and robe, relax on the couch and order room service. The salt and pepper calamari is delish and just what I needed before stepping out on the town.
Our luxe 2 bedroom suite
After a fantastic night out, and an equally good sleep, Louise and I are up early and down to Harry’s restaurant for brekkie to line our stomachs for what was about to come.
Louise orders from the a la carte menu but I can’t go past the buffet. We both enjoy a cup of earl grey tea to soothe the head, and start the day.
After a quick pack (and making sure we have our goodie bags from last night) we say goodbye to the lovely Stamford, and are met by the effervescent Maria Paoli, our Coffee & cafe culture walk tour guide for the day.
Not much of a coffee drinker myself I wasn’t too sure about a day of sniffing coffee beans, but I quickly came around after our first stop at Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar.
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Coffee begins its life as the seed of a red cherry-like fruit,
grown on a small tree 4-5 metres in height.It is now the world’s second most traded commodity behind oil. |
Maria really knows her coffee history and is just as invested in the taste of the coffee as the people making it. Opened in the early 1950s, Pellegrini’s was the first cafe in Melbourne to have an espresso machine, and is still known for its great cucina italiana (home cooking) and superb Vittoria coffee. The whole family still work there, making you feel right at home.
Next door, we quickly pop into celebrity chef Guy Grossi’s restaurant. Maria knows everyone and after a few friendly “ciao’s” we make our way through the cellar bar, past the red vespa and upstairs to Grossi Florentino.
Unlike the relaxed bar downstairs where you can grab a quick bite or stay for a lazy Saturday brunch, upstairs is fine dining at its best. From the beautiful murals dating as far back as the 13th century that line the walls, the little stools for ladies to place their handbags on while dinning, and the rich and inspired family history of this restaurant, you feel truly spoilt to be here!
The Cellar Bar
The restaurant is so warm and inviting I could easily spend an evening indulging in Grossi’s gastronomical delights. We duck into the kitchen hoping to meet the man himself, unfortunately he’s not in but we do get a hot tip to try the lamb next time we come by.
Grossi Florentino
Next stop is Brunetti’s just off Flinders Lane. As soon as we walk in the door, my eyes light-up; sweet treats, cakes, chocolates, it all looks delicious!
Yum!
Brunetti’s is the product of master pastry chef, Giorgio Angelé. First coming to Australia as the pastry chef for the Italian 1956 Olympic team, Giorgio later migrated to Australia and took over the original Brunetti’s on Faraday street in Carlton. Now expanded into five locations over Melbourne and the Middle East, Brunnett’s is one of Melbourne’s most loved cafes.
Here we try a macchiato made from their signature Santa Chiara blend of Arabica coffee beans: it’s hot and it’s strong, and it tastes pretty good. After discovering my sweet tooth, Maria makes mine into a mocha, and the rest goes down in one.
Louise and I grab a cannoli each and then it’s off to our last stop on our abridged coffee tour.
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There are two main species of coffee grown,
Arabica and Canephora (Robusta).Coffea arabica, known as Arabica coffee, accounts for 75-80 percent of the world’s production. |
After a stroll through the city’s laneways (with Maria pointing out all the hidden coffee treasures along the way), we arrive at David Jones. Not your usual coffee stop, but on the Little Collins street entrance is the Sensory Lab shopfront.
Exploring Melbourne’s laneways
As I said earlier I’m not that much of a coffee drinker, give me a good old cuppa any day, but this coffee was amazing. From the blend to the process and equipment and then the taste, I loved it all! (And not to mention the cute barista).
Watching the process of making the coffee using the Hario coffee syphon, I was definitely intrigued. The coffee is nothing like your regular watery plunger muck; it’s more like a herbal tea. And it instantly won me over.
The Hario coffee syphon – very cool!
I absolutely recommend taking Marias Coffee & cafe culture walk. Even if you’re not a coffee buff, it’s a great way to discover the history of Melbourne and all those hidden cafes.
And you never know, you might even become a coffee convert at the end of the day!
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Australians consumed over 1kg of coffee per person in 2009.
Ranking no# 25 of coffee consumers worldwide. |
Maria Paoli’s top six Melbourne cafes based on service, quality, atmosphere and coffee knowledge:
• Axil Coffee Hawthorn
• League of Honest Coffee Little Londsdale street CBD
• Sensory Lab David Jones
• 65 Degrees Exhibition Street
• Manchester Press Rankins Lane CBD
• 7 Seeds Berkeley Street Carlton