La Niche

La Niche could be great. Friendly staff, awesome food, great drinks list, the place looks great. It really is lovely.

I walked from the CBD up to Fitzroy just to grab a late breakfast at La Niche. In truth I was hunting a simple baguette, an oddly difficult thing to find in walking distance from my Little Bourke rental flat.
La Niche did not disappoint! I had two really great eggs, ham, my baguette and a terrific cappuccino (two, in fact). It was the most basic of meals, done perfectly and an example of what great ingredients can do when the kitchen gets out of their own way.
The café is a simple affair, a tiny place with rickety café furniture and a slightly gritty vibe compared to the flash and bustle of the CBD, but nothing off putting. Call it cozy and clean. All the details are delightful, right down to the hand illustrated bills announcing the evening musicians. Price was reasonable, staff was friendly; all in all my kind of place.

There is one very good reason to visit La Niche café in Fitzroy: Orangina. Sure, it has an awesome menu. Yes, the service is exemplary, but the real reason to visit La Niche? Its French products such as Melbourne rarity Orangina and other Francophile favourites.
Also a charming spot for a coffee, La Niche is all cute courtyard, art adorned toilet walls, quirky side room replete with couches and — if I remember correctly — Schiaparelli pink walls, and freshly made cakes and desserts. One of Fitzroy’s cutest and most charming cafes.

I often find myself desperately looking for new cafes that have a point of difference. It’s not that I don’t like the many many great cafes dotted throughout Melbourne — its just that I like the new. But then I came across La Niche and I realised that it wasn’t the new that I was after. It was the old and traditional.
La Niche is every part the little Parisian French café and patisserie. I cannot think of anything better than sitting down to the Sunday paper or meeting up with good friends to have a delicious coffee with an even more delicious pastry. They also have a food menu almost as delightful as the French man that runs this place. He loves talking anything food and coffee, and like any true Frenchman, all you have to do is talk about the superiority of French cuisine and you will find free pastries being thrown at you from all directions.
La Niche really is what a café is all about. If you ever ever want to meet up for a romantic coffee then this is definitely the place to go.

La Niche is a warm and cosy french café with rustic open bluestone walls, redbrick fireplaces and curvy painted mirrors hanging from it’s walls. They have some delicious home made soups on offer as a lunch special I have tried the pumpkin, sweet potato, lemongrass and chilli soup and it was heavanly, very filling and full of warm and hearty flavours. They also do a great selection of freshly baked french pastries such as croissants, muffins, cookies and baguettes.
La Niche is great for a coffee with friends or a casual and filling weekend lunch. There is also a great selection of Australian as well as French wines with a special on the wine of the day each week.