Cafe de Melbourne

Best coffee this side of Brisbane.

While heading to the next venue on our little food tour on Saturday, thanks to our friend who was in much need of a warm drink to beat the afternoon chill, we happened upon this nook on our way down Church Street. After perusing abit at the sign placed on the pavement we decided to go inside.
Imagine stepping into a hidden alcove in your grandfather’s turn of the century style home to find a bedecked study/​library with his own personal espresso bar. My grandfather did not having anything like that at his home, but that’s the first impression I got when I stepped through the threshold of Café de Melbourne. The only thing missing among the many nostalgic looking displays was one of those made-​for-​lounging style robes that you often see a man wear in films while tweaking a cigar in one hand and swirling a whiskey on the rocks in other. I almost wanted to just sit in a corner near one of the windows at this place and just day-​dream for awhile while my friends were speaking to the owner. And not to mention the time-​travellingesque glass stall that served as an entrance to the washroom. I couldn’t stop thinking about a Dr Who type scene when I saw this but at least the one friend who took the chance to use the washroom returned in one piece :-)
As for my Café Americano, it was made just right and I felt the caffeine working it’s way through my veins.
This is definitely a must stop-​by place for anyone who is strolling down Church St and Dundas.

I was running a little food tour this afternoon with friends, and on our way to the next stop I saw a coffee shop sign that intrigued me. I had not had my caffeine kick yet, so I asked my friends if they would not mind going in with me. As soon as we walked in, we were in awe. Picture a museum/​library/​living room/​coffee shop = Café de Melbourne. And the love did not stop there! Then we were greeted by Cliff (owner), and we knew we had stumbled up a gem! The vibe was warm, friendly, relaxing, and fascinating. There was so much to see and if we had the time, we would have spent more time looking at the different books, magazines, art, memorabilia, etc. Several of my friends were asking Cliff questions (e.g. about the machines he was using to make the coffee), and Cliff was incredibly kind and enthusiastic while he explained and shared his knowledge and passion. It was hard not to be enamored. Part of me does not want to tell you about this oasis because sitting is very limited, and the thought of not being able to return with a book and have the opportunity to sit in this cozy space for a little while saddens me. That said, I gotta give kudos to Cliff and his wife for sharing their passion and love with us. Can’t wait to return!
Oh, and yeah, the coffee was AMAZING!