I could count twenty places to get coffee within a ten minute walk of where I live. An extra ten minute walk and you have many, many more. As I sit here, there are more than ten in Cremorne and that is not counting those on the border (being Church Street and Swan Street).
I predominantly work from home and that gives me the ability to spend inordinate amounts of time at cafes in my area, normally working, sometimes observing. My favourite cafes get to see my family often, and we have introduced tens of people to most of these venues.
Coffee is a love of mine, but I am far from an expert. In my mid-twenties I went from being a milk based coffee person, with at least two sugars, to focussing on black coffee with no sugar. The transition took close to a year. There is nothing wrong with milk in coffee, but it does introduce an imperfection to a complex drink. It is no different to adding tonic to gin, but I do like gin and tonic.
If I can indulge a little further. The proliferation of single origin coffee is especially easy for wine drinkers to understand. You take a fruit and put it in a different location, with different soil, weather conditions, different plant age, and then have different methods of picking, washing and drying. You get a different result, and it can be subtle or obvious. If you add sugar or liquid other than neutral water, you are reducing the impact of the above factors. As a result, most good cafes these days offer a single origin for black coffee drinkers and a blend for coffees with different types of milk. For me, espresso (usually a double) is king, but a long black (not full to the brim, but a little more extracted than espresso with a dash of hot water) is a good coffee to sit on while working, or in a social setting.
In summer, I mix between hot and cold. While I was originally tied to a double espresso over ice as the main option, these days I have changed my preference to cold brews where good ones are available.
So, in my patch of Cremorne/Richmond, what are my favourite cafes for coffee?
Note: a lot has changed in 3 years since I last updated this guide! I am adding to it, but need some more time. The map is current as of November 2023 though!
Top 10 (in no particular order)
Top Paddock
Laptop parking is rarely a good looking feature of a café customer, but for me it is a necessary evil. Putting aside the terrific, consistently well made, black coffee (normally with a choice of two single origins), Top Paddock is a café dream. For years the food has been at the top of café fare in Melbourne, the staff have good longevity, and there are heaps of nooks and crannies to keep things interesting. Laptop parking on the coffee bar is gold because I’m not taking up extra space, but it has a comfortable amount of bench space, and hooks under the bar for your jacket. The choice of single origins these days comes from Seven Seeds, and used to come from Square One (both of which have merit), and ninety percent of the time I recognise the barista. The staff have a good balance of being friendly, recognising a familiar face, without making me feel too regular. This is one of the best in Melbourne.
Pillar Of Salt
There was a time where Pillar Of Salt attracted a decidedly more South Yarra crowd, but things have settled down somewhat. This is one of the few cafes I go to where long ago I forgot about the distributor of the coffee, and the type of machine, and just enjoy consistently well made coffee. A lot has changed since the pandemic, but the staff are always friendly and do a terrific job. My wife loves their prana chai, and that led to it becoming a key takeaway venue. The food here is top quality; close to the level of Top Paddock. Life is good at Pillar Of Salt.
Niccolo
One of Cremorne’s newest cafes, is currently my favourite for coffee close by. Since opening recently, Niccolo has gladly kept a regular roster of staff, and a few of the baristas are excellent in their craft, making the best of the equally excellent quality beans. The team both in the front, and in the warehouse, are great for a chat too. If you’re in New York, go and have a look at another place where Niccolo’s beans are utilised at sister cafe, Ground Support, in Soho.
Axil
In pretty much direct competition with Pillar (especially for us for a number of reasons, including both being on Syd’s childcare route), I must say that the coffee is a very high standard at Axil, and I tend to buy my beans here. Catherine used to drop by on her way to her old work and has gotten to know the staff, who have been present for several years, suggesting a good place to work. It is rarer that we eat here, but that is not a reflection of the menu, which has been great on those rare occasions.
Tarts Anon
How lucky do we continue to feel in calling Tarts Anon a fellow Cremunian? It is the most exceptional tart focussed (only tarts!) place I’ve come across. The coffee is normally excellent too, especially when made by Carolena. I think it was Xavier who once told me to put the savoury tart in the microwave for 20 seconds (not long enough to impact the custard top layer) and I have had one a week for lunch ever since. The dessert tarts are most popular though, and with my diverse tastes the monthly menu refresh is perfect, though gladly some of the signatures feature most months of the year.
Cheeky Monkey
Cheeky Monkey is my place for standard, well made coffee. Neighbouring a flower shop (Glasshaus), the newer digs (now several years old) are warm and homely. There is heaps of room on the coffee bar to comfortably sit and occasionally watch the people and traffic go by, and I find I can normally get a spot even though it is usually busy. There are also several different areas, front, back and in between, that keep things interesting. The staff seems to stay regular. The coffee is a blend, but is well made and consistent. Don’t worry about the slight film that seems to come with the long black as it makes no difference to the taste, but can deter on presentation.
Midi
Tucked away behind the Corner Hotel on Wangaratta Street, Midi feels like a bit of a secret. As if Richmond is a soap opera, that secret has got out, because more often than not there is a line out the door for very good coffee, and some nice treats too. It is a bit further afield for me, but if I’m on Swan Street, there is a good chance that I’ll go that bit further to indulge.
Lumberjack
Irene, barista and owner of Lumberjack, makes excellent coffee and cold brew. While we used to go weekly at my old workplace, I still occasionally go out of my way just for coffee here, or to catch up with the old gang for lunch. My affiliation leads me to write about Lumberjack, but it is definitely over twenty minutes walk away for me!
Penny For Pound
Our favourite nearby bakery is Penny For Pound and their coffee is more than worthy of this list. Having now moved from the quaint, out the back space of recently closed Mayday, PFP’s quality is outstanding from croissants to sausage rolls to doughnuts to gourmet singular dessert offerings, and there’s not many times we don’t leave with a coffee too.
Veneziano
Back in the day when I used to write about every meal I had, Veneziano would have been an instant review. It is a superb cafe weather for a quick, excellent coffee, or a longer lingering lunch (or breakfast). It is a place that feels comfortable. It is too far from me in relative terms to ever become a regular, but if we are shopping at Vic Gardens or in the area, we often are happy to detour. The offering of beans is diverse and fulfilling too.
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