Sunday, October 18, 2015

Coffee Culture

Hey guys! It's been a busy week here in Melbourne with final exams and classes quickly approaching. However, that has not stopped me from my exploration of Melbourne. This week I have a bunch of yummy coffee adventures to share with you.

WARNING: The photos featured in this post will make you desire coffee right this moment and you will most likely stand abruptly and run to your nearest cafe in search of coffee with beautiful taste notes and latte art. If you are not prepared for these side affects, do not continue! (I'm kidding please do continue for my sake)

Anyway, coffee is a massive part of Melbourne culture and this is evident by the countless number of cafes throughout the city and surrounding suburbs.

Something no one told me about coffee culture in Melbourne was that it is more than just the beverage that you receive when you go buy your daily latte(and the resulting caffeine rush). You receive the experience that the cafe and the people within it have to offer. You support local businesses that put their love and care into roasting beautiful coffee beans that are full of taste and flavor notes. You support the local farmers that provide milk from healthy cows. You bond with friends and fellow Uni students over coffee. You meet new people and you learn new things about the world through coffee.

*End poetic speech*

Now that I am done my coffee speech I will show you these life changing coffees and which Melbourne cafes are my favorite thus far.

The first cafe I experienced is located right at my uni and it is FANBAULOUS (it's so good that I have to use more than one word to describe it). Oscar Mike is a small cafe located right outside of Glenferrie train station and it caters to people who are rushing but need their coffee before they get to where they're going. Oscar Mike serves locally roasted coffee and a variety of fresh lunch and snack items(that taste like the meaning of life).

Regular flat white with one sugar.
 Cafe Blac is a beautifully designed cafe located in Hawthorn (Glenferrie Road). With plenty of space for groups to sit and chat, work on projects, or read. The reading room is IMMACULATE and the coffee compliments it well. I actually ran into a friend who works at this cafe(see coffee=bonding with friends).
Large Cappuccino with one sugar.
 This was actually a restaurant that slipped into on Degraves Street (look it up-- this place is like a food/shopping/coffee mecca). I forgot the name of this restaurant which makes me a slightly horrible person, but I will get it very soon!
Raspberry Hot Chocolate
 Cupcake Central has two of the world's greatest things: coffee and cupcakes! I was sold on strictly the title. But upon walking in I was welcomed with warmth(and did I mention cupcakes?). This cafe is also located in Hawthorn (two doors down from Oscar Mike), and it is quite a treat. It's ridiculously easy to slip in here and have a coffee and a baby cupcake during a break between your classes(time will fly--seriously). And with the wide range of cupcake flavors, it is nearly impossible to not purchase one.
Flat White with one sugar
 By far my most visited cafe, Mario's Coffeehouse. They offer student discounts, yummy treats, and flavored coffee beans that are roasted locally. This beautiful old style cafe has comfortable seating and amazing staff that love what they do. The cafe also offers coffee bean, personal cups and store branded merchandise.
Large Mocha
 This small, quaint cafe off of Collin's street is the perfect place to go for a sweet snack, coffee, and a break from the bustling life of the CBD. I also do not have the name for this cafe either (please don't hate me). After an afternoon of walking around in the CBD, I was desperate for an afternoon snack and a breaking from all the walking I had done. I popped into this little cafe and had an amazing time(the young woman even helped me find something that catered to my allergies).
Regular mocha ft. an apricot danish

So if you're ever in Melbourne, don't EVER pass up a coffee. Like ever. Seriously. 

And now for a new thing that I am starting. Because I love the street art(see my post about it here), I will be posting my weekly favorite street art piece. I think I'll call it the Honorary Street Art Post.

Annnnnnnddddd here she/he/it is:


Enjoy!

-JF

5 comments:

  1. It's great to see that local small business is booming in Melbourne! I come from the state of Vermont, which has tons of tiny local businesses. Because of this, I have a lot of pride and respect for brick-and-mortar stores (Especially coffee places!) Sometimes we are too reliant on our usual Starbucks, which is very convenient, but also the same from Philly all the way to Tokyo. The menu and aesthetics don't have much variation between them, which may be comforting for some, but eerie for me. I have a fierce loyalty to my state capitol's local coffee joint, where I also often bump into friends. The communities we build over our caffeination rituals are actually a quite important way of relaxing and socializing. Additionally, the circulation of local commerce is better than supporting a franchise, and supporting the mom and pop stores is just the way to do it! I'm glad that you wrote about this topic...now excuse me while I run down to Saxbys...

    ReplyDelete
  2. All of these coffees were really cool to look at! It's interesting to see what the coffee culture is like there too. In Italy I've noticed that Italians like their coffee in a particular way. They don't typically drink cappuccino's past breakfast hours and they don't consume large amounts of coffee throughout the day. It was so hard for me to adjust at first, but at least coffee is still a big part of their culture so I am still able to have a cup of coffee when I like. Australia looks like it has a lot of good coffees!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. These all look so delicious, Im craving coffee now! I love going to local coffee shops there is an ambiance in the air that you don't get at Starbucks. I find that local coffee shops have some of the best and most creative drinks, like raspberry hot chocolate! I think its important to support local cafes. I would love to go to Melbourne one day and its great to already have places to stop! The best drinks and food are found in local business! If I ever find myself in Melbourne I will definitely stop by one of these places for a hot cup of coffee!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I had to read this article upon reading the title because I am a coffee addict. At least one coffee a day is crucial for my sanity. I loved that the writer of this article brought her own personal experiences to this article about being in different coffee shops along with pictures. Coffee shops are much more than the coffee itself. They are an easy way to meet up with friends you haven't seen in a long time, to write an essay while listening to music, or even to just relax when. They are perfect for the fast pace society today because they somewhat slow things down when you sit down inside of them and enjoy yourself with a delicious cup of coffee. Every coffee cafe is different yet many of them make you feel at home. I also love how the author adds that the local coffee shops support local farms and healthy milk. I would also love to travel to Melbourne and I agree with the writer strongly that coffee culture is very popular today and it is more than a cup of coffee! I loved reading about this D&M abroad experience!

    ReplyDelete