Truffles Chocolaterie

376 Bridge Rd
Richmond VIC 3121
As everyone knows, a truffle is both valuable and highly sought after, and this is an exact description of this delightful place of delicious delicacies in downtown Richmond.
Dark wood, bare brick walls, rustic charm and timeless beauty.
This little gem is both easy to find as well as quickly becoming quite iconic in inner metro Melbourne.
Chocolate: YES!
Coffee: Oh YES!!
More Chocolate: YES PLEASE, one is never enough
And of course another coffee: Then the afterglow.........
Thanks Marc, this is what the rest should aspire to, you know who you are, all you bland and generic chains and franchises, stop blushing.
Truffles is the benchmark!
Truffles is all about chocolate and coffee, just look at the meticulous detail and presentation in my pic, Kudos guys, AMAZING job!!

I believe it was some of Veneziano’s finest, Estate infact, although it may have been Bella, as my short ristretto was both complex and quite sublime, the inflection hypnotising and mesmerising......a nectar fit for the God’s........of the underworld!
A memorable stop on this caffeine fuelled journey; a strong recommendation, an experience to rival your fondest and dearest memories, a strong 2 beans for an exceptional coffee, and an overall existential experience.
I thank Marc, and especially the MCR fans for this recommendation and strongly urge you all pay Truffles of Richmond, another MCR HOTSHOT Café, a visit next opportunity.

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Coffee: Veneziano

Atomica Coffee

268 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy VIC 3065

Here we are again fellow caffeine junkies, another café to report on to make you salivate and hopefully inspire you to head down and check it out for yourselves.
This time the caf-fiend heads out to Fitzroy, Brunswick St Infact; the cool end of Melbourne.
Out on a whim and a prayer, well actually a recommendation from one of our fans on FACEBOOK.
Check out our group and join if you haven’t already.
“Welcome,” grins Tolly, the warm and friendly owner/master roaster who is the energetic and passionate brains behind the caffeine colossus that is ATOMICA.
This place is legendary within coffee circles, amongst those in the know and Tolly, the humble and unassuming mastermind of this radioactive retro roaster knows exactly what it takes to prepare a beverage worthy and true to the long heritage of specialty and artisan coffee houses that he represents.
Atomica is a fine example of a great place to enjoy a great coffee anytime and every time. Faultless preparation, professional service, dedicated staff and above all quality product.
There are no shortcuts here.
They roast in-house, at the back of the café in-fact, and as the roaster is encased in a glass room the customers can watch the whole process, while they tuck into any one of the many fine dishes on offer and enjoy a sample of some of Melbourne’s best coffee.
I did! And it blew my mind, I can still savor the lingering and complex flavors of Tolly’s espresso send my palate into a frenzy, I can understand why he calls it ATOMICA, it was absolutely ATOMIC.
Powerful, intense, totally annihilating anything else in it’s way.
YES! It was THAT good! Go and see for yourself……
The pilgrimage of the caf-fiend continues, the quest continues to partake in the perfect Devil’s Cup.
A three bean MCR HOTSHOT café, thanks for the heads up team and keep on caffeining on!!

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Coffee: ATOMICA

Caf-feine BAR

597 Whitehorse Rd
Surrey Hills VIC 3127
Sat Nav: CHECK
Jerry Can w/spare fuel: CHECK
Snow Tires ;) CHECK
Out into the ‘burbs again, continuing my caffeine fuelled journey for the ultimate devil’s cup.
Surrey Hills, where’s that, how do you even spell it?!?!?
GOT IT!!!!
This quaint little café in a small shopping precinct was quite the standout amongst a bland and otherwise mundane looking street, quite well presented infact.
Big gold sign with CAFFEINE boldly displayed, it was an epiphany of sorts, almost a revelation of the divine to a travel weary pilgrim.
YES PLEASE!!!! The way I'm going, it will be intravenously soon!!!
The family operated cafe, with it's busy and hospitable staff were quick to take my order and bring out my very short espresso, as I wasn’t too sure they would know what a ristretto was; in fact they did, I shouldn’t be so quick to judge.
A tad over extracted, a hint of tobacco, a subtle undertone of turpeny, and that was only my daughter’s babyccino…..my espresso was fine!
A nice dense crema, a full flavor on the palate with hints of chocolate and even a sublime berry like infusion.
The Bean Alliance have done it again, Well Done, a great roast, well prepared and presented by the team @ Caf-feine.
Overall, a nice spacious café, with an exquisite little courtyard, well priced and extremely clean.
A one bean HOTSHOT cafe once again, it was well worth the $1.50 per liter for over-priced petrol, and heartwarming to see my daughter review her very first babyccino, infact the Melbourne Babyccino Review was born!

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Coffee: bean ground & drunk (the bean alliance)

7 Grams

505 Church St
Richmond VIC 3121

Ok…here we go…whoever emails me, calls me or sms’ me with what 7 grams means, and why you would want to name your café, 7 grams, gets a free bag of coffee, our own exclusive signature blend designed by C4 Coffee….how good is that????
steve.agi@melbournecoffeereview.com 0432 210 963
Welcome to the world of Con, Peter and Jim, the latest stop on this caffeine fuelled journey of mine to keep you up to date with all that’s great in this fair city of ours.
For all of you who don’t know, 7 grams is the home to the current World Latte art Champion, Con, and a big congratulations to him!
This place is vibrant, friendly and passionate about everything they do, both coffee and food!
It is extremely popular as is evidenced by the flocking masses.
My perfectly extracted espresso was both short and sweet, just the way I like it, while my latte was not only perfectly presented with faultless etchings of silky smooth milk amongst the umber tones of espresso, but it was also perfect to drink out the front on this beautiful sunny winter afternoon.
This my fellow caffeine junkies is a MUST, a caffeine Mecca in downtown Melbourne, a true coffee connoisseurs destination, where coffee is king and the customer is treated like royalty by professional and friendly staff.
A stand-out café that truly epitomizes what HOTSHOTS is all about, a three beaner without a doubt and a future benchmark for all to live up to.

[Support MCR and delight your taste buds by joining our Home Barista Hotshot Club]

Coffee: Veneziano/ Own Blend

Cafe 3FOUR2

342 Flinders St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Bright Lights! BIG City!

This little café, cum Internet Mecca, is snuggly nestled down the Elizabeth end of Flinders St, and boasts free WI-Fi, free internet access to paying customers, exceptional and sumptuous fare, all modestly priced, as well as possibly the cheapest coffee in all the CBD.
Serhan, the young man full of energy and enthusiasm has a huge FACEBOOK presence and treats all of his customers like friends and family.
It was quite the experience.
I felt right at home as he brought out my espresso, to the delight of my salivating palate.
The extraction was nice and short and it seemed to adequately satisfy my yearning need for a caffeine hit.
I nestled into my couch to do some work, feeling totally comfortable to spend a couple of hours there, it really was a delightful place. The food was brilliant, I had a home made chicken pie and the coffee, satisfactory.
Look out for his insane HAPPY HOUR specials where he sells coffee for $1.50, WOW! From memory it was on Thursday mornings between 7.30 and 8.30.
A strong one bean, and a warm welcome to the MCR family.

You definitely are an MCR HOTSHOT!!!

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Coffee: LAVAZZA

Ousia - 114 Fordham Ave, Hartwell.

I have been travelling to Camberwell so my daughter can attend music lessons (My Music Tutor, amazing people!), and lucked on a little place called Ousia tucked in the back off just near the train line. The Greeks among you will know that means “the essence”. The owner, who I am guessing has Greek heritage is a woman whose passion for fine food oozes in her personality and manner. I figured that if the coffee rivalled the quality of the food at all, I was in for a treat. I am delighted to announce that I was not disappointed. I have enjoyed breakfast there three times now and the routine is the same. I go in with my son, order breaky and my long macchiato to be delivered once I have finished. We cross the road for 10-15 joyous moments playing on the equipment (including a train which rocks man), and then return just in time to sit down to my breakfast. Today (visit 3) the remembered my order, which impresses me no end, and after the heaven that was my poached eggs, avocado and spinach, served me up a long macchiato that completed the perfect breakfast. Temperature was right on, not over drawn, the dollop of milk barely noticeable and a crème was as smooth as silk. The drink was smooth, without a hint of bitterness. This place, for me does the lot just right, and is worth the effort to find. Two big beans.

Coffee: Genovese.




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BRAZIL (lifestyle coffee)

111 Cecil St
South Melbourne VIC 3205

In the immortal words of Terry Gilliam, “Brazil: Is only a state of mind”
God I wished that was true as soon as I put the damned devil’s cup to my lips.

No! I lie, as soon as I saw the barista begin to make my brew, I regretted entering the place, but how could I resist , with the bait, a beautiful roaster right there in the window.

This funky little new cafe, just opened near the South Melbourne Market promised so much, looked so interesting, so inviting.
With the expectant fresh and specialty roasted coffee, I entered and was bewildered to watch the barista/owner prepare and extract my coffee.
The liquid pouring from the portafilter looked sickly and watery and did not let me down as by now I was expecting a total disaster.
Damn! Welcome to the one-sip club.
A total desecration a complete mess. I ordered a café latte for my companion, which came out way too hot, watery and lipid, big bubbled froth on top and no color, just a dull milky brown.
Needless to say, I’ve had better instant coffees back in the 80’s.
So sorry but this is anything but Brazilian lifestyle coffee, in the words of Metallica, “my lifestyle determines my deathstyle” and by the God of the bean these guys had savaged and slaughtered the delicate and sublime nectar of the Gods!

Sorry guys no beans here, just another one-sipper!

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Coffee: In house roast(BRAZIL)

Celebrate Good Times!

Good news everyone!

The originator of all things evil and corrupt, the dark lord of the bean has finally decided to leave our fair shores, and good riddance!

You all know what I mean, the source of endless frustration and disappointment, STARBUCKS, has pulled the pin on most of its Australian stores. YIPPEE!!!!

Melbourne Coffee Review is proud to let you all know that it has no and has never had any affiliation with this behemoth, this pathetic excuse for a coffee chain.

Lets hope one of the local players will take the reins and do what PEET's has done so well, for so long over in the US.

It's not about bells and whistles people, its not about umbrellas and wind-breaks, its about the coffee, the passionate preperation of the devil's cup to be served to the masses, the tireless and passionate journey that coffee can take you on, make no mistake, this fraud, this charlatan has exploited the masses for long enough, GOOD RIDDANCE!

At Melbourne Coffee Review it's all about the bean the whole bean and nothing but the bean!