{"id":2704,"date":"2023-03-30T02:38:20","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T02:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everythingvictoria.com.au\/?p=2704"},"modified":"2024-03-03T08:40:55","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T08:40:55","slug":"best-coffee-collingwood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everythingvictoria.com.au\/best-coffee-collingwood\/","title":{"rendered":"Where to Get the Best Coffee in Collingwood"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I spend a lot of time in Collingwood, both walking through on my way to somewhere else or visiting some of its many great cafes, restaurants, and bars. That also means drinking a lot of coffee in the area, which isn’t a hardship: the standard here is exceptional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of all the areas in Melbourne trying to outdo each other when it comes to third-wave coffee, I think that Collingwood, right now at least, is at the top of the list. Even more than next door Fitzroy<\/a>, the number of places doing super-interesting things with caffeinated beverages is remarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having now tried so many of them, I figured it was time to put together some recommendations. Whether you’re after a perfectly-extracted espresso with just the right amount of crema, the perfect flat white served in a cup you can eat(!), or a smooth, interesting pourover made from a bean you’ve never heard of and probably can’t find anywhere else, you’ll get it in Collingwood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these places are very much coffee-focused, although most have a small food menu as well if you’re looking for an excuse to stay longer. Most sell beans by the bag and can grind them for you if that’s something you need, and some sell a small range of coffee equipment as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn’t a long list: it’s meant to highlight the best of what’s available, not just mention everywhere that sells coffee in the area. As new shops rise up and existing ones inevitably fall, this article will change over time, but there’ll never be more than a handful of places on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the sake of comparison I’ve listed prices and included photos of oat flat whites below unless they simply weren’t available, but in most cases I’ve tried the black coffee options as well. Trust me, they were just as good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Into Coffee<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Into Coffee, where you can choose which kind of keys you’d like to tap on<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taken as a whole, the global coffee industry isn’t particularly great for the environment. There’s been a small but growing trend towards acknowledging and doing something about that in recent years, and I don’t think I’ve come across anywhere making a bigger effort than Into Coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tucked away down an alleyway off Wellington Street, the frontage is understated, to the point where you may not even notice it. That all changes the minute you step inside, however: as you can see from the photo above, from pot plants to pianos, there’s a lot going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a popular place to work, whether you’re just hanging out in the cafe downstairs or taking things a bit more seriously with the co-working offices upstairs. Whether you’re engrossed in your laptop screen or not, though, it’s hard not to notice the zero-waste ethos that runs through the entire operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a sign inside that outlines the various reuse and recycling efforts throughout the supply chain, from creating soap from waste milk and coffee grounds to recycling plastics, turning milk containers into sign boards, and having reusable bowls and cups that you can pay a small deposit for and take away to bring back another day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or if you’d rather, you can get an edible cup instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The coffee tastes amazing. The cup…well…<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Of course, as laudable as that is, it’s not (only) the cafe’s environmental credentials that bring people here for their morning coffee. The milk drinks here are consistently excellent, with the oat flat white I had on my most recent visit among the best I’ve had anywhere: strong, smooth, and perfectly steamed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Into Coffee uses beans from Industry Beans<\/a> for its espresso, and has a rotating single-origin roast for its filter coffee that changes each month and is brewed in an old-school Mochamaster. Toasted sandwiches and locally-made baked goods round out the selection, and you can buy beans to take home as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can’t not discuss that takeaway cup: as I mentioned above, it’s edible if you so desire, and compostable if you don’t. You’ll pay an extra buck for it, which serves as a subtle nudge to take your time and drink your coffee in the cafe instead. Better for the environment, more relaxing for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cup looks like a compacted Weetbix, and to be honest, it pretty much tastes like it too. It wasn’t bad, exactly: it just wasn’t a taste or texture I’d be likely to seek out again. Let’s just say that I sampled it for you so that you don’t have to.<\/p>\n\n\n

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