{"id":4056,"date":"2023-09-30T02:06:52","date_gmt":"2023-09-30T02:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everythingvictoria.com.au\/?p=4056"},"modified":"2023-10-02T01:37:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T01:37:09","slug":"best-coffee-carlton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everythingvictoria.com.au\/best-coffee-carlton\/","title":{"rendered":"Where to Find the Best Coffee in Carlton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Home to two major university campuses, plus both law and business schools, Carlton in Melbourne’s inner north has probably the highest concentration of students of any neighbourhood in the country. It’s no surprise, then, that it also has a vast number of coffee shops: it feels like you can’t walk a block without seeing one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything from large industrial spaces to tiny holes-in-the-wall make an appearance, and there are plenty of small, cozy places that attract a crowd of regulars throughout the day. More than Fitzroy<\/a> to the east or the CBD to the south, there’s a real neighbourhood feel to many of the cafes and coffee shops here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve lived in the area for several years, and while I have my favorite spots that I keep returning to, I make a point of trying anywhere new whenever I find it. With the number of places opening all the time, you just never know when you’re going to stumble across a gem that wasn’t there the month before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, these are the Carlton coffee shops that have really stood out over the last few months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Woodside Green<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Interior
Interior of Woodside Green<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let’s start with one of my favourites. I first started visiting Woodside Green during Melbourne’s endless pandemic lockdowns, getting my daily social and caffeine fixes in the form of a takeaway cup and a chat with the owner each morning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There wasn’t a lot that could make me laugh during those months, but a near-endless supply of terrible Dad jokes and a range of suggestive latte art somehow managed it. This coffee shop has held a special place in my heart ever since, even after the masks came off and life returned to something vaguely normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flat whites have always been excellent, whether they’ve been decaf or full strength, takeaway or slowly sipped at one of the outdoor tables on a summer morning. There’s a simple but effective food menu as well, revolving mostly around bacon, eggs, and a range of delicious sandwiches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Overhead
And the award for the most inventive latte art goes to…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You’ll find the usual range of espresso-based drinks on offer, and like I say, they’ve been consistently excellent, but this isn’t a fancy high-end coffee shop. They don’t roast their own beans or offer detailed tasting notes about the latest harvest from an artisanal farmer in a small African country. It’s simply a great neighbourhood cafe, with staff that make very good coffee and serve it with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only thing I would say is that the word is definitely out about this place. If you’re there from about mid-morning through lunchtime, expect to wait a while a few minutes for a takeaway; getting a seat can be even more challenging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you don’t have to visit when everybody else does: the shop opens at a painfully-early 5:30am on weekdays. I personally don’t see that time of morning very often, but if you’re an early riser, this is one of the few places that’s open before 7am in the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Saturdays and Sundays, however, you’ll need to head elsewhere: I suspect the staff are all desperately catching up on sleep after all those early-morning alarms during the week.<\/p>\n\n\n

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