Everyone who follows this blog should know by now that I love my caffeine hits.
Working in the Melbourne CBD area, I’m rather privilege to be surrounded by so many good cafes tucked in little laneways offering me this beautiful dark brew.
I am able to pick and choose the best and will often stop at different train stations in the morning and walk to a different coffee spot for a little something different.
With summer approaching (in Melbourne, it’s fickle), I’m finding that I’m doing it less. I feel that this is because it is getting a little too hot to enjoy the hot beverage.
But fear not my friends!
There is a saviour in our midst.
There is a good coffee spot with good coffee beans in a shopping complex now.
The best coffee to be found in any shopping complex really.
What the?!
Plantation Melbourne (an offshoot of Sensory Lab and another brainchild of the St Ali group), which lodged itself firmly in the vicinity of the new Dining Hall (right opposite Cupcake Central) of Melbourne Central is here to save the day.
You can relax now.
One of the baristas kindly informed me that between the 3 St Ali coffee outlets (in the vicinity), St Ali will concentrate on the dining aspects as well as with coffee, Sensory Lab will focus on passing on knowledge of brewing coffees in general and Plantation will focus on cold drips.
Besides the normal lattes, cappuccinos, flatties, piccolos, they also do pour-overs, syphons and all other fancy-schmancy coffees.
When I first visited, as part of our Mad Coffee Trail, Aunty E and I tried the Panama Esmeralda Geisha as a Pour-over. Again, one of my favourite beans. So light and floral. Almost like tea 🙂
Their cold drips take approximately 8 hours to collect but it’s worth the wait. However, it doesn’t come cheap.
A large bottle of the strong dark essence will set you back $16 and for a small bottle, $8.
I’ve tried a few of their cold drips (during our 8 coffees in one day splurge a.k.a. Mad Coffee Trail).
The Nicaragua – La Bendicion blend had elements of cocoa, apple and nuts.
The Costa Rica – Lourdes de Naranjo was rich and almost sweet with elements of chocolate, toffee and orange
The Honduras – Santa Barbara Pino de Oro was my favourite. It had elements that reminded me of a black forest cake. Cherry and dark chocolate 🙂
In the mornings, I sometimes stop by for a quick take-away coffee and have tried their COD (Coffee of the Day) in these brews:
Colombia – bittersweet cocoa and soft plum (to be honest I couldn’t taste any plums, but what do I know)
Reserve – 001 Dark Horse – Rich fruit with cacao finish
I love that there’s another reason to love coffees in the Melbourne CBD area.
I love that I can go shopping and grab a good cup of coffee in Melbourne Central.
And I love that I can get a damn good cold coffee without being exasperated with too much dilution going on!
So don’t you dare head out to the obvious coffee chains and order a milky diluted iced-mocha!! There’s no reason to anymore 🙂
Read also:
Part I of the Mad Coffee Trail – Axil Coffee Roasters
*Disclaimer: All food ratings & review are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality at the time of visit
Food/ Cuisine: Specialty Coffee
Dining Style: Cafe
Overall Food Coffee Rating (Based on the Dining style): 8/10
Cafe Restaurant ambiance: 7/10 (You can choose to seat in the open lounge area or within the cosy enclosure of Plantation)
Service/ Attitude: 7.5/10 (The guys that work here are friendly and have always been very helpful)
Value for money: 7.5/10 (Similar prices as anywhere else with good coffee)
Opening Hours:
Monday to Wednesday, 8am – 6pm
Thursday, 8am – 8pm
Friday, 8am – 9pm
Saturday to Sunday, 10am – 6pm
Address:
Shop 253
Level 2 Dining Hall
Melbourne Central
300 La Trobe St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9686 2990
Twitter: @Plantation_Melb
How to get there:
Since they close late, methinks I can visit after work one day… but coffees in the evenings = can’t sleep… aaaa!
They open early and close late! Brilliant!
*gasp* You made me buy the Costa Rica when it has flavours of ORANGE?! And I thought you loved me 🙁
Well, actually, it’s currently making all my clothes smell delicious, so I have high hopes for not finding its orangeyness unpleasant 😛
Oh, I-Hua! I feel so sad about going back to Canberra where cafes won’t offer me special coffee beans of the day!
*sob*
Don’t be silly Angle Babe. The Costa Rica you bought was a different blend. Don’t I teach you anything??!!
Oops. 😛
Would certainly come here to get my geisha fix. hehe.
Yes!!! Geisha fixes FTW!
Great pics! I’m jealous you can try so many coffees! If I have any more than 1-2 a day I will be running around in circles faster than my kids! I love this place too 🙂
I’m astounded with my ability as well. Had a really good sleep after that too!
Ohhh definitely coming here for ice cold coffees from now on 🙂 i use to get those diluted ones from Gloria Jeans or Starbucks! But yay those days are LONG GONE~
YUP!!! So good 🙂
Oh my! I visited St Ali for the first time over the holidays and must say I’m in love! I keep thinking I should get off the train at Melb Central because the extra few minutes walk will do me good … the extra walk with a good coffee in hand – sold!
Yes you should! Let’s walk and enjoy our coffees 🙂
ahhh… if only I liked coffee 😛 I’ll stick to the cupcakes across the dining room 😛
Cut the sugar and love the caffeine! Actually have both!!
Wow this place looks so fancy pants! There’s so many gadgets and decorations…I think I’d love this place 😀 I was in Central just today but was too late for a coffee…maybe next time!
I find coffee doesn’t work on my body. I can drink it in the morning and still be tired, I drink it before I sleep and I sleep fine. So I’m always happy to have more than 1 coffee to try the different flavours 😛
Hahaha, it’s a lovely place to be especially after shopping in between 🙂
Wow those cold drips look like serious stuff. Sounds like the St Ali guys are taking over the Melbourne coffee scene!
They are, aren’t they? How wonderful for us!
It’s like you know of this whole other melbourne world that I have no idea exists! Ok so along with my breakfast I’ll take a strong skinny latte, thanks 🙂
Heidi xo
That’s what is fun about living here I guess. So many new things to discover all the time!
If you liked Plantation… you’ll love Reverance Specialty Coffee roasters along with Fatboo. They’re in Union Road Ascot Vale and they do limited food, but really great coffees. And they have their own coffee beans and does cold drip and I think Syphon
Hello 🙂 Thanks for that! I know about Reverence, but unfortunately fatbooo went on a work day 🙁 So I wasn’t able to follow, and it’s far!!