Cup of Truth

12 Campbell Arcade, Degraves Street Subway, Melbourne.
This tiny hole in the wall underground in the CBD changed my life and turned me into a fully-fledged coffee snob.

Started by two former baristas from Vue De Monde who invested in their own Synesso coffee machine, these guys are always ready with a pleasant greeting, a charming smile and a fantastic cup of brew.

They usually have a single origin or house blend and have a really good understanding of the coffee, so they can tell you the exact features of the single origin they have on offer. I’m a huge fan of Ethiopian coffee (it’s the only kind I stock at home), but unfortunately take my coffee in the tofu style. These guys suggested I try it with honey instead of sugar – it really brought out the flavour of the beans and balanced out the soy. Delicious.

Another feature are the prices -$3.20 a regular,$3.80 a medium and they also have a large size. Soy is only 20 cents, which is a pleasant change from the 50 charged elsewhere (total rip off). They also sell re-usable cups.

You might be mistaken for believing you’re in little Italy when you stop here in the mornings – it’s one of the only places I’ve seen in town that regularly has punters sitting at the bar having a quick espresso stop – it’s a testament to the quality of the Joe.