When you think of the suburbs in Perth you can go to for great coffee, where comes to mind? Leederville? Mt Lawley? Fremantle?
Let me throw a dark horse in the mix here… Midland. Now now... stay with me here.
Midland is on the doorstep to the Swan Valley, home to the Fiori and Yahava roasteries. These guys make coffee that is up there with the best in Perth and some local coffee shops are using it to serve up a brew that will rival the top dogs.
Here are my picks for coffee in Midland that you should put on your list to visit.
Bolt Coffee
Men Of the Trees Nursery – corner Stirling Street & Amherst Road, Hazelmere
http://www.boltcoffee.com.au
Open from 7am Monday-Wednesday and from 8am Thursday-Saturday
If you're after a unique scenic setting and unique coffee, then you need to get out to Bolt Coffee in Hazelmere. Whilst it is technically not Midland, it is right next door.
After ordering from a small tin shed, you can sit among the shady trees on mismatched furniture to enjoy some of the best coffee you can get in Perth.
I've sat there many a morning and have seen business people have meetings, mums letting their kids run free and people stopping buy for the their morning brew to drink on the way to the daily grind.
Not content with being "just another" small batch roaster, owner Steve Lomax does things very differently… he roasts the beans in a barbecue. That's right - a BBQ!
"It's the only one of its kind, as far as I know," says Mr Lomax.
Like a true artisan, he roasts beans from Colombia, Brazil, Sumatra, PNG, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua and Guatemala by sight, sound and aromas creating his own unique blends.
"The beans are roasted over open flame and the drum that has the beans has apertures [holes] in it. The chaff that normally roasts in a commercial roaster is burnt away. This chaff can have an offensive, burnt peanut taste. Which my coffee does not have," explains Mr Lomax.
"The fact that these origins are roasted in this rather unique way offers up a whole new way of roasting; creating levels, dimensions and flavour profiling never seen or tasted before."
With summer knocking on the door, Lomax has his cold brew ready to go as well. I know where I will be on the next balmy Perth morning...
Carpe Coffee
3/1 Old Great Northern Highway, Midland
Facebook Page
Open from 7am weekdays and 8am weekends
It's not just about great coffee at Carpe, with a counter made of VHS tapes, comic books to read and Mario Kart begging to be played, there's a lot to love about this hole-in-the-wall coffee shop.
Owner James Daly grew up in Midland and now lives in the area again. Customers at his flagship CBD coffee shop were surprised he was opening his second in Midland with Mr Daly saying, "I would love to see Midland realise its potential, which is only going to happen if locals step up and do something to help. You need to be the change you wish to see, so here we are!"
They use Swan Valley roaster Fiori Coffee here. The same house blend is on offer daily with a different "guest bean" single origin featuring weekly. Either way, you know you are always going to get a top quality coffee from these guys.
(You could even walk away with bragging rights for top score on Mario Kart).
Crooked Spire Coffee House
71 Victoria Street, Midland
Facebook Page
Open from 6am on weekdays and 7am on weekends
This is a café that truly caters for everyone.
Big comfy Chesterfields, a playpen for kids, free wi-fi, long communal tables - perfect for setting up camp with your laptop and of course yummy sweet treats and kick-arse coffee.
Popular Swan Valley and Margaret River based roaster Yahava provide the coffee here and it's seriously good stuff. Partner a flat white with one of the biggest brownies you've ever seen and it's morning tea sorted!
There's more than one way to feel good about drinking coffee at Crooked Spire - they also offer customers the ability to purchase suspended coffees for those in need who would like a hot drink.
These guys were also recently nominated in four categories in the Swan Business Awards including Quality Customer Service, New Business, Hospitality & Retail Business, proving that good coffee is big business in the area.
Not only is this a coffee house, it's an art space and community centre. You really feel like you could be in a super-hip laneway coffee lounge in the city at Crooked Spire.
The Oven Door Bakery Café
Corner of Morrison Road & The Avenue, Midland (Inside Swan Valley Fresh Markets)
Facebook Page
Open from 7am weekdays and 8am weekends
There's a reason why there is a long line here in the mornings and it's all to do with the damn good coffee and brilliant baked goods. (And I bet you didn't think you could only find cronuts outside of Mt Lawley!).
Just like Crooked Spire, they use Yahava coffee. The barista has got applause-worthy talent – this had to be one of the creamiest flat whites I have had in a long time.
You really get bang for your buck at The Oven Door Bakery with a mug being the standard coffee size and they offer great little specials, like a coffee and house baked fruit toast for $6. I don't even think I have seen plain toast for $6 in Perth let alone fruit toast with a quality coffee.
The little boutique market this bakery is housed in also has some great local produce vendors worth checking out… after your coffee and sweet treats of course.
0 comments
New User? Sign up