Melbourne.
Whether Long Black, Flat White or the legendary “Magic”: Melbourne is the Mecca for coffee connoisseurs.
A barista skilfully operates the various levers of the large espresso machine, which sits enthroned on a long wooden counter. People are sitting on burgundy bar stools, reading newspapers or chatting. It smells of leather, coffee and a bygone era: Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar in Melbourne is one of the oldest cafés in the city that is still in its original condition. In the metropolis celebrated worldwide for its coffee culture, the restaurant is probably the most traditional address par excellence.
The red-and-green neon sign that reads ‘Open 8AM’ in the window, the checkerboard floor tiles and family photos from different decades on the walls – the café hasn’t changed much since it opened in Melbourne’s city center in 1954. “A lot of people tell us that they feel like they’re coming home or to their grandmother’s,” says current owner David Malaspina (42). Then his barista serves a “Flat White” in a brown cup – an Australian version of a small latte, but with a stronger coffee taste. It’s one of the best in town, guests agree.
Most cafes per capita
No other place in the world has as many cafés per capita as Melbourne. That’s why Australia’s second largest city is also known as the coffee capital of the world. The love for the roast bean dates back to the 1950s. “After the war, many Europeans and many other nationalities came to this wonderful city,” says Malaspina. “And everyone brought their culture with them. For us that is the coffee.”
It is mainly Italian and Greek immigrants who bring the first European espresso machines to the city. According to legend, Pellegrini’s espresso bar was the first café with such a coffee machine, which was completely revolutionary at the time – but this has not been proven. In 1974 Sisto Malaspina, an Italian immigrant, took over the espresso bar together with Nino Pangrazio.
The duo not only manages to make the café even more popular, they both also become local heroes. When Sisto Malaspina was stabbed to death near his café in a terrorist attack in November 2018, the entire city mourned. “He was always here, six days a week,” says David Malaspina about his father Sisto. “He loved people, always told stories and was exceptionally sociable.” The coffee icon even gets a state funeral, which is attended by thousands of people.
Tradition with innovation
Today, Melbourne’s coffee scene blends tradition with innovation. Although classic “long blacks” (espresso lengthened with hot water) and “flat whites” (espresso with slightly frothed milk and very little milk froth) are still among the most popular coffee drinks, there are also new trends. This includes the somewhat mysterious “Magic”, which is hard to find outside of the city and which is rarely on the drinks menu even in Melbourne. But initiated coffee aficionados can order the pick-me-up, which consists of a double ristretto (an espresso variant) with lightly frothed milk, from experienced baristas.
Melbourne’s residents are considered real “coffee snobs” and have correspondingly high demands on their beloved hot drink. Chains like Starbucks can hardly keep up with the city’s more than 2,000 coffee shops.
Many bars and roasting houses, for example, value “single origin coffees” – coffee beans whose cultivation can be traced down to the smallest detail. The brewing techniques are also constantly being developed. The “pour over” method, in which hot water is poured through ground coffee in a filter directly into the cup, is popular. “Cold brews” are also on the rise: The beans are ground a little coarser and covered with cold water and placed in the fridge for twelve hours. This should result in a less acidic coffee.
Coffee preparation is constantly being perfected
Meanwhile, the art of coffee-making continues to be perfected by Melbourne’s many baristas. One of them is reigning world barista champion Anthony Douglas. The 31-year-old prevailed against international competition at the World Barista Championships, which appropriately took place in his hometown of Melbourne in 2022. Among other things, he served the judges a “signature drink” made from Colombian espresso with honey, lacto-fermented passion fruit and cold-brewed hibiscus tea.
“First I fell in love with the process of making coffee. Then I got to know some really great coffee specialties,” says Douglas. “I realized how extraordinary coffee can be.” The star barista expresses his love for the brown bean in sophisticated creations, for which he combines precise techniques with completely new flavor combinations.
For Douglas, coffee is both theory and art: “I think you have to understand the science behind coffee making first,” he says. “Once you’ve done that, you have the freedom to express coffee in different ways, just like any other art form.” Despite his sophisticated creations with which he tantalizes the palates of his customers, he likes to keep it simple himself: depending on the mood drinks Douglas espresso, flat white or simply filter coffee.
Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar also focuses on the essentials: If you’re looking for turmeric lattes and iced frappuccinos with soy milk, you’ve come to the wrong place. Managing Director David Malaspina is not just about good coffee, but also about the social component that has always been part of the cult drink: “Coffee offers a way to start conversations and is a good excuse to meet up,” says he. Also at the other end of the world. (dpa)
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