When I was in High School, Degraves Street in Melbourne was the epicentre of coffee cool. It was where all the Carribee slingin’, discman listenin’, ciggie smokin’ hard-as-nails (private) school kids would head, in their truancy, to meet fellow maths-dodgers of the same proclivities for a coffee and to bask in their adolescent glory.
At that time I, being one of the aforementioned hard-as-nails coffee sippers, would scurry past the art installations, beggars, buskers and underground t-shirt stores of Flinders Street Station’s Campbell Arcade all the while wondering why there was not a cafe under there. Well, fast forward two university degrees and two jobs and bugger me if someone has not finally cottoned on to my teenage genius and Degraves Street is a little bit passe.
Seek it.
Cup of Truth has been cranking underground at Flinders Street for a couple of years and despite there being (or maybe because) no seating to speak of, peak hour coffee here is frenetically busy but warm and friendly. I popped in last week and the scene was like something out of a New York based sitcom (albeit improved by great coffee and a lack of annoying New Yorkers in plaid pants). 20 and 30 somethings shooting the breeze and reading the Friday quiz while smashing down fistfuls of Five Senses and Axil SO.
Despite needing takeaway cup my long mach was unusually good, with a creamy consistency and a sparkly, crackling acid note. Definite heart-starter. Again, I am amazed and enthused by this city’s ability to deposit a solid great cafe at any given location.
Truth.
The Truth Is Out There.