Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Do you take bookings?

For tables of six or more, yes — through the bookings page or by phone. Smaller tables are walk-in, including weekends, because holding tables for two makes the queue worse for everybody. Barista classes and private functions are booked separately and both need payment or a deposit to hold the date.

What dietary options are on the menu?

Vegan and gluten-free versions run across the menu rather than as a short list at the end, and the floor staff know which dishes cannot be adapted. We use oat, soy and lactose-free milk at no extra charge. The kitchen handles flour, dairy and nuts all day, so we take allergy orders seriously but cannot promise a dedicated allergen-free bench.

Are dogs allowed?

In the courtyard and at the footpath tables, yes, and there are water bowls at both. Food-safety rules keep dogs out of the two indoor rooms, assistance animals excepted. The courtyard is where the roaster vents, so it is warm in winter and shaded by the fig in summer, which most dogs seem to prefer anyway.

Can I work on a laptop, and is there wifi?

Free wifi, and the password is on the sugar jar. Laptops are welcome before 10.30am and after 1.30pm on weekdays, with power points along the back room wall. During weekend brunch we ask for the tables back — a single laptop on a four-seater at 10am on a Sunday costs the kitchen a service, and we would rather ask than put up a sign.

Where can I park?

There is 2P metered parking along Gertrude Street and permit-only zones in the side streets, which are patrolled seriously — check the signs rather than the cars. The 86 tram stops outside the door, Parliament station is a fifteen-minute walk up Gertrude, and there are bike hoops directly out the front.

Where does your coffee come from?

Green coffee comes through two Melbourne importers, mostly from Colombia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda, with the producer, region and process printed on every bag. We pay above the C-market reference price on every lot and will tell you what we paid for a coffee if you ask at the counter. What we cannot honestly claim is direct trade: we visit origin rarely and we are not going to dress that up.

Do you post beans?

Yes, anywhere in Australia. Orders placed before 11am on a Tuesday or Thursday go out the same afternoon on the roast they were dispatched from; anything later waits for the next roast day rather than shipping stale. Express post is free over $60 and flat-rate below it. We do not ship internationally.