I enjoyed my visit to Penny Farthing Espresso so much that I walked out the door with a big fat smile on my face, which only disappeared several hours later when the final siren sounded on Essendon’s 2011 season.
Penny Farthing, owned by brothers Steve and Trevor Simmons, can be found in an unassuming shopfront on High Street in Northcote. As could be expected, a penny farthing bicycle dominates the décor inside, along with a large communal table which provides much of the indoor seating. There’s more indoor space out the back, as well as an appealing little courtyard complete with outdoor heaters.
I was seated at the communal table where I trundled through the newspapers and enjoyed eavesdropping on snippets of other people’s conversations. The crowd was an interesting mixture of North side trendies, middle aged couples and people with small children (and monster sized prams).
All the staff were fabulously dressed, looking as if they had stepped straight off their fixie and into the café. They were all friendly and attentive and despite the fact that the cafe was very busy, it wasn’t difficult to get a menu and my order was taken promptly.
I knew I was really going to love Penny Farthing when one of the waitresses noticed I was reading Marieke Hardy’s book and engaged me in a conversation about her. As I was there on my own, it was really lovely to have this sort of extended interaction with the wait staff. And then my coffee arrived.
What can I say to adequately describe the deliciousness of this coffee? The only suitable word is…spectacular. I had to stop myself at 2 lattes, for fear of spending the rest of the day in a caffeine induced coma. The “vintage blend†is created in-house using beans from Sumatra, PNG, Columbia, Guatemala and Brazil. The barista informed me that the Simmons brothers have tried to create a blend that goes well with milk. For black coffees, they tend to use one of their single origins instead. On the day I visited, two limited release single origins were also on offer; from India and Costa Rica.
It’s clear that Penny Farthing’s primary focus is on coffee. Industry Beans are available to take home in 250 gram, 500 gram & 1kg bags, either whole bean or ground. The food was also excellent. The menu contains mostly breakfast items, several sandwiches and daily specials (including soup). I chose the “Smashâ€; Danish feta and avocado on Dench sourdough with basil and mint, with olive oil and chilli on the side. This was a completely fabulous dish; simple and delicious.
There is no doubt that Penny Farthing Espresso is a favourite with Northcote locals. And even if you’re not a local, trust me, it is well worth a trip across town.
Penny Farthing Espresso
Address: 206 High Street, Northcote
Phone: 03 9482 2246
Hours:Â Monday 7.30am to 5.00pm, Tuesday to Friday 7.30am to late, Saturday and Sunday 8.30am to late
Coffee: Industry Beans (lovingly roasted by Penny Farthing Espresso brothers Steve & Trevor Simmons)
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner (except on Mondays)
© Copyright Espresso Melbourne 2010. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy132 queries in 0.268 seconds
Another Awesome Pixel Envy Project.
