"For a crash course in Melburnian dining, head to this cafe-slash-wine bar on a residential backstreet, where the kitchen applies a light but thoughtful touch to top-notch produce. That might mean yellow peaches dressed with honey, or ricotta and persimmon lifted with native pepperberry. The anchovy toast here kicked off a city-wide obsession, and nails the fat-salt-acid equilibrium: anchovies over thick house mayo and salsa verde with a sliced boiled egg on rye. It’s not always on the menu, but ask nicely and one can often be whipped up. Wines are from small-batch producers, best sipped outside in the sunshine, and a die-hard approach to coffee means there’s no alt milk and no takeaway (though espresso is a wallet-friendly $2 if you take it standing at the bar). Lingering is welcome—the venue is open all day, and you can even stay the night at the on-site guesthouse." - Ellen Fraser
