Joel R.
Yelp
Wonderful service, wonderful people, wonderful coffee.
I'm an American raised up in the booming coffee culture of California of the past 10 years. I landed in Melbourne on holiday completely unaware of this city's vibrant coffee community. After learning about the laneway scene here, I made it a point to venture down the unassuming streets to see what all the hype was about.
One local Melbourne coffee lover pointed me in the direction of Patricia. The shop was nicely tucked away, but not so much that I had a hard time locating it. There was a small line, but that was no problem because these guys are FAST. Despite the line the girl at the counter kindly pointed me in the direction of the best pastry available that day, and helped me navigate their coffee options with a kind, patient, and friendly demeanor.
While waiting for my latte I found a place to stand inside the shop. At first I thought the lack of seating might mean they wanted me out the door soon, but this notion was quickly dismissed as one of the main baristas, Pip, struck up a conversation with me without ever skipping a beat on the coffee making. Our conversation rolled on for twenty minutes or so; all the while they kept me supplied with sparkling water and samples of other coffees they offered.
The coffee was excellent, as is much of the coffee Melbourne has to offer, but I walked away predominantly impressed by their hospitality. Anyone can make a good cup of coffee, but it is something much harder to make someone feel truly welcomed.