Samantha H.
Yelp
St Edmonds truly is everything a Melbourne hot spot should be:
1. Not on main road, check. (It's on St Edmonds Road, off Greville Street)
2. Adorned with graffiti art on the outside, check.
3. Beautiful and/or hipster staff, check.
4. Acceptable side of town, check.
5. Creative menu, check.
6. Open virtually all hours of the day, check.
7. Pretty consistently good coffee and food, check.
I've been to St Edmonds somewhere in the vicinity of a gazillion times (it's on my regular path, okay?). In peak hours you have to be extremely lucky or famous - preferably both - to get a table, but it's for a reason (see above checklist).
Personally, I use St Edmonds as a takeaway coffee spot or in those off-hours during the week... well after lunch finishes, but before the dinner crowd makes an appearance. Combine a glass of red and a selection from their nibbles menu (hello perfect fries, truffled edamame and miniature burgers) and you could easily be forgiven for thinking you're living THE life.
A bonus half a star is awarded to this venue for bothering to install those glorious bay windows that they can open wide on the three days a year Melbourne is warm enough (but not too hot) to open them and let the breeze in, creating an indoor-outdoor eatery.
Sigh.