Where to find the best coffee in Camberwell Junction

For most Melburnians, it’s the first thing they grab in the morning.

It’s the reward at the end of a long walk; the central element of any catch up with friends; and while they might forget the lunch, school bag or even the kids, it’s the one thing every parent at school drop off always has in hand: coffee.

Coffee isn’t just a staple in our lives, it’s a quest.

We’re always on the lookout for the latest blend, the most flavoursome brew, the most sustainably harvested bean – and word of a new cafe or talented barista spreads through a neighbourhood faster than news of a celebrity sighting.

When it comes to finding the best coffee, Camberwell residents are spoiled for choice, with cafes and coffee bars to suit every palette and experience.

Whether you’re on the search of a new favourite cafe or have a hankering for new or unusual coffee, Camberwell Junction has it all.

Here is where you’ll find the best coffee Camberwell Junction has on offer.

1961 Coffee Roasters

They aren’t just into great coffee, 1961 Coffee Roasters have made it their life – a fact that becomes obvious the minute you walk into their warehouse come monument to the Gods of the coffee bean, with the Probat roaster at the altar.

Yes, as their name suggests, they roast their own beans, meaning you experience deep, full flavour in every cup.

Choclatte

Featuring Axil Coffee Roaster’s premium seasonal blends, Choclatte offers a selection of the finest coffee in Camberwell Junction.

Their menu features a range of options including espresso, long black, macchiato, latte, cappuccino, iced latte and mocha. Don’t forget to try their Lindt chocolate drinks for the ultimate coffee and chocolate pairing.

Collective Espresso

This popular cafe might look at home in any Italian laneway, and Collective Espresso knows that customers flock to their cosy cafe for the quality coffee its baristas serve up.

It’s a great place for an espresso on the run, or a leisurely latte with lunch or a snack.

Crimson Coffee

Crimson Coffee is a small espresso bar located right near Camberwell train station.

Crimson Coffee prides itself on choosing the highest quality green coffee beans from all over the world to bring unique flavours to their coffee-loving customers. They also use small-batch roasters to ensure their coffee is a consistently high level.

They offer all the classic milk-style coffees, and also specialise in filter and pour over coffee.

Franco-Belge

Nobody understands the sensory experience of coffee quite like the French, and Franco-Belge has created a slice of Parisian cafe living, right in the heart of Camberwell Junction.

Come for the aromatic Adore coffee blend and cafe culture vibe, and enjoy French-style croissants, baguettes and pastries baked daily.

Go Go Espresso

There are times when you need a coffee and you need it yesterday, and there are times when you just need great coffee delivered to your car (think: in a mad rush, or baby sleeping in the back).

Go Go Espresso has you covered with a drive-through coffee experience that is big on great coffee and convenience, without sacrificing the cafe experience.

Hash Specialty Coffee

For times when you’re looking for coffee with an extra splash of special, check out Hash Specialty Coffee’s legendry cold brew.

This special drop is prepared over 24 hours with a selection of single origin coffees, from coffee Meccas around the world, like Ethiopia and Indonesia.

Light Years Cafe

Coffee and brunch, it’s one of the greatest love stories of our time. They just go together like one of those perfect pairings or great Hollywood romances.

Light Years Cafe is a relaxing cafe with a Sunday morning ambiance where you can enjoy the perfection of great coffee and a long leisurely brunch.

Little Pony Goes To Market

This tiny cafe located within the Camberwell Fresh Food Market packs a big punch when it comes to coffee.

Perfect for those who need to grab a coffee on the go, Little Pony Goes To Market offers everything from milk-based coffee to espresso.

Don’t forget to add one of their delicious pastries to your order – the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee.

My Other Brother

It’s a specialty coffee house that is the one stop shop for beans from some of the best roasters in town, including Small Batch, Industry Beans, and Proud Mary.

The minimalist vibe of My Other Brother is the perfect setting to let the true star of the show stand out: the coffee.

Prospect Espresso

Many a prospector has hit coffee gold at this legendary Camberwell Junction coffee dig.

Featuring an array of blends to choose from, including Axil, Code Black and Maker in single origin, or house blends, Prospect Espresso even has its own espresso blend, AU79.

Rex Espresso

Featuring a gorgeous provincial cafe vibe, Rex Espresso is a great place to say ‘bonjour’ to a fresh croissant or pastry, to complement its iconic 100 per cent Arabica house blend coffee.

Their baristas are also known to serve up some seriously fancy coffee art too, if that’s your jam.

So, who takes the prize for the best coffee Camberwell Junction has on offer? You may just have to work your way through the list to decide!

As you enter Provence Artisan Bakers, you feel instantly transported to a traditional bakery in France – the shop is small and cosy, often bustling with customers, and you are delighted with the smells of freshly baked bread and sweet pastries.

Co-owners Lida Rahmai and Mohammed Ali, who goes by Ali, both worked at a large wholesale food company for more than 10 years before they decided to join forces and start their own bakery.

Lida and Ali set up shop in Burke Rd, Camberwell about four years ago and business has been thriving ever since.

The bakery sells a range of products including breads, tarts, pastries, sandwiches, quiches and cakes. Among the best sellers are their famous sausage rolls, Portuguese tarts, almond croissants and sourdough bread.

“We are both so passionate about baking good quality food,” Lida said.

“This is one thing that I love to do. This is my comfort zone. It doesn’t matter how busy I am outside the door, when I get in here I want to be here 100 per cent.”

Camberwell was selected for the location of their bakery because they felt the area was a perfect fit.

“People in this area are very well educated about food and they value food. So Camberwell was a perfect area for what we wanted to do,” Lida said.

As an artisan bakery, all products are created by hand, with baking beginning in the early hours of the morning to ensure everything is made fresh daily.

No machinery is used to produce the breads and pastries, giving them an authentic and rustic touch.

“We look at it as an art,” Lida said.

“We didn’t want to do something that everyone else is doing. We wanted to be different and give something to our customers that they deserve – quality, flavours, no chemicals. It’s a point of difference for us.”

And you won’t just find this personal touch in their products – the customer service and friendly atmosphere of the bakery is exceptional too.

“I’d say 90 per cent of our customers are regulars. It’s like a big family. We know most of our customers by their name,” Lida said.

While a large portion of their customers are from the local area, many travel a fair distance to get to the bakery.

“We had this beautiful lady who used to travel all the way from Mt Dandenong, where she ran a hotel, to buy our heavy fruit loaf for their breakfasts,” Lida said.

“We’ve also got customers coming from the other side of town, as far as Thomastown.”

Lida said the biggest compliment was when customers returned on a regular basis.

The humble bakery with a big heart has also enjoyed success in the wholesale and catering space, supplying their food to cafes across Melbourne and also catering for large events such as corporate functions, the Spring Racing Carnival and the Grand Prix.

Offering wholesale and catering services came about as a decision to create additional streams of income other than direct sales to customers who visit the bakery, Lida said.

“We had other business owners coming to us and asking if we could supply to them so we saw an opportunity to diversify our business in that area,” she said.

“They often ask for stuff that nobody else does so we create custom orders for them – beer breads, pastries in different sizes or specific flavour combinations.”

Responding to what their customers want has been an important part of doing good business, Lida said.

“It makes the customers happy because they can get what they ask for,” she said.

“And for us, we feel like it is taking on a challenge and we love a good challenge.”

The bakery has ambitious plans for the near future, and hope to open a second store in Camberwell next year.

But while they want to grow, they want to maintain that personal touch and passion Provence is renowned for, Lida said.

“If you love what you’re doing and you put that love into what you’re doing, all your customers can feel it, they can taste it.”

Visit the store

Provence Artisan Bakers

919 Burke Rd, Camberwell
Phone: (03) 9813 4252

Open Tuesday – Sunday