The dandenongs

[shortblackman]

There are many places to get a coffee in the Dandendongs, and although I am a local and have tried many of them over the years, I also tend to stick to what I like and will therefore refrain from criticizing the majority of cafes for serving awful coffee as my opinion would be based on the experience of a long time ago.

But...

If you are on a Sunday drive, the place I can recommend well and truly above anywhere else is....
Little Elixar, in among the Mt. D. Shops. (opposite the Mt D pub).


Very friendly, obliging and expert barista and staff;range of brewing methods (Beautiful cold drip on the rocks!); and lovely fruity espresso.

Its a real breath of fresh air to have a place that really cares about coffee up here.

I really wanted to recommend this place, but while I'm up here, my Mt D silver goes to (oh, God, here goes) cafe Beaumarchais (sp?? There I tried) which is in Sassafras three doors down from my old regular haunt.

Mt. D. Bronze probably goes to Cloudehill. Don't know it so well though owing to sticking to what I like.

Down the mountain in Ferntree Gully is another good cafe/ roastery called the Chosen Bean, which has been mentioned in another thread, I noticed.

Interested in the thoughts of others on the Mt D coffee experience. Seems to me that there are many people coming up here for coffee, but not a heap of places that sell the good stuff.

[shortblackman]

Little Elixir, sorry.

[sugilun]

Me and my wife went to Little Elixir yesterday and the coffees we had were really good. We were very happy with their service. I had the V60 pourover and the wife had a latte. I loved how sweet and clean my coffee was. I tried a sip of my wife's latte and found it was very sweet and loads of caramel. A relaxing place to drive to and enjoy a fantistic cup of coffee. Shortblackman you are right, I highly recommand it to everyone

[shortblackman]

The secret's out. They are getting busier by the week. Us locals are very lucky to have Little Eixir nearby.

re the pourover: Had my first non- short black (in about 10 years) there a month ago. Beautiful floral flavour. Geisha.

...

Also...
Amanda's, if you're in Yarra Junction, is a decent coffee... but I am personally "going cool" on dark roasts. Others might like.

[hyoshidan]

After reading the reviews for Little Elixir I was keen to check it out, but they have closed down. That's a shame - what I read about them sounded fantastic. I can't imagine anywhere else in the Dandenongs that would serve a pourover. Had a look at the Cafe de Beaumarchais website and they look ok, but probably more focused on pastries than coffee. I've tried Chosen Bean - they were quite good, with a range of coffees on offer (roasted on site).

There is a string of cafes in the main street of Belgrave and although many of them make a reasonable coffee, I haven't found any that I would regard as standouts.

Anyone else have any gems in the Dandenongs?

[shortblackman]

The closest thing to Little Elixir in coffee quality - & they do a chemex - is the storehouse in mt Evelyn. So you have to go off the tourist road for that, but its pretty good.

If you can handle the crowds ( on weekends for example) and the general atmosphere, you can get a good cup at the piggery aka burnham beeches.

With the closing of little elixir - the birthplace of my own personal snobbery - I am afraid to say that the Dandenongs has slipped back into a being a place where it's easy to get coffee, but difficult to get a good one.

down the hill in Boronia is Forage: industry beans. Definitely give that a go. Had one or 2 there. I thought it was fine - better coffee than the storehouse in my opinion- 1 grinder only at this stage, but wanting to do pourover in the future I understand.

Belgrave have a string of places as you say, I've tried a few some drinkable, some not,. Haven't tried them all, but I'm yet to find a winner there.

then there's my joint, in Kalorama.

[shortblackman]

Off the mountain again in lilydale. Yellow bird can't sing. ( That's the name of the place, not another of my keyboard slips ).

thats a winner. He does filter & cold drip . Uses Chum Creek coffee. Beautiful faema e61 original.
He means business! Go there

[chokkidog]

+1 Round Bird Can't Fly.......

[hyoshidan]

Yellow Bird Can't Sing? Round Bird Can't Fly? Are these one and the same?

[shortblackman]

Oh god. I'm in for a barrage here! It is round bird can't sing!


yeah yeah... I was thinking of big bird at the time.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I thought we were discussing Beatles songs off 'Revolver'

[chokkidog]

Round Bird Can't Fly. Google it. Facebook it. Apparently it's named after a children's book.

Not a keyboard slip SBM.... ya musta fell off ya chair! ;-)

[Vinitasse]

Oh god. I'm in for a barrage here! It is round bird can't sing!


yeah yeah... I was thinking of big bird at the time.

https://youtu.be/15Oz4k6jwQI

Sesame Street's great hit "Big Bird Can't Fly"

[Vinitasse]

And Elf, a Unicorn and now Big Bird as well. It's been quite the week SBM

[shortblackman]

And I've not even hit the tropics yet!