Thread: Start spreading the news ...

"I want to be a part of it, New York, New York"

Our coffee boys full of beans in Brew York

Most Australian visitors to New York, particularly finicky Melburnians, will understand the difficulty in finding a decent cup of coffee in the city that never sleeps.

While some would argue that Americans dont need more caffeine, a growing band of Aussie baristas are taking Melbourne-style cafes to Manhattan and taking on the big franchises such as Starbucks.

The trend was dubbed the Australian coffee diaspora by The New York Times, and even the humble flat white has made it big in the Big Apple.

Melburnian Alexander Hall who previously managed St Kildas Cafe Racer and

Il Fornaio, reckons New Yorkers still have plenty to learn.

The New York coffee scene is similar to Melbourne in 1985. When I moved here about six years ago, there was virtually nowhere that served quality espresso coffee. I originally planned to pick up an idea here and then move back to Melbourne to cash in.

But I realised there was a huge opportunity here because nothing in New York compared to our cafes, Mr Hall says

<snip>

Not everyone is happy with the influx of antipodeans. An Australian who was behind New Yorks first barista college was reluctant to speak to The Sunday Age. The former Melburnian, who was also the first to roast premium-grade beans in New York two years ago, says he doesnt want more competition.

Look, mate, if I talk to you, then people will read about it in Melbourne and theyll all want to set up shop here. Id love to get some recognition back home, but I dont want to give people ideas.


PS If you live in Mel-bourne, pretend I didnt send you this *;)

Sounds like he is angling for $tarbucks to pay him out to go away. I would have thought some New Yorkers of Italian decent might also be arranging him some special wading shoes as he has just insulted 15-20 of New Yorks population too ::)

Apart from that he is quite correct of course ;D