he staff of Queensbury Street cafe Twenty & Six Espresso never even had the chance to day dream about slow days at work – the moment Twenty & Six opened, cafe hunters from all over North Melbourne came running.

But then again, a cafe offering Proud Mary’s house blend (Angel Wings) won’t be kept a secret for long. And being backed by the well-loved coffee shop definitely means what you think it means: Twenty & Six is serving up a pretty good brew.

The cafe also offers filter/pour-over coffee, a ‘coffee of the day’ and an extensive list of teas to choose from. Oh, and make sure to try their Venezuelan single origin hot chocolate – you won’t regret it.

But their love for specialty isn’t exclusive to coffee and beverages. Owners Nedin Rahmanovic and Majda Falan – graphic and interior designers respectively –have a profound sense of design and it extends from front of house, all the way to their homey back patio, where they plan to convert the upstairs loft into a design studio.

Offering Brasserie Bread and Kangaroo Island free-range eggs, Twenty & Six’s menu has a simple and wholesome feel. It consists of all the main stops for breakfast, but done their way, with things like the ‘Hulk’ – avocado stacked mile-high, with lemon, chilli, mint, Meredith goat feta and home-cured salmon with poached eggs on top.

For lunch, the pizzas and sandwiches are a real treat. Or for something light, try this rainbow salad of beetroot, summer leaf, carrot, parsley and Meredith goat cheese.

With lines forming come the weekend, it seems Twenty & Six is already leaving a lasting impression on North Melbourne.

Twenty & Six
594 Queensbury Street, North Melbourne
(03) 9329 0298

Hours
Mon, Wed-Fri 7:30am–3:30pm
Sat-Sun 8am-3:30pm

twentyandsix.com.au