Don’t take the name literally; there is nothing senseless or stupid about the coffee, food or interior design at Balderdash, one of the more coffee-focussed cafes to reinforce the growing street cred of Port Melbourne as a legitimate bean hub.

The brainchild of ex-Il Fornaio workers Nick Edgar and Mark Knapp takes up residence in a former 19th Century pub that’s been given the kind of grunge-meets-glam going over Melbourne coffee traders seem to do so well. Think whitewashed walls, hessian coffee sacks, a communal timber table and exposed copper piping to engender a factory-funk aesthetic.

And while the grub is good (poached egg and relish-topped corn and caramelised onion fritters, or vanilla and cinnamon French toast with Chantilly cream) it’s the coffee that really shines. The duo have blended their own signature Five Senses brew consisting of Guatemala Los Volcanos, and PNG and Ethiopian Yirgacheffe for a shot that shows red berry overtones and blends well with milk to produce a smooth and savory latte.

It’s also worth keeping an eye out for the weekly special – at last visit single origin Sumatran Lintong with overtones of cucumber and potato; rich, savoury, strong and incredibly smooth. All are pulled with care on the Synesso Hydra coffee machine. Cold drip aficionados will also find their haven here.

Balderdash

295 Bay Street Port Melbourne

(03) 9077 3813

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