For some of us, navigating the elbows-out, weekend market frenzy can be a mission fraught with high anxiety. But for lucky South Melbourne regulars, Padre offers a great antidote to any crowd-induced meltdowns.

An offshoot of Brunswick East Project, this pint-sized cafe is a haven for harried shoppers and coffee geeks alike, featuring serious specialty coffee to have in and an impressive range of freshly-roasted beans to take home.

Roasting is done off site at the Brunswick East HQ and on any given day there may be as many as a dozen carefully chosen single origin and blended options to pick from, many being Fair Trade and organic. Friendly staff will happily guide you through the options and share tasting notes on some of the more obscure offerings, like the Mexican Angel Albino or Nicaraguan Los Nogales.

With just enough space to spread out the weekend papers, the open-sided shopfront offers a sweet vantage point for taking in the sights and sounds of the busy market. The fit out is low-key with touches of recycled wood, and seating is limited to one large communal table and a handful of smaller two-tops, which might mean waiting in line.

With coffee being the key player, food is kept minimal with just a small selection of good quality sweet and savoury pastries on offer, making this a perfect option for a post-shop pick-me-up.