Light Coffee

Does a slow brew make for better coffee? Eva Shao thinks so. The owner of Light Coffee likes to guide her customers through the intricacies of making quality coffee – particularly the filtered variety.

Filter drinkers can choose from two beans – Kochere (Ethiopia) or Santa Isabel (Guatemala) – all roasted in-house. The cafe also sells beans from Gitesi Project, a charitable initiative that places cows with coffee farmers in Rwanda. Espresso lovers aren’t ignored: a La Marzocco espresso machine pumps through Asobombo single origin beans from Colombia.

The menu is light to accompany the coffee, with croissants from Danny’s Bread and baked goods from Torta Bella. Non-coffee drinkers can choose from Arakai Estate’s Taiwanese-style teas (a nod to Shao’s heritage), Smooth Chocolator hot chocolate and Hepburn Organic Sodas. There’s even reverse-osmosis filtered water for your pooch.

The cafe’s interior is a clean, Scandi-style with a retro twist: a white-tiled counter with industrial hanging lights, unfinished plywood cupboards, a black-and-white chequered lino floor, and op shop finds (such as old-school tables with lift-up lids).