25 Tilba Street

25 Tilba Street is full of old-world Italian charm. There are retro leather dining chairs in a mix of burnt orange, chocolate and beige; mismatched tables; and brown floral-printed tableware. There’s a bar and dividing wall made of stained chipboard. Pops of greenery. And, by the entrance, a vintage telephone table.

The space was designed by owner Carlo Mellini (also behind Cannoli Bar), who wanted to recreate an old-fashioned Italian espresso bar in Aberfeldie.

He's mastered the espresso at 25 Tilba Street, which has a loyal following for its coffee by Nomadi Coffee Roasters. You can order everything from single-origin cold drip to traditional Italian caffettiera. (Yes, you can even order a four-cup Bialetti moka pot, fresh off the stove, to your table.)

The all-day menu centres around bruschetta and sourdough toasties, and features homegrown herbs. Ovens Street Bakery bread might come with toppings such as sauteed wild mushrooms, smoked scamorza and black-truffle oil; fresh cherry tomatoes, melted fior di latte and basil; and sauteed asparagus, smoked salmon, avocado and Meredith goat’s cheese. There’s also a Reuben with pastrami, sauerkraut, pickles, Swiss cheese and secret sauce; house-made granola; and the Bricklayer roll with pork-and-fennel sausage, bacon, scamorza, smoky barbeque sauce and a fried egg.

It’s not all about the mains, though. There’s a small selection of cannoli from Cannoli Bar. While sweets such as cartocci (spiral-shaped Sicilian doughnuts filled with custard and coated with sugar), almond croissants and amaretti are baked onsite daily.

Your experience at 25 Tilba Street will differ based on where you sit. For takeaway or a quick coffee pit stop, park yourself on the milk crates out front and watch locals making their way to the nearby Maribyrnong River. Want to linger a little longer? Pull up at the breakfast bar or in the cosy dining room. And for larger groups, there are a number of picnic tables among tomato plants in the back courtyard.