The Tradesman

In an area packed with industrial estates, the Tradesman stands out from the crowd. Owner Raman Vohra took over the classic Moorabbin take away joint in 2016, to provide the area with proper coffee and bring “city food” to the suburbs.

Like a typical inner-city cafe, timber walls, hanging lights and potted greenery are part of the interior. A high share table and coloured metal stools add a slight canteen vibe.

Vohra is a chef himself and wanted the menu to reflect his Indian roots as much as in-demand Melbourne staples such as smoothie bowls, crazy pancakes and superfood salads.

The rice pudding is inspired by a popular winter dish from his region of India. It’s cooked for four hours in milk, saffron, cinnamon, turmeric and cardamom before being topped with chia seeds, pistachios and almonds. Slow-cooked lamb is simmered in a subtle blend of Indian spices; and the turmeric latte is made with sweet coconut milk, just like he used to drink as a child.

The Tradesman offers Code Black coffee, Prana Chai, Golden Grind, Tea Drop Tea and Mörk hot chocolate on the drinks list. Protein smoothies, freshly squeezed juices and milkshakes are also available.

Despite these many changes, you can still get the classic tradie egg-and-bacon roll all day long.