No brioche. Pancakes sans flowers. Staple owner Evan Lindau (ex- Allpress) wants to be known for simple food done well. Toast. Bacon and eggs. The staples – hence the name.

Looks-wise, it’s a far cry from Lindau’s previous cafe, Footscray’s Guerilla Espresso. At 150 square metres, the buzzing split-level tenancy is six times the size. It also has a sharp fit-out by Samantha Eades (Chin Chin, Rock Sugar, Mr Miyagi), rather than being a DIY Thai-DVD-store conversion.

Quality coffee is still a focus. Rumble Coffee Roasters’s Shadow Boxer blend is used for white coffees; and Omar & The Marvellous Coffee Bird ’s Tade GG (an Ethiopian blend) in black.

For breakfast our pick is the For Two: four eggs, toast and five sides for $40. Lunchtime liquor is available and true to the mission, it’s kept simple. One beer, one red and one white wine.

At the mini providore you can buy good-quality organic produce sourced from more than 10 suppliers, from organic potatoes and gourmet sauces to Who Gives a Crap toilet paper. Residents from the upstairs apartments can order a “staples essentials box” delivered to their door, with a week’s worth of Lindau’s curated deli items.