It’s busy at Lowdown. So busy the cafe makes about 900 coffees a day. Somehow the guys still manage to remember regulars’ names. How they do it is a mystery, but it’s what makes the place special. The personal touches aren’t lost in the rush for caffeine.

Brothers Adam and Mark Lowes started Lowdown in 2010, after spending a decade working together in sales.

Though they sold in 2016, coffee remains the focus. A single origin by Perth roaster Fiori runs through the espresso machine. Batch brewed, single-origin filter by Melbourne’s Market Lane is on hand, served both hot and cold.

The arcade cafe is like an industrial-style fishbowl, wrapped in a geometric screen of recurring arrows and dim, naked globes. While most grab takeaways, it’s wise to settle in for lunch.

Toasted sangas filled with in-house corned beef, pickle and mustard; shredded spicy Mexican chicken; and garlic, capsicum and Serrano ham are refreshingly original, much like the venue itself.