First Look: Get the Same Experimental Brews in the New, Kissaten-Style March Coffee Studio
Words by Madeline Wallman · Updated on 10 Sep 2026 · Published on 09 Sep 2026
Almost two years after opening his first cafe, March Coffee Studio, electrical-engineer-turned-three-time-barista-champion Ziggy Varamulia is back with another.
The new cafe occupies the lobby of 181 St Georges Terrace, a narrow, north-facing space hemmed in by the area’s corporate high-rises. Where the original March on William Street is flooded with natural light, this venue was never going to have quite the same advantage. So Varamulia opted for a different style.
“We designed the space to fit with what that building has given us,” he explains. “Instead of trying to force light into it, we took a page out of [Japanese] kissatens” – salon-style coffee shops, often tucked into basements and backstreets – “where you diffuse the light and get more of a calming effect instead of intense, bright lights coming in.”
That inspiration developed into a distinct new concept for the brand. Like kissatens, which are designed around a slower, more considered style of coffee consumption, March’s second CBD location is meant for lingering. That means blond timber furniture; rounded tables with plenty of breathing room between them; bleacher-style seating; and Japanese-inspired jazz and low-key, lo-fi music filling the room.
“The two spaces serve different purposes,” he says. “The first venue encourages you to wake up and to be more lively, whereas with this one I want to invite people to slow down a little bit. We designed the space specifically so you can just sit back and enjoy the coffee. No matter how busy it gets, you can actually have a bit of space for yourself.”
While the setting, spirit and sound are different, the coffee remains reassuringly the same.
Like at the original, the drinks menu is organised around “comfort” (everyday espresso options), “adventure” (designer lattes – rare coffees matched with designer milk to complement their flavour profiles – and pour-overs) and “experimental” (seasonal, left-of-field specialty drinks). Yes, the $100 eugenioides coffee is still on offer. You can also find fresh pastries by Arthur Bakery, Bagel O bagels, seasonal granola, toasties and a handful of house-made sandwiches.
“I really like that idea of having different March Coffee Studios with different fit-outs and different purposes,” Varamulia says. “I want each shop to have its own life, its own kind of identity, but whether you go to 140 William, 181 or any future ventures, you still get the designer latte, experimentals and rare coffee.”
March Coffee Studio
181 St Georges Terrace, Perth
0433 997 971
Hours:
Mon to Fri 7am–3pm
Sat 8am–1pm
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