Tag Archives: Espresso

Elixir Coffee in Stafford

Elixir Coffee HQ Espresso Lounge
Elixir Coffee HQ Espresso Lounge

One Saturday morning, I stopped off in Stafford on the way to the city. I had been told that there is a cafe just off Webster Road, next to an Ultra Tune, that’s well worth checking out.

In a few ways Elixir is a bit like the Merlo store on James Street. It also stocks a lot of coffee makng paraphernalia, including percolator seals, espresso machines, filters, etc. They also sell their own coffee beans.

Arriving at Elixir Coffee, I ran into David, someone I know through Twitter. Once I ordered my long black, David told me a little more about the place. It turned out that he knew the owners.

Elixir Coffee does not look much like a cafe, and it wasn’t one at first. David told me that Elixir Coffee began life as a small coffee roaster. The owners had always been involved in cafes, starting with the one their parents ran, and so it seems natural that they would have a real enthusiam for coffee, which shows in their product.

They offer a range of different blends, and at least one single origin on offer at any given time. The coffee is the focus, with only a small but varied food menu. And every coffee is served with tasting notes on a small, laminated card.

Espresso and Ice
Espresso and Ice

David suggested that I let the staff choose what I was going to have next. That is how I ended up with a ‘con hielo’ as my second coffee. The crema was impressive, and it was great to try something I hadn’t even heard of before and probably wouldn’t have selected for myself.

TL;DR
Elixir Coffee is worth visiting, assuming you love coffee.
If you don’t, that’s your problem.

Elixir Coffee HQ Espresso Lounge
www.elixircoffee.com.au/
12 Hayward Street
Stafford, 4053
On Facebook

Coffee, Yoghurt and a Haircut

GW Private Room Coffee and Yoghurt
GW Private Room Coffee and Yoghurt

GW Private Room is the first hairdresser I’ve been to that offers wine as well as tea or coffee. They also do breakfast. It is a neat little place in Festival Towers with free parking for customers and one of the coolest two level layouts I have seen. Hannah recommended the place, and it was a great choice.

They also serve black coffee in a glass. It and the yoghurt arrived on a rectangular plate as they got to work on my hair. It is actually harder than you think to eat and get your hair cut without getting hair in your food.

The coffee was OK but the glass was too hot. I guess this is why no-one else serves black coffee in something so conductive. Since they have massage chairs for the customers to sit in while they get their hair washed, I don’t plan to hold this against them.

The haircut was very good, the coffee was very ordinary, but overall in terms of service, GW Private Room does stand out.

http://www.gwprivateroom.com.au/
89 Charlotte Street
Oaks Festival Towers
Brisbane | CBD

Black coffee at Caffeine Espresso

Caffeine Espresso
Caffeine Espresso

There is a small cafe called Caffeine Espresso just next to my physiotherapist’s office, opposite Sol Breads on Commercial Road, Teneriffe.  With some time to kill before my appointment, I ducked in for another coffee and a sit-down. The cafe is fairly narrow inside, with one side lined with tables, and the other with a bench. Newspapers were scattered liberally on the tables. I had an entertainment liftout and a part of the business section, were some colleagues ended up recommending me the ProSkins site for gaming.

As busy as they were, I got my coffee and cookie before I had settled into reading March’s ‘Marketing’. The clientele seemed to be mostly locals with the odd cyclist mixed in. The price of a long black was fairly standard at $3 and the coffee was great, one of the best I have had.  They do their own beans and their 3rd place Golden Bean award seems well deserved.  I have to find out who came first and second now, if the quality of third place’s coffee is anything to go by.

So why care?

The coffee is really rather good, and they roast their own beans. It seriously is. They also serve Byron Bay Cookie Company snacks and the breakfast looked OK, though I did not eat there. Parking is easy if a 50 metre walk won’t kill you. If you are local, just walk; it’s a pleasant way to start your morning.

Location: 100 Commercial Road, Teneriffe

Website: http://www.caffeineespresso.com/

Strong long black from Retro Espresso

Retro Espresso takeaway coffee
Retro Espresso takeaway coffee

If you travel near Edinburgh Castle Road in Wavell Heights on the way to work, Retro Espresso is a great place to grab a long black. On Friday each week I drop in and grab a strong regular long black that can usually see me through until lunch time. Assuming I do not get bored and make another just to break up the morning. They use Segafredo beans and make a strong coffee.

On the weekends Retro espresso is a popular morning destination. The café attracts both people cluttering the side of the road with their cars, and a significant number of dog walkers. They do a decent breakfast even though they have no kitchen facilities, but they do well with their range of sandwiches and coffee.


View Long Black in a larger map

Why should you care?

If you live in Wavell Heights or you go through the area on the way to work, it is a great place to grab a takeaway coffee. Parking is easier than at the well known cafe spots, and you will be back on the way to your desk fast. If you are a local, for a weekend coffee in the morning, you will struggle to find somewhere as good locally too.

194 Edinburgh Castle Rd
Wavell Heights
http://retroespresso.com.au/