CBD cafe Regulars is championing an iced drink that’s taken off in east Asia – but that’s not all.
“Dirty” beverages are a familiar concept in Australia. Chai muddied by espresso, martinis swimming in olive brine, and now, the dirty coffee – a specialty iced drink that first took off in Asian countries, including Japan, China and Thailand. Championed in Melbourne at Little La Trobe Street cafe Regulars, the dirty coffee flips the regular latte on its head; milk first, espresso second.
It’s all about a contrast in temperature – you want the milk (or in some cases cream) to be cold enough to allow the hot espresso to sit separately on top, creating a visually pleasing, layered appearance and a creamy, affogato-like sip. The milk will usually freeze slightly upon hitting the typically pre-frozen glass.
Run by husband-and-wife duo Prem (Tori’s) and Eddie Pan (ex-St Ali), Regulars has gained traction across social media for its icy drinks that go beyond Melbourne cafe classics. For the breakout star, the dirty coffee, a tempered glass is chilled to a finger-numbing minus 85 degrees before being half-filled with full-cream St David Dairy milk. It’s finished with a ristretto shot using beans from Eddie’s Balwyn-based roastery, Roller.
The bright-orange cafe has been an instant hit since opening in December, selling more than 600 dirty coffees a day on weekends. To keep up with demand, Regulars has purchased every single tempered glass currently available in Australia.
Beyond the headline drink, the menu is stacked with other specialty beverages. A subtle blend of Kenyan cold brew with grape, berry and dark chocolate syrups is topped with berry cream. Ethiopian single origin is poured over a refreshing pomelo and grapefruit syrup for a twist on black coffee and orange juice. And a lingonberry and strawberry matcha is Regulars’ answer to another popular drink.
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Nab one of the few seats in the cosy cafe (more will be added soon) or perch on a milk crate out the front. To eat, shiopan – soft, buttery Japanese salt bread – is the main drawcard, but there are also caneles, fluffy garlic bread and peanut butter cookies.
Must-order: The dirty minus 85-degree coffee.
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Emily Holgate – Emily is the Assistant Producer for the Good Food App at The Age. She previously wrote for the likes of Broadsheet and Urban List.Connect via email.
