Sensory Lab

Sensory Lab has always been the easy target of those looking to make fun of Melbourne’s coffee culture, and it’s because Sensory Lab are very, very serious about coffee, and their locations are tucked away in a particularly Melbourne way – there’s one in the David Jones store near the food hall, for instance, and a little metal-and-cork module hidden in a small arcade at 30 Collins Street. Sensory Lab roast, sell and serve their own beans, and there’s usually six roasts on offer at a time. The single origins change frequently, meaning there’s always something new and fruity to explore. The baristas are across absolutely any coffee question you could throw at them. This expertise comes at a price – the fanciest cup of single origin pour over can cost you up to $9 and a standard ‘white’ coffee costs $4.50. But every espresso shot is a double, so you kind of end up ahead. There’s also no BYO cup discount, so you might as well sit in, especially at the 30 Collins Street store, where there are iPads embedded into the tables so you can browse the latest New Yorker while the caffeine hits your bloodstream. If time is short, it’s still worth sticking around an extra two minutes to get some toast and tartine, made by St Ali’s executive chef.