MELBOURNE | In the back streets of Parkville, housed in a small, heritage listed building that began life as a grocery store in 1884, you’ll find Cafe Tesorina. It’s a cosy and welcoming local’s spot, focused on getting the important things right. I popped in a few weeks ago to grab some photos for What’s on Melbourne.
Cafe Tesorina is owned and operated by Alex Wright. Alex used to be the venue manager at Naughton’s Hotel around the corner and was a regular at the cafe in its former guise, Parkville Store. When the former owners decided to call it a day, they asked Alex if she’d be interested in taking the spot over. The starts aligned, and Alex took over the reigns, along with the owners of Naughton’s.
Apart from a name change from Cafe Piccolina earlier this year, things at Cafe Tesorina are much the same as they’ve been since Alex took over. A morning rush of regulars, greeted by name, popping in for their usual coffee order, with individuals grabbing a quick bite to start the day, and small groups of locals catching up over brekkie.
The compact, rotating menu is centred around seasonal, local produce, with a minimal-waste ethos. There’s the Melbourne classics, and a broadly Mediterranean focus, with nods to Alex’s Italian heritage. Things like ricotta hotcakes with raspberry and lemon curd; sauteed mushrooms, white bean puree, seasonal greens, and salsa verde on Rustica sourdough; and my favourite, poached eggs with labneh, crispy chilli oil, pickle, and fresh herbs on Rustica sourdough.
There’s a display of rolls, sandwiches, toasties, soups, salads, and pastries at the counter. All dietaries are able to be catered to, and there’s even home-baked dog treats for your furry friend.
Coffee at Cafe Tesorina is exceptional. There’s a wide selection of beans from Rumble Coffee Roasters, with most filter and espresso brew options offered. There’s a full selection of alternative milks to choose from, plus things like hot chocolate, freshly squeezed juices, and smoothies. Bags of coffee beans, plus produce used in the kitchen like eggs and milk, purchased for home.
Cafe Tesorina
52 Morrah Street
Parkville
Victoria 3052
Australia
Telephone: 0494 162 914
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Sun: 8:00am to 3:00pm