Lux Foundry: 21 Hope Street, Brunswick, 9387 8075
My score: 3/5
If you landed in Melbourne from space – Perth, say – you’d think that the locals only enjoyed coffee when crammed into a chamber the size of a cupboard. That’s because hip cafe usually means bijou bolthole where people drink caffe lattes with elbows in and knees together. There are few places where space is not at a premium, where dodgem prams is not compulsory parental sport and where it would be possible to swing a cat if the notion suddenly became irresistible.
There are no cats at Lux Foundry, an enormous year-old cafe on the decaffeinated western side of the Brunswick tracks. It’s very popular with dogs, however, who loll by the umbrella-shaded tables on the huge plaza out front while their charges sip Genovese coffee. Yes, Genovese: no custom blend, no fancy newfangled machines, just the coffee that’s kickstarted a million Melbourne mornings. It’s a pointer to the pretension-free approach of owners Emilio Rogliano and Daniel Amato. The men are uni mates with hotel and marketing backgrounds and this, their first cafe, has been embraced by workers from the neighbourhood’s remnant industrial plants and young families that didn’t have a reason to abandon homemade cheese toasties and plunger coffee until Lux landed.
The handsome brick building was once a stove foundry. This heritage is referenced with steel lockers and vintage boxes but there’s a modern look to the concrete floor, pendant lighting and visible kitchen. The food is straightforward: toast and eggs for breakfast; for lunch, panini, pizza and Italian dishes handed down by nonna. Friday night, you might happen upon bruschetta and mussels. The best dish I tried was arancini with creamy pesto. The rice grains were distinct; the balls held form but weren’t packed tightly and the pesto cream was smooth and zesty. Other savoury dishes were okay. Flat, floury zucchini fritters were lifted by dill-strewn creme fraiche. A salad of farro, eggplant and braised capsicum lacked elegance and flavour: it could have done with more fresh herbs and capers that weren’t rinsed to blandness. Sweet dishes saved the day. Baked white chocolate cheesecake was humble in appearance but moist and rich with perfect crumb. Excellent slices included apple custard with coconut crumble topping and killer chocolate brownie.
Service was friendly and efficient. There’s wi-fi. The mood is nice. But the most stunning feature is the place itself: spread elbows and enjoy.
See their website.
First Published in The Age, February 13, 2011
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