Melbourne coffee: City’s baristas are too rude, have ‘too much attitude’
STAFF in Melbourne’s cafes need a makeover, with rudeness and attitude turning customers away, an international barista judge says.
Melbourne
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STAFF working in Melbourne’s cafes need an attitude makeover, a leading coffee expert declared.
Maria Paoli, who has been running The Historical Coffee Trek coffee tours of Melbourne for 12 years, said rudeness and attitude are turning customers away.
“I’m a huge supporter of our town and our cafe culture — I’ve managed many cafes myself — but there is way too much attitude from the staff in our cafes,” Ms Paoli said.
“It’s so prevalent in Melbourne, from body language, to tone, language and an inability to stop looking at mobile phones while people are waiting to be served. It’s a matter of courtesy.”
Ms Paoli who is an international barista judge and has set up many barista competitions, said she has witnessed a lot of disturbing behaviour by staff and insists the customer is always right.
“If an elderly person goes to a cafe — and they are often the ones with money to spend on a coffee outing — and they ask for a hot coffee, that is what they should get. It doesn’t matter if it’s not the perfect way to serve coffee — that is what they like so they should get it.
“And don’t put on ‘that face’ when a customer has an allergy. Put on a smile and embrace it because you want that customer to come back.”
TELL US: What’s your experience of Melbourne’s cafes?
But there are some cafes of note which not only serve first rate coffee, they also create a pleasurable experience for their clientele, from the food menu and ambience to the personality of the staff.
Ms Paoli has nominated her top ten Melbourne cafes, based on the freshness of Australian roasted speciality coffee beans, boutique milk and viscosity of the coffee.
“I am a perfectionist who has been working in the coffee industry for a long time so I look at the blend and a nice, thick creamy milk won’t be the cheap milk, it will be a boutique milk,” she said.
TOP 5 CAFFE LATTES IN MELBOURNE
1. Patricia, Little William St, City.
2. League of Honest Coffee, Exploration Lane, City.
3. Proud Mary, Oxford St, Collingwood.
4: Industry Beans, 62 Rose St, Fitzroy.
5: Virtue of Coffee, 8 Raffa Place, Carlton.
6. Sensory Lab, 297 Little Collins St, City.
7. Axil Coffee, 322 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn.
8. Kettle Black, 50 Albert Rd, Sth Melbourne.
9. Little Rogue Cafe, 8 Drewery Lane, City.
10. Seven Seeds, 114 Berkely St, Carlton.
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