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Why would a cafe teach you how to make a better coffee at home? Wouldn’t it be preferable for them if we all grind stale beans into dusty grounds to make watery espressos that we top up with milk that’s never quite hot enough? Surely then, we’d head to our nearest cafe – this one perhaps – for a properly made drink.

Rosso doesn’t think like that. Instead of gatekeeping the finer points of the brew, this new North Melbourne venue throws open the doors to all. Anyone who wanders along can make their espresso and pour-over filter coffee under the tutelage of professional baristas.

The concept from owner and cafe veteran Ramez Abdulnour came to him while he was roasting coffee in his Tullamarine factory. People would pop in for beans, tell him their home coffee woes, and he’d give them an informal lesson. They’d come back buzzing – and not just from caffeine.

Rosso Coffee Experience is born from those interactions: it’s a roastery and a cafe with a side of education. One tip from Rosso’s coffee maestro Matt Coulson revolutionised my home coffee game: I’m now pouring frothed milk from higher above the cup, meaning it hits the espresso with more force, melding with the brew and allowing me to make, if not quite the unicorn latte art I jokingly asked him to teach me, then at least a decent milky head for my day-starter.

As often happens when you peek behind the veil, you appreciate the art of the experts. I made my first cafe latte then ordered my second from a friendly waiter: the barista coffee was better than my beginner’s effort, the consistent brew and beautifully textured milk allowing the medium-dark roast to shine.

The food is good, too. French-Mauritian chef Michael Berneger has worked across fine dining restaurants (including with legendary French chef Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athenee in Paris) and cafes, such as Three Bags Full in Richmond. He finds a meeting place between the Michelin and the everyday in creative dishes that display welcome sensitivity to vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free dining.

Classic brunches get a little twist: smashed avo comes with sweet potato hummus and labne made from coconut yoghurt. Eggs are folded with herb pesto and chorizo. A medley of mushrooms snuggles in a potato “nest” with smashed peas and crisped kale.

“I made my first cafe latte then ordered my second from a friendly waiter: the barista coffee was better than my beginner’s effort.”

Rosso is a pleasant place to be: you can peep at the handsome 1960s coffee roasting machine out the back and the warehouse dining room is open, airy and spacious, with handy power plugs for digital nomads.

It’s a generous concept: I appreciate the empowerment of making better coffee at my place, but I know I’ll be drawn back here for impeccable renditions by passionate experts.