Great coffee and excellent food never go out of style but cafe normal is always shifting. What are we noticing now and what's happening next?

Destination dishes

Specialisation is big. Lune started the trend 10 years ago by going all in on croissants. Now there are plenty of artisans focusing on just one thing. Hector's Deli celebrates an obsession with sandwiches. Portuguese tart specialist Casa De Nata does jiggly custard on both sides of the river. Lockdown sensation Tarts Anon sells online and in person. People will line up for panini at Matteo's Delicatessen in Altona.

"You go to a place for one thing," says Kieran Spiteri, owner of Terror Twilight in Collingwood and Convoy in Moonee Ponds. "That is starting to become something people really love."

Sometimes a destination dish is a cult favourite on a broader menu. See Levi's hot chicken roll, for example, or the maccaruni at Small Axe Kitchen.

Cultural expression

Multicultural Melbourne is to the fore in cafe menus, with immigrants and next-gen entrepreneurs showcasing their culture – or a spin on it – in venues all over town.

There are different iterations of Japanese cuisine at sister cafes 279 Victoria Street (musubi rice balls) and Le Bajo Milkbar (shokupan milk bread). There's Thai tea, coffee and sweets at Udom House in West Melbourne. In Bentleigh, Boosa showcases the Middle Eastern flavours that flutter the heart of its Israeli chef. And there are lovely mish-mashes like St Zita's Cafe, which has a Malaysian cafe menu alongside Aussie favourites.

"Most places are good in Melbourne," says Harry Butler, owner of Levi in Murrumbeena and Frank's in Cheltenham. "The base standard is so high, it can be hard to stand out. But the ones that do really shine are those that understand their point of difference and follow their own path."

Coffee

Coffee consumers are continually becoming more educated and discerning, with their interest spurred and supported by specialist cafes such as Market Lane, Seven Seeds and ONA.

"Since COVID, 20 per cent of customers are into black coffees like pour-overs and it's continuing to grow," says Kevin Li, owner of coffee-loving The Crux & Co. That leads into a greater appreciation of beans, roast and grind because the flavour of the coffee isn't masked by milk.

"More and more people love single origin coffees," says Li, who is about to start importing Chinese green beans from plantations in Yunnan.

Even so, the latte is still king. "It's very Melbourne," he says.

Robot baristas are continually pushed by coffee tech companies – they can even do latte art – but Li isn't biting. "This is never going to work in the cafe industry in Melbourne because we have a really strong culture and people really enjoy the interaction," he says. "Technology is fine but you can't replace a Melbourne tradition."

Package deals

Eggs and extras are still incredibly popular but many cafes are doing high-concept meal sets – they're an event, they can increase spend and they allow indecisive diners to put their trust in the chef.

Examples include Nox, where "airport lounge" brunches zoom the eater to different cities around the world. There's also Haiku in Camberwell with its teishoku (set meal) arrays of small plates, Dame's continental breakfast set and Nabo, which does a Danish spin. At Black Vice, the team knows its coffee menu can be overwhelming so they offer a barista's choice of three different coffees brewed three different ways, like a beer flight but for caffeine.

Nurturing staff

A recent study by ordering platform me&u found that nine in 10 Victorians preferred to visit venues where they know all staff are treated well. Ethical employment practices are a drawcard for customers; they're also a way of attracting and retaining staff in a very tight market.

Some cafes are explicit about the reason they have surcharges. Black Vice, for example, states on its menu: "To pay our lovely staff fairly we have a surcharge of 10 per cent at weekends and 20 per cent on public holidays."

It's not just about money, though. A study by payment platform Deputy recently noted that 93 per cent of workers find wellbeing as important as money.

"Keeping things interesting for staff is crucial," says Kieran Spiteri. "It's not like it used to be. You can't just offer a job in a busy place. You have to look after people and keep them entertained."

At his Terror Twilight cafe, the menu changes is changed frequently, as much to keep staff interested as customers. "I've had people working for me for five years," he says. "Watching them grow, letting them experiment, is a beautiful thing to see."

The Good Food Guide 2023 magazine is on sale from November 15 for $9.95 at newsagents, supermarkets and thestore.com.au.