Cafe Melba, Ellerslie

Café Melba

135 Main Highway,

Ellerslie 1051

Auckland

Medium Flat White: $4.50

This café was recommended to me by a Facebook friend, and is incidentally the site of where I sold my first house by auction (nervous bloody night, I tell you). I walk in at 10:30 on a Thursday before Christmas and the place is packed with suits on their phones and casuals… on their phones.

Coffee: Much like the Café on Kohi yesterday, the coffee is almost perfect but it doesn’t have the legs to hang on for the long term.  (4.5/5)

Milk: This one fooled me – I took off the lid and saw some bubbles, but after a few sips, the velvety stuff came through. Pleasant surprise. (5/5)

Presentation: An interesting cup. The lid is of a different design and doesn’t fit into the mouth as pleasantly and easily as the vast majority. It was flatter than normal? But not as comfortable. (2.5/3)

Verdict: A nice coffee and if I were passing through Ellerslie, would come in again. But I wouldn’t drive across town for it.

Overall rating: 12/13. It lacks perfection but it’s damn close.