IT’S JUST COFFEE!

World Champ Anthony Douglas, Won't Call his Bar a Cafe | HOMEBODY UNION!

No matcha. No hot chocolate. No signature drinks. So what happens when a World Barista Champion opens a space entirely dedicated to coffee? Anthony Douglas is back, and

Thurman Wise Takes On Coffee in Good Spirits | COFFEE BREAK!

In our latest episode, bartender and beverage innovation specialist Thurman Wise taught us what coffee professionals can learn from the cocktail world. Now we’re putting

The Bartender’s Guide to Better Coffee Drinks | THURMAN WISE!

Signature coffee drinks are everywhere. But are they actually balanced, or are cafés piling on syrups, foams, layers and garnishes until the coffee disappears? Thurman W

Are Cafes Still Our Third Place? | COFFEE BREAK!

re cafes still the place where community happens, or have laptops, rising costs and grab-and-go culture completely changed the role they play? Rohan Cooke and Ben Bickne

Italy Called the Police Over His €2 Espresso | FRANCESCO SANAPO!

Would you call the police over a €2 espresso? It actually happened to Francesco Sanapo. Francesco is a three-time Italian Barista Champion and the co-founder of Ditta A

Deep-diving Gen Z Coffee Culture | COFFEE BREAK!

We discuss if Gen Z is actually ‘too anxious’ for cafés, why matcha and iced signatures are exploding, and how specialty shops can embrace customisation without selling t

Reimagining the Role of the Barista | ALICIA FENG!

Today we're joined by the incredible Alicia Feng. She owns Calēre in Fitzroy, co-founded Chiaki in Collingwood, which just won Age Good Food Guide's Cafe of the Year, a

The Hidden Levers Every Cafe Owner Should Know | COFFEE BREAK!

Why does one cafe boom while another goes bust?  We asked some of the top cafe operators (Hugh Kelly, Beta Coffee, Onyx Coffee Lab, and Carlos Escobar) to reveal the hid

Is It Even Specialty Coffee Anymore? | ROHAN COOKE & BEN BICKNELL!

What actually makes coffee “specialty”? Is it an 80+ cup score? A traceable farm? The flavour, the barista, the ethics, the hospitality, or is it all just vibes? In thi

Your Cafe Has More to Sell | COFFEE BREAK!

How can cafes generate additional revenue beyond selling coffee? We discuss leveraging existing assets like knowledge and physical space to offer products, educational wo

Ultrasonic Espresso - A New Way to Brew Coffee | FRANCISCO TRUJILLO!

Can you make espresso with room-temperature water and sound waves? Dr Francisco Trujillo and his team at UNSW have developed an entirely new brewing process that uses ul

Flat vs Conical Burrs - Which Grinder Is Right for You? | COFFEE BREAK!

Your grinder could be making a bigger difference to your coffee than you think. This week we are getting granular. Literally. We’re breaking down coffee grinder burrs, w

How Onyx Built the #1 Coffee Shop in the World | ANDREA ALLEN!

Onyx Coffee Lab was just voted the best coffee shop in the world! Not in New York, Copenhagen or Melbourne. In Arkansas. Andrea Allen and her husband Jon opened Onyx in

The World’s Best Barista Plays Espresso Smash or Pass | COFFEE BREAK!

Does better espresso require more gear, or just better puck prep? Reigning World Barista Champion Jack Simpson is back. This time, we’re skipping the victory-lap intervi

Why Patricia Waited 15 Years to Open Café #2 | PATRICIA COFFEE!

For 15 years, Patricia Coffee has done less than almost everyone else and made it mean more. Standing room only. Black, white or filter. No sprawling menu, no kitchen an

Is Melbourne Coffee "Undrinkable"? | COFFEE BREAK!

Melbourne is famous for having some of the best coffee in the world - but is that reputation built on quality or just really good marketing? A fiery opinion piece has ta

Are Cafés Still a Good Business in 2026? | DAN DICK!

Why has Dan Dick stepped back from the cafe industry? After over a decade of operating successful Melbourne venues Nigel and then PaperBoy, Dan has called it quits. Our c

What the World’s Best Brewers Are Doing Differently | COFFEE BREAK!

Fresh from the 2026 World Brewers Cup in Brussels, Ben breaks down the coffees, brewers and techniques used by the competition’s top six finalists. We look at how World

The World’s Best Coffee Roaster Says Ultra-Light Roasts Are a Flex | BENJAMIN BRASSART!

Ultra-light roasting might have pushed coffee forward, but has it now become more about flexing than flavour? Benjamin Brassart has just been crowned the 2026 World Coff

How To Taste Espresso Like A WBC Judge | COFFEE BREAK!

Tasting espresso is one of the most important skills in coffee, but it is also one of the least clearly taught. In this episode, we break down how espresso is evaluated