Big breakfasts and latte art: cafe culture returns to post-lockdown Melbourne

As barista Hayley Kim wound up the large canopy outside Leroy Espresso in the early hours of Wednesday morning, a man walked past, smiling under his mask and said “hooray!” pumping his fist just a little as he rushed to the 96 tram on Acland Street.

It’s a feeling that many Melburnians shared on Wednesday morning, as their city’s beloved cafes opened their doors to seating customers.

“I’m excited and I’m nervous … I haven’t served a coffee in a real cup in more than six months. I haven’t done latte art in so long,” Kim said.

“I didn’t actually watch the Andrew’s announcement because I was working but customers start turning up and telling us ‘oh my God you can reopen, you can reopen’. I was like ‘oh thank God’!”

Matilda Boseley
(@MatildaBoseley)

Barista Hayley Kim says she hasn’t served coffee on a real cup or done latè art in months, but is excited to get started as Melbourne’s cafes re open. @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/evMIqleu0o

October 27, 2020

“Are you feeling confident?” Kim jokingly shouted to manager Jade Slabber as she rushed around the cafe getting ready. “I believe in you!”

Slabber wasn’t able to fully staff the cafe with only a day’s notice, but said she was excited nonetheless.

“That will go to show we can’t take the simple things for granted,” she quipped back to her barista.

On Monday, the premier, Daniel Andrews, made the long-awaited announcement that after recording zero cases, and containing several widespread outbreaks, that Melbourne was finally opening up.

There has been plenty of talk about “getting on the beers” on Wednesday night, but of course, first came “getting on the long blacks” in the morning.

Technically Leroy’s doesn’t open for seated customers until 8am but Martin Wells and Craig Murphey sneaked in early, taking their takeaway cups and sitting at on the newly set up outdoor tables.

“I wonder if this is what bears feel like when they wake up from hibernation,” Wells joked.

“Yes,” replied Murphey, “And they go fill themselves up on pub food.”

The pair rode their bikes here from Hamptom, keen to support the cafe.

“It really does feel like waking up,” said Murphey. “It feels like we have all been in a long, long slumber.”

Both said they were most excited to “scratch an itch” and finally head to Bunnings after their breakfast.

“Everyone’s faces there will just be full of smiles I’m sure,” said Wells.

A few doors down, some of the first cafe customers in Melbourne sat down, at the stroke of 7am, at the Abby Road cafe.

Bill Hardge said he woke up extra early to ensure he was the first customer this morning.

“It just makes me feel like a Melburnian again,” he said in a Texas accent that hasn’t faded in the 27 years he has lived in Australia.

“We really took tables for granted, I’m so happy to be able to sit down and just enjoy my breakfast.”

Greg, Garry, Micheal, Nigel and the rest of their cycling group wasted no time getting a latte after their morning ride.

“It is nice, and the weather is perfect,” Greg said beaming at Melbourne’s grey skies.

Matilda Boseley
(@MatildaBoseley)

Greg, Garry, Micheal, Nigel are some of the first people in all of Melbourne to sit down for coffee after their tradition morning bike ride – although they say they still need to figure out the rules about mask wearing while having a sip @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/8Fg2IjHQ9i

October 27, 2020

“We aren’t too sure about the mask rules, though,” said another one of the group. “Are we meant to be wearing it while we sit down and drink?”

On the next table over sat Darren Reece and Nicole Smith, who decided to come for breakfast while on their early morning walk.

“I’m not a great cook, so I can actually have things I can’t make at home,” said Reece.

“It just feels normals again … I don’t think it has kicked in yet, I think it’s going to take a week or so.”

Matilda Boseley
(@MatildaBoseley)

Darren and Nicole day it’s amazing to feel normal again sitting down for breakfast. They don’t know exactly what they are ordering yet, but they know it’s going to be big. @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/rPzWmltzoE

October 27, 2020

Smith said it was just nice to see people back at work.

“There are so many people here that wouldn’t be if we were still locked down.”

Despite the early hour, people are greeting one another on the street.

“It’s so nice isn’t it, there are people on the beach, there are people in the cafes,” said one lady to a man she nearly bumped into.

“It just feels good.”

Matilda Boseley
(@MatildaBoseley)

“It’s like reuniting with your family”- Cheryl and John Mellana have been coming to the Leroy cafe every day for the last five years. They described sitting down again after all these months as “coming home”. @AmyRemeikis #MelbourneOpen pic.twitter.com/FY9oMTE99Q

October 27, 2020

Chef Pelden Lama from Leroy’s arrived at 7.15am. He said he was bracing for a rush of customers to come through the doors.

“People are going a bit crazy, you know. There they can’t go out, they don’t have that culture so, yeah, we are probably going to be busy!.”

Nick Santoyl and Luke Castricum said they still feel like they are breaking the law, sitting outside to enjoy a breakfast together.

“It feels cheeky, like we are doing something illegal. You keep looking over your shoulder, like where are the police,” laughed Castricum.

“It’s strange, it still feels foreign, because you don’t know if it’s the right thing to do or not, but we know it is,” said Santoyl. “Otherwise, yeah it’s pretty great.”

Castricum said he had already noticed a difference in the mood of the city.

“Everyone seems to be a lot happy this morning. People are talking to random people and the energy is much nicer.”

Some restaurants wasted no time, swinging open their doors at the stroke of midnight Wednesday morning.

Angus & Bon New York steakhouse in Prahran was one such venue, booking out its 20-patron maximum with late-night diners.

Just like on New Year’s Eve, the soon-to-be patrons yelled out the countdown, popping champagne and cutting a red ribbon when the clock hit 12.

Others lined up outside Spotlight stores, keen to get their hands on new craft materials as soon possible

Several 24 hours Kmart locations were also packed as late-night shoppers flooded in. Some on social media raised questions about social distancing inside the stores, but large floor space allows for considerable numbers of patrons safely shopping inside.

Chadstone, one of Melbourne largest shopping centres, was packed on Wednesday, with cars circling the carparks looking for a spot, as many non-essential stores open their doors for the first time.

Inside, the crowds were focused around the food and supermarket sections, with some corridors packed to Boxing Day sales levels.

However, on the upper, high fashion level there were considerable queues outside some luxury stores.

Adrian stood outside the Gucci store waiting to get let in.

“I’ve been working all through lockdown, and I’m ready to get out and spend some of my money,” he says

“I don’t have anything picked out in particular, just having a look around.”

Matilda Boseley
(@MatildaBoseley)

A considerable line outside Louis Vuitton, seems plenty of people are looking for a end of lockdown treat pic.twitter.com/53ehR22hDo

October 28, 2020

It’s unclear if all of these lines are due to strict lockdown limits, or in part due to high-end stores’ exclusivity marketing model.

Charlotte and Ellie were parked patiently outside Louis Vuitton.

“We have had a lot of time to look online during the lockdown and see things you like, now things are open we are coming to have a look,” Ellie said.

“We just want to get back to doing the things we did before,” added Charlotte.

But it isn’t all good news for traders in Chadstone. The Butcher Club, which became briefly infamous for being the birthplace of a Covid-19 outbreak in September, is still struggling to attract customers, despite being deemed safe by the department of health for weeks.

Owner Peter Robinson said the store was now loosing four to five thousand dollars a week.

“It’s not sending us broke but that store is losing substantial money,” he said.

“It’s okay, it will come back in time, but fingers crossed for the weekend.”

For many, the first port of call on Wednesday was Bunnings, keen to re-establish their gardens, without relying on staff to pick out their plants via click and collect.

“It’s a desire to be able to at last fill in the gaps in the garden, and to escape the confines of the home,” said Andrew Craig.

“Bunnings and nurseries and cafes, those are the main things for me … So far I’ve made six bookings in restaurants for the first two and a half weeks out of lockdown.”

Matilda Boseley
(@MatildaBoseley)

For many the first port of call after lockdown is Bunnings: “I’ve got things to prune, paving to clean and walls to paint” said Martin @AmyRemeikis #melbournelockdown2020 #MelbourneOpen pic.twitter.com/Knqt0EQSlw

October 28, 2020

Martin O’Dell says he’s ecstatic to be able to finally fix all the household items that have been slowly breaking down over the lockdown.

“The last three months have really quite disastrous in the garden and around the house. I’ve come to pick things up and carry on,” he said.

“I’ve got things to prune, paving to clean and walls to paint.”