Brother Baba Budan
359 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Brother Baba Budan (or BBB as many of the locals call this little coffee shop) is a Melbourne institution. BBB is where I had my first taste of “specialty” or “third wave” coffee back in 2008 and I absolutely fell in love with coffee and the Melbourne café scene.
To this day, BBB is still one of the busiest coffee shops in the Melbourne CBD, and for good reason – BBB is run by one of Melbourne’s most prolific coffee roasters and café operators, 7 Seeds. The beans are sourced directly from origin, and roasted fairly light, which accentuates the fruity flavours of the coffee. If you’re not a so-called “coffee snob”, you’ll nevertheless appreciate the good vibes, great tunes and friendly service.
At $4.20 for a black coffee and (I think) $4.50 for a milk-based coffee, BBB is definitely at the expensive end of the spectrum. That being said, just like with anything else, when it comes to coffee, you usually get what you pay for in terms of quality.
The coffees here might not be to everybody’s taste (some might find the light roast a bit too harsh and acidic), but if, like me, you enjoy a zingy “s’pro” from time to time, BBB will certainly hit the spot.
BBB is open until 5pm on most days, and until 7pm on Thursdays and Fridays, which makes it perfect for a late afternoon pick-me-up!
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