Location: Queen Victoria Market L Shed and Queen Street (next to the car-park entrance)

When: Breakfast and lunch Tuesdays, Thurs-Sundays

Vego friendly

Dine in and take-away

Cash and CC

Pricing: Mains under $15

The Queen Victoria Market is crowded, stressful and has an abundance of mediocre eateries, unless you count the donuts. But we can’t just eat donuts all the time can we fatso? Sometimes we need something a little more café-style on our shopping break and we don’t want to sit in a metal chair in a food court with sparrows pooping on us. Market Espresso and Trolley Hire hit the nail on the head when it set up shop recently in L Shed/Queen St at the market. By jamming both ‘espresso’ and ‘trolley hire’ in the name, this joint makes light of it’s unromantic location; which is next to a car-park boom gate. So the deal is, you get a coffee and trolley hire for $5, but honestly, the coffee is reason enough to patronise this business. Combination of quality beans and barista work deliver strong, delicious coffee, making its little paper cup seem somewhat undeserving. The coffee beans are available for purchase which my mother, the pickiest of coffee drinkers just bought a bag of. FYI, there are ‘keep-cups’ for sale too. 

While Market Espresso is essentially an open veranda next to a car-park it manages to make you feel like it‘s not. With smooth wooden beams, brushed steel supports and trendy non-metal seating you could pretend you were in Carlisle St, Balaclava. I wouldn’t be surprised if the wooden stools and tables were made from eco-friendly-organic-shamanic-recycled-whatevers, it’s that sort of place. The service is warm and goes that little bit extra to make you happy, like giving out free ground coffee samples when you ask what the blend is like. 

So if coffee and trolleys aren’t exciting enough there are a range gorgeous pastries, slices and rolls to choose from. You can even have a Croque Monsieur for $7.90, although they are ready-made and sitting in the window (not sure how awesome these are yet). I ordered the escargot which was ripe with juicy raisins and completely delicious. I’m keen to try something for lunch next time. On the weekends Market Espresso is busy and you’ll be waiting ten minutes for your coffee, but there seemed to be enough seating as most people order and run. During the week the bustle will have subsided and you can sit and ponder your market purchases.  Just make sure you’re there on a market day (Tues, Thurs-Sun) or you’ll cry like a little baby.

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Ambience: 2/5