L' Espresso

Ph: (03) 5333 1789; 417 Sturt St, Ballarat 3350

cafe, $
Open mon-Thu-sat-sun 1am-6pm fri 1am-late, Closed Xmas Day; Licensed; AE DC MC V EFT

Mietta's Review
Comfortable and bustling with all sorts of people coming and going. Large windows look out onto the wide main street, seating is cosy, low music plays and a feature along one wall is the collection of C.D's, mainly jazz, which are available to buy. These are the legacy of when this was just a record shop, before half became cafe and gelateria, now it's all cafe. With an Italianesque menu which manages forays into other cultures as fashion demands. The cafe which opened in 1986 has long been a fixture in the Ballarat firmament.

Other published opinions

The Age Cheap Eats 2008 "Polished and popular, L'espresso feeds a variety of palates: music-lovers browse the wall of CDs for sale, while foodies are fed imaginative dishes"

Age Good Food Guide 2008 "Ballarat bohemians have been inhabiting this Sturt Street institution since 1976 and no wonder: good coffee, a well-chosen collection of music for sale (no top 40 here) and attractive Italian-skewed food"

The Age Cheap Eats 2007 "L'espresso is a cool crowd pleaser. Regulars cram around tiny tables drinking high-octane coffee, while daytrippers are drawn in by the timber-toned Fitzroy fitout and urban hipster soundtrack (courtesy of the wall of CDs for sale)."

The Age Cheap Eats 2006 Ballarat's hub of cool, L'espresso is an up-tempo venue that combines splendid food with a discerning CD store. Would you like some Miles Davis with that order of baby-beet risotto?

The Age Good Food Guide 2006 "Whether you're after beats or eats, head to L'Espresso, the buzzing bohemian, Euro-style cafe and CD store that's a firm Ballarat fixture."

The Age Good Food Guide 2005 "THIS buzzy cafe pumps out creative breakfasts and lunches and top coffee without showing any of the complacency that might come from 20 years in business."

The Age Cheap Eats 2005 "AS anyone who eats out in Ballarat already knows, long-running L'espresso offers one of the best dining experiences in regional Victoria. There's a vaguely Italian theme, borne out by the San Pellegrino display, dark banquettes and a smattering of Italian wines on the comprehensive list."

The Age Cheap Eats 2004 "CHOCOLATE banquettes and dark timber shelves loaded with packets of artisan pasta and bottles of chinotto sit with an unlikely wall of jazz and blues CDs for sale. Food styles also vary"

The Foodies' Guide 2004,Allan Campion & Michele Curtis,'It started as a record shop in 1978 then coffee crept in.Now the cafe takes centre stage and the music side of the business is more subtle.The menu uses quality ingrediants and sticks to classic French and Italian dishes.'

AGFG 2004, excellent breakfasts, two courses for $25 or less

Herald Sun, Sunday Magazine, 31/8/03, Sally Fisher,'an excellent menu and great coffee.'