As Glen Huntly residents will no doubt be aware, local café Workshop Brothers Specialty Coffee is a rare hybrid of both substance and style. The minimalist, super Instagram-worthy space belies some serious coffee know-how and the enterprise has been so successful — nestled out in the 'burbs as it is — that they've opened a second Workshop Brothers in the heart of the CBD.

For those of you not acquainted with Workshop Brothers, the café does a great brew — and has become a staple coffee stop out east. But despite their success, owner Nolan Taing knew opening in the CBD (otherwise known as the hospitality deep end) was a risk. "Expanding to the CBD was always a dream. But so many factors had to be in place first, as the CBD can make or break you," he says.

"With high rentals and very good competition, luck wasn't the only thing we needed. It's taken a while to gain the respect and trust from fellow roasters and operators, but with the support from [local roasters] Axil and Monk Bodhi Dharma, we knew the timing was right."

The team — which includes Nolan, Brian Taing and Joe La — have been planning the new venue for over a year now. Along with excellent cups of joe, they also sell their own beans, bottled cold coffees, a selection of pastries and doughnuts from Doughboys.