Unkempt Espresso

Unkempt Espresso is a delightful alfresco café in Rochedale, serving up well-brewed coffee, eye-catching drinks, and a delicious selection of freshly prepared food and snacks, perfect for eating in or on the go.

Nestled beside the bustling Rochedale Markets fruit and vegetable shop, Unkempt Espresso boasts a number of wooden tables and chairs set out in the open air, with large umbrellas providing shade for those wanting to dine in.

While most of the fare is served up from a cute little trailer, their food and drink offerings leave a big impression.

The carefully curated a-la-carte menu includes a couple of banh mis, salads (such as a vermicelli noodle salad with Thai chilli dressing), toasties, breakfast rolls, plus smashed avocado on light rye. Served with Danish feta, lemon, rocket and black sesame, this avo offering is not only delicious, but it’s also excellent value for money (we’re talking around the $10 mark for two large slices!).

On the weekend they add bacon & egg, and avocado banh mis to the mix. The bacon and egg version (consisting of streaky bacon, free-range eggs, chilli jam, coriander & fresh chilli on a crusty baguette) is hugely popular with the loyal locals – and definitely worth trying.

As well as Elixir coffee, you can select from a range of iced-based drinks (latte, long black, chai, mocha), frappes (chai, coffee, chocolate, mocha), seasonal fruit smoothies, and teas.

There’s also an ever-changing range of tasty treats to enjoy, including slices, brownies and mouth-watering biscuits (vegan and gluten-free options are available).

For those in a hurry, they also sell a range of ready-to-eat deli-style bagels, rolls (think roast beef, apple slaw, mustard, Swiss cheese and salad), salads, and breakfast bowls, featuring seasonal fruit.

With fresh produce sourced from the neighbouring fruit market, you can be sure that everything you buy here is as fresh as it gets.

Nice to know – Dogs are welcome to tag along.

Need to know – While the paved carpark here fills up fast, there’s plenty of parking available in the grounds surrounding the Markets.

By Dominique Falk