The Borough Dept. Store

I live in Melbourne and have been to most cafes . But this place beats most by far ! Simply one of the best places for cakes and lunch !

This is the hidden Gem of Melbourne ❤️

Dropped in on this new concept cafe eatery & produce store during a short stay in ‘South Gippy’, as the locals say...
This vast space is minimal - bare floor boards, exposed brick walls, a sparse grouping of tables & chairs, a small local produce outlet, two large counters on either side of the long wide space, a large void of space, then a baby grand piano and a lounge area. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it until I spoke to one of the proprietors who explained it was a kind of ‘co-op’ with different businesses taking up the various spaces. Hence the “Dept. Store” makes sense. Still evolving, there will additional businesses coming on board to fill the voids. Okay down to the the food & drink. Not realising it, the two opposing counters are different business, which answered my question why the two coffee machines & two barristas. My lunch companion ordered the coffees on the right & I the lunches on the left. The menu seemed limited so I was just going to order eggs & a side of mushrooms & my friend the veggie tart. When I went to the counter to order, I spotted a tray of a heftily filled spanakopita - the special of the day I quickly changed both the orders to the substantial looking special. It arrived with a side of salad leaves, lightly dressed & a sprinkling of seeds, as well as a little dish of tomato relish. Not usual for spanakopita. I quickly admonished my friend, being Greek, who was about to pour it over his pie. It would have been an anathema for any Greek to have done so! The tall pie filled with silverbeet & a smattering of fetta was homey & good. I believe the filo was commercial but that was forgiven because the filling was delicious & satisfying. The coffee arrived from the opposing counter. My long black arrived with a rich crema top & arrived with a shot glass of sparkling water (a bit ‘yesterday’ in Melbourne but I actually enjoy the fact that a sip before the coffee wakes up the tastebuds & actually enhances the coffees taste) The coffee was so good, I ordered a second to have with a slice of cake. This is such a rarity as I am known to embarrass friends by returning bad coffee. For cake I ordered a lemon & polenta slice topped with rosemary leaves & served with a quenelle of thick cream. Moist, light & delicious! Not too sweet & the rosemary added an interesting savoury element. I was really impressed by this local eatery. It seems the locals have too, as most tables were occupied. Once the concept has fully evolved, this place will become quite the destination for locals & those passing through.

Great cafe for a small town with beautiful food and coffee. Love the interior and the vibe. Staffs are friendly. Service can be a little bit slow but understandable since hospitality is short of staffs everywhere. Would visit again on our next trip!

Beautifully designed place, great chai latte, and to-die-for buttermilk crumpet! Highly recommended.

A beautiful cafe in the heart of Korumburra. I specifically search for the Borough after a recommendation from my cousin. Well worth a stop as it did not disappoint. The service was great and the food was mighty fine despite being a bit on the smaller side. Very open and with great surroundings and quite a sophisticated palate...make sure you taste some of the volcanic stringer salt as well as the pickled peppercorns. Thankyou..

This place is my dream cafe .. They had best coffee , gluten free cake and best service to add to it Interior that you only see in a magazine. So inviting, warm and homely that u never want to leave .