You could be forgiven for not immediately recognising the Auction Rooms as you drive down eminently fashionably Errol Street, in North Melbourne, as there are plenty of other attractions on offer, that and the faded blue exterior of the building certainly looks unimposing enough at first glance. There is no mistaking the considerable effort which has gone into constructing this multi-faceted space, however, as when you enter through the door the large light-filled room captures the imagination, and hidden nooks and crannies await discovery. High ceilings and exposed beams add to the sense of spaciousness here, as does the quirky use of pvc plastic tubing to provide cathedral-like lighting, which is kind of appropriate really, when you consider that this is a place where cafe aficionados come to worship. All good things coffee related are on display here, from the formidable looking original 1960's Bolognese roaster, which adorns the side wall, waiting to be put to good use, to the stunning white La Marzocco FB/70 espresso machine, which takes pride of place on the centrally located bar. The store itself has only recently opened, and the owners are still dialling-in the new' roaster, before running with their own product. In the meantime the Auction Rooms are using a custom blend from Rio Coffee in SA, which hits all the right notes in my tasty espresso - albeit a little over extracted - which can be forgiven on a cool Melbourne winter's day, when the weather plays havoc with the grind. This place is a modern Mecca to coffee, with great food and friendly and efficient service, and is just the place to whittle away the hours with friends and family, while the weather makes up its mind what it is doing outside. Highly recommended. [PS]

Fantastic coffee, lovely atmosphere, gorgeous deco, friendly staff and delicious food. Could not recommend it more!