Brother Baba Budan

Seven Seeds runs Brother Baba Budan out of a tight laneway space off Little Bourke Street, named for the legendary merchant said to have smuggled seven coffee seeds out of Yemen centuries ago. Chairs hang from the ceiling above a room built for standing and moving through quickly, and it has been one of the anchors of Melbourne's CBD coffee scene since it opened.

The espresso runs on Seven Seeds beans ground to order, backed by a small cabinet of toasted sandwiches, cakes and pastries that rotate through the week. Retail shelves stock bagged beans, drip coffee bags and brewing gear, so regulars queueing for a long black on the way to work can just as easily leave with supplies for the week ahead.