Espresso Depot

19/06/2026

The Buninyong Film Festival is on with a cracking lineup of films, Dane Swan is playing footy for us (a lazy 40 touches, or a pinged hammy and retired to the bar in the first 3 minutes? Who knows!), and I'm actually working this weekend...

You really are spoilt in this cultural Mecca we call Buninyong.

Brunch @ 9.

17/06/2026

We made too many brisket toasties, which means I’ll probably be hit with a spoon unless you can help me out.

Free coffee with any brisket toastie until sold out. Today only!

12/06/2026

05/06/2026

If you've ever wondered whether life is fair or not, consider this. Some guy got born into immeasurable wealth, and now I've gotta work an extra day while everyone else fires off about 'having a long weekend.'

And if that wasn't enough, tonight my wife was trying on dresses for an upcoming event, and our son pipes up with 'no, not that one. The dress is too skinny and you're too wide' and despite saying this, he's still alive!

The world has gone mad, i tell you.

Brunch all long weekend from 9.

29/05/2026

Once again, we have the Buninyong Village Market on our doorstep, which is the best... but is it as great as a life-sized statue of Patrick Cripps taking a game-winning mark and goal? It's about time Kelly and I discussed which way we'd like to focus our extremely limited marketing budget - does anyone know a sculptor that goes for the Blues?

22/05/2026

I had the startling revelation the other day that the Japanese Flag is actually just a pie chart showing how much Japan there is in Japan, and now I can't think of any random stupid thing to write about for the weekend specials.

15/05/2026

08/05/2026

It's Mother's Day on Sunday, so do the right thing and take that special lady out for lunch.

And guess what? We're open, how convenient!

You know, I've been told that some mums get to spend Mother's Day looking after the kids while their husband works all day cooking for other people. Making Mother's Day even more special, some dads allegedly then head to Melbourne for the night to see a band. Don't be like that guy, who is clearly theoretical and not based on anybody around here.

01/05/2026

Working with family is a hazard at the best of times, to be frank. Choosing to work with multiple members of your wife's family is certainly a choice, but one perhaps best left to the sort of person who makes such solid life choices as leaving a Management role in IT to become a Chef, or opening a cafe when their wife is 7 months pregnant.

Anyway, in the spirit of this, Ash (niece, barista, talking enthusiast) turned 18 during the week, and she's taken multiple family who are staff as well as non-family staff down to Lorne for the weekend. Which means I'm at home looking after the kids all weekend, and you don't get any brunch. See, i told you working with family is a hazard. I did have two types of soup ready to go, but then one of the soup kettles decided to stop working Friday morning, so you don't get that either. You're welcome.

24/04/2026

I’m sending out the weekend post a day early because I’d like to give a shoutout to some good eggs who are embarking on a new adventure tonight.

You see, some things in Chef Life are universal. Burning yourself at the start of service, being asked what your favourite thing to cook is, Front of House staff asking for meals in the middle of a rush, almost severing fingers when the steel wool catches on something. They’re pretty much all things we can, as industry ‘professionals’ (that’s a correct but very loose term), share in common.

Less common, but definitely more wonderful than the things above, is watching your little baby birds grow up and throw themselves out of the nest and actually manage to take flight.

Tonight my old apprentice Nathaniel (aka Gobble), opens his new Woodfired Pizza place, Playing with Fire Pizza, at 1771 Sturt St, Alfredton, alongside Jack, who I’ve watched grow into a bloody good Chef over the years, and Alex, who's worked FOH while putting up with me in the kitchen many, many times over the years.

I’m bloody proud of you. Good luck for your first service tonight, and I’ll be there to ask for a gluten free half and half pizza and a free beer as soon as I can. To anyone reading this, if you’re after really, really excellent pizza, and you're anywhere near Alfredton, these guys (and gal) are the real deal.

As for us, we'll see you all for brunch. We’re open 8-2 ANZAC Day.