"Welcome to Five Senses Coffee"

There’s nothing better than finding a fabulous café that’s guaranteed to satisfy your caffeine craving with a perfect brew, every time. In or around Melbourne’s Albert Park, Pagoda is the place to go. The talented team of baristas behind the counter have built a dedicated following of coffee fanatics for this gem on busy Victoria Avenue.

Pagoda is Sam Reid’s second café, being a sister to Gattica in St Kilda East. Sam has a long and illustrious background in hospitality and it’s clear that he genuinely loves what he does. He pays close attention to every little detail, which is a definite bonus for his customers. Whether it’s tweaking the Pagoda custom 5 Senses blend, selecting the best brand of milk, training his baristas, or ensuring that his shiny silver Synesso is treated with the TLC it deserves, Sam likes to get everything just right.

Sam readily confesses that “coffee is my life — having the right cup of coffee will literally make my day… Interestingly enough, that rings true to the vast majority of our customers, too.” He is quick to sing the praises of his staff, proudly professing “I have the best team of staff in the world, I’m so lucky, and I’m very proud of them”. One of Sam’s reasons for opening Pagoda was to allow his beloved team the opportunity to grow into larger roles, befitting of their talents. Head barista, Matt, recently moved to Geelong, but still makes the long trek in to Pagoda — albeit part time. Incredible dedication! Matt is ably assisted by Sean, Joel and the team.

The team at Pagoda always welcome you with a cheery greeting and smile, and quickly learn the names and orders of their regular customers, who Sam says are more like extended family. The burble of the water feature in the courtyard and the changing display of local artists’ works help to create a warm ambience that keeps customers lingering in Pagoda’s plush surrounds for “just a little while longer”…

Pagoda’s delectable menu changes several times a year, to take advantage of local seasonal produce and new foodie trends. A long list of very reasonably priced all-day breakfast options makes a decision very difficult — hmmm, the rosemary infused mushrooms on toasted sourdough with creamy goat’s cheese and pesto, or the BLT with homemade hash browns? From midday, the menu extends to include some stellar lunch selections. Chef Jess’s caramelised potato gnocchi with chorizo, baby spinach, olives, roast capsicum and goat’s cheese is very popular, and the dukkah crusted lamb with a mixed leaf garden salad, lemon and parsley cous cous and herbed yoghurt dressing is hard to beat.

Pagoda’s 5 Senses blend combines Fairtrade organic beans from PNG and Peru, roasted for a full body. It has a spicy, sweet aroma, subtle acidity and a balanced mouth feel, with dark chocolate making a statement from the outset and a hint of sweet roasted hazelnuts in the aftertaste. Whatever your preference, you can be sure that the guys at Pagoda will pour you a perfect coffee.

Pagoda: 135 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park VIC 3106; Phone: (03) 9690 7960
Opening Hours: Open every day of the year except Christmas Day, 7.00am – 4.00pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday