As a Melburnian, laneway cafes are like home to me - I mean, don't you sometimes look at a cafe and think, "What the hell are you doing out in the open streetfront like that? Have you no shame? Get thee to a laneway!" (Even worse for bars - obviously if you can find them too easily they're not worth going to, amirite, Melbourne peeps?)
Given my predilection for cafes of the laneway variety, Ground Up Espresso was already on my radar before I set foot in Toowoomba so that I knew I could have a little piece of home with me in some small way. I think the vibe of the cafe is spot-on - the hole-in-the-wall feel, the crates (with blankies out for the cooler weather, which I thought was a nice touch) and the cool tunes. I also found the service uber-friendly - I get the sense that the guys running it are so damned chuffed to have their own cafe, and I think that's adorable.
As for the coffee, I would have to agree with the other reviews that it is on the weak side. The flavour was fine, but I did want more of a hit so I'll try a double shot next time. They did, however, treat my soy well, which is not something one can say of all baristas. The sandwiches didn't look all that appealing, but I did eye off the brownie bites and other sweet things for quite some time before mentally slapping myself on the wrist.
Essentially, I want to give Ground Up a metaphorical pat on the head. It needs a little more tweaking, especially on getting their roast to pack a little more punch, but its heart is in the right place. read more