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12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne
7:00-18:00 Salvatore Malatesta

ST. ALi

Food and Coffee Pioneers

Part of the fun of ST. ALi is finding it. Unless it is bright- often transforms from coffee and food hub to party house
ly decorated with colorful balloons, paint or posters — as with live music. “We pushed the envelope with coffee
it sometimes is — the plain white, oblong shaped cafe, and we pushed the envelope with food,” owner Salvatore
with no signs, blends in with the other unassuming, low- Malatesta said. ST. ALi has been operating 15 years and
height buildings of the neighbourhood. Its modest exte- claims to be one of the first Melbourne cafes serving
rior beguiles an avant garde soul. The warehouse style specialty coffee and restaurant quality food. Since it
space used to be a St John’s Ambulance hub. Giant red opened its doors, ST. ALi has attracted a cult following.
semi-circles from the site’s former medical life can be Word is even Quentin Tarantino has visited (who hope-
spotted on the floor beneath the mismatched furniture fully ordered the Royale with Cheese burger). The recom-
and industrial decor. The body of the building has been mended signature drink is the Dali Drip, a chilled filtered
left untouched, while the decor and artwork are changed coffee served in ‘a tall fancy glass’ with ice, maple syrup,
seasonally with the coffee and menu. The entire space native wattleseed and whipped cream.

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