It’s all about bagels and coffee at Manchester Press.  In fact that’s all Manchester Press is about, there’s not much else on the menu.  In typical Melbourne style you only find the cafe when you wander down a laneway off a laneway.  Once inside the sliding door you enter an airy warehouse space.  Industrial windows let in light and the space is decorated with drawings by local artist William Montgomery and salvaged, worn furniture.

Inside Manchester Press

The coffee is seriously good.  It’s from 8 oz and made using a La Marzocco machine.  My latté ($3.50) was creamy and mellow with a bit of a caramel finish.  I liked the coffee art as well even if I wasn’t sure of exactly what it was depicting.  

Down the laneway you find the place with coffee art

While the menu offer bagels and little else, Manchester Press does bagels well.  There’s a choice of filled or open.  Of the open bagels my favourite is the topping of smashed avocado, creamy goats cheese and just enough chilli to give it a little heat.  Rocket is sprinkled over the top for a fresh take on a bagel with lots of zing.

Avocado and fetta bagel

Of the toasted bagels on offer the one to go for is the BLT ($9).  It’s a classic combination but it’s hard to go wrong with salty bacon, tomato and lettuce with a slick of mayonnaise.

BLT bagel

So get on board the bagel bandwagon and head to Manchester Press.  At least you don’t have to suffer from menu indecision.

Essentials
Details: Manchester Press, 8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne 3000 (Ph 03 9600 4054) Mon-Fri 7am-5pm,
Sat 9am-5pm, Sun closed