Cafe $ $$$ You can get coffee anywhere but did you know one of Melbourne’s most interesting places for ethically sourced, house-roasted beans and sublime specialty beverages is wedged between the Maroondah Highway and the railway line in outer-suburban Ringwood? Saazaa is a three-year-old business owned by David Juma, a Kenyan-born entrepreneur who sources most of his beans from his dad’s farm in Africa and roasts them in a large factory space. The caffeination opportunities are many and varied. Swing past for a takeaway flat white or coffee beans for home.
Sit on the patio with dog, pram or bike – the Box Hill to Ringwood rail trail is a short pedal away. Inside, there’s a coffee station sectioned off from the large area out the back: this is where the magic happens. Hessian sacks of green beans are racked on one wall.
A compact roaster tumbles in fragrant percussion. Retail shelves are stocked with coffee scrubs and candles made with excess product and there is a peaceful lounge area. A new eight-seat espresso bar is the place to explore beans, blends and roasts across multiple brewing methods.
Want a macchiato made with a smooth blend of Kenyan and El Salvadorean beans? Coming right up. Follow with a drip coffee made with Burundi single origin heady with passionfruit notes? No worries. Curious about cold brew redolent of red grape? Sure! And if you want them all, contemplate a coffee tasting board ($15).
Coffee is a pastime as well as a drink so there are also elab.
