I've heard a lot of good things about Brother Baba so when I finally gave it a try, I was a little disappointed.

I guess my main problem was that I didn't like their beans - their house blend is a bit more acidic than I normally like my coffee. Judging by the size of the crowd there when I went, I guess there are lots of people who aren't bothered by it.

Manchester Press is one of those cafes in the CBD that you have to be taken there to find. It's in tiny little Rankins Lane - look for the basketball hoop. If you see people shooting baskets, you're at the right place.

The coffee is always great every time I go there - smooth, rich, very amusing coffee art that's guaranteed to kick-start a conversation.

They offer a wide selection of bagels and some gluten-free cakes. The bagels are fantastic - my personal favourite is the one with smoked salmon and avocado, but the one with the cherry tomatoes is great as well.

Approximate cost: $10-20

Reasonably priced, good food, good service. It's very clean because it's still a new place, and time will tell if the cleanliness continues. There's a half-open kitchen so you can see the chefs making the breads. It gets very, very crowded on weekend nights so I'd recommend going a little early to beat the crowds.

There's quite a variety of dishes on the menu, but if you're not familiar with Malaysian cuisine, every dish comes with a picture! As well as the obligatory what's-in-the-dish description, of course.

Approximate cost: $10-15

I had a very body-hugging dress that I needed to be re-fitted. The ladies did a fantastic job and it looks and feels great now! It took them 2 weeks to get it all done - one week to get it ready for a fitting and another week to finish the job properly.

It was quite expensive but you definitely get what you pay for.

Every La Porchetta is pretty much the same - there are no surprises with the menu and the wait staff quite cordial. Our group ordered 4 pizzas and they came out very quickly. Lots of topping, lots of cheese.

We had a lactose-intolerant person with us so he asked the waiter to double what he could have. According to him all the pastas had lactose, and the only one without lactose was the risotto bolognese. I'm not sure if that was a customised order but the flavour was a bit limp.

Approximate cost: $15-25

This is probably one of the best places for coffee in the CBD if you're after a mellow, smooth cup of caffeine. We had to wait for quite a while for our takeaway, but the wait was so worth it! There is a small indoor dining area but seats are very, very limited so don't expect to get a seat there (if you do, treat it as a bonus).

I had a latte there and it was super smooth, super subtle in terms of flavour. If you're after a latte with a bigger kick, this is probably not the place to go. That said, I need to return and try maybe a macchiato just to see what the baristas are like with those.

From what I saw, they do food as well, but at 4pm in the afternoon that honestly wasn't my cup of tea(coffee).

Approximate cost: $3.50

Percy's Aeroplane is pretty much everything you want from a cafe: simple-looking cafe, great coffee, substantial food. The wait staff are enthusiastic and very helpful. There is an outdoors area at the back if you're so inclined, if not, the inside dining area (past the front of the shop) is quite spacious.

The coffee is great and the barristas there definitely know what they are doing. I've been there a few times before - the ready-to-serve food (eg couscous, sandwiches, etc) are average. What you should try, though, is their brunch menu which is very, very good. 4 of us went to try their new brunch menu last Saturday and it was excellent all around.

Approximate cost: $15

If you're looking for a quirky cafe near Melbourne University that serves decent coffee, this is it. Every time I've been, the coffee is always decent. The lunch crowd packs the tiny joint out so if you're looking for a table indoors, go early. From memory they serve a few soups but you need to try their paninis - they do all kinds of fillings but the breakfast one (bacon, eggs and can't remember what else) is excellent and flies in the face of everything your doctor tells you.

Whatever you do, don't try their crepes because it's pre-made and they just heat it up. The scones are ok but star is their walnut flourless cake - if they have any left by the time you get there, that is.

The decor is funky and bohemian and the staff is quite friendly. The place is very intimate and could be very easy to miss if there are no university kids hanging around (ie, during non-semester periods)

Approximate cost: $15

The first time I stumbled into Maple, I was so surprised that there was a little cafe inside. The coffee is decent, but the nicest thing is the decor - there is a solid wooden dining table and it's very pleasant to sit with some friends over a cup of coffee. They don't do food apart from the average/below average cakes and little savoury snacks. Still, I like going there to meet friends because it's a nice hybrid of home and shop.

The shop itself sells homewares and gifts. They mainly stock products made by independent artisans so prices are extremely high. If you like things on Etsy then you'll love what they sell.

Approximate cost: $10

Excellent food - you must try the duck eggs (if you like duck eggs, that is)! The service is also excellent - attentive, but not suffocating. The coffee is decent, not amazing, but if you're going to Cafe Vue you're not really going for the coffee, are you?

During the week it is relatively quiet - there's not much of a weekday lunch crowd, during the weekend, however, it does get packed.

Approximate cost: $20