Espresso Cafe Richmond

I had a great experience here. My coffee was the perfect temperature and smooth as silk. The best coffee I can remember having in years. The barista was Calum, a guy who seems to have a true passion for making great coffee. He was appreciative when I complimented his coffee and told me he takes great pride in what he does. How awesome.
I had a burger. It tasted home made and was tasty as hell. It needs to come out with 3 napkins instead of 1, that’s my only complaint (if you can call it that!).
Staff were friendly the moment I walked in and took the time to explain all the food options in the display and on the menu.
So I’m throwing 5 stars their way.

Tucked away off Balmain Street, Espresso 3121 is an open warehouse off an otherwise inconspicuous laneway. It’s a nice setup. The kitchen and tables are almost intermingled. You feel like you’re sitting in someones kitchen — a very groovy kitchen.
Espresso 3121 used to be very much the hidden gem in «the underbelly of Richmond», Cremorne.
This area is dominated by a combination of fashion, creative and media agencies and mechanics for high-​end cars. So makes for an eclectic collection of customers (similar experience at the nearby Cherry Tree on a Friday night).
However, I echo a lot of the comments here. What used to be a genuine top-​10 coffee joint in Melbourne has had a serious decline. On my last visit the food was particularly uninspired and the quality of the coffee had noticeably dropped.
Perhaps being harsh (er) because this place used to be so great. Definitely in the «maybe try in a few months» category for me.

I am far from convinced with this one. I thought I might stop in on my way from lunch to Richmond station and 3121 was conveniently on the way.
I was only after a coffee but the slices looked to good not to have one and it was a nice little treat. Unfortunately, this is probably the only good thing I can say about the place. When I walked through the door the response was more of a «Hello, what do you want?» than a «Afternoon! *smiley face* what can I help you with?» which I wasn’t all that fussed about. I was pretty much told where to sit down and wait for my coffee which still wasn’t anything terrible. The coffee was quickly in front of me but I couldn’t help but notice the somber feel the place had. The staff didn’t look happy. Nobody else had the slightest hint of a smile. Most coffees and meals were delivered without the slightest hint of a «here you go».
The coffee itself wasn’t all that bad. It was an Axil blend. It did not quite live up the the name but still wasn’t a bad coffee. I got through it fairly quickly.
On my way out I thanked the barista and was given the cold shoulder so it is safe to say I probably won’t be back. I really hope it was just having a bad day.

Espresso 3121 is literally a 2 minute walk from my work. It’s hard to miss if you haven’t been here before, but it makes it that much more exciting when you stumble upon it.
I haven’t had the coffee so I can’t comment on that, but I have had their freshly squeezed orange juice and assorted wraps and baguettes, all toasted of course. It’s nothing too out of the ordinary, but they have been tasty nevertheless and that equals to a win in my books. There’s also a menu to try and I haven’t had the chance to experience yet, that’s on my food to-​do list (or is that to-​eat list?).
The staff always greet me with a smile and has a nice welcoming vibe to it when you sit down. You feel a little hip. During the morning, it can get extremely busy, but which café doesn’t?
There’s plenty of room to sit down and considering how close it is to my work, it’s usually my go to café when I’m feeling a little hungry at work, which is all the time.

3121 is in my work ‘hood, so I used to pop by daily. The coffee was consistently very good, there were some nice options for breakfast and lunch, and it had a really friendly vibe.
However, about 2 months ago they had a management change; almost overnight the coffee quality went way, WAY down, and the vibe disappeared. I hope they pick up their game again soon, because it’s a really cute little place, but for now there are much better options close by.

Espresso 3121 has been my go-​to for my daily coffee since my work moved nearby. The quality of their coffee has been consistently excellent, and I truly can’t remember ever having a bad cup.

The coffee is great. But I’m always disappointed by a lack of vegetarian options. I often end up having toast there because there just aren’t any/​many more substantial vegetarian lunch options.
The vibe is good, they take coffee orders via twitter, and the space itself looks cool.

It’s a funky little space. Rather than having the baristas hidden away, the counter actually extends right through the middle of the room. If you’re so inclined, you can sit behind the bar and watch the team of baristas work their magic.
Out of the cafes in the area, Espresso 3121’s coffee is my favourite. The espresso flavour cuts through the milk perfectly, and it’s made consistently regardless of which barista is responsible (unfortunately something I can’t say about most cafes).

For an out of the way café, I’ve actually been to Espresso 3121 a lot. Friends of mine used to have an office next door, and I’d drop by fairly often for technical advice (My friends are technical people. I’m not.) I’d order a cappuccino, and I’d always be pleasantly surprised by how technically proficient it’d turn out to be.
They might not be in a fashionable street or have a wide variety to offer, but Espresso 3121 do actually make quite a good coffee.