Coffee Darling

This chummy spot has acquired a loyal following with its mix of South Yarra sweetie chic and we're-all-family-here charm. The space is white and black and streamlined, with a Moroccan-style screen that lets in the sun. The book selection mixes local architecture with children's classics, and a hypnotic photographic collage on the wall features the hands of the cafe's regulars. You can get breakfast here (mainly eggs, kosher if you like) and lunch (mainly ciabattas), but the focus is on the sweets, displayed on vintage china. Lemon cheesecake, meringues or a gingerbread baby go well with the smoky reliability of a Genovese short black.