Hey Jude

IS MY HAIR TOO SYMMETRICAL? ARE my glasses big enough? Am I too old? Am I cool enough to drink coffee?

Sometimes running the hipster gauntlet for fancy-pants, single-origin and cooler-than-thou service can be an ultra-sceney, irritating experience. Or maybe that's just me.

Rest assured, people of Bomberland - coffee snobbery isn't on the menu at Hey Jude. But that's not to say this three-month-old, light-flooded cafe run by Aprim Michael and Joe Versace doesn't do good coffee. It does. And the owners are hardcore about its origins.

There are two blends on offer: the sharp, full-bodied Hey Jude, with ''rich choco tones'', and the buttery, spicy 68 Blend (Hey Jude by the Beatles was released that year, although Michael says he's more of an Elvis fan).

Di Bella coffee roasters, who created the custom blends, were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement by Hey Jude to keep the blends unique. So, no specifics, but the beans are 100 per cent arabica, triple A-grade and bought directly from the grower: Di Bella's Joe Molinari was due to fly to Brazil on Monday to source more beans.

Since it opened, Hey Jude has been mobbed. It's a nice-looking room - big, bright and with glossy timber tables, retro wallpaper and a wraparound verandah that works well for kid-wranglers, smokers or groups, although the views of McDonald's and Keilor Road aren't super-picturesque. The service is sharp and organised, and it's clear there are systems in place: even when Hey Jude is at its 100-seat capacity, the food arrives with pace. It makes sense; the partners own other businesses together, including Brunswick Flour Mill.

Adventurous eaters should probably press on, but if you're after classic cafe staples without too much spin, Hey Jude could be your new haunt.

The hollandaise on the eggs Benedict had a nice tang, the free-range eggs were poached soft and the ham grilled, but the packet English muffins were a bit of a let-down.

Thick, fluffy buttermilk pancakes did their job well, but the ''fiery noodle salad'' needed more oomph, although there was a generous scattering of hot peanuts, and the chicken skewers it came with were well cooked.

Then there's the burger: a lean wagyu patty on a toasted Turkish bun with tasty cheese, beetroot, tomato, rocket and aioli. Low on the grease, it was maybe a smidge dry. Chips come in a natty wire basket.

The iced coffee, served in one of those American-diner fluted glasses, was rockin': long and strong, with a few coffee beans dotted on top.

Am I cool enough to drink coffee? I hope so, or I'd never make it through the day.

Do … Pick up some takeaway beans or coffee equipment for the home barista
Don't … Come here for coffee snobbery
Dish … Wagyu burger and chips
Vibe … Friendly, bustling and organised

nrousseau@fairfaxmedia.com.au