Story Coffee & Food Store

Docklands: Melbourne's western extension sometimes has as much appeal as a one-bedroom apartment bought off the plan, with a little more natural light. It is good for ice-skating and gazing at stationary giant wheels, but if you've spent much time there it's probably because you've been herded into a brand-new corporate campus by your employer.

So where do you find a little local charm in this off-the-shelf neighbourhood?

You can start around the eastern edges at 700 Bourke Street, the NAB's new headquarters: tucked away in its side on the Southern Cross walkway is Dukes Coffee Roasters' new Story Coffee & Food Store.

Story is pretty moody and atmospheric by Melbourne coffeehouse standards, with lots of warm timber and dim, yellow-hued downlights over its high bar-style tables. The scaffolding covering the walkway outside doesn't help, but that will go and let a little more light in soon.

The menu has high takeaway-ability: a candied bacon-and-egg roll with hummus and avocado is a tasty mess of flavours - savoury and sweet, crisp and creamy - and toasties featuring Istra ham or mushroom and asiago can all be easily transported back to the nearby cubicle farms, as will lunch bites like baguettes loaded with tuna, broccoli and carrot perked up with capers and aioli or asparagus, Persian feta and egg.

The pegboard menu also features salads aimed squarely at the lunching office worker: healthy and interesting are the words that spring to mind for a broad bean, pea and avocado with a lick of harissa, and a farro, beetroot and walnut affair. Piadinas are stuffed with various ingredients and toasted to a nice char; a roasted vegie one is a tasty, textural mix of charry-crisp flatbread, creamy Persian feta and pumpkin and toothy roasted beetroot chunks.

There's a great range of biscuits from Dolcetti, including little almond meal mouthfuls and just-sweet garibaldis that go a treat with a pourover.

The staff sport serious coffee aprons, and they're backed up by a coffee menu with dedicated blends for milk and black coffee, plus regular single origins for filter brew fans.

Dukes' filter roasts tread a middle path, highlighting the fruity characteristics of the beans without getting too far in your face. A Kenya Gitchathaini pourover has a nice, full mouthfeel, some zingy, sweet citrus fruit and a sweet berry finish, while an Aeropress of Costa Rica Don Sergio is silky and clean, with hints of sweet citrus and cocoa.

Much bolder, if that's what you want, is an El Salvador Finca La Fany short black, with a pulpy fruit nose and bitter citrus-peel acidity.

Do … think about a filter brew - Dukes' roasts are an accessible introduction if you're a lifelong latte lover
Don't … forget the corporate swipe card and lanyard
Dish … Roasted veg piadina
Vibe … urban white collar brunching on the hop