Coffee central at Queen Victoria Market

The Queen Victoria Market precinct is positioning itself as caffeine central, with Market Lane Coffee's Fleur Studd preparing to open her fourth outlet inside the market's dairy hall (shop 73-76) in early March. Studd says she and business partner Jason Scheltus have ''always wanted to be a physical part of the market'', adding that Market Lane's nearby Therry Street site is staying put.

Meanwhile, slick market-fringe newcomer Francis Coffee opened at 253 Franklin Street, Melbourne in December under Gerrick Numan (ex-Hobba and Willim Espresso). Open Monday to Friday 7.30am until 3pm, it offers Seven Seeds coffee, sunny indoor-outdoor seating and beautifully plated brunchy dishes such as beetroot and pickled cauliflower salad and soy, ginger and beer-braised beef with miso eggplant and five-spice chips.

With Padre QV, Coffea and Seven Seeds all within a stone's throw, harried market shoppers have never had it so good.