Upmarket milk bar Bureau brings coffee, pastries and conversation starters to Parkville

A modern milk bar has just opened in the front room of a house on Royal Parade in Melbourne's north. Bureau sells filter coffee, pastries from Sourdough Kitchen in Seddon, a couple of daily sandwiches, St David's Dairy milk, independent magazines and The Age, Good Food's parent masthead.

Styling itself as "an estimable community providore of repute", the Parkville milk bar is owned by Jay Clough, who's also the sole employee. Clough felt a minimalist set-up was best for his first solo venture in hospitality.

"It's an upmarket convenience store relying on foot traffic," he says. "Bureau is largely takeaway but there are a few seats."

A chalkboard lists not food items, but hot topics of conversation, from " 'rich' Rishi Sunak" to AFL gossip to "best Melb yum cha", while the magazine rack has a strong food and drink bent.

Bureau adds another coffee option to an underserviced pocket, but Clough was a little nervous about eschewing espresso for the gentler pleasures of filter coffee. "I thought there might have been pushback but everyone is typically Melbourne: very open-minded," he says. "We've had a very warm reception indeed."

The beans are roasted by Disciple in Brunswick, while sandwiches on rotation recently have included ham with cornichons, Lancashire cheddar with Branston pickle, and rare roasted beef, horseradish cream and cress.

Open Mon-Sat, 7.30am until sold out.

Bureau, 51 Royal Parade, Parkville, instagram.com/bureau.melb