Nestled amongst the small shopping strip on Foot Street in Frankston, you’ll find the charming neighborhood favourite, Down the Street. In 2018, 10 year strong Frankston locals, Rob and Merrin Mckenzie found themselves always leaving the area in search of good coffee. Enter Foot St and an empty charcoal chicken shop. Completely converting the space, Rob and Merrin not only wanted to focus on consistently delicious coffee and quality food, but also to create a welcoming atmosphere.
“Really the main thing we wanted for our cafe was that when people walked in, they felt like they belonged and were part of our Down The Street family. We want to make everyone that walks through our doors feels noticed, appreciated and welcome.”
We can safely say they have hit the mark on this one. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with beaming smiles, an upbeat atmosphere and left feeling like you’ve known the staff for years. You can head out the back to a cozy, sunlit courtyard, or park yourself right in front of the coffee machine and watch the magic happen (really the best seat in the house). You’ll not only watch your coffee being expertly crafted, but be drawn into conversations while you wait, genuinely feeling as though you’re catching up with friends. Thanks to their Puqpress and Synesso MVP, the staff execute a seamless, speedy workflow to keep up with high demand and maintain impeccable temperature stability, all the while greeting regulars like family. Showcasing their passion for specialty coffee, they offer a signature house blend for milk coffees and a rotating single origin for black espresso. For our filter lovers out there, there’s a Marco Bru F60M producing delicious batch brew, again with rotating single origins.
The love for high quality products also shines through in their food offerings. If you can make it past the cake display full of decadent caramel brownies, stunning raspberry loaf and an array of sweet treats (all made in house), there’s again endless options for lunch or breaky. With house-made tarts, baguettes, salads and pastries including vegan and gluten free options, there’s something for everyone and it is all delicious.
While the hospitality industry has seen no shortage of challenges in the last 2 years, the team at Down the Street must be commended on their ability to adapt to the times so successfully. Being in and out of lockdown and constantly changing regulations, Down the Street have decided to foster the growing community of home-baristas by bravely removing their dine-in tables and developing a fully stocked, specialized retail space, and according to the team – they’re never going back! The shelves are stocked with loads of their signature house blend in custom Down the Street bags, along with pretty much everything else Five Senses is roasting at the time – blends, single origins and filter beans. They’ve also kitted the area out with brewing equipment for filter coffee enthusiasts, locally made ceramics, keep cups and reusable coffee trays for when you’re shouting the crew a round of takeaways.
Whether you’re on your way to the Mornington Peninsula to escape the city, or a Frankston native looking for a new local, this hidden gem is a must-visit for coffee geeks, or those looking to start their journey with specialty coffee.
All images courtesy of Down The Street’s Instagram profile. Check it out here.
