You know those weekend mornings, when you’re trying to shake off the stupor that is induced by the realization that your mind doesn’t need to be used for the next 48 hours? When you know that all you need is a dose of rich coffee straight into the bloodstream? Does the mere thought of the 40 minute trek into town to do laps for a car parking space, only to have to wait for a table bring a slight trembling to your legs? Well, cease your pitiful whimpering and shuffle your needy body into the latest suburban haven offering delicious food, freshly prepared coffee and a cosy atmosphere: Miss Marie.
Paul and Vanessa Parrella, owners of Miss Marie, are hospitality stalwarts. After serving their time at the font of many a hospitality professional, Ye Olde Franchise Store, they decided they needed to ditch the night service in favour of a healthier work-life balance i.e. café hours. So they launched a place that provided all the comfort and quality of inner city cafes to their friends in the ’burbs. After scouring the strip malls of the eastern suburbs for months, they finally settled on an old ballet dancewear store opposite the Rosanna train station.
Obviously lycra and flexible shoes weren’t quite the look they were going for, and so followed the comprehensive gutting of the site. A total rebuilding, involving blood, sweat and tears, led to the launch of Miss Marie (named after Paul’s nickname for his wife, Vanessa Marie Parrella). The vintage-industrial look, now so common closer to the CBD, has been scarce on the ground out in the ’burbs, and the Parrellas have wielded the style with care, adding an artisan, homely feel to the space.
The coffee bug came along and took a big bite out of Paul, and he’s definitely jumped into the specialty coffee movement wholeheartedly. Proud of serving carefully crafted coffees, Paul also holds dear his old mantra of quick service and customer satisfaction. Gently easing the locals into the new world of coffee consumption, where the milk and coffee is prepared to order, he’s always excited to talk to those who want to know more and has built a loyal following.
While the coffee’s obviously important at Miss Marie, the food certainly doesn’t play second fiddle! An amazing array of freshly baked cakes and muffins overflow on the front counter, wafting tempting smells over everyone who enters. The classic Benedict is honoured here, with a perfectly balanced hollandaise, while the French toast is a winner with the sweet-toothed crowd.
Whether you’re dropping in for a quick take away coffee to bolster your nerves on the morning commute, or settling in for a long brunch over the weekend paper, Miss Marie is an oasis, offering classic good hospitality along with a strong focus on the deliciousness factor — next time you’re in the leafy eastern suburbs, make sure you drop by to say hi!
Miss Marie
45 Beetham Parade,
Rosanna, VIC
Opening hours
Monday — Friday 7:30am — 4:00pm
Saturday — Sunday 8:00am — 4:00pm
