If you’ve come here from my Melbourne Food Guide, you may realise that we spent almost everyday eating at cafés.
Halfway through the trip, we felt like we might have eaten our fair share of typical café fare (eggs, sourdough, burgers etc.). We were also a little exhausted and wanted a nice break (mainly due to the fact that I was pregnant and needed too much rest). And that was partly why we thought it would be a nice idea to try out a café specialising in bagels.
Admittedly, I’ve never been the biggest fan of bagels. I love the ones that come chock full of ingredients, but only because of the ingredients themselves.
Named for the printing press that originally stood here, Manchester Press is a huge lucent space softened with old timbers and quirky junkyard installations. The cafe offers a focused menu, but the coffee reigns here. Generating enviable acclaim only hours after its opening, this laneway cafe ceaselessly gathers steam among the coffee coterie.
Visit Melbourne
What to order at Manchester Press
We visited on a weekday expecting the place to be empty, but it was actually really crowded! There were snatches of people working from the café, and others gathering with their friends for brunch.
We noticed that in most Melbourne F&B they tend to add a surcharge for weekends and public holidays, but this 15% surcharge really took us aback. Luckily we didn’t visit on a public holiday!
The real highlight at Manchester Press is none other than the bagels. I think their bagel menu is the most extensive I have ever seen in any eatery. You can either have it sweet or savoury, closed or open.
My husband and I ordered two very different bagels. He opted for a sweet Blueberry & Lemon Cheesecake bagel (AUD10), and I got the Braised Brisket (AUD16). For our drinks, we just ordered a black and a white to keep things simple.
Depending on your preference, you may either love or dislike the chewy bagels served at Manchester Press. Personally, I like my bagels chewy but not tough until I can’t bite them properly, and this café’s bagels really hit the sweet spot.
Picking a savoury option felt a bit like eating a chewy toast or burger, which I actually quite enjoyed! I admit that beef brisket wasn’t my first choice – would really have preferred the NY Lox for the smoked salmon – but it was a lot less dry than I anticipated.
I’m not entirely sure what the pickles were for, but they made for a nice palate cleanser after finishing the indulgent bagel. It also serves as a vegetable serving I guess?
Is it worth eating at Manchester Press?
If you’re a bagel lover or just want to shake things up on your café-hopping journey, Manchester Press is a lovely place to get your bagel fix.
We actually spent a few hours in this café just chilling (drawing, reading etc.) and the café staff were very nice about it! I really liked the vibes here. It’s cosy, not too noisy, and warm enough for you to relax with your food & drinks.
I got a bit thirsty after the food though so I ordered a juice after my coffee. Forgot how much it cost, but I remember it was a little pricey. Avoid ordering juices at a café as much as you can!
Overall, the prices are a little high for bagels, but still more affordable than other places ordering full brunch sets. It’s a nice in-between if you want brunch but don’t want to spend too much.
My only gripe is that there aren’t many pregnant-friendly savoury bagel options. Their bagels typically contain deli meat, cold cuts, and smoked salmon, which are not fully cooked. Hopefully they’ll consider expanding the menu in future!
DIRECTIONS
Address: 8 Rankins Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
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