They say the current hospitality climate is a tough one, but that doesn’t seem to ring true for Shannon Bennett. In short, the man is taking over Melbourne. The celebrity chef has had a year of openings, with Iki Jime, a music venue, and now a café among his recent additions. The latter dubbed Barista by Vue will shortly arrive, joining the dining precinct that is already home to Bennett’s Benny Burger and Iki-jime, at 430 Little Collins Street.

As its name suggests, Barista by Vue is focused around coffee. It has taken over the original Café Vue space and is the project of Bennett and long-term Vue Group employee Todd Gatehouse.

Sustainability is also at the heart of this new development for the duo; the build, menu, and the overall product has been considered in both terms of quality and residual footprint on the earth. The eatery will recycle and reuse wherever possible, employ the city’s first Cup Exchange, and recycle old coffee grinds at Bennett’s Burnham Beeches property in the Dandenong Ranges as a part of its eco-friendly approach.

“Just like everything we’re doing with Barista, we’re working towards ensuring that our commitment to the earth is as close to perfect as we can get. We’re learning as we go and we’re really excited to bring our customers along on that journey; encouraging and incentivising wherever possible to think about the little things they can be doing to reduce their footprint,” explains Gatehouse.

Vue Group’s executive chef Justin James has overseen the menu for Barista by Vue, curating a small but strong collection of deli items. There will be sandwiches, salads, and pastries all set to rotate daily. Sweeter options will be crafted by Vue Group’s executive pastry chef John Demetrios, each designed to marry well with coffee.

As for your cup of joe, beans will be provided by local coffee creators Five Senses, who have crafted a special Vue Blend specifically for the eatery. The house blend contains six to seven different types of beans, compared to the average blend of two to three. The health-inclined will also be delighted to find a Bulletproof Coffee option on the menu, among a lengthy list of specialty brews.

“We’ve invested both time and money into ensuring that what we offer our customers is above and beyond what they’ll typically find on other menus,” continues Gatehouse. “It’s important to us that we can stand behind our product, without passing that price onto our customers. So while what we brew costs that bit extra, we absorb that cost to make sure what we’re delivering is the best.”

Barista by Vue
430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne