Cop Shop Espresso

Cop Shop Espresso is all about the stuff cops love best: coffee and doughnuts. It’s a stereotype, yes – and an American one at that – but at this Hawthorn hole-in-the-wall, Victorian police get their coffee for free.

Cop Shop, a few steps from Glenferrie Railway Station, is attached to owner Nick Foley’s pizza-slinging pub Holy Moly, meaning it’s also licensed. Those returning home from long day of work or study can pick up an Irish coffee from Cop Shop, too.

Foley is familiar with the area, and also wanted to open up something that caters to students from nearby Swinburne University. Coffee for students is $3 here; for everyone else, it’s $3.50 for a regular.

Coffee beans come from Melbourne roaster Niccolo. Doughnuts come from Niddrie’s Patisserie by Raf, with fillings such as jam and passionfruit curd. You’ll also find the classic rings topped with chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles.

Milkshakes come in Nutella, peanut-butter chocolate, jersey caramel, strawberry cheesecake, or lime flavours, and you can make them vegan with almond milk or soy.

The coffee bar has limited seating outside – a single bench backed up against a wall that will be updated every few months with a mural by a different artist. A colourful piece by Melbourne-based artist Marcos Diaz is first up.