Sun Moth Canteen & Bar

I can see why everyone loves this café, it's all about good food, coffee & atmosphere. This place oozes Melbourne Coffee culture. You definitely need to put it on your Melbourne bucket list.

Minimalist aesthetics, you will see lots of wood, metal and white. Sometimes simple is beautiful. It almost feels more homely and comfortable this way. I love the idea of the centre bar. You can see all the action in the kitchen area.

On my last visit I had the Kale Salad. Yup, a bowl of all things good for you. It was the vitamin fix I needed to get me through the day. Love the hummus on the side to mix in with the kale, burghul, quinoa and grains.

Coffee is fab and what you would expect from a café like this. You will need to get here early to score a table. Or why not rock up around 3pm during the quiet time for coffee. It is the perfect spot for those who work mobile.

Why not sit back, relax to some awesome tunes and watch the projections on the wall. I love it Sun Moth!

This bar is tucked away and is so special! The staff is full of friendly and intelligent people (who are politically well versed!!!!!) and the coffee and food are delicious! It's nice to be able to work here because the atmosphere is chill and the setup is stunning. I love it here!

This was my second visit to Sun Moth, and it's definitely becoming one of my favourite places to go in Melbourne. It's just...really really good. The fit-out is sleek and minimal, but still cosy and friendly, with an open feel. They showcase a great range of locally sourced produce and beverages, and the food is just great - no crazy flavours or over the top dishes. Just good quality healthy, hearty food.

On this visit I opted for a slow cooked lamb dish with flatbread and salad, and it was great. Smart presentation with good, simple flavours that interplay well with each other. On my previous visit I sampled a few of their winter foods, like hearty broths and risottos, and a killer duck parfait.

They also play great tunes and have free wifi, which makes an extended stay seem enticing. The food was out very fast though, which also makes it an ideal place to stop in for a quick bite. Also the fresh orange juice was off chops. I don't think I've ever enjoyed plain old orange juice anywhere near as much as I did here.

What do you get when you cross a sunlit laneway cafe with a wine bar? Apart from an excellent excuse for day time drinking, the answer would be Sun Moth Canteen & Bar.

Only open a week, this place is brand spanking new and they are settling in - but I'm already in love. It's got the relaxed laid back feel of a brunch cafe but it's a really a bar. Melbourne has a lot of great places to drink, but not many that feel this relaxed and double as an awesome spot for lunch or a casual bite.

They serve delicious coffee - but with no room for an espresso machine, it's filter only (a big mug of batch brew or iced coffee). UPDATE 28/2: now with espresso too!

The wine list is excellent and designed to let the staff guide you on what is good and open if drinking by the glass. I love this concept as I'm certainly one to like a chat with my wine.

The beer list is equal to the wine list, with about 6 or so taps with an interesting selection of local brews ready to go. I love that you could come here for lunch and get a great coffee, wine or beer depending on your mood.

They do breakfast Monday to Friday, but are open until 11pm so definitely one to check out for either lunch, dinner or a casual afternoon beverage. As someone who likes to take beer breaks when shopping (I find the CBD crowds exhausting!) this is going to be my new go-to.

Food wise, their kitchen is quite small so they put together a list of four simple but delicious dishes around the $15 mark. Lunch was tasty and filling, I'm keen to come back to check out what's on offer at other times of the day.

Yep, I'll be back. Hellooo daytime wine time.

I love the simplicity of Sun Moth. The fit out, the menu and the vibe are all minimalist, yet still so perfectly beautiful. I've managed to dine here a few times now, and have stopped in for coffee and work sessions during the quieter part of the week. With free wifi it's a really good place for a meeting or work session when you need some time away from the office, fuelled by good coffee or a glass of vino.

The wine list is small with a big focus on small Australian producers, meaning what's available one week might not be available the next. A great way to force yourself to try something new rather than falling back on your "usual" order. Ask the staff for their suggestions - they're passionate about what they serve so will get you excited about your bottle before you even crack the cork!

The food is homely, hearty and delicious. I especially love the five grain risotto with chicken and the chicken liver parfait. Great wine food, the later a great dish to share along with some charcuterie and cheese plates. Friday night is busy and buzzy, with a lot of hospo folk coming down after their day is done for a glass and a plate. In my mind it's always a good sign when a venue has good street cred with other cafes and restaurants around town and Sun Moth has plenty of that! Get there.

As a busy freelancer and self confessed coffee snob I'm always on the lookout for quiet cafes to sit for a few hours of work or have a great coffee during a meeting. This is fast becoming my go to place.

Sun Moth Canteen is down a quiet laneway and is surprisingly huge. There are lots of large tables perfect for groups of 6+ or a few spaces where you can comfortable be left alone to work. The staff are very accommodating and relaxed and dare I say it... cool! They always have some relaxed, unheard of band playing or some interesting visuals projected onto the wall. The coffee is perfectly poured, nice and hot and consistent. Staff take their time to serve you or bring out food or drinks but I like that - I feel they are making sure everything is as good as it can be before sending it out.

Food is pretty limited but tasty, filling and affordable. Sandwiches can be a little bit fancy (spicy eggplant for example) and as mentioned, they are very filling. Sun Moth is not a destination cafe for brunch or food but I happily go here time and time again because the atmosphere is perfect for business meetings or work.

This bar is a real, all-around winner. It's not easy to find... there's no visible signage when you walk down the street it's on. However, it kind of gives you the feeling that you've stumbled into something hidden and special. The only other thing I remember seeing on the alley was a Chinese restaurant next door.

The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and a bit industrial (plywood bathroom stalls, all natural wood colors in the bar, etc.). There's a large projector that, while we were there, was playing a black and white skateboarding movie...kind of cool. The drink menu was simple (my favorite) and unique. We ordered the #1 and it was fantabulous. We also had a couple of jugs of beer - there was a deal for $5 off while we were there. Like the cocktails, the beer menu was short but of high quality.

We also ordered a cheese plate, which came with a number of delicious accompaniments, like dried fruit and relish, crackers and fruit bread. The soup we ordered - the chicken corn chowder - omg. You have to order it. I will spend the rest of my life looking for a soup like that.

The bartender, who was also the manager, is clearly passionate about what he's doing - from creating great drinks to a great atmosphere. Two thumbs up.

On a dreary Wednesday lunchtime, we decided to give Sun Moth a try after checking out their feature on Broadsheet. I was expecting a minimalist but warm vibe thanks to the pedigree of Dead Man Espresso's former owners being name checked by Broadsheet.

What we got was certainly minimalist. We ordered the eggplant parma and the chicken, mayo and avocado sandwich.

Sun Moth only do filter coffee and tea, but have an extensive wine and beer list, which we skipped out on, since it was our lunch break. Instead I opted for the Iron Goddess Oolong tea.

The sandwich was substantial, and delicious. It was a white bread with garlic butter used inside. I asked for a poached egg on the side which I slid into the sandwich.

My colleague's parma was lovely, but the portion was very small and afterwards we went elsewhere for further snacks to fill her up.

The last point to note, as the specialty tea isn't really something to write home about. I'm sure they are fine with the basic Earl Gray and breakfast blends, but Oolong requires multiple short infusions and I didn't feel like this was achieved with the tepid mug I was presented with.

There are definitely points for improvement, but they haven't been open long, so I expect on my next visit to be impressed.

I haven't had the food, but the wines (Natural Wines) are interesting. Lucas is pretty knowledgable and the venue is clean and modern. It's clear they take natural wines seriously. Good place for a glass or ten and chill. Will return and explore the menu in greater detail.

There's something really unique about this place - I haven't come across a cafe/bar/restaurant quite like it.

Clean, modern but non pretentious. Love the long tables for groups and to encourage new encounters. Looks like it would be a great environment to get some work done as well.

Had an beautiful chai here, and again came back to try the menu. It's not a huge list but you can tell its fresh, seasonal and what they do, they do well. Simple as that.