It's a novel concept in the heart of Flinders Lane that's attracting more than your average student. Push through the old wooden doors of Melbourne's Journal restaurant, past the architectural design displays, into an airy space reminiscent of a reading room. Here you will find simple fare on the menu with a late morning breakfast popular with students.
This section of Flinders Lane is astonishing. It's vibrant, lively, full of excellent cafes and – especially where Journal Cafe is concerned – a place to keep learning. Journal Cafe is at the base of the Council of Adult Education building, right near the corner of Degraves Street, which has enough eating places to keep you busy for a month. Journal is like a private very groovy club: no big signs, nothing obvious. The space is dark and cosy, with pendant lights suspended from a black ceiling. It's taken up by a big food counter on one wall, happily cluttered with cutlery holders, a bowl of tomatoes, and plates of cakes and muffins. There are two big communal tables with a clever arrangement above them that doubles as a magazine and newspaper rack. Add a couple of small corner tables and chairs, and high benches with padded stools, and you've got yourself a comfy little corner.
Everyone has been here at some point – lawyers, businessmen, students, office workers, city dwellers, people meeting friends, people eating alone. Mostly it's casual Italian-style food, but check out the blackboard for specials. There will be a soup of the day, a range of bruschetta on terrific bread and some excellent salads. The tuna and bean salad, for example, is a classic Italian number that was jazzed up with tiny capers, tomato wedges, the crunch of celery and the smoothness of avocado. The coffee's good, the atmosphere's great, and upstairs there's Journal Canteen – a different enterprise that's open for lunch.
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