The sign on the side of the road had intrigued me for weeks – ‘Coffee to wake the dead’. Always a sucker for a quirky A-frame I knew it was only a matter of time before I tested that claim. Sure enough one Wednesday morning I found myself at Coffeesmiths, a little hole in the wall cafe tucked away at the corner of Beatty and Granard Roads at Archerfield.

Wedged between a hairdresser and a takeaway Coffeesmiths Espresso Bar is a cool little place packed full of charm and fun. It’s a little suburban surprise, something different to break the monotony of servo and 7-11 coffee on offer in the area. They have a wide selection of coffees including iced lattes and syrups and you can choose your milk too.
I ordered a Piccolo Latte, my favourite thing in the world at the moment, and was keen to assess its restorative powers. I was impressed! It definitely was an enlivening experience, especially with the added touch of a couple of chocolate coated coffee beans that came with my coffee – yum!
Coffeesmiths serves seriously good coffee but doesn’t take itself too seriously. While the wooden fixtures, coffee sacks and terracotta pots announce an appreciation and respect for the earthy origins of the coffee bean there is a playful aspect too in the kitschy retro gear dotted about – an old telephone and radio, glass milk bottles in a wire crate, a poster advertising Vincent’s Powders. I felt comfortable with my lack of coffee expertise and bold enough to ask questions of the very friendly barista who served me. I intend to extend my coffee repertoire next time I visit, maybe an Italian iced latte or a malted milk espresso.

As I was leaving another A-frame caught my eye – Helicopter Flights. Now what’s that all about…

Coffeesmiths Espresso Bar
54 Beatty Road, Archerfield QLD 4108
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 5.30am-12.30pm
Saturday 6.30am-11.30am – Sunday Closed

by Natasha Illsley