By Elizabeth Harris
To those of us who love a good cup of coffee during winter, or a cool iced chai in the summer, cafés are a must; and Maylands is absolutely full of them. I’ve lived in the area for the last 12 years, and as a passionate lover of all thing’s tea – the café’s found around Maylands have always been able to quench my thirst and provide some of the best conversations I’ve ever had. I recently got the opportunity to once again try out my local hotspots, to provide you my choice for the top 4 cafés around Maylands.
4. Sherbet Café and Bake Shop
Sherbet has been around Maylands for about as long as I can remember living here. This retro-styled Café on Whatley Crescent has a large array of seating, historical photos, and notoriously good cupcakes.
Their staff have always been incredibly friendly, and their sweet and savoury options make for a wonderful meal no matter what time of day. For most locals, their cupcakes are what’s always been most known about Sherbet. Ever since they first turned up in Maylands, their variety of flavours and the perfect icing-to-cake-ratio have made their cupcakes a phenomenal standout for a sweet and delicious afternoon treat. This, with their friendly staff and commitment to quality, makes Sherbet a stand out.
206B Whatley Cres, Maylands WA 6051
3. The Woodfired Baker
The Woodfired Baker – also along Whatley Crescent – is a small walk-in bakery across from the train station. Despite its lack of seating, it more than makes up for the small space with its baked goods and wonderful coffees.
Known for more experimental treats, The Woodfired Baker can get you anything from daily carbohydrate essentials, to a Croissant-Muffin-Hybrid that you didn’t know you needed to eat until right now. During the height of the pandemic, they were notable for providing locals with fresh bread on-pickup via a no-contact system, and have continued to use this system even after the lockdowns were over. A highlight for their position on this list would be their brownies – both in plain and peanut butter varieties, these rich and gooey delights will remain on your tongue long after you’ve finished them.
194 Whatley Crescent, Maylands 6051
2. M Coffee
Tucked away down Lyric Lane – and right beside the Lyric Lane Bar – you’ll find M Coffee. It’s a rather plain, black-painted building with very little seating, however it’s a personal favourite of mine.
The first thing you’ll likely notice is the hand-decorated sign out front declaring some pop-culture or nerd-based joke or design themed around the espresso bar itself. Inside you’ll find a small amount of seating, some of the most delicious sandwiches and small treats you’ve ever tasted, wonderful drinks, and two young women whose jokes, conversations, and laughter will make your day. The highlight of M Coffee is both its smaller and more isolated location – allowing for some private study time or simply to beat the crowds, and its wonderful staff. The two women who run M Coffee – Elsie and Gabbie – are true locals at heart. They love a good joke, and if you’re invested in any amount of nerd-dom such as Dr Who or Dungeons and Dragons, they’ll gladly listen to your tales and give over some of their own. Making for a truly lively experience. Overall, for a wonderful coffee and an even better experience, M Coffee is an ideal spot for you.
1. Steam Haus
Our final stop along Whatley Crescent, Steam Haus is a Café running out of what used to be an old house in the area. With dog-friendly outdoor seating, friendly staff, and pastries to die for, Steam Haus takes the cake for Maylands Café’s.
What sets it apart is both the sheer amount of variety in its menu, and the location itself. Due to the café running out of what used to be the older houses along the neighbourhood, you can find yourself both the public seatings of the more open areas of the café, and the much-needed private space much further within. On top of this, Steam Haus has a high priority for reusable and eco-friendly materials in their dine-in and takeaway drinks and food. Its family-friendly, featuring a play area for kids, and a dog-friendly outside area in both the front and back of the store. The highlight of this café would have to be their iced chai – served with optional cream and ice-cream, this summer special is made to order from a house-blend of chai tea, making for a refreshing but delicious beverage.