Introduction to Melbourne Coffee Culture in Australia: Who Invented Magic Coffee?

Magic Coffee: Melbourne's Hidden Gem

In Melbourne's cafés, there exists an espresso milk coffee with not only a particularly distinctive name but one that typically appears quietly on hidden menus, awaiting connoisseurs to discover its charm. This is "Magic Coffee" from Oceania.

What Exactly is Magic Coffee?

Magic Coffee originated from the South Melbourne area. Legend has it that it was accidentally concocted by a local café called St Ali and currently remains popular only in this city. In the eyes of Melbourne baristas, the term "Magic" serves as a secret code—used to describe a hot milk coffee with a rich, full-bodied texture but completely without bitter aftertaste, served in a smaller cup size.

True to its name, Magic's existence is rather mysterious. It rarely appears on café menus, people aren't quite sure of its origins, and many baristas worldwide don't even know it exists. Compared to today's household name Flat White, it deserves the title "Most Obscure Milk Coffee in History." Because Magic is so niche, it doesn't yet have a Chinese name. If forced to translate, FrontStreet Coffee thinks "Magic Coffee" would be appropriate.

Although this special hidden-menu item has become an indispensable part of Melbourne's coffee culture, we still struggle to find it in other countries or regions. When hearing the word "Magic," the barista taking your order will likely look confused. But if you're facing a genuine Melbourne barista and say "I'll have a Magic," they'll immediately understand, and you'll have your very own "magic."

So Where Does Magic's "Magic" Lie?

As a typical Australian coffee, Magic is a product of Melbourne's continuous pursuit of quality espresso. The concentration of double Ristretto combined with a smaller proportion of hot milk, paired with light, thin foam, both reduces the bitterness in the coffee's finish and allows the bean's aroma to display more magnificently. It perfectly satisfies customers who seek substantial coffee texture and crema aroma but don't want to consume too much milk—the entire cup won't leave you feeling full.

In terms of preparation, like other classic espresso milk coffees, Magic has no standardized ratio—it depends more on the container size used and the barista's understanding of this beverage, then adjusting appropriate milk volume, temperature, and foam thickness according to the characteristics of the beans used for a custom-made result.

A traditional Magic Coffee uses a double Ristretto as its base, then adds steamed milk with a dense, thin layer of foam (less than 0.5cm), served in a ceramic cup of approximately 5-6 ounces (120ml-170ml). The barista doesn't fill the cup completely but fuses it to about 3/4 full, making it look like a Flat White with less milk.

Magic, Piccolo, Flat White: Three Wishes Fulfilled at Once

Coffee lovers who enjoy milk coffees have probably noticed by now that Piccolo, Flat White, and the Magic Coffee introduced today by FrontStreet Coffee all come from Oceania. They are all composed only of espresso and steamed milk, sharing characteristics of small cup size, rich flavor, silky foam, and typically served only hot. Moreover, in China, these three coffees have all been dubbed "authentic Australian milk coffees." So what are their differences in flavor?

Using FrontStreet Coffee's preparations as an example, the espresso beans used are their "Sunflower · Warm Sunshine" blend. For morning espresso, the extraction parameters are 20g of coffee grounds, extracting 38g of coffee liquid in 30 seconds. Here, the Ristretto extraction method takes only 70% of the Espresso, meaning 20g of coffee grounds extracting approximately 27g of coffee liquid in 23 seconds.

For cup selection, FrontStreet Coffee uses a 150ml ceramic cup to replicate Magic, Flat White is served in an approximately 250ml cup, while making Piccolo uses a 3-ounce (approximately 90ml) transparent glass.

The Three Coffees Compared:

Magic: Double Ristretto, thin foam approximately 0.3cm, 3/4 full
Flat White: Double Ristretto, thin foam approximately 0.3cm, full cup (foam level with cup rim)
Piccolo: Single Espresso, medium foam 0.5cm, full cup (foam slightly domed)

When the three coffees are placed together, Magic has the highest coffee concentration. The first sip reveals a dominant coffee flavor that might make you slightly furrow your brow, followed by the aroma of crema lingering in your mouth. The second sip brings out the bean's caramel and cocoa notes—making it a relatively bold milk coffee variety.

The smallest cup, Piccolo, using only a single shot, highlights more milk aroma and lactose sweetness, with thicker foam making it feel like drinking a mini latte. The largest cup, Flat White, balances both rich coffee aroma and delicate milk texture, leaning toward neither side, offering the most balanced overall mouthfeel.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473