Coffee Down Under will finally open in Detroit's Financial District this week

Can we get a g'day mate?

Nearly a year after announcing plans to bring Australian-style coffee to Detroit's Financial District, Coffee Down Under is preparing to open Thursday, Jan. 21.

The venture comes by way of Tarun Kajeepta, owner of the since shuttered car subscription service Condor Detroit. According to Eater, Kajeepta spent a year living in Australia to focus on the country's coffee culture, which we can soon get a taste of for ourselves.

The coffee bar, which had originally planned to open last spring, will focus on Australian espresso roasts from fair trade Melbourne-based roaster, Proud Mary Cafe, as well as flat whites and a little something called the Melbourne Magic, which is steamed milk poured over a double ristretto. (That's “restricted espresso,” or a more concentrated shot of espresso made with less water and finely ground beans.) And then there's the long black: think an Americano but stronger, thanks to a double-shot of espresso or ristretto over hot water.

Prices range from $3 espresso shots, $4 cappuccinos, lattes, long blacks, flat whites, and piccolos. They also offer a selection of hot tea, cocoa, as well as cold brew, kombucha, and lemonade.

Though Coffee Down Under will cater mostly to to-go customers, the 400-square-foot space at 607 Shelby St. underneath Brome Modern Eatery — so, quite literally down under in another sense — will also feature a modest kitchen and a handful of cafe seats, where guests will eventually be able to enjoy pastries and breakfast burritos.

To celebrate the grand opening, Coffee Down Under will also offer a cup of free drip coffee to all frontline workers from Jan. 21-23.


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