A touch of the Inner North in the Middle East.

Coffee shop review: Red Cup – Whitehorse Road, Box Hill


I like to think of myself as an economic refugee from North Carlton – that is when my hubby and I were looking to buy a house we couldn’t afford a million dollars for a two bedroom terrace! So as each weekend of house hunting progressed we were getting a suburb further away…..we ended up in Blackburn. At first it was a major culture shock – only white people lived in Blackburn. I was having flashbacks to my childhood growing up in Mount Eliza. But the biggest cultural crime committed by the area was a lack of decent coffee…it seemed the people of the ‘burbs had resigned themselves to the fact that they were to live an existence with bad coffee…'- That was 7 years ago….Recently I was driving along Whitehorse Road and I saw a big red cup and a red vesper and nearly gave myself whiplash….."What, is it true Red Cup is coming to the burbs?"…wahooooooo!

I eventually got to go and check out the café (RED CUP) the other day…with kids just popping down to a café becomes an exercise that would put most army generals to shame with the planning and execution of achieving the elusive dream of having a coffee and keeping the kids entertained…I chose to go after swimming lessons – (read kids knackered!!!) Overall a success!

The café is a touch of the inner north in the middle east…I actually felt I was sitting on Rathdowne Street in North Carlton….Even though the café is located on a main eastern arterial…it is located off a service road…you would never know that you are on Whitehorse Road. The service was amazing…the owner Kellie is always up for a chat and on subsequent visits has remembered me. The coffee is good, the best in the area by far! (Genovese Coffee – roasted in Melbourne) and is served in the signature red cup. The menu is limited but as they say on the menu you they are sussing out the cliental and the menu will build steadily. It isn’t designed for a mothers group to hold a gathering…but if you elect to have what I call a true mothers group gathering, that is with no kids, it is perfect. But you could always grab a take away and head over to the park behind Box Hill oval with all the kids and then everyone is happy.

Opening Hours 7 Days 7am – 3pm
1124 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
(t) 9899 1893
(e) coffee@redcup.com.au


Red Cup review - Georgy's thoughts

After receiving a text from Beck raving about Red Cup I decided I better check it out. So with husband and kids in tow we walked there Monday morning, so yes managed to include exercise as well. And I must say I was a little excited that this cafe has opened within easy walking distance from our house, I can truly feel like I am living in the Inner City. Like Beck would love to afford somewhere like Clifton Hill and this cafe has that feel about it.

Agree with Beck that the coffee was good and I am a coffee snob. Very particular. Just to give you an indication, ended up buying a great Saeco coffee machine for home so we could make our coffee just the way we like it, plus enjoy it with kids running around, always hard at a cafe. Good news is that Red Cup have also thought of this with some a drawing table paper and pencils with two comfy arm chairs each side. They also have a basket full of wooden blocks and a couple of cars. This kept them entertained for at least 10 minutes. So all in all a big hit and after we could just wander over to the playground across the road.

Have to say though that my old hang out Middleborough Cafe (539 Middleborough Road, Box Hill North) in the Kerrimuir shops also does fantastic coffee (Organic coffee Bean Ground and Drunk) and has friendly staff. Handy too next to the greengrocer and butcher, just don't quite have that Inner City feel but still well worth a visit just to try the great coffee, oh and babychinnos (something my daughter is particular about and won't drink at a lot of places as too runny).