Pony by Clement Roasters for February 2015 A (South) Melbourne Icon

Legend dictates that Pope Clement VIII pardoned the ban on consuming coffee in 1600 by declaring, “this devil’s drink is so delicious, we should cheat the devil by baptising it.” And with that, this South Melbourne coffee institution was born.

Clement Coffee started in 2012 when a small group of Melbourne coffee professionals came together with the common goal of getting more people drinking good coffee, breaking down the barriers between coffee professionals and the public. An opportunity presented itself through a repurposed electrical cupboard at the South Melbourne Market. It offered the perfect fit for the Clement Coffee crew to bring their idea to fruition.

The man of the hour, Matt Naturani looks after everything that happens in this little alcove that exists in the famous South Melbourne Market. Matt began working in cafes whilst studying to become a photographer but found himself becoming increasingly curious as to what all the fuss was about behind the machine - this is when he chose to switch his focus to coffee.

What makes Clement unique is their place and prominence within the community of the South Melbourne Market. The market’s profile is increasing as Melbourne’s premium market catering to locals and tourists with great fresh produce, food and a wide range of general merchant stalls. Clement’s philosophy is on par with this; they love their familiar interaction with the locals and the serendipitous nature of sharing coffee with market tourists. Clement continues to fuel the notion of what makes this city run - amazing and unique coffee experiences. This month’s coffee is a testament to that.

The Pony Blend is their staple that continues its metamorphosis with every season. As their seasonal blend, it always evolves to take into account seasonal varietals in market.  Combined with their Demeter certified organic milk, it’s a match made in heaven and one of the tastiest things you can walk out of Clement with. Pony is bright, juicy and sweet; crisp orange, soft red berries and brown sugars on the finish. The acidity mellows in milk to present sweet caramels and soft chocolate orange flavours.

“I’d love to see more people coming through the door sharing what we have to offer and enjoying our space”, says Matt. And by the looks on everyone's face, he’s doing just that.

Clement has certainly earned its place as part of the top echelon of the South Melbourne Market. Melbourne is synonymous with iconic cafes and great coffee and kudos to Clement for continuing to raise that bar.

Want to join the coffee club? Sign up to Three Thousand Thieves today.

Photos by Bobby & Tide.