Phined Coffee brings its filtered coffee vision to North Melbourne

Owner-operator Aaron Nguyen has built Phined Coffee around a simple premise: deep respect for the craft of coffee, shaped by years behind the machine.

Starting as a barista immersed in the nuances of Melbourne’s cafe culture, Nguyen honed his skills, co-owned a coffee shop for five years, and ultimately took the leap into opening his own specialty venue.

Phined Coffee has now been open for just over four months – a passion project Nguyen approaches with precision and pride.

The beans, the techniques and most importantly the interactions that the baristas have with our customers on the coffee machine,” he said. “I know how important someone’s first coffee of the day is.

Rather than a typical three-to-five-day soft launch, Nguyen took a different approach, instituting a two-week soft opening.

“It’s really good preparation for everyone,” he said.

The extended period allowed his six-person team to train in a live environment, refine service, perfect food offerings and master Phined’s coffee recipes.

The cafe officially opened in late August with a free coffee and matcha day that drew strong crowds. It now attracts regulars from the CBD seeking its premium matcha sourced directly from Japan. But Nguyen remains particularly proud of the cafe’s coffee program, powered by beans from Code Black Coffee.

Drawing inspiration from both Melbourne’s specialty scene and Vietnam’s rapidly evolving coffee culture, Phined offers what Nguyen describes as “luxury coffee”. The name itself comes from a Vietnamese term for “filtered coffee”, and the menu leans into that philosophy.

Alongside traditional espresso staples are cold-brew options in flavours such as Tiramisu and Fansipan (a vanilla oat cream and also the name of the highest mountain in Vietnam), as well as seasonal espresso blends – currently a vibrant Ethiopian roast with notes of berries, stone fruit, cherry and chocolate.

A standout feature is Phined’s trio of Vietnamese coffee specialties: Cà Phê Sữa Đá (The O.G.), Bạc Xỉu Oat and Rice Coco Cream. These brews use robust, intensely flavoured Robusta beans. Nguyen highly recommends trying the trending Vietnamese addition of salted cream, noting its “sweetness, balance and umami” that perfectly complements the punchy Robusta profile.

Phined’s food menu is crafted to pair with its beverage range. The runaway favourite is the Pulled Brisket Focaccia, slow cooked for 24 hours and layered with caramelised onion, apple slaw and chilli mayo. Close behind is the Mushroom Melt, a truffle-spiced sourdough toastie with melted cheese. “Vietnamese coffee with our truffle pâté and mushroom is perfect,” Nguyen said.

With a carefully considered offering, a focus on high-quality presentation and a commitment to old-fashioned hospitality, Phined is already carving out a loyal following in North and West Melbourne.

Phined Coffee is located at 522A Victoria St. Hours: 7am to 3pm weekdays; 8am to 4pm weekends. •