Roasting specialty coffee on site, fresh aromatic blends are a guarantee at Viva Espresso.
As soon as you walk into Viva Espresso, friendly staff, a five-kilogram coffee roaster and a wall of take-home coffee beans sourced from around the world greet you. I view the owner chatting to customers at their table as if they were old mates, which is probably the case seeing as Viva Espresso has been on Pirie Street since Adelaide’s coffee boom first started. The barista tells me about the single origins on offer and is happy to go through the different roasting technique used for each one. For my espresso, I try a single origin bean called Tanzania Kilimanjaro Estate AA that is grown in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. There is a bold honey flavour with the first sip that is finished with a dark chocolate-like taste. The crema is thick with a golden brown colour that leaves traces of natural sugars on the inside of the cup as I finish. The latte is made from another single origin bean, Colombia Pitalito Supremo. It has rich caramel notes and a berry aftertaste, which produces a balanced sweetness. It is presented with a perfect tulip on top and has a nutty aroma. Viva Espresso is a place that has a bright clean feel to it punctuated by a great atmosphere and, if you’re there at the right time, you might even catch them roasting the beans that you’ll be enjoying in your next cup. It’s one of the few coffee outlets that gives you a window into a scene normally behind closed doors.
Viva Espresso
70 Pirie St, Adelaide
vivaespresso.net.au
