When Star Signs Align at Coburg’s Gemini
Coburg has a knack for quietly doing its own thing. Gemini is no exception. Sitting confidently at the top end of Sydney Road in a century-old corner building, this café-by-day, wine bar-by-night has become the kind of place you stumble into once and then spend the rest of the month finding excuses to return.
Gemini Melbourne
Owners Tresna Lee and Shane Farrell, both locals (and both Geminis, fittingly), sold their home to bring Gemini to life. When funds ran dry, the neighbourhood pitched in to help finish the job. That says everything you need to know about the kind of place it is. Not flashy, not overworked—just thoughtful, generous, and deeply rooted.
We dropped in for the $55 Sunday Set Lunch and took the round table by the window, where the afternoon sun streamed in like it had been booked in advance. Service was calm and warm, the kind that makes you feel known, even if it’s your first visit.
The opening plates arrived, each with a distinct voice. First, a slab of golden panisse—crisp-edged with a soft, tofu-like centre—topped with pumpkin and olive, sweet and earthy against the gentle savoury base. Then came the tapioca fritti, which landed somewhere between cheesy mochi and croquette. Stretchy, rich, topped with parmesan, and completely addictive. The WA octopus skewers were the final word: charred to perfection, smoky on the outside, yielding to something soft and subtle inside.
The main course kept the mood steady. Wagyu beef carpaccio, sliced just so, sat alongside a fresh seasonal salad and fries that ticked every box. There’s also an optional upgrade to Black Opal Wagyu MBS+5 with honey-fermented garlic butter for an extra $20, which reads indulgent but lands balanced and clean.
Dessert isn’t included, but the $9 Amaro choc top deserves its own visit. A collab with Gelato Papa, it’s bitter, cold, creamy, and completely satisfying.
Chef Sriram Aditya Suresh brings a quiet clarity to the food. The plates are stripped of ego and full of intent. Every element feels deliberate, but nothing is trying to prove a point.
Gemini is the kind of spot that reminds you why people fall in love with their locals. It doesn’t shout. It simply shows up—consistently, generously, and with just enough charm to stay on your mind all week.
Coburg has a knack for quietly doing its own thing. Gemini is no exception. Sitting confidently at the top end of Sydney Road in a century-old corner building, this café-by-day, wine bar-by-night has become the kind of place you stumble into once and then spend the rest of the month finding excuses to return.
