CPI: the cappucino index

According to the most CPI (that's Cappuccino Price Index to you), Brisbane has the most expensive coffee in the country.

A cuppa will set you back on average $3.31 compared with $3.22 in Melbourne and $3.06 in Sydney. 

This tidbit cropped up while I was shooting an Obama blend ('yes we can!') espresso in the new Campos cafe in Melbourne.

Campos originally started in Sydney's capital of grunge, Newtown, and the Brisbane cafe recently was named Australia's 2010 best coffee, according to Lifestyle Channel viewers... so if you know and trust a LC watcher, then you'd better make tracks to the Valley in BrisVegas.

The Melbourne staff delighted in showing off The Slayer ("How do you spell that?" "You know, like the American band") a new-style espresso machine from the US that costs $23,000 and there are only 15 in Australia so far.

Despite the Slayer's best efforts, I realised I'm not an espresso girl anymore, but I'd go back to 144 Elgin St, in Carlton for another of their creamy piccolo lattes. They're pitching against some serious heavyweights (think St Ali in South Yarra, Seven Seeds on the other side of Carlton), but you know what they say about Melburnians - three or more standing together and someone'll wheel an espresso machine by...