Bingo. The big reason why coffee sucks in the US is that the Italian immigration wave hit before the espresso machine was invented. It hit Oz afterward.
And, leading from that, coffee in Oz has been pretty damned good for a long time. I've never been anywhere that takes it as seriously as we do save for a couple pockets in the pacific northwest of the US, and even in those places it's nowhere near the consistent good quality you'll find in any Aussie Capitol city.
"... The big reason why coffee sucks in the US is that the Italian immigration wave hit before the espresso machine was invented. It hit Oz afterward. ..."
Excellent observation, I'd never thought of it that way.
But Italian migrants did continue to go to US right through to the late 60s (indeed most Aussie Italian families I know have a tale of a great uncle/aunt in Canada and a couple more somewhere on East coast of US or in Chicago)... I'm intrigued by the theory though...
I left Melbourne in 2002, and finally visited again in 2009. The effect of seven years of sustained prosperity was palpable in many ways, but none more so than the number of new cafés. I guess it's the sort of change you don't notice so much when you see something every day.
(I'm subscribed to a Melbourne photo blog, and it nearly brings a tear to the eye at least once a week. Melbourne's easily my favorite city in the world.)
And, leading from that, coffee in Oz has been pretty damned good for a long time. I've never been anywhere that takes it as seriously as we do save for a couple pockets in the pacific northwest of the US, and even in those places it's nowhere near the consistent good quality you'll find in any Aussie Capitol city.