Jackie Middleton, co-founder of Earl Canteen and Dame, met Hakim Halim while judging ice-cream at the Royal Melbourne Dairy Awards. After 35 bowls, they became friends and then collaborators on a toastie cafe concept, Golden. Meanwhile Halim, who also owns Ripe Cheese at Queen Victoria Market, had developed an appreciation for Hokkaido soft serve on trips to Japan.
When it came time to open a second location for Golden at QV Melbourne, they wanted to expand the brief to include soft serve – but served all day. “A cafe now needs to stretch its wings for many parts of the day,” says Middleton, pointing to the shift in operators turning cafes into bars, focusing on specialty drinks, or developing strong pastry programs.
Or, in this case, “Australia’s answer to Hokkaido soft serve” per Golden’s QV’s menu display. “We want it to be really true to the Hokkaido style, which is very milk-forward without being too sweet,” Middleton says. Here, the team uses local Jersey milk and cream, and wants to highlight “the natural sweetness of the beautiful dairy” according to Middleton.
Granola, honey and sesame snaps draw on breakfasts Middleton encountered in Greece, while matcha, strawberries and Pocky nod to Japan. The soft-serve croissant, easily a signature in the making, sees a custom AM Bakehouse croissant cone filled with strawberry jam and soft serve before being dipped in St David Dairy butter. “You don’t get a crunch like an Ice Magic – it’s more fudgy,” Middleton says.
Thanks to Golden’s new pastry program, there’s a sundae topped with salted caramel, brownie chunks and a chocolate chip cookie, baked in-house. Elsewhere, soft-serve floats draw on Australian nostalgia and the international influences of the CBD. Try the espresso-spiked Milo Dinosaur, or the dirty soda with yuzu lemonade, cold brew and you-know-what.
“Everyone’s doing cold foams, but we have the benefit of this amazing milk soft serve. It’s like cold foam, but colder,” says Middleton.
While soft serve is the star, Golden’s cafe foundations remain. The menu brings five global-inspired toasties over from its Collins Place sibling, including Meatsmith Wagyu pastrami, an XO tuna melt and a spanakopita-inspired toastie. Plus, classic espresso and filter coffee.
Middleton has given the QV site (formerly a Mexican restaurant) a sleek makeover, with a buttery yellow palette, gold finishes and a digital menu board. It’s a full-circle moment for her, having previously run an Earl location across the way.
Golden QV
R01, 40 QV Urban Market, Melbourne
Hours:
Mon to Thu 7am–4pm
Fri 7am–8pm
Sat 8.30am–8.30pm
Sun 9am–6pm
goldencoffeebar.com
AloJapan.com