There’s always a time and place for good coffee, and that’s what Leor Haimes aimed to provide when he opened his second café in Bentleigh East in January.
“It’s really bringing that side of Bentleigh together and we’ve already got so many regulars,” Leor says. “It’s quite amazing to see how quickly a café in the middle of nowhere – we’re the first in the area to be doing what we’re doing – can grow and bring people together.”
Based out of a converted dry cleaner, Time & Place attracts customers with a contrasting red brick exterior and rich-blue ornaments and outside seating. Inside the café, the colours turn softer, with white décor, blue coffee bar and equipment, and timber tables and seating.
“It’s a little different to most cafés in the area,” Leor says. “The look is mid-century modern with a bit of a retro vibe to it. It’s colourful and warm, with a bit of artwork displayed.”
Though the aesthetics bring customers in, it’s the coffee from Clark St that keeps them coming back. Time & Place runs the Mastermind blend for milk-based coffee and rotating single origins for espresso, filter, cold brew, and batch brew.
“I was helping out a friend at their café between running my first business and opening Time & Place. They used Clark St Coffee and I met [Founder Melissa Floreani] through them,” Leor says.
“They’ve been awesome to deal with, and are super open about their coffee and invite me up to the roastery all the time.”
As well as Clark St, Time & Place works with many other local artisans and suppliers to construct its rotating menu. Leor says the café aims to offer options from breakfast and brunch through to take-home meals for dinner.
“We do as much as possible in-house. The café has a retail section which includes all of our own jams, take-home meals, dips, Bolognese sauces, sausages, and granola,” he says.
“Back on the café front, we have a display cabinet that features different salads, sandwiches, and pastries which rotate daily. People can come in every day of the week and have something different.”
While the menu also changes frequently, Leor says a current standout is the mandarin and poppyseed hotcake, served with fig custard, candied walnuts, black tahini, and cream cheese ice cream. He adds the varied options and prepared menus are proving popular with the parents living in the area.
“There’s a lot of young families in the area who are buying their first houses, and quite a lot of primary schools around us too, so we see a lot of parents, school teachers, and local traders drop by throughout the week,” Leor says.
“It’s great to be able to keep growing the business while supporting and offering something to the local community. We’re grateful to be able to do what we’re doing and can hopefully keep doing this for a while.”
Time & Place
929 Centre Road, Bentleigh East, Victoria, 3165
Open Monday to Friday 6am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 6:30am to 4pm
0466 825 816
