Argosini Coffee

By Franz Scheurer

Chris Dickinson is a New Zealander who happened to run an import business, which provided him with the perfect excuse to travel to Italy often. Trading in Italian goods gave him a great reason to embrace Italian coffee, and even import it. He learnt how to roast in 1996 from a master roaster in Milan and it didn’t take him long to figure out that freshly roasted is best; so he set up his own coffee roasting company in New Zealand in 1997.

Over the next few years he perfected his skills, producing a high quality, batch-roasted product focusing on freshness, consistency and a balanced flavour profile, through expert blending of green beans rather than mass-market production.

Chris finally moved to Australia in 2005 (and a good move it was, too), opening Argosini Micro Roastery and Coffee Ware shop in Crows Nest.

Argosini is a coffee bar, roastery and coffee ware shop but most importantly also a place to watch, smell and taste freshly roasted coffee and, if you’re so inclined, learn about making coffee by taking part in the rather involved barista courses held by Chris on the premises (Warning: you’ll have to bring your own machine along, but it’s well worth it!).

I tried several of his blends and must say that they deliver. Chris is fussy about his coffee, his milk, his water, the machine he uses, the temperature and pressure and coffee oxidation. He uses Arabica beans, mostly, but he also integrates a small amount of Robusta in some of his creations, ending up with a superb crema. I love the fact that I can inspect, smell, then taste Chris’ offerings all in one place and take home whatever blend I feel suits my needs best on the day. I’m also very impressed with the packaging, another of Chris’ developments, perfected over the years and, in my opinion, superior to most on the market.

I can thoroughly recommend Chris’ coffee and I urge you to try it (parking is not a problem in Atchison Street). Restaurateurs, too, should have a look at this product.

Chris’ press release ends with: “If you love coffee, you will fall head over heels for the Argosini coffee experience”… and he might just be right!

Argosini

9 Atchison Street

Crows Nest NSW 2065

Tel.: (02) 9906 6981