Rubika Cafe & Bar

cold brew is probably the move at rubika if you're visiting on one of hawthorn's properly warm afternoons, though the espresso-based menu holds its own year-round. this is a roastery and cafe in one, which means what ends up in your cup has been thought about from an earlier point in the chain than most spots on power street can claim. you won't find the kind of place that coasts on a good suburb. hawthorn draws enough foot traffic that mediocre cafes survive anyway, so the ones that stay well regarded tend to be deliberate about it. rubika sits at shop 1/121 power street, close enough to the action without being swallowed by it. a flat white here, mid-morning, is a reasonable way to start getting to know the street.