Tim & Jane - coffee, chocolate and tea in Footscray

Anyone else went to the Royal Hotel before it got redeveloped?  We did - only once, as we were knees deep in nappies and and sleepless nights at that stage, but we had a damn fine meal of proper, old-school pub grub.  I was a bit sad when I saw it being gutted and turned into retail shops.

But what's done is done, and the new spaces have provided a springboard for keen small businesses to put down roots in Footscray.  Among them is Tim & Jane, offering Jasper coffee, iced tea and many tempting treats.  I guess it's far more savoury to take my now school-aged daughter out for a babycino and a chocolate than a glass of Yalumba and a bowl of chips at the Royal!

Tim and Jane is owned by the eponymous Tim and Jane, a couple who saw a need for more cafes in Footscray and graciously obliged.

They have a retail range of chocolates and other sweet treats as well as take-home coffees and teas.  So purty!

Really enjoyed this short black, made with Jasper coffee - no sugar required, which is always the mark of a good espresso.

There's a tempting range of chockies from Poppy's and Fardoulis.

We went for a raspberry ganache frog and a peppermint cream.  Quite nice, although I am more a tangy, devilishly dark chocolate girl rather than a sweet milk chocolate fiend.

I nabbed a taste from a dish on the counter of the dark choc mango above, which was more my style - "yum" indeed!

Chocolate coffee beans from the good ole Chocolate Box - both my vices in one tasty crunch!

Jane, the owner, is originally from Vietnam and is really into herbal teas.  There's a big range here including an energy blend, Siberian ginseng, and dandelion leaf to reduce bloating and purify the blood.  There's a handy tip sheet provided or stop by on the weekends when Jane is there to chat about what might suit you - I'm definitely looking forward to browsing this range some more!

And if "Daintree and chamomile" or vanilla chai isn't your style, there's also a handy range of Jasper coffee for your 7am heartstarter.

Tim & Jane have just started doing a small range of takeaway sushi packs and Peking duck crepes (made offsite) and pending council approval they have plans to do a small range of hot food including my all-time favourite, Vietnamese mini coconut pancakes (that's what my Facebook "cover" is in case you ever wondered!)  As the weather warms up, it will be a treat to sit under the brollies with an iced tea, and best of all they're open till a very grown-up, VERY welcome 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays!

Big thanks to Simon via Facebook for the tip!

Tim & Jane (Facebook/Twitter)
Shop 6, 158 Barkly Street, Footscray (old Royal Hotel, Droop St side)
Hours:  Mon-Thurs 8am-8pm, Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-4pm