It’s the tiniest place in the world. So tiny. Tiny enough that it makes you feel like a giant, which makes you feel hungrier, which is good for Michael Pham. The brains behind Collingwoood’s new, miniature, very yellow and aptly named café,
Tiny, climbed out of the depths of the design and advertising world, carried through by his love of food and making people happy. His new laundry closet-cum-cafe, situated on a little side street stemming off Hoddle Street in the middle of Collingwood’s industrial sector and next door to the famous Japanese Bath House, opened its doors on November 26th of this year and has been making people happy and keeping them satiated since. With delicious sandwiches and a menu that is constantly shifting with mood and local availabilities, Tiny is the north side’s newest not so secret best kept secret gem. Everything about it is thoughtfully cute. The food is exciting and seems to be always good, the space is wacky but stays clean to avoid claustrophobia, the coffee is solid and the company is incredibly endearing. It’s also just fun to feel like a giant.
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TR: What came first, tiny or cafe?
Michael Pham: The idea for a cafe came first, then the space came up and it all just clicked!
TR: Have you always dreamed of having a tiny cafe?
MP: I've been wanting to share my food more for a few years now, and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity!
TR: Why is it so tiny?
MP: Because the space used to be a laundry cupboard!
TR: Do you like miniature things in general?
MP: Not normally, but I love when things are out of scale.
TR: What is the significance of the colour yellow?
MP: It's happy!
TR: Tell us about the idea behind the design?
MP: A nice lunch is our main aim. We wanted to have something under the stairs, with a couple of seats...
TR: What sort of sensation do you want customers to leave with? What sort of experience do you want to create for them?
MP: I've been hoping people would be delighted by the space, and it seems to be working. It's also nice to be tucked away and a little bit of a secret.
TR: What is your background professionally?
MP: From advertising and design, but the love of food has taken over!
TR: What is the concept behind the menu?
MP: To keep things simple, tiny, tasty - and changing often. So our customers don't get bored and nor do we. And to make it with LURVE!
TR: What kind of products do you use? (i.e. local, organic, etc.)
MP: Local produce from our friendly Turkish grocer, artisan bread, we bake our our banana bread (served with Nutella), pear and gingerbread cakes, and muffins.
TR: How do you feel about the neighbourhood? What kind of clientele have you found there? MP: What sort of clientele are you aiming towards attracting?
I love this hood! It's not where you'd expect to find us, but it works a treat.
TR: What is your favourite food?
MP: Oh boy... probably pizza! But our banana bread with Nutella is rather amazing.
Tiny is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am - 3:30pm.
51 Cromwell St, Collingwood.