Three venues, and change from $30: Bites and drinks in the east

Project Black Specialty Coffee

3a/26b Enterprise Way, Mitcham

Tucked away in a laneway at Mitcham Shopping Centre, opposite the now-closed Coles supermarket, sits Project Black Specialty Coffee.

The café serves a range of jaffles and breakfast items alongside coffee options.

I ordered a medium caramel iced latte ($6.50), which had the perfect balance of milk and caffeine to give me the energy boost I needed for the day.

96 Cafe & Eatery

96 South Parade, Blackburn

A new find for me, this small Asian fusion café opposite Blackburn Station was packed when I visited.

The pork Xiao Long Bao ($12) came as a serving of four pieces.

The soup dumplings, with soy sauce and ginger on the side, were a great snack - but make sure the soup doesn’t explode out of the wrapping when you take a bite (lesson learned!).

This ideal brunch spot also has coffee combos and weekday specials.

The café has a courtyard, an appealing, less intense space to dine and drink.

Matilda Mont Albert

15 Arcade Road, Mont Albert North

Entering the Parisian-themed café transports you to a different world; it's an incredibly homely and warm experience when dining in.

A scone with jam and cream ($8) was fluffy and warm, ideal on a rainy Melbourne day, looking out from my window seat in a toasty café.

Across the way is little sister café Petite by Matilda, which caters to those on the go with sweet and savoury goods available for takeaway customers.