It really feels like you're part of something when you come here, as if creativity is unfolding around you. In fact, it usually is and occasionally a whiff of fresh paint may even float past. This is where artists meet, greet and eat and it's easy to see why. 1000 £ Bend welcomes loiterers, and a day could easily pass by while you sit with a coffee, ponder the art or have your way with the free Wi-Fi.

The space can only be described as vast, being set up in an old Harley Davidson workshop. Signals of its industrial past remain with large steel doors, chipped paint walls and exposed pipes. Despite this it maintains a certain quaintness and jumbled charm that Melbourne cafe goers have become accustomed to. The cafe section at the front is filled with vintage couches, rugs, low coffee tables and knick-knacks that make you feel like you're in your best friend's lounge room. 

The menu is all about homestyle goodness, from cheesy baked bean jaffles to spaghetti and meatballs or steamy veggie curry. And to top it all off the coffee is top-notch, being a carefully selected Fair Trade organic roast. There is also a small smoking area, which has that makeshift Saint Jeromes vibe (it's the same owner) so smokers won't be banished to the footpath, even if you think they deserve to be.

The cafe opens into a huge warehouse space, which acts as the gallery, showcasing predominantly local talent. Upstairs is the cinema, which is available for both private and public screenings as well as events or small gatherings. 1000 £ Bend is an artistic hub where anything goes, from installations to fashion shows.