Coffee corner: How Mr Brightside became Caulfield South’s meeting place of choice
Rain patters against the floor-to-ceiling windows while the café hums along inside. A young family settles in for brunch. Someone stops at the counter for their usual coffee. Best friends and co-owners George and Tait stop to wave to or chat with, well, everyone, before getting back to work. That’s Caulfield South’s Mr Brightside in a nutshell. And, if you told 2012 George and Tait that it would be this way in 2026, they would’ve said that they’d achieved exactly what they set out to.
A little piece of Italy
For George and Tait, Mr Brightside started with two ideas.
The first was bringing the attention to detail they’d learned in their fine dining background into a relaxed neighbourhood café. The second was creating somewhere that felt like an extension of home.
‘We wanted people to feel like this was an Italian piazza type of place where all the locals meet and have a coffee,’ Tait says. ‘It was about welcoming people in and creating a focal point for the area.’
The café opened in November 2012 after the pair spotted the development up for sale while living just around the corner. And the name Mr Brightside? It came from George and Tait’s commitment to looking on the positive side of life. But, it also came from their commitment to something else…
‘If I’m honest, we’re also big fans of The Killers song,’ George laughs.
The business they’re really in
The café was busy immediately. Perhaps slightly busier than George and Tait expected.
‘We got bombarded,’ George says. ‘We were chasing our tails for a while trying to keep up with the level of service we wanted to provide.’
So, rather than lowering their standards, they adapted to their audience’s expectations – remembering names, the coffee they had last time and where they sat, and so on. Fourteen years later, the same philosophy guides everything they do.
‘We’re not in the business of service or products,’ Tait says. ‘You can get coffee and food anywhere. We’re in the business of hospitality. It’s all about the relationships we build with our customers.’
George agrees.
‘It’s a big part of the industry that’s often missing. Not every business owner realises that it takes more than an aesthetic to keep people coming back.’
What’s worth ordering?
Of course, good hospitality still needs good food.
The house-made brisket with poached eggs and hash browns has been on the menu since day one, while the Reuben, shakshuka and ever-changing French toast have become local favourites.
‘It’s all pretty classic café fare,’ George says. ‘It’s how we deliver it that sets us apart.’
‘Whether you come in on a quiet Monday morning or for a busy Sunday lunch, the food will be exactly the same,’ Tait agrees.
That consistency extends to the coffee, too.
Mr Brightside serves AllPress Coffee, with separate espresso blends for milk-based and black coffees, alongside a rotating single-origin filter.
‘I call the filter coffee-tea,’ Tait says. ‘It tastes a little bit punchy and different.’
The people making the place
Ask George and Tait for a favourite memory at Mr Brightside, and you’ll have them stumped.
‘There are a million stories,’ George says. ‘We’ve seen people come here on their first date, then come back married.’
Others have become part of the café’s own story.
‘Some families have been coming since day one,’ Tait says. ‘We’ve watched kids grow up, then come back and work here for their first job. We’ve hosted birthdays, bar mitzvahs, wedding celebrations, you name it.’
Outside the café, Mr Brightside also sponsors local sporting clubs, handles the Caulfield Primary School lunch orders and gets involved in community fundraisers – all to strengthen the bonds Mr Brightside is built from.
As far as George and Tait’s relationship with each other as co-owners?
‘It’s like we’re married,’ George laughs. ‘We’re in it for each other and working towards the same goal. But as we’ve said from the start, we’re friends before business partners. If it ever gets to a stage where the business affects the friendship, I’d rather just sell.
‘Thankfully, it’s never got to that stage.’
Still looking on the bright side
These days, George and Tait’s plate is fuller than ever.
Alongside Mr Brightside, they recently opened Cedar Street Café, continue running Hendrick’s Burgers and Salads, provide catering services – and are constantly expanding their private dining and events offering.
But growth isn’t really the goal.
‘We’re always fine-tuning things to improve the experience for our customers,’ George says. ‘As long as tomorrow’s a little better than today, we’re happy.’
‘We really just want to help the community grow and provide a place of connection for Mum, Dad and the kids,’ Tait agrees. ‘That’s part and parcel of what we do.’
